Understanding of IoT smart home environment based on the transformation of domestic interior spatial morphology: Case study of Beijing families

Abstract

There are two difficulties in designing a future home for urban dwellers. First is the uneven understanding between the physical built environment and everyday activities led by technological development. Second is the vague understanding between family living culture and the spatial arrangement of a dwelling. The invention of new digital technologies, such as big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and internet of things (IoT), has entirely transformed the lifestyle of urban dwellers. The gap between technology promotion in urban living environments and knowledge of living environment structures has raised the question of how smart homes could be designed in future cities. Therefore, in this paper, I examine the transformation of dwelling interior morphology for Beijing families. Five typical families are selected from 30 family samples according to the time of residence, original housing typology, family structure and occupations. The distinctiveness of family culture and spatio-temporal distribution of domestic activities could be found in the 1980s between five families, which tend to be influenced by the macro changes socially, economically, politically and technologically. The nature of IoT smart home environments and the communication between devices builds a context-awareness system based on technology. I argue that the smartness of homes could be achieved without a cultural perspective, which raises the question of design strategy for future IoT smart homes.