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Future house – what will our homes look like in 2030 and beyond.

essay about houses in the future

Image: Brunswick Extension 

Future Home.

What will our homes look like in 2030, with the rapid surge of innovative technology and the increased pressure of important social issues, houses as we know it will need to change, adapt and evolve..

So what’s to come? Read on to find out what is predicted to come for houses in 2030 and beyond.

Arkular-Modular-Homes

Image: CDLR House by Clara Sola-Morales Studio 

1. The Future is Prefabulous

With ongoing housing affordability and accessibility pressure, prefabricated and modular homes will continue to increase in popularity within the coming years..

The introduction of cutting-edge technology will enable prefabricated homes to be smarter, faster and even more efficient. BIM, CAD, robotic construction and 3D printing systems all lend themselves perfectly to the repetition of modular design elements, meaning the prefabrication process will only continue to improve in the future.

Benefits of Prefab

○ Utilises renewable energy sources ○ Affordability and cost reductions due to standardisation and off-site construction ○ Streamlined timelines ○ Reduced impact on landscape, local flora and fauna ○ Minimised waste, noise and air pollution

Contributing to a Circular Economy

Prefabrication will also continue to help address ongoing environmental issues, including waste, pollution and habitat disruption.

Currently, most of the world operates in a linear economy that involves taking, making and wasting. At Arkular, we apply principles of circularity through each phase of a dwelling’s life cycle, to optimise resources, reduce material usage and minimise waste.

Lowering Embodied Carbon Emissions 

Through our refined off-site manufacturing process, we lower the use of embodied carbon through the use of lighter-weight materials and reduced transport. A study conducted by the University of Cambridge and Edinburgh Napier University states prefabricated homes can produce up to 45% less carbon than traditional methods of residential construction.

Learn more about Arkular’s circular approach here.  

2. technology and ai, technology is becoming more and more integrated into our everyday lives and will continue to advance within our homes in the future..

Connected homes will start to build virtual and augmented reality to create completely integrated systems. New voice-activated devices will control a range of smart and connected devices, such as thermostats, lights and security systems.

Smart home inclusions that we will see over the next 10 years:

○ AI integration: Although already prevalent, AI will play an important role over the next 10 years assisting with smart home routines, temperature control and TV activity. ○ Enhanced security: Front door systems that integrate power, lights, sensors, a video doorbell and DNA-activated programs for keyless entry will become the norm. ○ Appliances: Smart appliances with app integrations to allow remote control and further integration in everyday living.

EMF Considerations

With the increasing use of technology in our future lives, we should also be aware of the possible health risks presented by the gadgets we use on a daily basis.

EMFs(electromagnetic fields) occur naturally and also come from human-made sources. Scientists and regulatory agencies generally agree that low-frequency EMFs pose little danger to human health, but some researchers offer preliminary evidence that some danger may exist for long-term use, specifically to the nervous system and brain cognitive function.

The best approach is to be aware that EMFs exist and be smart about your exposure.

Arkular-Modular-Homes-SmartHome

Image: Richmond Extension

essay about houses in the future

Image: Banksia House

3. Green Energy 

Renewables, including solar, wind, hydropower, biofuels and others, are at the centre of the transition to less carbon-intensive and more sustainable energy systems..

To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, it is proposed that carbon emissions must be reduced by almost half before 2030 and reach net zero by 2050, with alternative sources of energy such as wind, solar and hydro to be prioritised (Source: United Nations).

Heat Pumps 

Heat pumps, a central technology for decarbonising heat, use electricity to transfer heat from one area to another. Analysis from the Australian Partnership for Energy Productivity suggests that industrial heat pumps may contribute to cutting ‘hard to abate’ emissions by 15 million tons per year by 2050.

Solar PV is providing grounds for optimism on the pace of renewable expansion. Based on growing trends, the world will have enough solar PV manufacturing capacity in 2030 to meet the level of annual demand envisaged.

Hydroelectricity

Hydropower currently generates more electricity than all other renewable technologies combined and is expected to remain the world’s largest source of renewable electricity generation into the 2030s.

Thermal Efficiency

Prioritising orientation, high-quality insulation, air tightness for reduced air leakage and room zoning for heating and cooling will ensure future that homes are passively designed to take advantage of the local climate so they are more comfortable to live in and cost less to run.

4. Innovative Building Materials

Progressive views, new technologies and shifting preferences will drive more growth in sustainable homes and building materials..

Improved materials and innovations will make it easier and more accessible to attain a healthier, more sustainable and carbon-free home that will reap long and short-term cost savings and contribute to overall improved health and well-being.

Upcoming material solutions:

Geothermal walls.

Below-ground geothermal wells store warm water and circulate it through a closed-loop system to heat and cool a house. Read more here about a geothermal test currently being conducted. 

Mushroom-based insulation

Ecovative Design has developed a mushroom-based material that serves as an alternative to plastic foam insulation; with the biodegradable substance consisting of a combination of fungi roots mixed with agricultural waste.

Hemp rebar 

Hemp rebar, also known as reo, could offer a low-cost non-corroding steel alternative, cutting construction time whilst also keeping costs low.

Biochar cladding

German company Made of Air, produces a bioplastic made from farm and forest waste that sequesters carbon and can be used as an alternative cladding option.

essay about houses in the future

Image: Carbon Positive House

Arkular-Modular-Homes-Flinders3

Image: Flinders House

5. Health and Wellbeing in the Home

People will pay a premium for homes that are designed for health and wellness..

Continuous improvements in technology over the next 10 years will see increased innovations appearing across a range of areas that support greater well-being and health within the home, including; air quality sensors, circadian rhythm lighting, comfort sleep technology, smart water purifiers and UV disinfectant lights.

Further prioritisation of locally made and sourced, eco-friendly and energy-efficient materials and resources will also be integral to healthy homes, having a positive environmental impact and continuing to support wellbeing.

The latest health and wellbeing innovations include:

○  ‘Flowsky’ by Toto – a toilet that assesses health through urine, measuring glucose, hormones, inflammation and more that is expected to have significant advantages for Japan’s aging population.

○ Wize Mirror –  A mirror that will be able to give daily health reports based on a minute-long analysis of the face, assessing any changes since the last time the person looked in the mirror and providing a score to indicate a user’s overall health.

○  Muzo – the world’s first acoustic device that uses anti-vibration technology for a smooth surface (such as a wall or window) minimising any intrusive noises that could impact health and wellbeing.

The Ultimate Futuristic Home  

With 2030 really only around the corner, we look towards what the ultimate future homes over the next 30 years may include, from technological, demographical and generational influences..

1. Super High-tech 

○ Humanoid androids will tend to homes capable of cooking, cleaning and even childcare ○ Augmented reality with AI and AR technology changing the entertainment industry, with homes equipped with separate ‘entertainment pods’ ○ Reusable water – the water from your sink will drain into a filter and feed a hydroponic plant system, taking advantage of wasted water ○ Walls, floors and ceilings might be able to transform themselves in response to voice commands, with nanotechnology turning walls solid or translucent

2. Green Power Advances  

Advanced renewable energy such as energy-harvesting technology integrated into the building’s structure and solar panels may mean that future homes will be so efficient they contribute power to the grid

3. Micro Dwellings

Smaller spaces pave the way for increased modular construction, helping buildings and suburbs of the future adapt to demand – with ‘shifting’ floor patterns allowing for quicker, more sustainable creation of homes.

essay about houses in the future

Image: Vincent Callebaut Architects

References and Additional Resources

– Future of Home by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development – By 2023 our Homes Could Help Power the Nation – IEA Tracking Clean Energy Progress Report  – The Future House 2050  – Should You Be Worried About EMF Exposure?

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The Future of the Home: Houses in 2030 Research Paper

Introduction, luxury home 2030, family four bedroom house, basic one bedroom flat, reference list.

The achievements in the sphere of design and building show that within a short period of time, certain changes in house constructions may take place. One of the most spread thoughts is offered by Gerald Stryi-Hipp (2006): in 2030, the vast majority of homes will be heated by means of solar thermal only. Such choice will influence the use of energy and help society to save money reducing energy demands as well as improve the design of houses as there will be no need to use some electric tools.

In this paper, the evaluation of three types of homes will be offered to define how materials and requirements for building as well as ethical aspects and technological use may be changed: a luxury home should be provided with a number of electronic gadgetry to help the owner save time and enjoy the design, a family four bedroom detached home aims at improving the life of a family, and a basic one bedroom flat with a number of significant attributes for living.

Talking about the materials for a luxury home 2030, it is necessary to consider their nature. One of the most effective ways is to use special glass for luxury homes with the help of which the whole home is lightened and open for the sun, still, it is impossible to look through it.

With the help of special digital technologies, it may be possible to change the colour of wallpapers in accordance with the owners’ mood. There is a special program implemented into the house that allows a person to choose from 1 to 5 colours. The following in-house technologies are possible for the chosen building: FM radio, digital TV that may be placed anywhere in the house, and furniture transformation.

Due to the fact that the technologies are designed into the house before it is built, it is necessary to meet a number of requirements: solar thermal equipment that is located on the roof and provides the whole building with the necessary amount of solar energy, all walls are bearing and may be made of special pressured bricks and compressed earth blocks, and, finally, doors are made of strong wood that holds warm in the house.

The chosen material and design meet the environmental green considerations. It is necessary to support the use of natural material in the building process, this is why the idea of unbroken glass as the main material for the luxury home is justified. Though a number of technologies and mechanisms are implemented into the house, all of them are inside the walls which are made of glass; so, they do not have some harmful effects on people living there.

A family four bedroom house should be designed to provide a big family with all necessary services and quality: parents should be confident that their children are in safe, and children, in their turn, should have an access to the most important parts of the house. The material for this type home is wood or professional timber for the walls and roof, and metal rebar to create an appropriate floor.

As big families are not always able to spend much money on the technological aspects of their homes, it is possible to implement the most significant technologies: solar thermal at the roof (to support the green idea of building), heating technologies, and media improvements which are easy to use and hide in urgent cases.

Kitchen technologies are integral in such type of building some members of the family spend much time in there. In relation to building design, a number of ethical issues should be considered to choose building material properly and avoid harm for human health. Use of solar energy in heating is the most effective means that reduce the use of fossil fuels and other chemical substances.

A first time buyer should get a number of benefits from a new basic one bedroom flat: building materials are usually concrete constructions which are supported by iron details. As a rule, one bedroom flat is a part of a huge construction, this is why it is necessary to define the bearing walls and implement as many technologies as possible in it.

Solar energy is hardly available for such types of homes, still, it is possible to create one huge generator with the help of which heating and cooling of all flats in the building is controlled in one section.

Environmental ethics should remind the designers about the importance to reduce the amount of waste and damage to the environment. Still, the following technologies should be implemented into the design as they influence the quality of human life: security system due to which a person is sure of personal safe, media improvements with the help of which a person saves time and nerves, and entertaining aspects (bath equipment and kitchen accessibility).

In general, all above-mentioned buildings have one idea in common: people have to be protected from all outside damages and dangers: absence of chemical substances, attention to solar energy, and natural building materials are considered. In case the ethical perspective is pointed out while building and designing in 2030, there is a hope for all people to succeed in living and protect personal life to its full extent.

Stryi-Hipp, G 2006, In 2030, many homes will be heated using only solar thermal, SBZ, pp. 40-44.

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  • Design in “Cradle to Cradle” by McDonough
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  • Luxury Brand History: Gucci
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IvyPanda. (2018, July 19). The Future of the Home: Houses in 2030. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-future-of-the-home-houses-in-2030/

"The Future of the Home: Houses in 2030." IvyPanda , 19 July 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/the-future-of-the-home-houses-in-2030/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'The Future of the Home: Houses in 2030'. 19 July.

IvyPanda . 2018. "The Future of the Home: Houses in 2030." July 19, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-future-of-the-home-houses-in-2030/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Future of the Home: Houses in 2030." July 19, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-future-of-the-home-houses-in-2030/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Future of the Home: Houses in 2030." July 19, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-future-of-the-home-houses-in-2030/.

  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment

Futurist Speaker

11 Thoughts on Designing Homes for 2040 and Beyond

by Thomas Frey | Jul 27, 2023 | Future Trends

Futurist Speaker Thomas Frey Blog: 11 Thoughts on Designing Homes for 2040 and Beyond

Our homes are more than just buildings; they are places where we grow, build relationships, and find comfort. As we project forward into the future, the concept of ‘home’ is set to undergo transformative changes, responding to shifting demographics, technological advancements, and our growing awareness of environmental sustainability. In the next 10 to 20 years, the architectural design of our houses will significantly evolve, reflecting our deepening understanding of health, our desire for flexibility, and our need for integration with evolving technologies.

1. AI Smart Home Integration

Future homes will be seamlessly integrated with smart technology to create living spaces that are more comfortable, efficient, and secure. This goes beyond just connecting various appliances and systems to the internet.

In these future smart homes, AI will play a central role. It will not only be about controlling lights, temperature, or security remotely, but the AI will learn from residents’ habits and preferences to automate these controls. For instance, your home might learn that you start your day at 6 am, so it will automatically adjust the thermostat, open the blinds, and start brewing your coffee at that time.

Facial recognition technology will enhance security systems to identify residents and trusted visitors and alert homeowners to unknown individuals. Similarly, integrated sensors could detect unusual activity and potentially prevent accidents – for example, alerting you if the oven has been left on for too long.

Entertainment systems will also become more integrated and personalized. Imagine your home knowing your favorite TV shows and automatically recording them or creating a perfect lighting and sound ambiance for your movie night.

The rise of IoT will also see more appliances being controlled by voice commands or through mobile apps. Everything from refrigerators to washing machines could provide status updates, alerts for problems, and even automated maintenance reminders. Additionally, smart homes will become more interactive. Augmented Reality (AR) could play a part in this, for instance, overlaying a cooking tutorial on your smart stove or displaying your day’s schedule on your bathroom mirror.

With these advancements, future smart homes will not just be about gadgetry or automation but creating an environment that’s in tune with the occupants’ lifestyle, providing comfort, convenience, and an enhanced living experience.

Futurist Speaker Thomas Frey Blog: AI Smart Home Integration

2. Shared Coworking Spaces in Residential Design

As we move into a more flexible and remote work era, the boundary between our work and home lives is increasingly blurred. In response, the architectural design of our homes in the next 10 to 20 years will integrate shared coworking spaces, fundamentally altering how we perceive and design residential spaces.

In future home designs, shared coworking spaces will be a common feature, particularly in communal living arrangements or large residential complexes. These spaces will provide a conducive environment for remote work, fostering collaboration and promoting a sense of community among residents. They could be designed as designated rooms or areas within the building that are fully equipped with workstations, high-speed internet, meeting rooms, and even amenities like a coffee station or a relaxation zone.

The design of these spaces will prioritize both productivity and comfort. Ergonomics will be a key consideration, with furniture designed to support good posture and minimize strain during long work periods. Natural light will be maximized to boost mood and focus, and noise control measures will be implemented to ensure a quiet, distraction-free environment.

Beyond physical design aspects, technology will play a critical role in these shared coworking spaces. Advanced tech solutions such as smart screens for video conferencing, virtual reality headsets for immersive meetings, or AI-powered noise-cancellation systems could become standard features. These tech integrations will not only support seamless remote work but also enhance collaborative experiences among the residents.

However, it’s not all about work. These shared coworking spaces will also function as social spaces, promoting interaction and community-building among residents. They might host networking events, skill-sharing workshops, or communal activities, encouraging residents to connect with each other beyond their professional roles.

As the lines between home and office continue to blur, shared coworking spaces in residential areas will support the changing dynamics of work, offering flexibility, fostering community, and promoting a healthy work-life balance. This trend will not only reshape our homes but also redefine how we interact with our living spaces in the context of work and community.

Futurist Speaker Thomas Frey Blog: Shared Coworking Spaces in Residential Design

3. Virtual/Augmented Reality Spaces

As virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) technologies continue to evolve, they will significantly influence home design in the coming years . Beyond the realm of gaming, these technologies can provide immersive experiences for entertainment, education, work, and social interaction, changing how we interact with digital content and our living spaces.

Future homes may incorporate dedicated VR/AR spaces designed to provide enough room for movement while ensuring safety. These spaces could feature open floor plans, unobstructed by furniture, with padded or soft-finish floors and walls to prevent injury. Inbuilt tracking systems could be used to interact with the virtual environment and ensure users stay within the designated area.

In the realm of interior design, AR can transform how we decorate and arrange our homes. With AR, homeowners could visualize how different furniture pieces, color schemes, or lighting conditions would look in their actual space before making a purchase or change. This would allow for more confident design decisions and personalized aesthetics.

For work and learning, VR can create immersive, distraction-free environments that improve focus and engagement. A home office or study might include a VR setup for attending virtual meetings or classes, and transporting users to a simulated boardroom or lecture hall with the push of a button.

The integration of VR/AR in homes also has potential therapeutic applications. For example, VR could be used for guided meditation or stress relief, creating peaceful, immersive environments within one’s own home.

As the hardware for VR/AR becomes more compact and wireless, incorporating these technologies into residential design will become easier. In the future, VR/AR could become as much a part of our homes as our televisions or computers are today, reshaping our living spaces into adaptable, interactive environments.

4. Robot-Friendly Design

As advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence continue to accelerate, the integration of robotic companions into our households becomes increasingly plausible. Future homes may very well be designed with the intention to accommodate these mechanical helpers, fostering their interaction with the human occupants and the house itself.

Robot-friendly design involves considering the physical characteristics and functionalities of robots. Homes might incorporate designated pathways and clear floors to facilitate robot movement. This could include wider doorways and hallways, ramped transitions between different floor levels, and open floor plans that allow for easy navigation.

Charging stations will become a standard part of home design, similar to how many homes now have dedicated spots for charging mobile devices. These could be discreetly integrated into the home design, perhaps as a part of a utility room or a corner of the living area.

Homes could also incorporate digital interfaces and control panels at a height accessible to both robots and humans, allowing robots to manipulate various home systems. For instance, a domestic robot might be tasked with adjusting the home’s thermostat or controlling the lighting based on the homeowner’s preferences.

In houses with multi-story, design consideration would be given to how robots can move between different levels. Options could range from installing robot-friendly ramps or lifts to developing robots that can safely and efficiently climb stairs.

Additionally, as robots become more adept at performing complex tasks, kitchens and utility areas might be designed with robotic functionality in mind. Adjustable countertops or modular storage units could be utilized to allow robots to cook meals or clean up, contributing to household chores.

Incorporating robot-friendly design into our homes is about optimizing for a harmonious coexistence between humans and robots. The goal is to create a living environment where robotic companions can effectively augment our daily routines, making our lives more comfortable and efficient.

Futurist Speaker Thomas Frey Blog: Robot-Friendly Design

5. Drone Security and Drone Delivery Systems

The advent of drone technology has not only revolutionized several industries but is also poised to impact the design and function of future homes significantly. In the next 10 to 20 years, two key features that are expected to become integrated into home design are drone security systems and drone delivery systems.

Drone Security Systems: Safety and security are primary concerns for any homeowner, and as such, drone technology presents an advanced solution to meet these needs. Future homes could incorporate drone security systems, which operate as mobile CCTV units. These autonomous drones could be programmed to patrol the property at specified intervals , equipped with night vision and motion detection capabilities to identify any unusual activity.

Furthermore, the drone can be instantly deployed in the event of a security breach, providing real-time video feed to homeowners or a security firm. This rapid response capability not only deters potential intruders but also aids in the identification and subsequent apprehension of criminals. Given their aerial advantage, these drones can also monitor hard-to-reach areas, offering a comprehensive security solution.

Drone Delivery Systems: As online shopping and home delivery services become ever more dominant, future homes will need to adapt to this trend. One solution is the integration of drone delivery systems into the design of homes.

Houses could include drone landing pads or designated drone delivery docks, often located on rooftops or balconies. These docks would be equipped with security measures such as locking mechanisms to prevent theft and could also include protective elements to shield packages from weather conditions.

On the technological front, these docks might include systems to automatically receive delivery drones guided by GPS and autonomous navigation systems. Once a drone lands, the dock can secure the package and automatically recharge its battery before it departs for the next delivery.

As our reliance on drone technology increases, it’s clear that future home designs must consider the integration of these systems. By including drone security and drone delivery systems, future homes can offer enhanced safety and convenience, meeting future homeowners’ changing needs and expectations.

Futurist Speaker Thomas Frey Blog: Biophilic Design

6. Biophilic Design

Biophilia, a term popularized by biologist Edward O. Wilson, describes the innate human attraction to nature and living things. Biophilic design is an approach to architecture that seeks to connect building occupants more closely to nature . As awareness of the importance of mental and physical well-being increases, biophilic design principles will play a more significant role in residential architecture in the next 10 to 20 years.

Biophilic design incorporates elements of nature into the built environment, both directly and indirectly. Direct applications may involve the integration of actual nature into architecture. This could take the form of indoor gardens, green walls, water features, or the use of natural materials such as wood and stone. The sounds, smells, and tactile experiences of nature can also be incorporated to provide a multi-sensory connection.

Indirect nature engagement might include biomimetic designs, which mimic natural forms and patterns, or biophilic spatial configurations that emulate environments where humans historically thrived. Large windows, glass walls, or skylights that let in plenty of natural light are a common feature, as well as designs that facilitate views of the outdoor environment.

Access to outdoor spaces will also be a critical part of future residential design. This could include private spaces like balconies and terraces or communal green spaces in multi-residential developments. The outdoor spaces would be designed to provide meaningful contact with nature, such as planting edible gardens or native species to attract local wildlife.

Biophilic design goes beyond simply adding plants to indoor spaces . It’s about creating a living environment that embodies the essence of nature, promoting a sense of peace and well-being. The benefits of biophilic design are numerous, including improved mental health, reduced stress levels, enhanced creativity, and increased overall satisfaction with one’s living environment.

As urbanization continues and the disconnect between humans and nature grows, the need for biophilic design in our homes will only become more essential.

Futurist Speaker Thomas Frey Blog: Net-Zero Energy Homes

7. Net-Zero Energy Homes

As the world grapples with climate change, energy efficiency in residential buildings is more crucial than ever. Net-Zero Energy Homes (NZEH) represent the future of sustainable living, designed to produce as much renewable energy as they consume over the course of a year. The concept will fundamentally shape the architecture and construction industry in the next 10 to 20 years.

Net-zero homes aim to minimize energy needs through effective insulation, high-performance windows, and smart design to take advantage of natural light and heat. They may feature orientation that captures or avoids the sun’s heat depending on the climate, as well as shade features or landscaping to control temperature.

The homes will generate their own energy through renewable sources , primarily solar panels and potentially wind or geothermal energy. The implementation of energy storage systems, like advanced battery technology, will allow homeowners to store excess energy produced during peak production times for use during periods of high energy demand.

Net-zero homes will also include energy-efficient appliances and systems, along with smart home technology that allows residents to monitor and manage their energy use. These homes can feed excess energy back to the grid, effectively turning residential buildings into mini power plants.

Water conservation will also be crucial to net-zero design, incorporating features like rainwater harvesting systems, greywater reuse, or water-efficient appliances and fixtures.

Building a net-zero home involves a synergistic approach to design and construction, considering the home as an integrated system rather than a collection of separate elements. This approach, combined with advancements in renewable energy and energy-efficiency technologies, will make net-zero homes a practical and affordable option for many homeowners.

The push towards net-zero living isn’t just about reducing energy bills or even environmental impact. It represents a shift towards more sustainable, resilient communities, paving the way for a future where every home is a contributor to a cleaner and greener planet.

Futurist Speaker Thomas Frey Blog: IoT Integration

8. IoT Integration

As the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to expand, our homes are becoming more connected and intelligent. Future homes will not merely be places to live but dynamic entities capable of learning from and adapting to their inhabitants. The design and structure of houses 10 to 20 years from now will heavily incorporate IoT technologies to increase efficiency, comfort, and security.

In a smart home, various systems and appliances connect to the internet and can communicate with each other. This allows for centralized control through a main hub or an app. From lighting and heating to entertainment and security systems, virtually every aspect of home life can be automated and customized to individual preferences.

Artificial intelligence will play a significant role in smart homes, with learning algorithms capable of understanding the habits and patterns of occupants to optimize energy usage and enhance comfort. Your home might learn your daily routines, automatically adjusting the temperature, lighting, or music based on the time of day or your activities.

Smart homes will also incorporate more sophisticated security systems. Facial recognition software could allow for keyless entry, and remote monitoring will enable homeowners to keep an eye on their property from anywhere in the world. Smart sensors could detect anything from break-ins to water leaks, offering peace of mind and potentially saving money on repairs.

Voice-activated virtual assistants will become a standard feature, capable of everything from answering questions to controlling other IoT devices. We also see the rise of touchless technology in homes, from motion-sensor lights to voice-activated appliances, fostering ease and convenience.

Integration with electric vehicles and charging infrastructure will also be a key aspect of future home design. Homeowners could manage their vehicle charging schedule based on their daily routine or when electricity rates are lowest, all integrated into their home’s smart system.

However, with the advent of smart homes, data security and privacy will become increasingly critical . Future home design will need to consider these aspects, ensuring that all data generated and collected within the home is secure.

In the future, homes will become proactive partners in managing our daily lives, improving our comfort, safety, and well-being while optimizing resource usage and contributing to a sustainable future.

Futurist Speaker Thomas Frey Blog: Virtual Reality in Design Process

9. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in Design Process

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are set to revolutionize the design and construction of homes in the next 10 to 20 years. These technologies provide immersive, interactive experiences that allow architects, builders, and clients to visualize, modify, and interact with a home’s design before it’s built.

VR enables users to step inside a fully immersive 3D simulation of a planned house . Users can explore every room, inspect every detail, and even simulate different times of day to see how sunlight would interact with the space. This provides an unprecedented level of understanding and confidence in the design, ensuring that everyone involved is on the same page about what the finished home will look like.

With VR, design changes can be made on the fly, allowing architects and clients to experiment with different ideas and immediately see the results. This can greatly reduce the time and costs associated with changes during the actual construction process.

AR, on the other hand, overlays digital information onto the real world, allowing users to see how a design would fit into an existing environment. For example, clients could use an AR app to visualize how a proposed addition would look on their existing house or how a new home would fit onto a particular piece of land.

AR can also be used during the construction process to guide builders. For example, workers could use AR glasses to overlay construction plans onto their field of view, showing exactly where each component should go and reducing the risk of errors.

In addition, these technologies could change the way we think about space in our homes. With VR, a small room could be transformed into an expansive virtual environment, providing a sense of spaciousness without the need for a large physical footprint. This could become increasingly important as urbanization leads to smaller living spaces.

Both VR and AR offer incredible possibilities for the future of home design, providing a more collaborative, flexible, and efficient design process. The result will be homes that better meet the needs and desires of their inhabitants, leading to greater satisfaction and comfort.

Futurist Speaker Thomas Frey Blog: Health-Focused Design

10. Health-Focused Design

As health and wellness become ever more important facets of our daily lives, the architecture and design of our homes will follow suit. Future homes will be built with the intention of promoting physical and mental well-being, making health-focused design a significant trend in the next 10 to 20 years.

Indoor air quality will be a major focus. Features such as advanced air filtration systems, humidity control, and the use of non-toxic, hypoallergenic materials will become standard to combat pollutants and allergens. In addition, the use of plants and green spaces within homes will not only enhance aesthetic appeal but also improve air quality and create a calming atmosphere.

Lighting will also play a crucial role in health-focused design. Homes will be designed to maximize natural light, which has been shown to boost mood and productivity, regulate circadian rhythms, and even improve sleep. For times when natural light is limited, adjustable, human-centric artificial lighting that can mimic the color temperature and intensity of natural light will be used.

Home layouts will also be designed to promote physical activity. This could mean the incorporation of dedicated exercise spaces, or it could be as simple as designing homes that encourage movement, such as placing frequently used rooms far apart.

The acoustic environment of homes will also be considered. Soundproofing to reduce noise pollution, including calming natural sounds and using materials that minimize echo, can contribute to a more peaceful and stress-free living environment.

Technological advancements will also support health-focused design. Health monitoring devices will be integrated into the smart home systems, tracking parameters like heart rate, sleep quality, and physical activity and offering insights and recommendations to improve the inhabitants’ health.

Homes will also include spaces designed for mental wellness, such as quiet areas for meditation or relaxation, spaces with immersive nature views, or areas dedicated to hobbies or creative activities.

In the future, homes will serve not just as living spaces but as supportive environments that actively contribute to the health and well-being of their inhabitants. The result will be homes that are not just places to live but places that help us live better.

Futurist Speaker Thomas Frey Blog: Adaptable Living Spaces

11. Multigenerational and Adaptable Living Spaces

As lifespans increase and family dynamics evolve, the need for homes to accommodate multiple generations under one roof is becoming increasingly important. Homes in the next 10 to 20 years will be designed with flexibility and adaptability at their core, allowing them to adjust to the changing needs of their inhabitants over time.

Multigenerational homes will include each generation’s private spaces and communal areas where the family can gather. These homes may feature separate living quarters for elderly parents or adult children, with features such as ground-level living for those who can’t navigate stairs or soundproofing to ensure privacy.

Adaptable design will be a key feature of these homes, allowing rooms to serve multiple purposes over time. For instance, a home office could be converted into a nursery, then later into a guest room. Wall partitions might be movable to change the layout of the house quickly or to create additional rooms when needed.

Technological advancements will also facilitate the creation of adaptable living spaces. Smart home systems could adjust lighting, temperature, and even furniture arrangements based on who is using a room. Homes might feature adjustable-height counters and sinks or walls embedded with tech that can transform a living room into a home theater at the touch of a button.

The design of these homes will also consider accessibility and safety features to accommodate older family members, such as wider doorways for wheelchair access, non-slip flooring, grab bars in bathrooms, and smart health monitoring systems.

Sustainability will also be a key consideration in multigenerational homes. As these homes will be designed to last and adapt for many years, they will need to be energy-efficient and built with durable, sustainable materials.

Multigenerational and adaptable homes offer a practical and flexible solution to the changing demographics and lifestyles of modern families. By allowing families to remain together, they can foster stronger familial bonds, use space better, and potentially provide economic benefits by sharing costs.

Final Thoughts

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Great article. I hope you create a youtube channel and bring these ideas to more people.

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Loved this post! The idea of designing homes with adaptability and sustainability in mind is crucial for the future. I’m excited to see how architects will incorporate technology and eco-friendly features into their designs. Can you elaborate more on how you think cities will adjust to the changing climate and what role residential design will play in mitigating its effects?

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6 Homebuilders Predict What Houses Will Look Like in 20 Years

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Envisioning the home of the future has been the quest of homebuilders for generations. As building technologies have advanced, so too have trends that track and predict the look and feel of our homes, both inside and out. Today’s homes look markedly different from those of years past, and it is anybody’s guess how the landscape of American homebuilding will continue to evolve. However, six visionary homebuilders—who each play a critical role in helping homeowners and architects reimagine the future of living in the US—have some ideas.

While their predictions vary depending on region and clientele, they share a common belief that the homes of the future will be smarter, more sustainable, and more connected to community. Read on for their bold predictions on how innovative architecture and evolving social dynamics will redefine homebuilding over the next 20 years.

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This Jerome Byron–designed guesthouse keeps a compact footprint on its 13-foot-by-18-foot plot.

Keeping It Compact

While building bigger used to be a sign of personal achievement, today’s homes have been trending towards smaller footprints . Home builders across the country predict that this trend will continue, with the homes of the future becoming even more compact and efficient. “As land becomes scarcer and more expensive, the design of homes will change as well,” declares Ren Chandler, founder and president of Dyna Builders in Seattle, Washington. The Pacific Northwest builder has already seen an uptick in more compact footprints, especially with their recent focus on floating homes , which are notoriously small in scale. “We believe that new large single-family developments will decline and there will be a bigger focus on the development of smaller home communities,” explains Chandler.

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essay about houses in the future

On the opposite coast, New York builder Edifice Upstate is seeing a similar trend. “We focus on building only what is needed, meaning that our houses are smaller in scale,” says Marc Thorpe, the company’s owner and cofounder. When it comes to the future of residential design, Thorpe thinks builders should encourage more efficient living in their blueprints . “While climate and energy should be the first considerations, number two would be to leave out closets ,” he says. “You can’t buy more stuff when you have nowhere to put it.”

Automated Living

As homes become smaller, they will likely also become smarter. Efficient living means not only doing more with less, but also living in a way that integrates seamlessly with cutting-edge technology. “Home automation has always been prevalent, but we’re now seeing almost every house incorporate automation at some level as the technology advances and gets more user friendly,” says Chandler, who predicts the trend will continue to grow over the next two decades.

In California, Tyler Kobick, principal and CEO of Oakland-based builder Design Draw Build , holds a similar sentiment. “Technology and smart-home elements are everywhere in homes now, empowering low-voltage subcontractors similarly to interior designers,” he reflects. “I think this trend will continue and builders will be further challenged with the increasing specialization emerging throughout the design and build process.” Kobick believes builders will need to stay on the bleeding edge of this technology to make sure homes don’t become outmoded before they’re fully lived in. “Not unlike homes built before LED lighting took over the industry, homes will become dated increasingly faster with technology knowledge expectations advancing at a rapid clip,” he says. When it comes to tech at home, much like in the wider culture, staying ahead of the curve will become increasingly important.

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Builder Lockhart Suver collaborated with DeForest Architects on this contemporary home that integrates into the landscape through features like a green roof and a tunnel a cliffside hideaway.

At One With Nature

Just as our homes will become more high-tech, many builders predict there will be a parallel push to bring homebuilding back to nature. Homebuilder Taylor Thompson, cofounder and owner of TaylorSmith Sustainable Construction in Portland, Oregon, is already seeing homes trend towards more organic shapes and details. “Lately, we’ve seen a lot more arches and curves show up in our designs,” he says. “Over the last 10 years there was a focus on neat, clean, modern details, but it’s been nice having curves and more organic shapes make their way back into the design conversation.”

Kobick’s experience in his home state also points towards more integration of the outdoors and natural elements. “Almost every project we do these days has a semi-open courtyard with enough structures and forms to allude to a compound,” he reflects. “At least in California, the continued removal of local control by the state legislature has galvanized the interest in small structures, ADUs , and AUs, leading to an organization of main homes rotating around an outdoor courtyard.” Chandler sees this evolving into homes that integrate more seamlessly with their environments. “The industry will naturally evolve to incorporate passive solar technology and the use of things like green roofs and rainwater collection,” he predicts.

The 11 Most Beautiful Palaces Around the World

This home (by architect Robert Vick with concept and interiors by Caplow Manzano ) is designed to meet both LEED Platinum and WELL residential standards. The house contains no drywall, is designed to avoid allergens, and features nontoxic finishes throughout, along with a host of other healthy-living and sustainable amenities. Alligator Construction acted as the general contractor on the project.

Healthier Homes

In the future, more natural living will also mean healthier living. Already, homeowners are becoming more attuned to the quality of their living environments, investigating the materials and practices behind the products they are bringing into their homes. “As healthy living becomes more and more mainstream in the United States, we think people will continue to question what surrounds them,” says Ted Caplow, principal of Caplow Manzano , a homebuilder in Miami. “Most of us spend about half our lives in our homes, surrounded by chemicals and toxins embedded in almost every surface that are easily released into the air by time, decay, damage, or moisture.”

Caplow predicts we will have eliminated much of these unwanted materials in the next 20 years and replaced them with alternative solutions, such as polished concrete ceilings, encapsulated insulation, or ductless air conditioning systems. For Thorpe, this desire will become increasingly pressing as the realities of climate change set in. “We need to take ownership of how we live and make purposeful and responsible decisions for the health and wellbeing of ourselves, our families, and our communities,” he says.

cabin man in hottub man in door frame

At the Mendocino, California, cabin of Max Goldstein and Jay Ezra Nayssan, connection with nature and community are top of mind.

small cabin doors open

Among the home’s gestures towards community is its ADU, where homeowners or guests can lounge or take a snooze.

Place for Community

As the concern for healthy living grows, so will our understanding that our individual health is inexorably tied to the health of our communities. Many of the builders surveyed predicted that the homes of the future will be more open and connected to community and intergenerational living . The shift in today’s homes towards shared spaces that promote connection among neighbors will only continue to grow. “In the future, I think that our cities will become denser while offering new typologies of common space,” muses Thorpe. “Regarding the American suburban landscape, I’d like to see a shift towards focusing on community-driven planning.”

For Thompson, this also translates to more collaborative methods of building the homes of the future. “In the future, I’m hopeful that all parties involved in the residential construction process will appreciate the benefits of a collaborative design effort,” he reflects. “To make a durable, comfortable, and energy efficient home, it requires a high level of collaboration amongst the clients, designers, builders, and trade partners.”

Energy Independent and Sustainably Affordable

As communities around the globe continue to experience the effects of climate change, homebuilders predict that tomorrow’s residences will need to be more efficient in how they use energy, both in their construction and their operation. “I’m hopeful that as builders, we become far better stewards of scarce resources and hopeful that the homes of the future will be largely energy independent,” says Seattle’s Mike Suver, founding partner of Lockhart Suver . By this he means homes that can operate solely on renewable energy sources and off the energy grid. “Apart from photovoltaic arrays, innovations like the Tesla solar roof shingle and improved battery technologies for power storage will be coupled with ground source technology so we can increasingly use the earth and sun to power our homes,” he predicts.

While these technologies lead to lower operating costs over time, today’s homeowners often find them pricey to install. Thorpe is optimistic that will change in the next two decades. “I’m hopeful that renewable technologies such as solar, wind, and geothermal will become more efficient and cost effective,” he says. “Even more, I hope that they will be the default standard for housing infrastructure, fully integrated into the design and development of not only the home itself, but the planning of the community in which it sits.”

Exterior view of a boxy concrete home wall lined with windows

Emmett Moore’s Floridian home , designed by Arquitectonica, sits five feet off the ground and incorporates myriad strategies for coastal resiliency, among them catch basins, French drains, and an absorbent landscape of salt-tolerant plants.

Built to Last

Ultimately, today’s homebuilders predict that in 20 years, builders will have solved the puzzle of how to create homes that truly stand the test of time. Rather than follow the sway of ever-changing trends and styles that prioritize aesthetics over craftsmanship, builders hope that tomorrow’s homeowners will appreciate homes of quality that are made to last. “I am most hopeful that there will be a continued appreciation for quality construction and design with a focus on sustainability and efficiency,” says Chandler. “A well-built house can last for decades, and the most responsible thing we can do for the environment is to keep substandard construction out of landfills.”

And Thompson agrees. “If anything, I think the quality of materials will only improve over the next 20 years, which will improve the performance and quality of our builds,” he predicts. “This will enable us to continue making unique designs, but doing so in a more durable and resilient way.”

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What will home look like in 2050?

A future of communal living spaces and sustainable architecture, experts agree.

essay about houses in the future

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essay about houses in the future

Most people have a sense of what a home is: shelter, family, a place to eat, sleep and call your own. But as climate change, pandemics and other crises sweep the planet, "home," at least in our Canadian context, will likely look a lot different in the future. And we don't mean next year, or even next decade, but in 2050.

A lot can happen in a short time: consider that it took just six decades between the invention of human flight and landing an astronaut on the moon.

As part of Spark's season-long series, "The Next Big Thing," three experts—an urban planner, and architect, and a home historian—joined host Nora Young to offer their thoughts.

Historically, homes have evolved to give us more comfort, said Sonia Solicari, the director of the Museum of the Home in London, UK.

"You get the Industrial Revolution, and you get this explosion of techniques, in terms of upholstery, etcetera, and things like padded sofas and curtains become much more affordable and accessible," she said.

essay about houses in the future

The relationship between housing and health increases between the Victorian and the Postwar era, she added. "The Victorians would have been absolutely used to the idea of the sick bed, the sick room, and people would be born and die in the home."

Solicari said that by the end of the Second World War and the development of public healthcare, "it kind of shifts the need of the domestic space," so that home could be more for comfort and entertainment, and didn't have to also be a hospital, or a care home, because those amenities were now outside the home.

With climate change, you can't see the home in isolation. So, the future of the home is really the future of seeing that relationship of home to city, or home to countryside. - Sonia Scolari

Fast forward to today, though, and the idea of home—and the space it occupies—needs to be rethought, said Jennifer Keesmaat, the city of Toronto's former chief planner.

"We have designed our housing very much around how we get around," she said. And how we get around primarily in the Canadian context is in cars. And we know that our greenhouse gas emissions are directly tied to mobility and how we move in cities and use cars. And so part of what we need to do is really break that link."

essay about houses in the future

Seventy-five per cent of all new housing built in the last decade has been in areas of "auto-oriented sprawl," Keesmaat said, "which is inherently unsustainable and is actually also very costly, because it demands a tremendous amount of road infrastructure and different kinds of services."

The only way to fix this problem, she argued, is to double down on building housing in more densely populated urban areas, where there is existing infrastructure like schools, parks and transit—so it isn't necessary to use a car at all.

She pointed to the example of King Street in downtown Toronto. Once an area of office towers and parking lots, there's been a push in the last decade to build housing and make it possible to live and work in the same area. Now, she said, 75 per cent of the people who live along the King Street Corridor—equivalent to half the population of Manitoba—walk or cycle to work.

essay about houses in the future

From an architectural perspective, the home of the far future needs to be sustainable, not just in the materials used to build it, but in terms of creating its own energy and even water supply.

Farzad Mirshafiei, a Los Angeles-based architect, created exactly that in a competition to design a sustainable home for 2050. Designed to mimic ocean coral, its exterior absorbs water from rain and then filters it to make it drinkable. The windows are actually solar panels, and parts of the house even generate energy from swaying in the wind, in the gentle way coral moves to undersea currents. The houses can be stacked like pods to make the most of urban density, he added.

essay about houses in the future

Mirshafiei also predicted that, thanks to robotics and AI, homes could become more modular as they're used for different purposes at different times of the day. So, for example, walls and ceilings might move to reshape a space from an office to a dining area, he said.

But all this is for naught if homes don't become affordable. Both Keesmaat and Solicari foresee the rise of more communal spaces, where multiple families live in the same complex and share common amenities.

essay about houses in the future

That would require a mindset shift for most urban planners, she added. "You're allowed to put five or 10 cars if you want to in the driveway, but you're not allowed to put 10 families there. So I think the biggest challenge is that we have an antiquated approach to land use zoning in cities, that is forcing us to mistakenly believe that we're out of land when we're not.

"We have a tremendous amount of land, in close proximity to schools, in close proximity to parks, in close proximity to transit, but we're not using that land well, and it has two negative outcomes. One is that it restricts who can access housing in cities. So it's driving our affordability crisis. And the second negative outcome is that we actually need more density, if we want to create walkable communities."

Written and produced by Adam Killick.

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Futurology: A New Study Looks at the Design of the Home in 2050

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A new study has been released by the NHBC foundation in the UK, Futurology: The new home in 2050 that has a lot of interesting ideas. Prepared by Studio Partington, a design practice in London, it "provides an interesting insight into some of the trends we are likely to see 30 years or more into the future."

In the next 30 years we will witness substantial changes to home-life through technological advancement in response to societal, demographic and climate changes. The family home of the future will evolve to be more resilient and more adaptable to society’s ever-evolving needs. We will see a resurgence of the ‘multigenerational’ home, a flexible home where the young can live into adulthood and where the elderly members of the family can be cared for.

Urban Homes

© Futurology: the new home in 2050

For urban living, the designers foresee more of what has become known as "missing middle" housing in North America: "Homes will be arranged vertically on smaller footprints to increase density and make the best use of limited land." They see it being connected to district heating and cooling systems, and without parking because "car ownership will be lower with more journeys taken on public transport, by foot and bicycle, or through the use of on-demand and ride-sharing services."

Rural and Suburban Homes

For rural and suburban living, they suggest that "the traditional home arrangement will remain largely unchanged due to the greater availability of land, allowing homes to adapt and expand as families grow and working styles evolve."

Lower densities will allow for greater ‘solar access’. Roofs orientated to optimise solar access will become photovoltaic banks. Energy will be stored in the home itself, with batteries charged from solar panels and/or low-tariff electricity. Simple passive strategies for ventilation and cooling will be possible. The transition from petrol/diesel and hybrid to electric vehicles will have been made and each home will have induction or cabled vehicle charging.

Adaptations for Multi-generational Living

There are many things to love about their ideas for flexible townhomes that can adapt and change to accommodate multi-generational living. They suggest a doubling of traditional suburban densities (which is already happening as developers pack bigger houses onto smaller lots).

There are aspects to the designs that surprise me. Stairs are shown with winders, occasionally even double winders. These are far more dangerous than straight stairs and make it difficult to install chair lifts, which are a lot cheaper than elevator lifts.

They also show ground source heat pumps in the country and district heating in the city, even as they discuss how homes will be highly energy efficient. However I thought that there was pretty much a consensus that if you build a really well insulated house, (say, to Passive House standards, which by 2050 I would have thought would be code) then an expensive ground-source heat pump system becomes superfluous.

There are some interesting and sometimes counter-intuitive planning ideas, like putting all services on the exterior walls so that the interior non-load bearing walls can be changed as required. Do people do that very often? Don't electrical outlets have to be on every wall? Or will we need electric outlets at all in 2050? Perhaps not.

With services distributed around the perimeter walls of the home or through a floor void as in offices, the internal walls need only serve as acoustic and spatial separators that can be easily re-organised. Lighting will be controlled by movement detectors or voice activation, so the constraints of positioning switches and sockets are removed, creating more opportunities for homes to be adapted to a person’s life.

Because most British homes have hot water radiators, they plan an integrated system of thermal storage of hot water.

Despite the trend for miniaturisation in electronics, some of the technology in the home will increase in size as we use devices for storing excess electricity or heat generated from renewable energy. Specifically, thermal storage in the form of enlarged insulated hot water cylinders will require additional physical space in the home. The interaction of heating, heat recovery and ventilation systems will also be more complex, with increased servicing, maintenance and controls.

Again, I wonder if this is overcomplicating things, but then I keep thinking we should be building dumb homes that have lots of insulation instead of complex storage systems. However, there is little argument that we should be living in an all-electric future powered by renewables. There is also a consensus that there will be more off-site construction.

There is much to admire in this report: the stressing of flexibility, of multigenerational living, and the recognition of societal changes with a huge increase in the numbers of both older people and younger people who can't afford to leave home. They recognize the need for the increasing of density, the replacement of the private car with so many alternatives. The designing for adaptability is something we have been talking about a lot recently, the idea of Open Building, where all the building components are accessible and replaceable. The study authors write:

We need to future-proof homes, plan for longevity and changes, and build in the structural capacity to move walls, extend floors, build upwards or even downwards. This trend, together with the accepted social responsibility to make homes accessible, suggests that a good proportion of new homes should be built to be adaptable.

© Smithson House of the Future

As Yogi Berra noted, “It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” British architects like Alison Smithson tried it in 1956 and our houses don't look much like they predicted, and neither does the clothing. While reading "Futurology: the New Home in 2050," I thought that it didn't go far enough, that it was all too much like the housing of today, but 2050 is only 32 years away and if you think of how much housing has changed since 32 years ago, 1986, you realize that this is a very slow-moving industry. So perhaps it makes sense that they did not go all Smithson and get too wild and crazy.

Download your own copy from the NHBC Foundation.

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COMMENTS

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