Multifunctional Communities

Multifunctional Communities

Various everyday spaces are being transformed in response to the conditions imposed by the COVID-19 health crisis.

This situation facing our cities marks the new trend under which they will operate in the framework of the “new normal.”

There are clear signs pointing in this direction, as the health crisis is expected to continue for a long time, and it is forecasted that 30% of people who used to work in an office will not return to their workplaces.

The difference between the past and the present lies in solutions that address environmental, social, and economic challenges across offices, retail, housing, hospitals, and schools.

The clearest signal so far is the rise of small communities — “twenty-minute walking distance communities” — which will help shift the old dynamic shaped by city traffic, environmental issues, and large concentrations of people toward one that prioritizes wellness, distancing, and new space functions.

It is a complete transformation that requires a responsible change in how we approach space — something that for years was voluntary and only lightly touched by global sustainability and wellness trends.

But that’s not all. The spaces of the immediate future must be multifunctional, walkable, with flexible housing buildings that can accommodate activities currently carried out outside the home.

Social distancing has accelerated the demand for safe, infection-free spaces — but also for residential interiors with natural ventilation, a third room that functions as a home office, adaptable flexible areas, and sound isolation, among other features.