Covid 19 inescapably changed our lives and affected our daily routines in interior space. Even though many had discussed the negative impact of the pandemic on life, it is contrary to the interior field, which we can see there are so many positive reactions that make the interior design more responsive to support the users. With the rapid spread of the Coronavirus, the whole world stopped and for safety reasons, most people spent more time on their property. For most people, the connections to their interior space are both physical and mental. The pandemic has forced everyone to reconsider the new way of life in the interior spaces. The interior spaces begin to play greater roles in our daily lives, many people start to adapt to entertain more activities and services in one space.

As a result, the role of the interior spaces become more vital and flexible where the occupants can be together with their family, and also become the best places for them to be alone to recharge, to learn, and to work too. During the lockdown period, through author observation, the interior design of the house had a good response to 3 basic needs of the users; which a single interior space can support family gathering, working station and homeschooling.

This new setting of the interior design is a good sign that most of the current interior design is the response to new conditions of users that have to spend more time inside the houses. From the experience of pandemics, everyone starts to notice that the house today has a vital role in meeting those various needs of residents under up-and-coming and changing conditions. Moreover, a positive impact that not many people notice is the interior space had shaped the user in creating more flexible and multifunction spaces in their current house at a very minimal modification.

With forcing to spend more time inside the house, give the greatest message to everyone in comprehending and appreciate how imperative it is to give a high value to each of the spaces in the house that can support multi activities of diverse occupants. Therefore, the most positive impact of the pandemic to interior design in the current and future is no longer about designing specific functions of the space, rather designated spaces for a greater number of multi activities, such as working, learning and relaxing within one space. This positive impact of covid will be a new challenge, trend and new indicator for successful living space in the new era.

Dr. Noranita Mansor   Pensyarah Kanan   Jabatan Senibina   Universiti Putra Malaysia

Tarikh Input: 11/05/2022 | Kemaskini: 11/05/2022 | uswahhasanah