New RIBA Report on Hobbit Homes ? Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

? Large windows for natural light, large rooms and high ceilings, typically referred to as ?period features?
?when prompted, they described as large rooms, large windows and high ceilings. Their expectations of a new home were often shaped by the homes which they had lived in previously; they perceived that newer homes did not offer period features and therefore preferred older properties. Most were keen to have a sense of space in their homes, which they typically felt was important for wellbeing ? especially for those living in urban London ? and older homes were also perceived to be more spacious.

? Large main living area for eating and socialising, either with members of the household or for entertaining guests
Social activities such as eating and entertaining were the foundation of the home and, for this reason, participants tended to have strong views about their main living space (which they would use for eating, relaxing, entertaining and sometimes cooking). Although households with members at different life stages reported very different requirements for this area, most participants stated that it was important to them to have a sense of space. Most preferred the area to have some element of an open plan layout to accommodate entertaining friends or family.

? Layouts which take into account technology used within the home
Participants had an expectation that new-build homes would include suitable storage for technology and layouts which reflected how they use technology. This meant they expected homes to have enough television and plug sockets for them to arrange?rooms and furniture in different layouts, to support greater use of electronic devices. They also expected suitable provision for computers and telephones which, with wireless technologies, are now moved around the home.

? Space for private time away from other members of the household
Private space within the home made an important contribution to participants? wellbeing and was important to participants of all
ages. This was especially marked in households where a number of different generations lived together, and where a member of
the household was sick or convalescing. The reduction of noise both within and between households was essential for a sense of
privacy.
? Private space outside, particularly for families, or access to green public space in urban locations
Open outdoor space ? whether part of the home or a public area ? was widely felt to be important for wellbeing. Private outdoor space was crucial for families, because it allowed parents to feel comfortable that their children had safe places to play while they completed other tasks. Outdoor space was also important for the wellbeing of children and parents: parents reported that children enjoyed being outdoors and the opportunity for messy play, and parents liked children to take noise and mess outside.
? Long-term and short-term storage for functional items, and for personal possessions people have chosen to keep during their lives
Most participants needed more short-term storage (for day-to-day access of items like food or outdoor clothing), and more long-term storage (for seasonal items and items which they stored nostalgically). ?In particular, the need for long-term storage was widespread, but not one which participants gave consideration to when choosing their home. Privacy of storage
space was also an important consideration: many participants felt that they had things they wanted to store yet access regularly, but which they wanted to keep private from visitors, such as clothing, bed linen and food. Participants felt that new-build homes would not offer them enough storage space for their clothes, food and other everyday items and also for longer-term storage.
? Dedicated space for domestic utility tasks, such as, washing, drying and ironing clothes, as well as for storing vacuum cleaners, rubbish bins and recycling
Vacuum cleaners, rubbish bins and areas for recycling proved difficult for many participants to accommodate in their homes. Participants preferred to have an outdoor area close to the home where they could keep recycling and certain types of rubbish. Having suitable space to wash, dry and iron clothing and bed linen was a widespread problem for participants in the groups, as were difficulties in storing washed clothing and linens. These needs were typically only revealed on prompting in the discussion groups, or through observation in the ethnographic case studies.
? Options for different layouts, as no consensus was reached for a single standard layout which was preferred across all households and life stages
No consensus was reached as to an ideal layout or single design layout that would cater for all households. Life stage was a major contributing factor, with families, people later in life and first-time buyers without children each prioritising different layouts and qualities that suited their differing lifestyles. Separate areas for working at home, space needed for children, and the potential for adaptations for older people were raised as preferences for different types of households. When considering more progressive design solutions attitudes varied according to participants? past experiences and the constraints they face in the housing market, with those who had seen or lived in homes with rooms with flexible design solutions (e.g. movable partition walls), and those who needed to use single rooms for a range of purposes being most receptive to progressive design. Nonetheless, some degree of flexibility across the main living area was important to most participants in the research, reflecting the fact that many activities took place simultaneously, such as eating and relaxing by watching television; entertaining and cooking; preparing meals and supervising children?s homework. This suggested that more progressive home layouts may?accommodate householders? needs?more fully than most current designs.

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