Homes For Tomorrow

Lerato Mphahlele speaks to architectural experts on what’s in store for residential architecture in 2021

- Lerato Mphahlele

What innovations can we expect for next year? Leading architects let us in on what will be new in sustainable buildings, multi-purpose home spaces and eco-conscious designs.

LOUIS PHILLIPS

Director and professional architect, Louis Phillips Architects + Associates

There have been a couple of strong trends coming through over the past few years. Spaces are designed a lot more flexibly from a usability perspective. Cavity doors are used to open and close or combine spaces as the need arises, especially when it comes to living areas.

Patios are enclosed to become part of living spaces in winter and opened in summer. This emphasises the strong link to outdoor living and the way these spaces connect and flow into our designs.

There has always been a strong trend for open-plan living and entertaining, but with the lockdown, the focus increased to improve the design and finishes of living and entertainment spaces. Lighting and sound automation, audio-visual, low-maintenance finishes and well-landscaped external spaces have become strong focus points.

JOHN MCKENZIE

Principal architect, John McKenzie Architecture

The ease of access to technology and communication tools today is constantly influencing architecture and how we interact with buildings and our requirements in the built environment. There are many benefits to remote working, and dependence on the typical centralised office space may lessen.