Colombo Post COVID 19 : A passing trend or here to stay?

Post COVID19 work place transformation is already hitting Colombo. While things seem to be getting busy, a mindset shift is also visible. Lot of things people / companies were afraid to do or experiment with became essential. From the Colombo Tea Auction to Zoom meetings, things have started to change. A recent survey has shown ( I will let the original author of the survey share the proper results first) many have opted (at least on the survey have told honestly or not) that they like working from home while many others seem to be shifting to private modes of transport avoiding public transport due to future risks of contamination. (Pic above: Colombo on a curfew but working day. 4th of June 2020)

We at KWA Architects have started our first design for workplace change for a client of ours, looking at a more efficient and economical work place while making a delightful space to work in., and it also is a retrofit.!! So double cost saving in the long run hopefully.

BUT, is this the "new normal" or a passing trend? Will people always want to "work from home"? Is this going to radically change "suburban middle class lifestyle?" Many of those working in Colombo combine and coordinate their commutes with school drop offs, tuition classes etc. What would " working from home" mean for those routines? Would companies start to compensate staff for added internet bills, electricity bills for working from home?

KWA Architects worked right through the curfew remotely. Mainly using now "traditional" communication tools of telephone and email with a few WhatsApp messages here and there. (no Zoom, MS teams or go to meeting) Luckily we had work that could be done that way which were mostly to do with design development and technical design production. (Pic above Colombo on a "new normal" working day)

But, would we continue to do so? I am in doubt. An architect's studio is essentially an incubator of ideas. A place to visualise the future. (it can be the future of a small bedroom or the future of an entire city or a country). We gain inspiration and collective energy from the exchange of ideas, heated arguments, silent suggestions that keep flowing through the studio floor. Without that we would be a collection of individuals with a shared vision but no shared ideas. (pic: Spontaneous model making to discuss ideas is an essential part of concept development)

Perhaps I suppose we are much like any other manufacturing facility that can not really operate from "home". OR, perhaps this is a new skill we need to learn: developing concepts into reality working remotely. Please do share your thoughts, experiences and ideas down below.