What will the houses of the future look like?

From trampolines and TVs in the bathtub to indoor slides and self-cooking ovens, we all have childhood dreams of what our future homes will look like. But as we get older and move into ordinary suburban duplexes or modernist apartments, it’s easy to forget about our crazy and wonderful childhood plans for a fun, futuristic life. But as the climate crisis becomes more pressing, design becomes more experimental, and technology takes over, the future of housing looks promising.

The House Museum has brilliantly combined wild, imaginative worlds with truly practical solutions for our rapidly evolving society. Their designs exist as ‘A Converted Flat in 2049’ – an evolving project of Northumbria University’s Interaction Studies Studio and supported by Innovo, which is currently on display at the museum. “Their playful projects and participatory research embody new ideas about what our homes and behaviors might look like in the near future,” explains Danielle Patten, director of creative programs and collections at the museum. Danielle hopes the room will be “a powerful tool for learning, inspiration and cultural reflection, helping society navigate and shape the changes ahead.” “The history of the future is a rich research topic. It’s fascinating to look back at how previous generations imagined the future. In fact, the Victorians predicted the future and predicted the invention of video calling!” – explains Sonia Solicari, director of the museum. “We are still stuck in the 1960s-1980s Mad Max dystopian future, and our work at the museum aims to address that. As a result, this may prove to be one of the fastest-changing rooms in the museum.” The 2024 version of life 2049, as Sonia explains, will always be an interesting piece of history.

To plan and create this “future” dwelling, designers developed a set of situational parameters that include the rupture of the Thames due to an extreme weather event, a green economic revolution and a decline in greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, in the early 2040s, the government selects Kent as a home for three million climate refugees, leading to “New Kent” joining the EU. With all this in mind, what cultural, social and design elements do they want to feature in their planned Hackney apartment?

Intergenerational life

Converted Flat of 2049 is home to five fictional residents: 81-year-old Jo, middle-aged Mila with her partners Yusuf and Bolanie, and her 19-year-old son Ali. A quarter of all adults aged 25 to 34 now live in multi-generational living, according to new research, and there are now 1.8 million multi-generational households in the UK, a significant increase since the turn of the century. This makes sense especially due to the growing population and the number of households, which in turn affects the demand for real estate and their prices. According to government research, a 1% increase in the number of households causes a 2% increase in house prices, and between 1991 and 2016 there was a 32% increase in prices, with Hackney in London being one of the largest areas of growth. An aging population will also mean increasing demand for care from younger generations, making intergenerational living even more essential. ‘Granny annexes’ and other forms of multi-generational housing may become the norm in the future, something that Britain and America have largely avoided until now, but which remains popular in many countries and cultures around the world.

Architect Richard Parr believes the key to designing a shared space is to “maintain or create some degree of separation.” While open-plan floor plans have been the dominant trend over the past few decades, life involves being in close proximity to children or parents at all times (something that has been forcibly brought home to us during the pandemic). As Richard continues: “Instead of turning two rooms of the same size into one large space, why not use three-quarters of it as an entertainment room – a place for people to meet – and the other half as a small office? It’s best to remain flexible, so we often use screens or sliding doors to allow areas to be closed off when needed. If multiple people have to use the space to do different things at the same time, it doesn’t work. Life is not a party with drinks.” He also speaks very accurately about the location, stating that “the countryside has obvious advantages of space. Some of our clients have been looking at country properties with outbuildings – log sheds, lean-tos, barns – that can be converted into self-contained living quarters for family members. We created separate apartments for elderly parents, as well as living space for caregivers,” he details, adding that “we were also asked to create space for the younger generation to live independently but close by” – perhaps in response to rapidly increasing levels of care childcare costs.

When it comes to making your townhome work for future intergenerational households, Richard advises on how to make the most of underused or overlooked spaces. “Maybe not everyone should go to the kitchen if they want to make coffee or warm up a bottle for their baby,” he explains. “In many recent projects, we have added these amenities to underused nooks and crannies. The landing can be turned into a kitchenette, where someone in the household can prepare a snack without having to join the rest of the household downstairs.”

Sustainability

The climate crisis is a major factor for remodeled living in 2049, and for good reason. Over the last decade or more, there have been significant advances in home heating and energy efficiency, with a particular focus on sustainability. Renewable energy systems such as solar panels, heat pumps and geothermal heating have become increasingly common (although heat pumps are extremely expensive and unsuitable for the vast number of existing buildings), while smart thermostats optimize energy use by learning home habits. Improved insulating materials – such as spray foam and triple-glazed windows – help reduce heat loss and energy consumption. Radiant underfloor heating has gained popularity, providing even heat throughout a room, and the rise of zero-energy and passive house designs emphasize energy-efficient living through insulation, airtight construction and the use of renewable energy.