Where will we Live in the 21 st Century? The 19 th century gave us the terrace. The 20 th century gave us the semi (terrace). What will be the 21 st century equivalent? The idea for the 21 st Century Homes: Building to Last With the high-tech, solar-powered, spaceship- like designs for houses in the future.

Where will we Live in the 21 st Century? “no one should be as complacent as we currently are” Most new homes are two storeys, built of brick on green field sites, and require a car to reach shops and jobs. Yet such designs woefully fail to address our 21 st century needs.

21 st Century Needs Environment Needs: There is global recognition that our lifestyles are storing up a potential environmental disaster. Pollution from cars means that we should not be building houses which require people to drive. Yet we are still building in a way which reflects a 19 th century preoccupation with getting out of the city. Our pattern of housing reflects a time when we were at the center of an empire: when our cities, the bustling powerhouses of empire were overcrowded, dirty and unhealthy places from which those who could sought to escape.

21 st Century Needs Our towns and cities, the foundation of growth, continue to disperse, in some places to the point where they have no longer be viable. The answer is to build higher densities in larger communities which can support local public transportation, shops and schools. New houses should be built within existing settlements to reduce commuting. We must develop models for sustainable urban neighborhoods which will be as attractive to new families as today’s suburbs.

21 st Century Needs The municipalities need to embed these ideas and principles in its planning guidance, which states that new housing should be built within existing towns. If this is not possible, then developments should be sufficiently large to become free- standing with a degree of self-sufficiency. We should be building thermally-efficient homes. New home heat become greener at reducing extra cost by avoiding heat, reducing water consumption, providing facilities for waste recycling, avoiding harmful materials and ensuring effective ventilation.

21 st Century Needs Demographic & Social needs: New housing tend to be built with a traditional two-parent, two-child family in mind. Existing house is dominated by four bedrooms type. Future predictions shows that this traditional trend will change. Less family size with increase in the single household type.

21 st Century Needs It is possible that people will demand something very different from their homes while they are single, and not be satisfied with a starter home when they have children. Allied to the decline in social networks based on extended families is the need for new network based on neighborhoods and work: the sense of belonging, secure by design to reduce crime by encouraging residents to watch over their own streets. A new home should be able to change to demographic demands: having greater range of housing types, as well as increased internal flexibility where the layout should be open-plan with a flexible arrangement of bedrooms.

21 st Century Needs Examples: A terrace of five houses was built with moveable internal walls. Residents involved in the design, and homes were linked to jobs, in a scheme for 50 single people. Housing society redeveloped its estate to be more energy-efficient and secure.

21 st Century Needs Difficulties: Home-owners fear innovations. They are confused by environmental designers with conflicting views. Contractors increase the cost of tenders in response to innovations. Fails to recognize energy efficiency. Stresses the number of bedrooms rather than floor area and values conventional design. Need for more rather than better homes. Consumer should ask for change & gov should encourage more positive planning.