I had the opportunity to speak with Bobby Fijan today, who sometimes refers to himself as the Bill James of floorplans.  His focus?  Building apartments for families – and helping others do it too.  He’s a developer, entrepreneur and consultant.  

We discuss the lack of family-friendly apartment buildings and the impact on loneliness and community, and how we need to make cities and apartment buildings more family friendly.  We touch on the importance of amenities and spaces that are suitable for children, how floorplans make having even one young child very uncomfortable (thereby incentivizing people to move out), and how to make your next apartment or multi-family project more suitable for families and dynamic living conditions.  Check it out!

TAKEAWAYS

• The current design of apartment buildings caters to a narrow demographic of high-income singles and couples, neglecting the needs of families.

  
  



• The lack of family-friendly apartment buildings contributes to feelings of loneliness and disconnection in urban areas.

  
  



• Apartment buildings should prioritize amenities and spaces that are suitable for children and families, such as toddler rooms and playgrounds.

  
  



• Floor plans should be designed with families in mind, with more bedrooms and more spaces to accommodate children.

  
  



• There is a need for more apartment buildings that are specifically designed to meet the needs of families. To make apartments more family-friendly, consider allocating more space to living areas and smaller bedrooms and closets.

  
  



• Adding an extra room, such as a nursery or a home office, can provide privacy and a dedicated workspace for parents.

  
  



• Differentiating between spaces and creating additional rooms can enhance the functionality and appeal of apartment designs.

  
  



• Design choices, such as the ratio of living room width to bedroom width and the presence of walk-in closets, can impact rent prices.

  
  

  
  

  
  

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction and Narrow Demographic of Apartment Buildings

05:19 Connecting Loneliness to Moving and Multifamily Buildings

13:18 Challenges in Apartment Design for Families

16:38 Importance of Amenities and Spaces for Families

24:45 Designing Floor Plans for Families

25:56 Designing Family-Friendly Apartments

29:17 The Importance of Additional Rooms

43:35 Optimizing Design Choices for Higher Rent Prices

CONNECT WITH BOBBY

https://x.com/bobbyfijan

https://www.tailorbird.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/fijan/

CONNECT WITH BUILDING CULTURE

https://www.buildingculture.com/

https://www.instagram.com/buildingculture/

https://twitter.com/build_culture

https://www.facebook.com/BuildCulture/

CONNECT WITH AUSTIN TUNNELL

https://www.instagram.com/austintunnell/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-tunnell-2a41894a/

https://twitter.com/AustinTunnell

https://playbook.buildingculture.com/