According to world bank in 2019 over 55.7% of world population is living in urban cities and expected to increase over 68% by 2050. The growing urban population challenges architects to design living spaces that can accommodate more within available less urban area. Going vertical with smaller living spaces is on rise to meet this demand.
This trend is compounded by the less time which urbaners spend in homes. Keeping oneself busy at office indirectly reflects less time at home. Eating or buying out food requires less cooking space. These add up conveniently for an architect to think why need a big living space. But little do we understand the long term impact these small living spaces have on human life. Constrained space indirectly leads to constrained thinking and restrained cognition over time. "We shape our buildings and afterwards our buildings shape us", Winston Churchill.
Many people sharing small spaces are made to absorb each other vibes. This could be felt easily when taking a crowded train, the mood of the people around impacts the way you feel. We become and act like a pressure cooker with built up stress. Walking stress bombs. These vibes affect our mood. According to Jim Rohn, motivational speaker "You are the average of five people you spend the most time with". With same people around over period that too confined in small spaces subconsciously alters behavior. Numerous studies have shown this and deduce that people living in smaller spaces tend to have increased mental disorders such as schizophrenia, depression and chronic anxiety. Children talking about stress, depression, rise in people seeking therapies for mental disorders are facts that none can deny which infer there is risk of mental wellbeing.
Smaller living spaces will be there as long as population migrate to urban cities. Therefore instead of visiting therapists as after effect, mental wellbeing is required to prevent these effects. Pound the living spaces with more positive vibrations such as melodious music, devotional songs, motivational speeches, inspirational movies, comedies so that they absorb positivity and give back more. You become what you consume. With work from home a new norm, spend more time at home. Bond and laugh more with family. Cook and eat at home. Make the house a home and the home shall lead one to a mentally sound aged life.
#smalllivingspace, #workfromhome, #restrainedcognition, #positivevibrations, #mentalwellbeing