Responsiveness and Adaptability of Housing Spatial Design to New Emerging Functions: The Case of COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The paper aims to measure the ability of housing design in Palestine to respond to any emerging functions and needs and the ability to adapt to new and possible sudden lifestyle changes. Four different interior house types were analyzed, two refer to the traditional approach of the closed plan, and another two types refer to the modern approaches of the open plan in terms of adaptation to new needs. These needs are adaptability to work from home, flexibility to change, separate or merge functions, and the adaptability to respond to health issues like quarantine. The study adopts the method of architectural analysis and questionnaire to measure people's opinions about all types in terms of sudden functions. The study takes the COVID-19 pandemic conditions as a case study. The main finding of the study is establishing a relationship between style of housing spatial design and the ability for adapting sudden changes in lifestyle. It shows that the traditional designs adapt to most changing lifestyles successfully, the independent guest room was converted into an office or guaranteed room. Moreover, the modern open plan house design with a T shape of the day wing is the best choice for adapting to the post-COVID-19.