THE EFFECT OF RESIDENTIAL DESIGN ON HUMAN HEALTH IN THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN PROCESS: THE CASE OF STUDY BOLU/TURKEY

Abstract

People spend most of their lives indoors. One of the most important of these places, which meet basic needs such as security and shelter, is residences. In various periods, the time spent in closed areas may increase. Various diseases, which emerged at certain points in human history, caused closures and quarantines, increasing the time individuals spend in the house, and harmed societies physically, socially and economically. As of March 2020, the Covid-19 virus has caused semi and full closure practices in many parts of the world due to its contagiousness. During these closure periods, the effects of housing life and housing design on human health came to the fore. A field study was conducted by selecting the province of Bolu, which has a high earthquake risk and experienced various closure periods, to better understand what the users experienced in their houses during the closure periods and the points where they were dissatisfied. Within the scope of this field study, residential users from various occupations and age groups were selected and a survey study was applied. Within the scope of the article, the results of this survey study are evaluated and the precautions and suggestions that can be taken on the houses in the context of Covid-19 are discussed, and housing designs are criticized in line with the wishes of the users. Considering the results of the survey, to design houses that are healthier and provide the user comfort; natural lighting and ventilation, flexible space design and biophilic design are suggested.