10 Blum Inspirations Rethink ing liv ing living areas and functions merge, of fer ing many design options to suit all lifest yles. What is more, multifunctional rooms are an answer to the increasing shor tage of living space (especially in cities around the wor ld) because less space is needed for open plan living. Less space for many people In Shanghai, for example, living space costs t wice as much as in Munich while economic output is significantly lower. Cit y dwellers can of ten only af ford small homes so they have to be more creative in how they use the space available. This is not only the case in the Asian region. ‘More than half of the wor ld's population live and work in cities. The consequence is limited living space that requires intelligent design. What we par ticular ly need is an environment that can withstand the dynamics of a changing wor ld,’ explains futurologist Klaus Kofler. He researches a wide range of future issues, including In 1926, architect Margarete Schüt te- Lihot zk y developed the Frank fur t Kitchen, which is considered the archet ype of the modern fit ted k itchen. It was conceived for one person only: the housewife. To ensure ma ximum ef ficiency, the room was designed to be as practical as possible, like an industrial workplace. The layout not only aimed to maximise space, but also use the space more ef ficiently. Open plan living Living and work ing areas used to be defined by room t ype and role and were clear ly separated from each other. Things are dif ferent today. Knock ing down walls to form open plan living areas has become an integral par t of architecture – for both houses and apar tments. This development fits in with the vir tually boundar yless wor ld that we have created, not least through digitalisation. A wor ld in which we can take action and interact with others any time, any where. In open spaces, How we live is always a reflection of our time, culture and society. In the past, we mainly concentrated on improving and maintaining what we had; the focus today has shif ted to taking on new challenges. The complexity and dynamics of the modern world force us to rethink our lives, but also allow us to focus on our well-being and personal spaces. How will we design our living spaces in the future?
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