Void Living

August 18, 2011
Sydney Morning Herald Opinion
HECKLER

At what point in an architect's career do they decide that void ceilings work? Who or what inspires architects to create one of the most annoying building features which do nothing more than wreak havoc on the lives of the poor souls who live in them?

My latest experience was a funky hotel in the nation's capital which boasted one-bedroom apartments with a separate lounge. It sounded perfect for a tired couple requiring refuge from life's challenges.

We arrived kiddie-free and in blissful contemplation of quiet time to eat, read, hang out together and relax.

The "one-bedroom apartment" consisted of a downstairs area and an open loft. Both areas shared the same massive floor-to-ceiling windows which required automated blinds to be lowered for privacy. Trouble came when we realised the blinds were the black-out variety, which meant lights on, even in the middle of the day. We had been assigned to a cave for the weekend.

When time came to sleep and our nocturnal paths separated, I was left with television noise which kept me awake even with the volume turned down low. In the chilly dawn of the next morning I was rudely awakened to the sound of a grumpy man tripping over the golfing paraphernalia as he tried to find car keys in the dark.

A friend visited Paris lately and booked a one-bedroom apartment for the same reasons as me: different nocturnal habits and the need for space. When they arrived, the loft bedroom was completely open, allowing for light, sounds and cooking smells to invade the boudoir.

When relatives with many children built a home which featured a void ceiling, I wondered why they would opt for heat, cold, noise and privacy problems when a normal two-storey home with separate sleeping chambers seemed more logical. I hesitated to voice my view as their super-fabulous groovy architect insisted she had it all covered.

At dinner last weekend we discussed this matter with friends. Everyone around the table had similar tales to tell. Who seriously wants to share the din of the downstairs with the tranquillity of the bedroom? What about privacy? What about relief from the snoring man on the couch?

Calling all architects! We need doors and walls! Open-plan living is a nightmare and when it extends to multiple levels, it threatens our sanity. It takes five long years to train architects. Make ''no void ceilings'' lesson one, semester one, to be revised constantly throughout their long journey.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/living-the-openplan-nightmare-20110817-1iy52.html#ixzz1VKVZKhoy