8 ways coronavirus has changed what people look for in a luxury home – from touchless elevators to more outdoor space
The Covid-19 pandemic is transforming the way luxury residential buildings are designed, according to architects and interior designers
The coronavirus has completely changed what people look for in a home.
People are fleeing cities for suburbs and snapping up houses with gardens and home offices sight unseen.
To adapt to people’s evolving preferences during and after the pandemic, luxury apartment buildings will likely change in several key ways, according to architects and interior designers.
Experts agree there will be an increased emphasis on outdoor spaces, a renewed desire for practical features like ample storage space and a move toward health-conscious building materials like antimicrobial surfaces.
Here are eight ways luxury buildings are likely to change because of coronavirus.
1. Luxury high-rises may fall out of favour
In places like New York City, 80th-floor penthouses sometimes sell for tens – or even hundreds – of millions of dollars to tech billionaires and hedge-fund managers who want to live among the clouds.
But such towering buildings may not look as attractive after the coronavirus, according to Peter Darmos of Los Angeles design firm Astéras.
“For example, a packed elevator ride can contribute to the spread of germs and the increased risk of contamination,” Darmos told website Apartment Therapy.