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With the property market transitioning and buyer preferences shifting, find out how new development designs could change post-COVID.
The unprecedented impact of the pandemic has transformed the lifestyle and interactions of people across the globe, with changes permeating into almost every facet of life — including home design.
Moving forward, a balance between broader living environments and safety would be the cornerstone of developments, as housing needs evolve to meet the redefined way of living in the post-pandemic world, according to McGrath Projects.
The group shared some of the new trends in the development space that could address the changing needs of buyers:
1. Flexible interior layout
As work from home becomes the prevalent set-up for most professionals, including students, the demand for flexible interiors and space-related features has significantly increased over the past year, according to McGrath.
More so than bigger houses and lots, the trend appears to be shifting towards the average space “working harder to balance living, working and relaxing”.
“Buyers are increasingly looking for spaces that can change as their needs change, spaces that give them flexibility to have open-plan living, but also the option to close off areas for meetings, work and privacy,” McGrath said.
Sliding doors, moving walls, multipurpose rooms, efficient storage space, acoustic separation, and “hidden” beds or tables are among the examples of enhancements that can create multiple functions and zones from a single floor plan. Smaller spaces may also incorporate increased natural light and outdoor space to maximise liveable versatility.
2. Transition zones
A common feature that has become more popular in the COVID era, the transition zone is a space found at the entrance of the property where residents or guests can store their shoes and coats and sanitise themselves and their belongings.
As people give more weight to safety and cleanliness, McGrath expects this trend to appear in floor and building plans moving forward.
3. Reduced contact
The pandemic has also given rise to the desire to reduce contact with surfaces, thus the emergence of features like contactless elevator buttons, door handles and sensor taps or toilet switches in shared bathrooms.
Similar to transition zones, these features will allow buildings and households to promote safety and cleanliness.
4. Contactless and secure drop-off
The lockdowns imposed across states and territories over the past year has given rise to online shopping and food order deliveries, with online purchases and meal orders increasing by 57 per cent and 19 per cent year-on-year, respectively.
As a result, McGrath found a growing demand for contactless and purpose-built secure package delivery and storage rooms, particularly in apartment buildings.
“Many existing apartment developments are having to retrofit these options into their buildings which is proving a challenge, but for new developments, we expect to see contactless and secure delivery as a standard feature,” McGrath said.
“We also expect to see demand growing for 24-hour concierge services in higher-end, premier developments.”
5. Pet-friendly developments
With studies showing a significant increase in pet ownership during the pandemic, pet-friendliness is expected to become a criterion for home ownership and tenancy moving forward, according to McGrath.
“From a developer’s perspective, we expect to see more pet-friendly properties being marketed with flexibility and consideration given to a range of animal breeds and sizes,” the group said.
