Hello, and thank you for joining me. Today I want to share a topic at the core of our practice: Evolving in place.
If you try to google evolving in place, you won’t find much information about this topic yet, as it is an Unfolding Lines original concept. We came up with this term to describe the adjustments and planning that each individual and family needs to consider as they evolve, grow up, and age in the house and neighborhood they love.
There is already a notion of aging in place in the building design community, which covers the modifications of the living environment to aid the aging process. Evolving in place, however, goes beyond age.
We are constantly changing, maturing, evolving and our interests and needs are often different from one decade to another. Evolving in place is influenced by the emotional, psychological, financial, and many other aspects that accompany and determine our different life paths and decisions.
The only constants in life are movement and change. Change can be sudden, like your toddler painting an interpretation of the Sistine Chapel on your living room wall with a vegetable pouch. It can also be slow and almost unnoticeable, like growing up. I have a young boy, and it is fascinating to see how his changes are almost imperceptible on a daily basis, but when you look at pictures from even a month before, you can easily spot differences. It is difficult to anticipate his exact tastes and interests in 5 years, but there are things that we can already plan to help him thrive.
Families are constantly changing and evolving, and it can be awesome and unexpected. Sometimes we would love to have a crystal ball to be able to know everything ahead of time. While we are not in the business of fortune-telling, we can help you to plan based on our expertise, experience, and the best estimation at present, with a plan B and C for good measure.
Planning for change helps us to be ready and to make better decisions. Evolving in place applies to most circumstances, but two life phases in particular go smoother when assisted with adaptations in the home and living environment during such transitions:
The start of a family.
The beautiful, rapid changing stage when two individuals welcome one or more new members. These small people sometimes seem to be reigning your home. The place that looked so big not so long ago appears to have shrunk overnight. You thought you had so much storage, but out of a sudden, mountains of Legos are growing on the living room floor. You love your house, but it begins to fit you tight. Do you have to move? Is there any easy way to rearrange the spaces in your house or to somehow carve out an extra room? Maybe not an entire room, but at least a place where you can sit and relax for a moment. Does it make financial sense? How much would it be? Will it be a good ROI (Return on the Investment)? Do you need permits? Where do you start?
Whether you own or are renting a house, planning is always good. If you are renting a house and see yourself living in this space for a long time, there are ways you can adapt it, with your landlord on board, of course, to work better with your family’s dynamics.
The grandkids and golden years.
You are traveling, hanging out with friends, and taking care of ‘you.’ You already raised kids, and they are busy sometimes raising their own. You enjoy time with those little ones that fill you with joy, but they get to go to their own home at the end of the day. You may be finally taking care of all the hobbies that you left on stand-by for a while. The house, however, has spaces that don’t fit your lifestyle anymore.
There could also be areas that could be inconvenient or even dangerous in the years to come like, the stairs or some tight areas, especially in the kitchen or bathrooms. You may wonder what kind of modifications to your current home can support your body and your needs as the years go by. Do you have to move? Is there an easy way to rearrange your house spaces that fit your current and future lifestyle better? Is there a missed income opportunity within your home? Does it make financial sense? How much would it be? Will it be a good ROI (Return on the Investment)? Do you need permits? Where do you start?
We are all constantly evolving. Some evolve in different places, and some choose to set roots and evolve in place. However, we all evolve somewhere. Planning for those changes can help you enjoy and have that desired lifestyle for your current life stage.
We enjoy working with families and helping them shape their homes in a way that best supports their particular needs. All families and individuals are different; the only constant is that they all evolve.
Are you wondering what is the best way to tackle your house renovations? Get in touch, and we will be happy to help!
In the meantime, I will leave you with the oldest stone house in northern Europe. The Knap of Howar, on the island of Papa Westray in Orkney, Scotland. It was occupied from 3700 BC to 2800 BC It is a Neolithic farmstead consisting of two adjacent rounded rectangular thick-walled buildings with very low doorways. It has no windows, but it is thought to have been built freestanding. Today the building appears as though it was built into the earth.
Also, the structure now stands close to the shore, but they are thought to have been laid initially inland. The building has two main structures linked by a low passageway. The second structure is thought to have been a workshop or a second house.(1)
As always, thank you for your support, and please help me reach more people by sharing these blog posts with your friends, family, and colleagues! To know when a new blog post is out, you can follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
Gracias!
Citlalli
Evolution is the secret for the next step.
-Karl Lagerfeld
References:
(3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knap_of_Howar
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Special thanks to my editor, Ilya Godes!
Citlalli is an architect and a mom who enjoys finding the extraordinary around us and understanding what makes each person thrive.
She believes that art and good design should be accessible, and her motivation is to help build a better world for the next generations.
She has worked on residential and commercial projects for over 15 years. She decided to open her studio in Los Angeles, California, to make great design available and affordable to more people.
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