Differing opinions or tastes with your parents is normal. The age gap often makes us look at the world differently. Starting from clothing choices, lifestyle, including housing needs. Not without reason, this difference is born from experiences and memories that fill the gap between then and now.
When it comes to housing, there is a fundamental difference in the needs and views on housing between generations. Landed houses complete with gardens and fences are increasingly difficult to realize nowadays. But can we, the current generation, still hold on to hope despite the times?
Perception of home as the center of all functions
Dating back to a time when man's greatest enemy was nature, the house or dwelling originally served as a shelter from the weather and wild animals. As civilization developed, the house became the center for various activities. Resting, storing crops and game, cooking, eating, playing and even giving birth were done at home.
The function of a house that accommodates various activities and many family members affects its size. An example can be seen in Uma Leme, a traditional house in Donggo, Bima, NTB. The house, which is a place for various customs, is equipped with parts with certain designations. For example, a jompa or small barn near the house to store crops and a special pole inside the house that functions as a place for childbirth. There is also the typical Gadang house of Minangkabau, West Sumatra, which accommodates several families in one clan. Seeing these conditions, it is not surprising that in the past the typical house was large with many rooms.
A mansion that is no longer relevant
However, as times change, family sizes are getting smaller and communal living is no longer in demand. Where once a family could have more than three children, today, that number is counted as many. Old homes are abandoned when they fall into disrepair, have too many people, or want to start a new family.
In addition to fewer family members, many activities are now moved outside the home. Especially for formal workers who live in cities like Jakarta. Childbirth and caring for the sick is done at the hospital. There is no need for a special room to store groceries because you can just buy them regularly. Even social gatherings have become more common at restaurants or cafes. City dwellers spend more of their days outside than inside.
These changes have significantly impacted the shift in space requirements. Houses that once had to be large because they functioned for many activities and residents are no longer so. The size of the house shrinks, according to the needs of the occupants who occupy it.
Home, time and meaning shift
As the function of the home changes with the times and the environment, the meaning of home also changes in the minds of different generations. This is why our parents, or let's call them baby boomers, and we have different views on home.
For our parents, the memory of home is a landed house with a yard in the suburbs. This still made sense when Jakarta's population still numbered around 8 million in the 90s and land prices were affordable. Owning a house was also one of the achievements that indicated the economic stability of a family. As a result, the development of horizontal settlements became an inevitable phenomenon. However, this dream comes at a cost to the next generation. Landed houses will be located further away from the city center, consuming time with family, health, and finances.
If left unchecked, the desire to live in a landed house will become an increasingly forced dream. In fact, given the limited land in Jakarta, horizontal housing is no longer possible. Therefore, many young workers are more open to vertical living and changing needs according to availability for a better quality of life.
Vertical housing for today
Today's generation no longer thinks of home as their parents. Older people are more accustomed to settling down, according to their jobs which are usually fixed also for life. Changing jobs used to be a rare thing, unlike the current generation who find it easier to do so. Thanks to the development of information flow and technology, today the types of jobs are more dynamic and varied. Switching jobs is not a difficult thing anymore. Millennials are also more open to changing residences to follow their jobs.
Lifestyles are changing too. The dream home of parents with their feet on the ground, complete with gardens and parks, is difficult to match with the space requirements of today's generation. If forced, this will only add to the psychological and financial burden. In many cases in suburban areas, houses are left empty by their occupants because they don't fit their needs. It becomes a burden not only for the owner, but also for the neighborhood. The hectic daily lives of city workers are even more draining. There is less and less time to take care of the house if it is too grandiose in its completeness. The dream of gardening and even cooking by yourself is sometimes difficult to do on a daily basis.
Millennials, who are today's young workers, are more comfortable with housing that is easy to maintain and does not require too much space. Access and mobility are prioritized Living in vertical housing that is in the middle of activity centers and more practical is an option. This way, their energy and money can be utilized for other needs and experiences such as trying new cuisines, chatting at cafes and traveling.
Home answers the need
By having a home that suits your needs, you can actually live more flexibly and wisely. We no longer waste space. Parents in the future, for example, should no longer be too hesitant to move house if their space needs change. When the family grows, they can move to a bigger house or residence. However, if the children start to grow up and move away for school and work, they can move back to a smaller space. This is easy to do when living in a vertical home.
Housing needs are now more compact and practical. Not only because of changes in activities, but also because the availability of land is decreasing and the price is high. This change has also changed the attributes of the dream home. The house that our parents' generation thought was ideal is no longer relevant. As long as times change, needs will always change. A house should always respond to the needs of its time.