A multifamily home is any residential property that contains more than one housing unit, such as a duplex, townhome or an apartment complex. If a property owner chooses to live in one of their multifamily units, it's considered an owner-occupied property. A duplex is a two-story house with a different family living on each floor. They’ll share one front door but both units will have separate entrances. In a townhouse, two families live in one house that is separated by an interior wall. Both families will purchase their unit separately, and both homes have an entrance.
An apartment complex is a single structure with at least five or more separate units. Residents will often share common resources like a swimming pool, parking garage or playground.
Nearly 40 million Americans live in apartments, which creates a high demand for multi-family design and architecture. And, aside from thinking about volume, multi-family designers and architects, developers and residents, have been forced to rethink apartment living in terms of health, space, and utility due to the pandemic. Storage, moveable furniture, and more space for physical activities, both in and outdoors, could define the multi-family design of the future.
With the projected success of the work-from-home business models, residents will need their units to become more versatile and adaptable, to provide users with enhanced technology, spatial flexibility, and separation, as well as provide adequate mental relief through connection to the outdoor environment and fresh air. This could include deep balconies and French doors, larger glazing for natural light, physical areas for activities and hobbies, four-foot-deep pantry cabinets for longer term food storage, modular tables to accommodate different work-life activities, and additional storage.
Amenity spaces will also need to be adjusted to fit social distancing standards and improved hygiene protocols –– such as elevators, lobbies, laundry rooms, and grocery pick-up zones were among the most mentioned spaces. Common public areas would include more compartmentalization, designated spaces, and flexibility to incorporate more offices and designated computer lounges, flexible seating, an open lobby, pool deck, and a small living-room space. Common areas should also have operable doors that provide flexibility to size different rooms, and fitness rooms can be made safer by enlarging them with an open floor plan. These areas should offer hand-sanitizing stations and designated spaces for individual and group exercise that include outdoor options. Operable doors would introduce more fresh air into the indoor space and allow for flexibility to scale rooms according to usage and need.
Interestingly, the pandemic exposed the inability of apartment buildings to handle the sheer number of packages they were receiving as a result of their tenants’ online purchases –– most buildings’ mail rooms, pre-pandemic, weren’t large enough or equipped to handle big packages or grocery deliveries, so there might be a future for multi-family designs to include electronic refrigerated storage and ample package pickup spaces.
Perhaps one of the biggest trends post-COVID-19 will be an emphasis on antimicrobial surfaces, especially in communal areas where multifamily residents gather. Sanitary and stain-resistant quartz countertops are a key element. As far as new finishes go, the tipping point is antimicrobial. Bronze, copper and brass have more antimicrobial properties than stainless steel, and those warmer tones are being brought to market and are part of the antimicrobial conversation. Granite in particular has become very reasonably priced as it’s not on the high end at all, but it’s falling out of the picture because it is porous. Quartz is the hardest non-precious stone on earth, making it the most sanitary countertop surface to use—as well as the most scratch and stain-resistant.
At Chipman Design Architecture, we enjoy designing and building for multi-family properties because at our own core, we are a people-centric company. We take pride in envisioning and executing spaces that increase the quality of life for families and individuals. However, designing multifamily properties requires a delicate balancing act. Developers who play it too safe might not make the splash they need to stand out in a crowded marketplace, and those who go too far risk alienating potential residents. At CDA, we excel in walking this fine line to create forward thinking, sustainable, functional, and uniquely local living experiences.
Multifamily finishes have come a long way in the past 10 years. We are able to give the units a more custom residential feel by exploring new materials and drawing upon local artisanal aesthetics. We take time to understand the trends and the directions that they are progressing, which enables us to make more timeless selections—and make selections ahead of trends.
Our clients are looking for beauty and durability, and we deliver. Going forward, renters will have more choices than ever before when it comes to picking an apartment community that reflects their individual sense of style. We know today’s renters want dramatic spaces with rich finishes and furnishings scaled to space, so we achieve this bespoke look with a hierarchy of the elements and textural design details that continue to engage the viewer. Now more than ever many renters want the look of luxury and this preference is being heard.
We have been leaders in multi-family design and architecture with many prominent clients who have gone on to become lifelong partners.
Located in the trendy River North neighborhood of downtown Chicago, this 23-story, 399 unit apartment complex was in need of a complete renovation to meet the demands of a millennial market.
CDA was selected to oversee the Architecture, Interior Design, MEP + S Engineering, Procurement and Landscape architecture for the building. Situated in the design district of Chicago, just blocks from the infamous Merchandise Mart building, the design team sought to create a showroom like experience through classically tailored details and artfully inspired light forms.
Read more about our Multi-Family Design and Architecture work with River North Park.
