Reverse Logic

The role reversals present in the work pace and living space of today’s design conscious consumers.

The Now: Industrial spaces turned living spaces.

Brick warehouses and concrete factories are all the rage as developers rush to convert these former work floors into raw living spaces. These new loft spaces provide a space where people have the complete freedom to make it their own yet at the same time, maintain a unique history and a storied past. The loft also provides for a flexibility which has not been rivaled by the McMansions of the suburbs. It has come to the point where developers are even building Lofts, which completely lends itself to the freedom of space as a new building lacks in heritage and the character of a storied past. This evidence firmly cements the idea of warehouse living as a true viable trend in housing and begins to redefine the social boundaries of housing.

The Future: Single-family homes turned office space.

Single family homes are generally a combination of many different functional spaces put together to form a house. Small Businesses are generally made up of many different functions rolled up into small job positions requiring individual spaces. As you can see, a single family home could easily be adapted to fit the needs of a small business. Furthermore, the spaces created are much more human and have the capacity to make much more friendly work environments then the factories we are so used to seeing.

Currently, we are in an era of small businesses, with 4+ million businesses having less than 10 employees. More and more consumers are turning into producers, taking advantage of the huge advancements in ecommerce and the vital tools that once were only garnered by Big business, now available to the public. For examples, see Trend Watchings article on Minipreneurs. In a city like Detroit, with neighborhoods full of abandoned housing, it makes sense to redefine the single house for small businesses. This will allow for small business growth and for the habitation of abandoned buildings. Also, as the business grows it can simply take on more abandoned houses in the neighborhood or opt to move to a larger space. On the opposite end of the spectrum, many start ups are home businesses and there is a large movement toward the “work at home” mentality thus supporting the idea of working out of a structure, where you could easily live as well. Finally, if you havn't noticed, suburban offices are looking more and more like traditional residences solidifying the idea that residential space can be more comfortable and inviting to small businesses.