Covid-19 lockdown brings 'shrink space' mindset for big buildings

Sanjay Deshpande, a noted architect and interior designer in the region, and a partner of Axes Architectural Consultants in Hubballi, has reduced a building size, with which he is involved, from G+15 to G+4 in a district bordering Maharashtra. Thanks to financial disturbances caused by lockdown, and preceding slowdown, along with a shortage of skilled workers.

"We have also reduced the size of an apartment being constructed in Dharwad. Though the demand for residential places had come down earlier also, we have received some inquiries from IT-BT professionals working in Bengaluru, who want to have houses here, as the duration of work from home (WFH) is uncertain," he explains the change in the mindset of some of his clients now.

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For another noted architect and interior designer Vasudev Patil of Vasudev Patil & Associates, managements of commercial firms, showrooms, shops, and banks want to shrink their working space, due to financial problems, and he has already given eight such proposals.

'Interiors put off'

"The lockdown has affected apartment construction size too, but not individual houses which were planned well in advance. However, they want to delay the interior designing, as lockdown has brought a savings mentality and simplicity. As projects are delayed now, payment is also very dull," Vasudev Patil explains.

Some firms want to merge workplaces and earn revenue from remaining space. If work from the home culture in Bengaluru continues for a long time, some people hailing from here may want to construct houses here, he observed.

However, Dinesh Hangal & Associates proprietor Dinesh Hangal, who usually takes up mid and high end projects, sees no change in the demand of customers but is experiencing more demand.

WFH effect

There was an expectation that interior designers here would get more demand to convert a part of residential space into work space when more people come to Hubballi when work from home (WFH) is given. That is also happening, but not for all architects and interior designers.

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According to Sphoorthi Kabbur of Kabbur Architects, the demand for a spacious house has become more in the individual segment, and also for segregated workspace as the WFH culture is picking up.

"Manufacturing plants are also thinking to have godown together, and we are doing such a project in Dharwad. Some banks and other commercial firms, who have moved to smaller places, will definitely come back to bigger space when total normalcy returns, and business improves," she said.

However, this is not the case with some other interior designers. Zahir of Cloud 9 Interior & Exterior and Sayed of Fancy Furniture & Interiors lamented that the business did no see any spike after the lockdown.

Pradeep Kallimath of Life Science Interior Designer noted that there was no response, as people working from home just need the existing room, a laptop, tablet, chair, and some electrical fittings.