Future Housing Model

A nomad is a person that has no permanent residence that, traditionally, moved around to support the needs of their animals or other members of a group. The Lakota, formally known as the Teton Sioux, was a nomadic native tribe. Although they were often on the move, their structure and arrangement of temporary housing promoted social interaction. Members of this tribe would sleep in small portable tents that surrounded larger tents that hosted gatherings. In the 21st century, reports have suggested that 25% of Americans work fully remote jobs. These reports made me question whether there is still a need for permanent residence for fully remote workers. Fully remote work has opened the door for employees to travel and complete their jobs from basically anywhere around the country. Although this is good, it limits social interaction and other health benefits that come with being in an office environment. The creation of a housing structure with a program that pushes social interaction that has removable pods could provide the balance that fully remote workers seek.

These main housing structures would be built in places of interest. These locations may include large cities, smaller towns and warm locations. The variety of destinations of these structures would allow residents to change their scenery and move to wherever suits them best. The housing structures would have a program that would fit the needs of its residents and allow for conversation and collaboration. What is included in the program would depend on the location, but essential elements will be standard in all locations.

Individual “home pods” would plug into these structures. These pods could also be removed and shipped to other locations. This means that the size of the home pods matter and the envelope would have to fit in a shipping container or on the bed of a semi-truck. These housing pods would be customizable by sizes and layouts depending on preferences and job type.