Are We Seeing the End of the Open Floor Plan?

Written by Dima Stouhi
Published on October 18, 2023

The layout of interior spaces has been in constant evolution since the very first residential project. For many years, functionality dictated how they're are organized, but soon after, cultural, social, and economical changes influenced the way people design their living space, bringing about the spacious and versatile open floor plan. A lot has been written - and critiqued - about the open floor plan: who introduced it, how it was developed, its benefits, and/or lack thereof. During the past couple of decades, open floor plans were perhaps among the most requested interior design concepts, but today, architects are leaning towards the opposite.

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By definition, an open floor plan (also known as ‘open concept’) is having two or more rooms within an interior space without any floor-to-ceiling walls and doors - in other words, without any structural separation. This concept is used in residential, commercial, and industrial architecture, and aims to liberate the space, maximizing its usable area and promoting flexibility and interaction between its users. The terminology itself has also seen changed along the years; a few decades ago, an “open floor plan” meant walls and partitions without doors, whereas the term today describes a living configuration without walls entirely.

The History of the Open Floor Plan

Historically, the interior layout of a house often depended on the family’s social class. Lower-to-middle class houses featured a central fireplace surrounded by a couple of multipurpose rooms, whereas upper-class families divided public and private spaces with halls and doors, creating a complex layout of rooms of varying scales. The public spaces, which were relatively the largest and most unrestricted spatially, served as hosting areas, and were secluded visually and physically from the messy, functional, and private areas such as the parlors, drawing rooms, kitchens, servant quarters, and bedrooms. Fast forward a few decades, industrialization, modernization, and mass production made amenities and appliances affordable, which contrary to prior conditions, allowed the working-class and lower-middle-class to go for houses with more rooms.

The progression of building materials and construction techniques, along with changes in the social and cultural dynamics, allowed architects to experiment with interior layouts and introduce more continuous circulations. Advancements in heating and ventilation systems during the late 19th century, such as the use of steam radiators or registers, provided better thermal comfort so occupants were no longer dependent on central fireplaces for warmth.

While Shingle-style architect Henry Hobson Richardson is often credited with introducing the open plan, particularly with his Hay and Paine houses built in 1886, architecture critics believe Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the earliest and most prominent advocates of the open plan design in residential architecture. The architect centralized the kitchen and opened it to other spaces of the home, focalizing it instead of having it hidden behind closed doors. In the 1970’s, it became increasingly popular in the United States to open up the kitchen and living-dining room, forming one large multipurpose space - a very practical asset for houses with smaller areas. Kitchens were no longer a "disgrace" that need to be hidden at all times. The cultural mindset of consumption and socializing shifted, and was supported by new technological advances in HVAC systems that allowed for it to be a public gathering area in the house.

In modern times, a typical 21st century house of a small family with a working-class living environment features two-to-three rooms: a kitchen area and a living and/or sleeping area, which are multipurpose and used for working as well. Today, however, architects and house owners have realized that designing homes around “hosting and entertaining” is wasteful, making the open floor plan no longer a go-to interior design choice.

The Pros of the Open Floor Plan

So why did the open floor plan gain such popularity? From a design perspective, open plans offer flexibility, versatility, and efficient use of space. Given that there are no structural boundaries, designers can organize their space however they please, especially if they are dealing with a small-scale interior. Fewer walls means more square footage. Open floor plans also allow natural light to reach more spaces within the interior, saving energy and money on artificial lighting and heating. For parents with small children, these interiors offer visual and audible accessibility so they are always within proximity of their kids. Another benefit of an open plan is that it promotes interaction amongst users of the space, whether it be through preparing food and dining together or working collaboratively alongside colleagues in different departments.

The Cons of the Open Floor Plan

On the other hand, the flip side of having no boundaries, is quite simply, having no boundaries. Many interior designers, architecture critics, parents, and office employees believe it’s time to end the tyranny of open-concept interior design. These layouts have proved to be damaging rather than beneficial in office spaces. Along with the constant visual and acoustical distractions (whether it be from side talks, phones ringing, printers, coffee machines, etc.), employees working in open spaces experienced higher levels of stress, decreased productivity, lower levels of concentration, and more sick days. Privacy and confidentiality is also non-existent when office desks are placed openly without any surrounding walls or partitions. In residential architecture, many people have complained that eliminating the barriers between the kitchen and living room leaks the smell and noise coming from the kitchen into cleaner and calmer areas within the house, regardless of the ventilator. To accommodate the open floor concept in larger-scale houses, an enclosed space dubbed “dirty kitchen” is added alongside the kitchen, which includes the fixtures that let out noise and smell (a not-so economical solution). The issue with privacy mentioned prior in office spaces is also observed in houses, and was exceptionally highlighted during the pandemic.

So what does the open plan look like today? And what are architects doing to ensure an efficient, versatile space while maintaining privacy? In this interior focus, we are taking a look at how architects redefined the concept of an open floor plan through 15 projects from our database.

Find more interiors with open floor plans in this My ArchDaily folder created by the author.

This article is part of an ArchDaily series that explores features of interior architecture, from our own database of projects. Every month, we will highlight how architects and designers are utilizing new elements, new characteristics and new signatures in interior spaces around the world. As always, at ArchDaily, we highly appreciate the input of our readers. If you think we should mention specific ideas, please submit your suggestions.