Evaluating Apartment Satisfaction in Erbil City: The Impact of Interior Space Quality Indicators before, during, and after the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Human existence and development have always relied on suitable shelter. The dual-directional relationship of human residence has always been a material dealt with to enhance residential living conditions. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic introduced abrupt and dramatic changes to human life protocols that exerted clear pressure on different sectors within the built environment. Housing experienced a great impact due to the need for social distancing and quarantine obligations to support human life. In this study, in order to measure human adaptation and residence alterations following new residential requirements, the quality of interior space investigations to promote a better built environment for occupants was facilitated using the theory of residential dissatisfaction, already adopted in the current study. Residents’ responses were extracted regarding their dissatisfaction by applying the Likert scale for measurement and evaluation. This study focused on homogenous housing estates in Erbil City. Apartments were precisely selected with different plans and building layouts for widespread use in the city. They were occupied during the three stages of the study to extend beyond investigating the direct impact of the pandemic on the permanence of alterations and adaptation even after the pandemic. The reasons for changed dissatisfaction levels were investigated to improve the reliability of formulating final conclusions and recommendations. The findings showed increased dissatisfaction during the pandemic in most spaces; apartment layout and space design significantly affected responses and demands. The levels of dissatisfaction after the pandemic changed from stable to a slight decline in dissatisfaction. The effect of limited external spaces in apartments limited the possibility of managing pressure. This case might be less demanding in single-family housing due to the availability of private gardens. The results indicate that five distinct spaces were affected by the pandemic: the living room, family dining area, children’s bedroom, laundry room, and storage area. The dissatisfaction with these spaces increased during the pandemic and either remained unchanged or continued to rise afterward.