On Homes: Sharing is Caring
A series by: Aya Abdelfatah and Islam (Sam) Ibrahim
Urban Reflections is a series which sheds light on the degree of resilience of cities as revealed by the pandemic in a way that contributes to a constructive dialogue so that social justice prevails in the future of our urban life.
The new normal has confined our mobility and mandated a lifestyle that is rather static; we are advised to stay home or avoid any gathering spaces, especially indoor ones. In response, we have two options, either to change our lifestyle and limit our activities, or to adapt our homes to engulf our regular activities. Most, if not all, have chosen the latter. Due to land economics, requiring larger homes, for the new activities, will only inflate the issue of affordability and hence proves to be infeasible.
It is thus imperative to think about the power of resilience during confinement. Resilience starts with the potential capacity of our existing homes to achieve temporal flexibility. It then expands through promoting social solidarity which supports a minimum level of sharing within a safe micro-community. Ideally, these grassroot responses should be formally supported by design and policy.
“Homes” Fluid & Flexible
A home has become the first, second and third place ever since the pandemic hit. Consequently, using the term “home” instead of “house” is deliberate; think comprehensively and beyond the typical four walls of the physical house. The lines have been blurred ever since “public” activities squeezed their way in our homes which were designated for intimate ones. This calls for redefining the term “home” to reflect the new normal.
The Royal Bank of Canada statistics show the current shift in household spending from entertainment to home improvements. This trend indicates the responses people are willingly undertaking. From remodeling to renovating to retrofitting, city dwellers are doing their best to adapt. However, resilience in a home is more than a personal choice that depends on income and design creativity. Resilience in the face of a long term global pandemic requires social solidarity and collective effort within a community.
Social Solidarity within a micro-community
Social inequity is one of many barriers challenging people’s responsiveness. Think about adapting a desk job vs. a manual labor one, finding an alternative to daycare for a couple vs. a single parent, or retrofitting a space to workout for people with different physical abilities. The list goes on…
This is where the power of micro-community comes into play; derived originally from the traditional village concept. A micro-community thrives on social solidarity where its members support each other through spheres of sharing, as illustrated by Studio Weave. The scale of this safe micro-community falls between a private household and a neighborhood. This is where the boundaries of the home change; this is where the need for auxiliary spaces is born.
Auxiliary spaces & Mental Health
Encouraging social solidarity begins with allowing for safe auxiliary spaces. These spaces come in a variety of forms such as balconies, backyards, shared amenity rooms, and community gardens. One of the entries of the Copenhagen Architecture Festival exemplifies the multi-functional capacity of balconies, arguably an undervalued auxiliary space.
As social creatures, we need to interact with each other and with nature. Thus, the lack of auxiliary spaces becomes problematic in a lockdown situation. Evidence shows that cases of domestic violence globally increased by 20%. A visual depiction of this sad situation is artistically illustrated by the home-made short movie titled Bailar.
Now the question that begs an answer, if auxiliary spaces are that essential why aren’t they a part of every home?!
Zoning and Policy
Some zoning bylaws exclude auxiliary spaces from the Floor Space Ratio (FSR) calculation, hence they do not count towards the “buildable area”, but they are still considered “leasable space”. This is good because it encourages developers to build homes with auxiliary spaces. However, the opposite is also true, depending on the city. Therefore, policy is a direct driver of whether these spaces exist or not.
A good example of encouraging auxiliary spaces is that of cities, such as Vancouver, requiring Community Amenity Contributions (CACs). The requirement directly ensures having amenity rooms for buildings encompassing communal uses such as a cinema room, kids room, gyms, or even roof gardens. CACs are a successful method of bringing together the micro-community safely.
Micro-communities can be enabled through policies that promote temporal changes and resilient futures. Zoning laws in most North American cities specify allowed land uses. Conversely, many European cities have zoning laws that only prohibit certain uses which leaves room for new hybrid uses to exist; a system that can better keep up with an unpredictable crisis like a pandemic. Thus, some zoning laws need to change to ensure more resilient homes; homes that expand into the urban realm becoming shared space where kindness and caring thrive.
When a Home becomes a Micro-community
Imagine a resilient world where a gym room becomes a daycare in the morning. A world where all homes have access to safe outdoor space regardless of their address. A world where garages can become a point of sale for home made goods. A world where a backyard becomes an alternative classroom for home-schooled kids. A world of self-sufficient and safe micro-communities; a world that feels like home.
The future is in the sharing economy where we count on social solidarity. It is our right to demand policies that respond to our new needs in a creative way. Defining the boundaries of your home is in your hands. This is the time to choose between being resilient, or just letting the crisis confine you to your “house”.
