Apartment design for sense of wellbeing: a case study of apartment dwellers during the pandemic in Sri Lanka

Abstract

The impact of Apartment Design on the well-being of occupants has become even more critical during the time of the Covid-19 Pandemic. This health crisis is emphasizing the need for resilient built form, especially in the field of housing. Unlike standalone housing, communal housing in the form of high-rise apartments pose many challenges to the lifestyle and the sense of well-being of residents during a pandemic. Lockdowns, social isolation, and quarantine have an adverse impact on the physical, social, and mental well-being of apartment dwellers. This study aims to explore the sense of well-being, their adaptations, and resilience to living in apartments during the Covid-19 pandemic, through a case study of an upper-middle-income apartment complex in Sri Lanka. Primary data on respondents’ perceptions, lifestyle during the pandemic, and the challenges to their well-being are explored via online surveys among 38 respondents. Secondary data on the apartment design features are explored via observations and document analysis. Both descriptive statistics and content analysis is conducted to explore the quantitative and qualitative data respectively. Findings reveal apartment design considerations for more resilient and adaptable dwellings in the face of a pandemic, to address the sense of well-being of its dwellers.