Services revolutionize living spaces
5' read - published January, 3th 2025
In recent years, residential buildings have transformed from basic housing structures into hubs of convenience, comfort, and community. As urban spaces become denser and residents increasingly prioritize work-life balance, modern living spaces must go beyond the essentials. Instead of just offering a roof over one’s head, today’s residences are integrating a wide range of services that enhance daily life, foster social connections, and bring an element of delight to everyday experiences.
This shift is driven by changing resident expectations and intensified competition in the real estate market, which stems from the scarcity of land. Developers are responding by designing properties that cater to specific demographics, such as young professionals, families, or seniors, while optimizing building layouts to achieve both social and financial success.
Matching the location of a building with the needs and preferences of its target residents is essential for maximizing its appeal and functionality. In urban areas, smaller private units paired with expansive communal spaces like co-working areas and gyms meet the working population’s need for affordability and modern amenities. In suburban areas, family-friendly features take priority, while properties designed for seniors focus on accessibility and wellness.
In this article, we will explore how on-demand services, smart solutions, and community-focused amenities are transforming residential living. We will also delve into niche market housing options designed to meet specific lifestyle needs.
Convenience and accessibility: On-demand solutions
As urban living becomes increasingly fast-paced, convenience and accessibility are top priorities for modern residents. On-demand solutions are transforming residential buildings into dynamic spaces that cater to the needs of today's busy dwellers. These technologies make everyday tasks more manageable, from securing parcels to accessing services, all from the comfort of home.
For instance, Tulu offers an app-managed asset-sharing service, providing residents with on-demand access to everyday goods like printers, extra chairs, vacuum cleaners, and even E-scooters, directly in the building’s lobby. Similarly, Selfly Store enables 24/7 access to an unmanned micro grocery store, allowing residents to shop at their convenience.
Parcel thefts are rising in Switzerland, doubling in Vaud and increasing by 30–50% in Geneva, Fribourg, Neuchâtel, and Bern(1). MyPUP addresses this issue by installing secure lockers in residential common areas and optimizing last-mile delivery from its warehouses, ensuring safe and efficient package retrieval.
For those who enjoy online shopping experiences within their living spaces, Box by Posti offers a unique service where residents can have parcels delivered, try on clothes, and leave packaging—all within designated areas.
On the mobility front, services like UZE bring fast mobile charging directly to parked vehicles, eliminating the need for fixed charging points and the hassle of searching for available charging stations. You simply book the service over an app, and your vehicle will be charged while you attend to other matters. With the rise of soft mobility, Oonee provides secure, weather-protected parking for scooters and bicycles, integrating stylish, sustainable designs into public spaces that also serve as functional street furniture.
Buildings are increasingly catering to residents' educational and professional needs. Broadway Chapter provides shared video conference rooms, supporting remote work and professional activities directly within the building. Beyond shared spaces, some buildings also emphasize quiet and focused environments. Booqed provides soundproof workspaces, allowing residents to work in a peaceful setting, even in limited spaces.
Housi consolidates various services into a single app, allowing residents to report issues, track progress, book common areas, manage access for guests, and request cleaning services, all in one place.
Community-centric amenities: Spaces that foster connection
Data from 13 long-term studies on aging show that strong social connections are linked to a lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), dementia, and mortality(2). As modern living spaces evolve, developers are increasingly prioritizing community-oriented amenities that foster connection and enhance residents’ social lives.
Kenect, OAK, and Equinoxe offer a variety of shared spaces that blend work, relaxation, and social interaction, including gyms, co-working areas, multifunctional lounges, kitchens for events, terraces, party rooms, saltwater pools, cultural lounges, and children’s playrooms. These shared spaces allow residents to enjoy the benefits of smaller, more affordable apartments without sacrificing quality of life. Residents can host parties and events in dedicated party rooms, eliminating the need to entertain large groups in their own homes. Additionally, the shared amenities provide opportunities for socializing, networking, and community building.
Cortland takes this further with exceptional hospitality and community services, supported by a dedicated team that fosters a welcoming environment. Its residents benefit from amenities like planned social events, an outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven and grill, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and dynamic social spaces for both work and play.
The Slayte, a former 11-story post-modernist office building, has been renovated into a residential space. By strategically placing shared amenities like gyms, communal rooms, and bathrooms at the building’s core, the deep floorplan has been optimized. Such transformations demonstrate how existing structures, even those originally designed for different purposes, can be successfully repurposed.
According to Pro Senectute’s Observatoire vieillesse, more than a third (37%) of people aged 85 and over in Switzerland experience loneliness, affecting approximately 90,000 seniors(3). Ibihaven offers co-living spaces that enhance daily life for older residents, with 76 apartments surrounding a covered courtyard that includes workshop, exercise, library, and lounge spaces nestled between small gardens. Similarly, High Street House features uniquely designed units with access to diverse spaces where residents can work, learn, and socialize together. Residents have access to a co-working lounge, which doubles as an event space, a spacious kitchen and dining room, a laundry room, and a staircase that also serves as a shared library. This co-living concept allows for smaller, more affordable apartments while providing ample opportunities for social interaction and community building.
Playful design enriches spaces and their functions, fostering community-centric amenities. Big Bang features a colorful playground for children and mini-amphitheaters for events, while Colour Paradise tailors spaces to children's scale, using color to stimulate exploration. Both projects transform their environments, making them engaging and functional for all ages, enriching spaces through color and design.
Smart solutions for resident well-being
As technology continues to shape modern living, a range of smart tools are being integrated into residential buildings to improve convenience, sustainability, and overall quality of life. These tools enhance daily living by providing residents with more autonomy and easier access to services.
Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) systems, for example, use smart technology to enhance autonomy, safety, and comfort, especially for the elderly. By strategically placing sensors throughout the home, these systems can send notifications when doors are left open, automatically turn off the stove to prevent accidents, and even issue warnings before food burns. These features are particularly valuable for individuals with memory or mobility challenges. Gallery 3 supports residents by offering video tutorials on essential systems like air conditioning and heating. These videos make information more accessible, reducing the need for residents to refer to potentially lost manuals or call the building management.
Urbest offers a collaborative software platform designed for building maintenance, allowing owners and residents to share data, track repairs, and stay informed about ongoing and upcoming work, ensuring a transparent and responsive environment for all.
ABC promotes sustainability by incorporating sustainable features such as solar panels with storage batteries for energy generation, rainwater harvesting and treatment systems, and greywater recycling. The building also educates residents about more conscious, environmentally friendly living practices. In Hammarby Sjöstad, waste is sorted into different garbage bins in front of each building and collected by a vacuum system, enabling block-level waste management, reducing traffic, noise pollution, and emissions, and providing greater convenience for residents by eliminating the need for scheduled waste collection.
Homes designed for specific lifestyles and needs
As the demand for personalized living spaces grows, developers are increasingly focusing on creating homes that cater to the unique lifestyles and preferences of their residents. From remote-working corners to culturally themed buildings, these projects are designed to enhance both the functionality and the living experience of their target groups.
Cogedim introduces remote-working corners in its homes, providing dedicated workspaces without requiring extensive additional floor area.
Finished Selector allows apartment buyers to customize their homes easily by choosing from a range of pre-set styles for kitchens and bathrooms using an online tool. For those seeking a more specific cultural fit, projects like Minsk World stand out. The development is designed with each block representing a different continent, with buildings styled to reflect the cities they represent, offering a home for international residents or for locals to create a feeling of living abroad. For instance, there is a North America district, offering houses that represent Los Angeles, New York, Quebec, Vancouver, Montreal, New Orleans, Boston, and Chicago. Here, for example, North Americans would find familiar surroundings and be able to connect with people from their own cultures.
Similarly, Bravura attracts a niche market of musicians by offering homes with integrated soundproofed rehearsal rooms. This unique feature addresses a common challenge faced by musicians: finding suitable practice spaces. By providing dedicated rehearsal rooms within their homes, Bravura saves musicians time and effort by eliminating the need to commute to public facilities, which may have limited availability.
Modern living spaces are evolving to meet the dynamic needs of today’s residents, blending convenience, community, and personalization. By integrating on-demand services, fostering connections through community-centric amenities, and leveraging smart technology, developers are creating residential spaces that go far beyond traditional housing. These innovations not only enhance daily living but also address diverse lifestyles, ensuring that residents find comfort, functionality, and joy in their homes.
As the demand for unique and tailored living experiences continues to grow, developers face the challenge of designing buildings that resonate with specific target demographics while balancing sustainability, affordability, and innovation. When designing a building, it’s essential to consider several key questions.
Who are the target residents, and what are their specific needs, lifestyles, and preferences?
What services and amenities will enhance their daily lives, and how can these features provide value and convenience? How can the design foster social connections through communal spaces or activities that encourage interaction and community building? In what ways can smart technology improve the living experience by simplifying tasks, enhancing safety, or supporting sustainability? The adaptability of the building is another crucial consideration; can the design accommodate evolving resident needs or allow for repurposing over time? Sustainability is equally important, requiring features that reduce environmental impact while promoting eco-friendly practices among residents. Finally, what unique features will set the property apart and create a memorable and distinctive experience for its residents?
Answering these questions ensures that a building is not just a place to live, but a vibrant, thoughtful space that enriches the lives of its inhabitants.
(1) Source: Romain Boisset, RTS, More parcels stolen in French-speaking Switzerland, December 13th, 2024.
(2) Source: Gowsaly Mahalingam and Suraj Samtani, Social connections and risk of incident mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and mortality in 13 longitudinal cohort studies of ageing, April 27th, 2023.
(3) Source: Pro Senectute’s Aging Observatory, Un tiers des seniors de 85 ans et plus souffrent de solitude, September 29th, 2024