Guidelines to better apartment living…

…or how to ensure indoor survivability for long stays at home

Apartments are one of the most basic forms of living in the contemporary world, virtually ubiquitous in all contexts. Yet, as architects, we are probably the least concerned with them. We barely mention them in school, in favor of more relevant projects such as ‘’Vertical Cities’’, ‘’Urban Farming’’ or ‘’The Zepellin Village’’ (that last one wasn’t a theme per se, but I’ve seen someone come up with it in school). However, the lack of interest has made residential living more of a developer-driven typology, rather than designer drive. As such, most residential projects are made to lower costs, not necessarily to achieve a better quality of living. But if you’re expected to pony up a substantial amount of cash or take a bank loan that will take a good chunk of years to pay back, you should know what you’re buying or renting.

So I decided to write about some of the essential features that an apartment or studio should have for maximum livability, both from my architectural and personal experience. This might help take advantage of some of the space you have but don’t use, or aid you in you apartment hunting quest which can be a real pain to go through. I will start with the history of why apartments look the way they do now and then I’ve divided everything into 3 categories: Basic, Advanced and Premium.

History

The contemporary apartment can trace its roots to the 20th century. Sure, the history goes much further, all the way to ancient Rome, but the biggest impact on its design can be traced to the impact the modernist movement had on architecture. The end World War 1 brought with it profound change, as new ideologies clashed with the old world views and ideas. This conflict extended to all facets of life, design making no exception, and the modernist movement opposed neoclassicism. Modernists felt that the rigid thinking of Classical design, helmed by the various Beaux-Arts schools was outdated and ill-fitted to the requirements of the order created by the end of the war. It was certainly not a unified movement, however, there were common ideas behind the patchwork of creatives and schools that embodied it. Architecturally, this meant a rejection of the rigid design rules of the 19th Century and a focus on pragmatic and functional concepts. This is the age of ‘’Form follows function’’ (Louis Sullivan) and ‘’Less is more’’ (Ad Reinhardt). However, Modernism was still deeply rooted in Classicism, being mostly innovation rather than revolution.

Architecture has very rarely concerned itself with the vernacular (design that is the result of mere improvisation, rather than deliberate action). The modernist movement placed itself as opposing classically-influenced architecture, but it was essentially a debate of the elites. For residential design, this basically meant that modernists took the house designs of the upper-class and simplified them to fit their perspective. As such, modern apartments can be seen as an offshoot of the rich city house, rather than the way average people used to live prior to the 20th Century. This is important to note, as the majority of spaces in the contemporary apartment are descendants of old classical home partitions.

Unite d’Habitation by Le Corbusier, which can be considered the blueprint for Modernist apartment living.

But the most important factor in the rise of Modernist design was the shifting political landscape in Europe and the United States. Fascism, nazism, communism, economic depression and World War 2 more or less did away with the old design ideology in favor of the new. Modernism represented cutting ties with the past in favor of the future, and we can’t blame people for wanting to do that at the time. It also helped that modernism was more focused on the way normal people should live, rather than only the rich, while providing more pragmatic and economical solutions. As such the movement became the new norm, leaving a deep impact in the way we think about design, something that we can feel even today. I’ve tackled the subject more here, so feel free to check it out, if you want to learn more.

Basic

Ok, now that you’re all set and bored with the history let’s get pragmatic. I’ve pretty much lived for about 7 years moving between dorms and small apartments in the UK, Belgium, and Romania. They varied from 75 to 9 square meters, from new developments to student housing, etc. There are a few basic key factors that impact the quality of life in an apartment or studio:

Light directions

Surface

Number of rooms and technical spaces

Light directions: This one sounds complicated but it is actually really simple, how many directions is the unit getting light from. The impact of this can be pretty big, as it allows more freedom in organizing the interior. In every home, you have rooms that need light (living room, bedroom, etc), rooms that don’t need light (storage, etc) and rooms that would benefit from it, but is not essential (bathroom, corridor, etc). So when the number of directions increases so do the options for light in spaces. As such you need a minimum of 1 direction, but 2 is the optimum (yes it is nice to have windows on 3 sides, but the impact is much smaller when you move from 2 to 3 than 1 to 2). Suffice to say you should never buy an apartment that doesn’t have a full set of windows on at least 1 side (trust me, I’ve lived in one).

Surface: This one will be more subjective than the rest, as it can vary from person to person, but I will try to give a general estimate. Also, we will be dealing in usable square meters (free space without the walls) not the overall constructed surface. When the area moves under 20 square meters (for one person) you have to start using design solutions and cutting back on various ‘’optional features’’ to make it work. Yes, clever designers can make it work but there is a limit which kinda hovers around 15 square meters. Under 15 and you either start getting uncomfortable or have to create common spaces in the building to make it functional. So, the minimum would be 15–20 sqm. The optimum is somewhat higher at 30–35 sqm, as in this area you have room for most of the necessary features and you don’t have to get too creative or use custom design solutions or furniture. Everything else above 35 is nice, but after that, you start to see diminishing returns in your quality of living. The smallest unit I’ve lived in had 9 sqm and it was barely usable (no kitchen, just a sink in the room, also the added bonus of claustrophobia), and I’ve lived in it for 2 years. I’ve also lived in 15 and 45 sqm studios with a kitchen.

Number of rooms: Before we get into this one I need to clarify the difference between a general room (which can be adapted for other functions, for example, a bedroom can become an office) and technical rooms (mostly kitchen and bathrooms). So when I say the number of rooms I am referring to the number of general rooms. Ok, the minimum here is 1 (duh!) but the optimum is 1.5. I can hear you asking what does 1.5 mean? You can use the 1.5 measure for when multiple people live together. So for example for 2 people a 2 bedroom with a living room would be optimal, but at the very least it should a 1 bedroom with a living room. But if you are living alone you can round the 1.5 to 2, so that 1 bedroom is the optimal choice. Make sense? With this calculation, you always have enough space for extra functions (such as converting 1 room to an office) and enough space for some privacy when you need it.

Advanced

So we’ve talked about basics, now let’s get into the more specific things that can boost your quality of life while you live in an apartment. These are various features to look for that really make a difference, namely:

A closed kitchen:

It’s become something of a trend lately to have open space kitchens, but it’s not because the buyer really wants it, it’s because it’s usually cheaper for developers to have it instead of the closed one. Eliminating it makes the unit slightly cheaper to buy, but quite a bit cheaper to build. Usually, I hear 2 reasons to have an open kitchen, the first being ‘’People mostly eat out or order’’. If I could give you one architectural bit of advice that would impact your quality of life, it would be to have a proper kitchen and to use it. Cooking at home will impact your health, fitness, and wallet in ways you wouldn’t have taught possible. But cooking will become a chore if the kitchen isn’t properly designed and dimensioned and most open ones aren’t. The second reason is ‘’We only cook simple stuff’’. Pasta is simple stuff, so try making it and see how much space and utensils you need. You don’t have to cook like Gordon Ramsey to require a proper space to do it.

A balcony/terrace/yard:

If you’re from a colder or wetter climate you might consider this dead space and just decide to close it off (the balcony, not the backyard), but I would recommend leaving it open. Simply put humans weren’t designed to live indoors for extended periods of time, we need air. With a little bit of design and some Ikea furniture, you can turn that unused balcony in the perfect spot to take a break, grab a coffee or some wine and even work or have dinner. A lot of balconies and terraces suffer from lack of attention and basically end up as the space people don’t know what to do with, but they can become your own little corner of outdoor with just some ideas. When this space doesn’t exist it can have an impact on your psyche, making you feel closed off. There is a way to combat this, more surface area and higher ceilings, but it’s simpler just to have an outdoor space.

A working room/space:

In the age of remote work, it boggles my mind how so many developers still build apartments with no dedicated area to put a desk in. Because of this, many people end up working in their kitchens or living rooms. If you don’t have a proper desk (something that should be about 70x120 cm, not the small Ikea desk) and chair, both your work and your health will suffer. Ideally, your work area should be separated from the rest, in order to allow you to get into the ‘’work mindscape’’ but that can be a luxury. There are several advantages to having space for a proper desk: it allows you to have a proper chair (which helps your back, making sure you are pain-free and can focus properly), it gives you enough space for all the materials you need (laptop, headphones, notebook, lamp, etc), it puts sufficient distance between your eyes and the screen (less eye strain) and it allows your arms to sit comfortably on the desk (more comfort). When I was starting working on my own, in order to avoid the cost of turning a room into an office, I worked out of my kitchen, on a kitchen chair. After 2 months I had no issue dropping the cash on the renovation and some physical therapy.

A corridor:

Again, just like the closed kitchen, this one is starting to go the way of the dodo bird in recent times, with the argument being that it is ‘’a waste of space’’. If you ever visited a neoclassical house you would have seen that one didn’t simply enter the home, you first had to enter and ‘’antechamber’’ (a room before the room). Neoclassical architecture did sometimes take this concept to the extreme (having an antechamber for everything from the private office to the toilet), but this room had 2 functions. Firstly, it was a buffer between the public (the outdoor) and the private (the indoor) signaling you that you are no longer in the public realm. Secondly, and more importantly, it created intimacy by making you feel more in control of your surroundings. Contemporary homes have all but done away with this, creating a situation where you enter your living room and from your living room, you go into the bedroom (if the living room also has an open kitchen you end up with a living-corridor for cooking, truly ideal). This has a substantial impact on the privacy of the home. Ideally, you want an apartment where the rooms are connected to a corridor, instead of each other.

Premium

In this category, you get the features that do make an impact, but it might be tricky do find them. If you can’t find a unit with these features, it’s more than ok, but if you do find them, they are worth taking into consideration.

Private or multiple bathrooms:

A private bathroom (in this case) is a bathroom designed to serve a single room in an apartment (usually the master bedroom). It’s somewhat tricky to find this feature (depending on your location), but the other option, having multiple bathrooms can be easier to find. The ideal ratio is 1 bathroom per 1 bedroom, but mileage can vary. This can be extremely good to have for when multiple people live together, alleviating possible conflict stemming from the issue of sharing a bathroom.

Dining space:

There are 2 situations where this is useful: family meals or entertaining guests. The chances of finding a unit with a dining room are slim and even if you do, it’s not really worth the extra money. But a dining space can be useful. Sharing a meal has deep cultural roots and is a key aspect of bonding and relationship-building. Such a space can help build better families and relationships.

Built-in storage space:

Again, very useful, but not that common. This can refer to multiple situations: walk-in closet, coat room, technical space, etc. Having a separate room where you can pile stuff you don’t use frequently can be a godsend, especially when you want to have a clutter-free home.

High ceilings:

This is the most premium-y one to have. Higher ceilings mean more comfort, but it also means a higher price. It’s ideal, but certainly not required.

A lot of people live in inadequate spaces today, so these are some of the things you can look for and can really help in the overall quality of life. A good home can be a great investment in your health and happiness, giving back in so many ways. The points made in this article are the core of what you as a buyer or renter should know, but it can go far beyond this. My recommendation is that if you find something you like and want to purchase, it can be of great help to talk to an architect, just for a consultation, explaining to them your lifestyle and what you are looking for to get some feedback. You can also email me and I will gladly help you, after all, it’s our mission to create better lives through better buildings. Get in touch if you need some design suggestions or specialized consultation. You can find all the details here.