Continuing our series of conversations with experts in designing for community living, this month we talked to Martin Dourish, associate director at Naomi Cleaver Ltd.
Having worked on many highly regarded build to rent developments such as Moda Living’s Angel Gardens in Manchester, The Lexington in Liverpool and The Mercian in Birmingham, Martin’s practice is leading the way with stunning interiors that build a village community feeling.
With amenities not normally provided in rental spaces, such as rooftop sports pitches and running tracks, these high profile projects are offering the convenient city centre accommodation that today’s renters are looking for and are set to become an iconic part of the city landscape.
Karndean: Over the last couple of years we have witnessed the demand for the community living model continue to thrive, offering flexible and adaptable housing for young professionals. The Covid-19 crisis has not only highlighted the benefits of social connections but also the potentially conflicting need to provide suitable layouts for infection control and personal safety during periods of self-isolation.
How do you think modern living and accommodation developments in the future will be shaped by the current crisis?
Martin: To a point, we already design to give plenty of variation and flexibility so that people can gather or escape. Moving forward, if co-living spaces don’t offer a wide mix of flexible options, they will need to re-assess their designs. You can plan as much as possible but as soon as people start using the space, that’s actually when you fully understand how that space is being used. In my experience, this can change dramatically so you need to be adaptable. A space that’s designed to be flexible will attract a broader clientele.
Karndean: When you are designing for community living, what are your initial priorities for creating liveable spaces and are you seeing these requirements changing?
Martin: We start with the client’s brief outlining what they think they need. Our task is then to accommodate all of these requirements by planning the space available. By thinking outside the box, we can come up with new ideas that will give them the upper hand over their competition. We have been using all the senses to entice people to use the space and change their perceptions, for example introducing sound or scents and by manipulating the users experience of moving between light and dark.
Karndean: With community living developments typically offering a range of facilities for both residents and visitors, from co-working spaces to community amenities, there is a need for interior designs to be memorable and stylish as well as offering a healthy environment. What role do you see materials such as flooring play in the development of practical designs?
Martin: These environments are designed to be luxurious, so materials need to be hardwearing, easy to clean and have a good shelf life. There are a lot of factors why we specify a certain material, including aesthetics, concept and durability, to ensure that the end result reflects the reputation of the brand. Our choice of materials aims to give each development a unique sense of place and identity that links it to the locality and its cultural history.
Karndean: We are seeing thoughtful designs that focus on comfort and belonging, connecting the interior with the natural world outside. Following Covid-19 do you think the physical and mental wellbeing of the occupant has become more of a priority? How do you see wellbeing being factored into the development of a building?
Martin: Wellbeing has always been big priority. I don’t think that will change but it will develop. If you can change someone’s perception of something by how you’ve designed a space you’ve succeeded in what you wanted to achieve. For example, if a user says they feel happy in an environment and that’s the feeling you wanted to offer, you’ve done a good job.
The interesting part of this will be how technology will transform spaces in the future, such as using digital communication technology to create holographic representations of a three-dimensional space. For me as a designer, being able to enable social interaction on a different level using digital technology is really exciting.
Karndean: During lockdown this summer we all experienced significant lifestyle changes, such as working from home and travelling less, and this has had some benefits for the environment. Do you think the co-living model could offer a long-lasting positive impact for the environment?
Martin: A lot of companies are reviewing and re-assessing office spaces and how they operate. They’re realising that not everyone has to be in the office all the time and that it is feasible to work from home, offering employees a better work/life balance. You don’t need to have a car to live in co-living developments. Developers are now offering residents Uber credit schemes and public transport travel passes as part of their rental agreement. Things such as partnership agreements with car manufactures, to provide a fleet of electric cars available for tenants to hire from the basement of their developments are all things that are now becoming more radially available. This gives users the flexibility to decide if they really need a car or consider how they travel.
Karndean: The flexibility and convenience of living in a connected neighbourhood has been a great driver in the increasing popularity of community living. After the experience of the pandemic, do you think that the co-living model will continue to be as attractive to those looking for high quality rented accommodation?
Martin: That’s a really interesting question. I think that people will want the amenity elements and to interact with each other, but it will be looked at slightly differently going forward. For example, clients are considering the use of hand sanitisers and where these can be stationed within the design. We will also need to consider space planning and ensure that interiors can comfortably adapt to social distancing when required.
Karndean: With these additional requirements for infection control and self-isolation, do you see any particular challenges to designing co-living spaces so that they can successfully offer this combination of entertaining social areas as well as safe private spaces?
Martin: Vast spaces can be just as challenging as small spaces. You want to bring people together but also break down spaces to offer a level of intimacy too. We recently designed a student scheme in Liverpool, which has the largest amenity space in the UK, where the challenge was breaking up the space to offer a level of intrigue. We actually created a village and introduced paths to encourage users to explore the space and interact with others. By thinking outside the box and introducing unexpected elements that engage all our senses, we can design co-living spaces where people of all ages will want to live.
Thank you so much to Martin for taking the time to talk to us. You can find out more about Martin’s work at www.naomicleaver.com
Visit our new look community living hub and see how flexible flooring can bring communities together.