A white paper published yesterday by local developer Urbanland showed that more than half of Cambodia’s city dwellers spend most of their time at home in their bedrooms because they lack space and privacy in their living rooms.

It said 80 per cent of those who live in a link house, shophouse or flat, park their cars or motorbikes inside their property.

The white paper, entitled The Future of Home is the result of 10 months of research, in-depth surveys and focus group sessions involving 170 participants carried out by Urbanland to better understand the changing living requirements of aspiring city dwellers.

The paper said 80 per cent of survey participants confirmed that security was one of the most important attributes they looked into when purchasing a home, with 50 per cent reporting issues with noise, pollution, parking and social conflicts in their current neighbourhoods.

Of the survey participants, 84 per cent reported that they regularly took work home with them but only 10 per cent of that group said they had a proper working space in their homes.

Most worked from their bedroom or in a shared living space leading to lower productivity because of the distractions in a busy household, the paper said.

Design quality was a “very important” consideration for 75 per cent of participants when choosing their homes, with a general perception that many new urban developments in Cambodia promise grand and luxurious exteriors with less consideration given to the design of practical and functional living spaces.

“Quality home design is not simply a measure of how strong a home is built, how big its space is, how expensive and rare its construction materials are and how aesthetically pleasing it looks, but also how much these design qualities cater to its inhabitants’ practical needs and lifestyles,” the paper said.

Urbanland’s managing director and architect Hok Kang said the survey has given the company valuable insight in its approach to upcoming projects.

He said many people in the post-war generation, including him, grew up in dark and dingy places with poor interior lighting, poor ventilation and little consideration given to the design.

Kang believes they deserve and want better from the homes that will be the biggest single investment they make in their lives.

“We believe that putting people at the heart of everything we do will enrich their quality of life, to enable everyone to live better and achieve their aspirations.

“This research is pivotal for us and our wider industry in working towards building homes, offices and other spaces that put people first in every way,” he said.