Adaptable Flats

Responding to modern life and changing circumstances.

Responding to modern life and changing circumstances and as part of our aim to create more joy in the world, we have developed concepts for an adaptable, dual-aspect, two-bed apartment, which would be highly flexible and able to respond to different lifestyle needs.

Modular homes have been available for over a century, and even before that, pattern books carried out a similar role. The technology for modular homes has improved significantly, but many lack flexibility. They give limited opportunity for customisation in response to changing needs and environments – such as increased working from home as experienced during the lockdown.

Cost-effective solutions are available with prefabricated and ‘off the shelf’ furniture to provide adaptability. Using moveable walls, folding beds and drop-down desks, the layout for a typical c. 70m2 two-bed flat can be transformed to suit the differing needs of work, rest and play.

During the day, beds are folded up, and drop-down desks turn the master bedroom into home office space. The second bedroom then becomes part of the living space by pushing the wall back.

At the end of the working day, the living room can increase in size by 20–25m2 by pushing back walls, creating a fantastic family or entertainment space, which connects to the outside by folding back sliding/bi-fold doors to the balcony.

You can download a copy of this insight here.