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2054: A FUTURE HOUSE
It’s hard to imagine how we’ll live in 50 years, but where many of us will live is obvious: in half-century-old "heritage homes," which are being built by the thousands in today’s cities and suburbs. So enRoute asked a dream team of Canadian architects and designers to reimagine and describe the way the spaces in today’s family home will look in 2054. Though each team worked in isolation, there were some remarkable similarities: Tomorrow’s house will be custom-designed, easily modified, environmentally friendly, interactive and relentlessly high-tech – but still warm and human. Through the eyes of these visionary talents, the future looks bright.
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EXTERIOR
In the future, houses will become smaller, denser and more space efficient, thus taller. Houses will also be made differently as industrial biotechnology creates sustainable, biodegradable materials for framing and structure. Wood will become a valued, somewhat retro, "finish-only" material. As a status symbol, the future house will be an overt expression of your environmental credentials: Density and sprawl, water conservation and reuse, alternative energy sources, solar efficiency, green building surfaces and site sensitivity will all be important.
We have imagined three variations of a high box, hovering 2.4 metres off the ground with a garden-side facade made largely of glass. The glass will allow various levels of transparency and colour through the chemical makeup of gases in its glazing system.
Andrew King of Calgary's aka/andrewkingstudio, which currently includes Angela Silver and Dustin Couzens, is the 2003-2004 recipient of the Prix de Rome architecture prize.
www.johnvh.com/AK
LIVING ROOM
In 2054, you will be enjoying multiplane living in gravity-neutral environments. The living room, once reserved for special occasions, will become the dynamic centre of your home life. It will know you, express who you are, anticipate your needs and be the space where you come to be nurtured, alone or with others. Your presence will activate visuals and audio, and this "living" room will prepare for you and your guests.
Wall-plane, an innovative furniture solution from EQ3, will surround you. Created for every plane, these forms are yours to modify depending on your mood – or yours to experience as they surprise you with their function. Your imagination will interact with this room and everything in it. And as a "living" space, it will evolve – a growing reflection and celebration of your life journey.
Winnipeg's EQ3, including president Peter Tielmann and store design team Simon Chu, Paul Hiebert and Joyce Man, are devoted to offering fresh global designs at affordable prices.
www.eq3.com
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© 2004 enRoute is published monthly by Spafax Canada Inc. All rights reserved.
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