With offices closed during the pandemic and many kids kept out of the classroom, families have scrambled to carve out functional remote-learning spaces in homes that weren’t designed for the job.
Faced with space constraints, acoustic challenges, and shortages of office furniture, even architects ? experts in conceptualizing interior spaces with time and budget constraints ? are struggling to keep up with the demands that school closures are putting on their small, open-concept homes.
With flexible use of materials, strategic re-arranging, shared workspaces, multi-use surfaces, and purpose-built structures, five Toronto architects show us how they carved out space for their children to feel comfortable, productive, and even inspired as they continue to learn online: FLEXIBLE FURNISHING
Who: Kevin Bridgman, KPMB Architects, with Elke, 7
Kevin Bridgman has been working at home since his office closed in March. To accommodate Elke being at home as well, he created two separate work-stations for her ? one for school and one for breaks ? by substituting Ikea Lisabo coffee tables for desks, which were sold out across the city. He wanted an adaptable longer-term solution ? the tables, which are the perfect height to be a child’s desk now, are small, portable, and flexible enough to serve different purposes in the house when Elke no longer needs them.
“The space behind me formed because Elke’s been wanting to sit with me and work when her classes are done,&#...