Futurology: the new home in 2050 (NF80)
This guide, prepared for the NHBC Foundation by Studio Partington, looks ahead to 2050 and contemplates how new home design will accommodate the needs of tomorrow’s very different household profiles. Through plans and cross-sections it brings to life the characteristics of homes that will be required, with case studies on flexible family homes, third-age lifetime and supported living homes, and single-person (micro-living) dwellings. The case studies highlight features related to accessibility, health and comfort, technology and adaptability; characteristics that are already important, but which will have become more significant by 2050.
Alongside the graphical representation of how homes could look, the guide reviews how advances in technology will shape new home design of the future, considering innovations that are evolving now or could be commonplace by 2050. Energy and energy efficiency are given emphasis, but climate-responsiveness, adaptability and mobility are also included.
Summary of content
This new home design guide includes three main sections
1 Homes for a bright future – how homes will look
Urban compared with rural/suburban: illustrates a model flexible family home for both situations, showing the likely evolution of features to deliver comfort, well-being and energy efficiency.
Case studies of new home design models predicted to be mainstream in 2050:
Flexible family townhouse
Flexible family courtyard house
Third-age living – lifetime home
Third-age living – supported living
Single-person dwelling – micro-living home
These case studies highlight features related to accessibility, health and comfort, technology and adaptability in new home design.
2 Technology and innovation
The guide includes brief illustrated sections on the following topics:
Sources of energy
Low energy homes
Energy management – smart use of energy
Planning services
Responsive homes
Adaptable homes
Electrically-mobile future
Internet shopping and home deliveries
3 Facts, figures and footnotes
Includes:
Infographics on the key demographic changes that are driving the evolution of home design.
Floor area comparisons of the case studies included in Section 1.
References and further reading