People read and respond to space and spatial arrangements in culturally appropriate ways, using cues from the past, the present, and their perceptions of the future.

 

Housing and culture can be studied together to explore various spatial arrangements. Cultural values can be studied as a cognitive or structural map of the physical environment that determines the spatial relationships and acceptance of built forms. The creation of these built forms which express these cultural patterns take architectural forms, which eventually come in line with cultural expectations. Just like the culture is developed or inherited from the past and continues to be a part of our behavior subconsciously, physical components, be it collected, used, reassembled or inherited from one generation to the next are just as a permanent part of our lifestyle as those associated with fixed or stationary structures in our houses.

 

From a broader perspective, housing and culture can be related at two different levels. The first level being the domestic culture within the household, which determines the behavior and habits of the inhabitants within that domestic space. This factor influences internal spatial variations and arrangements. This relation between culture and housing is what we refer to as “a home”. The second level of this relation determines the influence of the community or neighborhood. This relation impacts the connections within these homes as a collective and at times merges together to form a new or revised model of spatial arrangements at a more public level. This relationship between culture and housing takes a social form, which we refer to as “society”.

 

Architecture has always been influenced and shaped by cultural necessities. The diversity of architectural and urban design has a lot to do with the regional practices and cultures of different areas from where they belong. With time we have seen different architectural styles becoming trends and crossing borders into other areas. Cultures were more dependent on values and hence seemed to have retained their thresholds. But in today’s digital world, there has been the advancement of more global cultures taking center stage. Culture has its roots in generations and is passed down from one to the other. Although in the present scenario, there is a new amalgamation of cultures seen in the present millennial generation, which statistically is now the largest portion of the world’s population. The phenomenon of global culture as seen through this generation relies more on diversity and technology.

 

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millennial culture

The millennials have come of age during a time of technological change, globalization, and economic disruption. This has placed them in a different set of behavior and experiences than their parents. In this digital marketplace where every buyer and seller gets a rating, they may not trust people, brands, or institutions, but they have come to trust the collective wisdom of the crowd. In keeping with these instincts, there has been more dependence of this generation on facts and statistics then values and obligations. Diversity not only defines their identity, but it’s also the beating heart of their political value system. On the central social, economic, and cultural issues of our time like same-sex marriage, immigration, economic inequality, and criminal justice, millennials have dealt with these issues through a more open and accepting approach, unlike their predecessors. One way to think of millennials is as a modern pre-Copernican generation. Their social universe really does revolve around them. They are the first generation in history in which anyone can tell their own story, in words, pictures, and videos; to an online audience of millions based on how viral it goes. This phenomenon of going viral has strengthened this notion of global culture, learning and adapting from others based on what feels appropriate or trendy. Fashion is no more seasonal or regional; it’s global. Regional cuisines have crossed boundaries and are now available everywhere. Millennial's connection to the world is dramatic; the smartphone has become a catalyst to this new culture, as it’s a gateway to infinity and immortality. It has imbued this generation with a sense of wonder and possibility.

 

Traditions have somehow faded down and new evolved replacements are visible in this new global culture. Taking the Traditional Thanksgiving as an example. A revised concept of ‘Friendsgiving’ seems to have evolved in recent years from a sort of ad hoc thanksgiving replacement (implemented when people found themselves far away from family on the holiday but near friends). It’s not only that thanksgiving celebrations have changed, maybe that families themselves have changed where non-relatives have become more likely to take on family-like roles in people’s lives (Shared housing trends). Given what we know about the millennial generation’s habit of delaying marriage and parenthood into later stages of life compared with prior generations, there has been an increase in social relations (friends) over family relations.

 

“According to data recorded by Gallup, only 16 percent of people aged 18 to 29 are married, and only 14 percent are living with their significant other. That means the majority of millennials are choosing to live the single or undefined relationship life. They’re simply not feeling the pull to nail down a life partner and start a family yet, because their lives are busy enough, and who has time for all that these days?”

 

The impact of this global culture is visible in smaller elements of our daily life as well. Smartphone-obsessed Millennials are so used to texting upon arrival that the sound of a ringing doorbell has faded away. With smartphones making communications easier and faster, messages get delivered faster than our physical need to push a button in order to ring the bell. Another significant change is watching Television. With the constant evolution of smartphones, millennials are more glued to their phones and laptops and end up using those smaller screens more. Websites and app subscriptions have allowed access to what was only available through cable subscriptions on television onto the smart screens for easy access. Thus the importance of television sets is somehow restricted to becoming a decorative item or a focal point towards which our living room furniture should be faced.

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housing for millennials

With one of the largest generations in history moving into its prime spending years, the millennial culture is poised to reshape the economy. This global phenomenon is changing the way we buy and sell, forcing companies in various sectors to examine and rework their business approach. The Digital approach to consumerism has tilted the focus of various business fields to more online platforms. Online shopping, home deliveries, work from home culture has seen a splurge in recent times. The new trend of “shared economy” has created a new set of services that provide access to products without the burdens of ownership. As Millennials enter their peak home-buying years, this trend has created a new drift in the housing sector around the world. Looking at the present situation there are various factors driven by the millennial culture and its influence on the housing sector however there are visible impacts of global recession as well that determine these changes. The hierarchy of needs has changed drastically in this new culture. Renting a home has somehow gained priority over homeownership.

 

Housing prices have increased by nearly 40% within the past three decades, far outpacing wage increases and making homeownership far more of a challenge for today's buyers. The rise is even more dramatic when we compare it to what our previous generations faced: Today's average home price is over 70% over what a buyer faced within the 1960s. Even the rent prices are up nearly 50% over the half-century. While traditionally renting an apartment or house while saving up in order to own residence was once a logical approach, since the 1960s, average rental rates have increased by 46%, meaning just affording a rental is harder than ever, let alone the notion to save In order to buy. Many millennials turn to 'super commuting' to find homes they can afford. This means traveling more than an hour in each direction to and fro from home and work. In order to find homes they can afford while sticking with a job, many millennials are buying residences in the exurbs and accepting a daily commute of two or more hours. Even the sizes of homes have decreased rapidly. Most millennial homebuyers are looking for smaller, more manageable properties than the mini-mansions so popular a generation before. And they like sleek, simple interiors. The result is a steep drop in the value of many of the homes resulting in conversions to shared housing units to increase revenue and property value.

 

Many millennials have started 'super commuting' in search of homes they can afford. This implies traveling over an hour in each direction to and fro from home to work. While sticking to jobs in the city center, affordability has resulted in millennials buying residences within the exurbs and accepting this daily commute of two or more hours. Another factor this has affected is, the sizes of the homes, which have decreased rapidly. With new trends of shared spaces cutting down on individual costs, most millennial homebuyers are in search of smaller, more manageable properties than the mini-mansions so popular within the previous generation. Minimalist modern homes are gaining popularity due to their sleek and simple interiors. This has resulted in a steep drop in the value of many older homes, forcing them into converting those bigger houses into shared housing units to increase property value and revenue.

 

If we look deeply at the trend of selecting a home, the millennial generation has overthrown the past ideologies of favorable neighborhoods, proximity to markets, and other urban priorities that have taken digital forms now. Cell reception and internet provider options can be a deciding factor when assessing a home nowadays, our dependence on the internet has lead to a need for more stable internet access. Home deliveries of groceries and other shopping needs have changed preferences of having markets in closer proximity to preferring gyms, swimming pools, and more of recreation areas closer to home. Near the city is more preferable than in the city. Statistics show that only 25% of millennial homeowners live in urban areas. Millennials are least likely to determine homeownership as permanent; most ownership is based as a form of investments for future upgrade to something better. Global awareness towards sustainability has resulted in millennials focusing on energy efficiency and green features as important factors for selecting homes. One last factor that has gained popularity within the household is having a dedicated workspace. With a gradual shift of focus towards working from home, most millennials opt for spaces that offer a dedicated area to work.

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post-pandemic expectations

Will the millennial culture be affected by the anticipated economic disaster? It is believed that the World War II generation showed scars of the Great Depression for most of their lives. It left many people going through their whole lives worrying about financial stability, which drove them towards money-saving and at the same time making them steer away from risky situations. With the Millennials about to brace life through another crash and mass layoffs, there is a possibility of seeing more apartment buildings filling up with people having the financial means but no intension of owning. Since renting seems to provide more flexibility in terms of looking out for better opportunities in the near future. This desire for not getting caught within homeownership during an economic downdraft might reinforce this sentiment in most of the people in this generation.

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On the contrary looking at this from a wider perspective of health and awareness, standalone homes could also gain priority. Post the current pandemic, we could experience a surge in the relative popularity of single-family homes among the renters. Within apartment buildings, tenants are in closer contact by necessity, relying on elevators, shared corridors, and services. A detached home has allowed much ease in social distancing by giving a family much more control over their surroundings. This experience could accelerate a shift in choices for people comparing standalone houses and apartments for future renting.

 

Along with having more space for the family especially with children, detached homes have also catered well to the higher demand for home offices. With the anticipation of a larger share of the population continuing to work from home on a regular basis post-pandemic, a dedicated and efficient home office may become a widely sought after attribute. These factors may reverse the trend of preferring smaller compact houses and might push the buyers or renters further away from the city center to afford bigger and standalone houses with more privacy and dedicated spaces.

 

Another aspect of this anticipated economic crisis and mass layoffs could see a rise in multi-generation homes, in smaller cities and towns. This cultural tradition for many families might gain popularity under this financial necessity. With the higher generation closer to retirement, and most of the millennials having risks of losing their jobs, this could end up being a more financially stable option for the coming years.

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During this project, I conducted various video interviews with millennials to understand their current housing preferences. These interviews have been compiled in the form of a video collage.  

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