How Do We Design for 'Work From Home' in Multifamily Housing?
/New Queen Anne condos highlight COVID's impact on multifamily design
JA Partner Megan McKay was recently interviewed by the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the design of residences in apartments and condominiums. If you have a subscription, you can read the article in its entirety on the DJC website.
this queen anne condominium building includes common outdoor spaces and private decks, as well as dens and office spaces in each residence
In all of our multifamily projects the idea of working from home has become central to the design,” Megan McKay, partner at Johnston Architects, who leads many of the company's multifamily projects, explained.
“In general we are seeing a lot more intentionality when it comes to designs that increase occupant comfort because people are spending more and more time at home.”
One of Johnston Architects' projects that highlights these trends is the property at 1406 Third Ave. W. in Queen Anne. Each condominium in this 14-unit, five-story, 15,000-square-foot building comes standard with a den, open entryways, large bay windows and air conditioning. Two-thirds of the units also have attached private balconies and there is a spacious communal back patio complete with an outdoor fireplace.
Johnston Architects is also seeing the impact of the pandemic in other multifamily builds. There is also more emphasis on creating communal work spaces, such as lounges in lobbies through a mix of open “farmhouse table” seating and individual private or semi-private work pods with some amount of acoustic deadening and isolation.
Construction has just begun on the Queen Anne property. It is slated for a spring 2023 completion.