https://thechange.wiki/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Convert_office_space_into_housingConvert office space into housing - Revision history2026-04-22T22:15:40ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.41.0https://thechange.wiki/index.php?title=Convert_office_space_into_housing&diff=2874&oldid=prevElie: Created page with "Ever since the pandemic, more people have been working from home. A lot of offices have been nearly vacant, while housing is scarce & expensive. It would really help if we could convert some offices into housing {{light|(especially if it can be done inexpensively)}}. ==Technical challenges to overcome== ===Window space=== ====If we want every bedroom to have a window==== <!-- ALT: instead of the above heading, maybe just introduce with: As a general..."2025-02-20T03:34:13Z<p>Created page with "Ever since the <a href="/index.php?title=COVID-19&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="COVID-19 (page does not exist)">pandemic</a>, more people have been <a href="/index.php?title=Working_from_home&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Working from home (page does not exist)">working from home</a>. A lot of offices have been nearly vacant, while <a href="/Housing" title="Housing">housing</a> is scarce & expensive. It would really help if we could convert some offices into housing {{light|(especially if it can be done inexpensively)}}. ==Technical challenges to overcome== ===Window space=== ====If we want every bedroom to have a window==== <!-- ALT: instead of the above heading, maybe just introduce with: As a general..."</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>Ever since the [[COVID-19|pandemic]], more people have been [[working from home]]. A lot of offices have been nearly vacant, while [[housing]] is scarce & expensive. It would really help if we could convert some offices into housing {{light|(especially if it can be done inexpensively)}}.<br />
==Technical challenges to overcome==<br />
===Window space===<br />
====If we want every bedroom to have a window====<br />
<!-- ALT: instead of the above heading, maybe just introduce with:<br />
As a general standard of living{{x|and also as part of most building codes}}, every bedroom should probably have a window. This can be hard to achieve in some cases, with office buildings that are thicker than a typical apartment/condo building.<br />
--><br />
Office buildings tend to be "thicker" than apartment/condo buildings. It can be hard to convert the entire floor space into housing, if we want every bedroom to have a window to the outside. {{talk|Also, what about for every bathroom & kitchen to have a window? Maybe not necessary if there's a good enough ventilation system?}}<br />
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Solutions:<br />
* Put the homes near the windows, and leave the inner parts of the building for amenities such as [[common rooms]]. Or even keep some office space there - the building could become ''mixed-use''.<br />
* Make bedrooms "longer" than typical bedrooms - as in, extend deep from the window. {{light|(Might require adjusting some building codes.)}}<br />
===Plumbing===<br />
{{empty}}<br />
===Wiring===<br />
{{empty}}<br />
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==Political challenges to overcome==<br />
{{empty}}<br />
<br />
==How much housing could this create?==<br />
{{empty}} {{talk|TO DO: gather some statistics about office space per capita in whatever part of the world has data available}}<br />
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==Designs / Case studies==<br />
{{empty}} {{talk|Looking for low-cost, creative ways to do it, without ripping up and replacing everything. Does '''not''' have to obey all status-quo building codes, if you can make a good enough case for repealing some. Does '''not''' have to appeal to rich people's expensive tastes - feel free to look beyond status-quo market demands, and think how to create an abundance of housing for the rest of us poor folks.}}<br />
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==See also==<br />
* [[Lower the cost of housing]]</div>Elie