Post-pandemic residential environment in Amman

Abstract

Purpose

The fundamental lifestyle changes, economic concerns, property price increase and construction cost can explain the transformation of traditional housing layouts to massive indoor planes by prioritizing indoor over outdoor spaces. That is, overlooking the effect of outdoor spaces, on life quality, to compensate for indoor spaces expansion. As a result, this study highlighted outdoor spaces and their impact on psychological wellbeing, especially through the enforcement of quarantine conditions and social distance.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve that, a spatial analysis for (70) apartments, in Amman, was undertaken to understand outdoor space in terms of spatial configuration, size, adjacent spaces and usage. An assessment for outdoor space based on both users' and professionals' perspectives to discuss the current situation condition in terms of physical layout, activities, area, spaces' treatment and associated incentives. (125) responses were collected from the head of household living in an apartment through using a structured questionnaire. In addition, feedback in terms of dynamics home components, home buyers' market trends and local regulations were collected from (22) professionals.

Findings

Study results have shown that apartments' buildings in Amman are deficient, quantitatively and qualitatively, in both apartments with outdoor spaces in general and units on typical floors without outdoor space in specific. While, quantitative deficiency is associated with the poor layout in terms of area, functionality and variety. Qualitative is related to the absence of nature inspiration that incorporates five senses. As a result, this underlines the need for formulation design guidelines and strategies considering psychological wellbeing to improve outdoor spaces as a hub for activities.

Originality/value

Highlight the value of introducing post-pandemic multi-family housing that could lead to changes in building codes and design strategies to enhance psychological wellbeing of residents.

Citation

Abed, A. (2021), "Post-pandemic residential environment in Amman", Archnet-IJAR, Vol. 15 No. 3, pp. 605-616. https://doi.org/10.1108/ARCH-01-2021-0007