A lack of natural light and outdoor space are among the factors harming the mental health of people working at home during the coronavirus lockdown.
Two-thirds of 160 workers surveyed by Assael Architecture said working from their homes during recent weeks has had a detrimental effect on their wellbeing. The April survey asked people for their views on how the design of their houses, apartments, student accommodation and other property types affected their mental health.
Only a quarter of respondents were working in a dedicated home office. The remainder were split almost evenly between those working in their kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms. A quarter said their home workspaces were “not appropriate” for them to do their jobs.
Survey respondents pointed to limited access to the outdoors, restricted space in which to work, noise distractions and insufficient ventilation as affecting their sense of wellbeing.
“We know that the quality of the built environment affects our mental health every day, even before Covid-19 limited us to our homes,” said Ben Channon, head of wellbeing at Assael Architecture.
“While businesses and office design are constantly adapting to cater for the needs of users and employees, homes must also have this flexibility. This lockdown was unthinkable just six months ago, but it has made us rethink our old way of living. With this new mindset, we should ensure that our homes are equipped for the future, and as architects and designers, part of our role is helping building users to be happier and healthier wherever they live and work.”
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