Mary Cook Associates, a Chicago-based commercial interior design firm, is responding to how the paradigm of home has shifted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The firm, celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, is exploring post-pandemic trends, the current market climate, and design solutions in a series of eight white papers to be released in the coming months. The first, “There’s No Place Like Home, Or Is There,” delves into shifts in family makeup and needs, pushing the boundaries of home spaces, and the work-from-home movement.
MFE caught up with president and founder Mary Cook to discuss these trends and other lessons learned from the pandemic.
MFE: What is the biggest design lesson learned over the past year from the COVID-19 pandemic?
Cook: At the start of the pandemic, it became apparent right away that spaces that could be adapted—by opening them up to the outdoors, compartmentalizing them, converting them to a different purpose, or adding an additional function—were the spaces that would get the most use and allow people to carry on with some level of normalcy. With residents staying home more and their needs around pets, packages, plug-ins (for remote work), and privacy rising due to pandemic-related lifestyle shifts, properties responded accordingly and made what modifications they could to existing spaces. Now, we see that many of these habits, needs, and lifestyle trends are here to stay, so lessons learned around the value of having flexibility built into spaces may drive programming for new projects.
MFE: What trends from the pandemic are most likely to remain for the long term?
Cook: Remote working, for sure. We’ve already heard from several large companies, like Facebook and Zillow, that they will be giving employees the option of working from home permanently, and many other firms say they plan to let employees WFH at least some of the time post-pandemic. Wellness will be another big trend, and it will go beyond physical fitness and endurance. I believe a real focus on mental health through strong community building will emerge as people realize the effects of isolation during the shutdown and the importance of having community support.
MFE: What’s a piece of advice you would give to multifamily developers today?
Cook: Dig deep into the psychographics and demographics of your target market and program spaces accordingly. People and communities have been deeply affected by this pandemic. There is incredible opportunity going forward to design places and spaces that help, heal, and facilitate human well-being.
MFE: What can you preview from the remainder of the white papers?
Cook: Our first white paper was an introduction to the full series, the remainder of which is broken down into seven parts. Each represents a critical piece of the success equation and highlights one of the “7 Fundamentals of Design” that guide our work, following the same order that our process follows as we begin designing a property. There is real practical value in each paper, so even if you save them up and binge read them, the sum of their parts is powerful.
MFE: Celebrating 35 years this year, what has been most rewarding being part of the multifamily industry?
Cook: Without question, the most rewarding aspect has been seeing how the spaces we design affect people in really positive ways—from fostering community for residents to creating a sense of pride among property management and leasing staff. It’s so cool to watch how great design impacts people.
MFE: What’s ahead for Mary Cook Associates this year?
Cook: We are ready to roll! We couldn’t be more excited about the opportunities that exist today, partly in response to COVID but also in embracing technology and product advances. We did a lot of work on our business during the shutdown. We updated our website, launched the white paper series, launched both internal and external newsletters, and updated all technologies so our staff can effectively work from anywhere. Despite the challenges of the past year, it’s a great time to be in this industry, and we are fortunate to be working with terrific clients on some amazing projects.
