The "add-on room" is the most common solution for addressing needs associated with a changing family structure (arrival of a new baby, etc.), the desire for a more comfortable space (library, game room, etc.), or a more temporary change (hosting friends and family, etc.). However, building an add-on room is often economically impossible. In other words, the family budget isn't enough to purchase or rent the extra square metres. Alternatives to an add-on room have been invented to offer families a more affordable option. For example, several households in a residence might choose to share an extra room and split the cost. The room can be for collective or individual use.

This project is unconventional and features housing units with diverse configurations for today's diverse range of households and lifestyles. 1BR units feature alcoves that can be turned into an office corner or a sleeping area so a divorced parent doesn't have to sleep on the couch when his or her children come over for the weekend. Studios and 1BR units can be added to an adjacent 2BR unit to create a 4BR apartment. All 2BR units feature a room that can be separated from the rest of the home and a second bathroom to make living together easier. This arrangement can accommodate a young adult who returns to the family home, a grandparent, or a live-in home assistant. The 3BR and 4BR units can be easily divided once children move out. The detached studio can then be sold or rented out.

Finally, in response to intense economic and spatial constraints, city centres now offer a range of small apartments. The goal is to optimise the use of the space and create ingenious housing solutions. In general, designing an optimal layout depends on three main factors: using all available space, increasing storage space, and selecting efficient furniture. Modular and multi-purpose furniture, trap-door systems in the floor and ceiling that hide small pieces of furniture, and walls with built-in furniture that slides open, tips down, or opens up like a drawer can have a huge impact. Another trend that allows residents to quickly change the layout of their home involves building walls out of giant Lego blocks.

While the home is a refuge and a private space, it is also increasingly communal. All forms of shared housing, including flat sharing and intergenerational housing, are becoming more popular. As part of the sharing economy, renting homes to third parties is becoming more commonplace as well. This shift is also evidenced by the increasing importance of the living room and the wide variety of ways it is used, including as a space to work out, improve one's wellness, work from home, and more. In response to these new uses, housing is becoming more service oriented. In rapidly changing urban areas, a building's flexibility has become key. The Hausmannian buildings in Paris are a perfect example of a reversible construction.

The relationship between housing and mobility has also become more important. This is evidenced by people's housing choices. By buying property farther away from the city centre, land is cheaper but the cost of commuting is higher. As such, residents must think globally. Similarly, transportation methods and connections to an area's transportation network and infrastructure are key issues when designing eco-neighbourhoods. It isn't too much of a stretch to think of mobility as another facet of housing. Some projects have fully adopted this approach and incorporated mobility solutions into their design. Examples include residencies that provide fleets of self-service vehicles, car-pooling programmes, and real-time information about public transportation schedules.

Housing is becoming increasingly hybrid. Its primary use of serving as a home is being combined with an ever-expanding array of new uses. Living somewhere is now synonymous with working, caring for oneself, working out, consuming, gardening, recycling, producing energy, and studying—all at home. This shift in how we use our home is having a significant impact on housing layout. Solutions that increase a home's flexibility, modularity, and scalability are needed. Some areas must be able to switch from one purpose to another to make the home a "hub for life" that can serve as a base for all our day-to-day activities (sleeping, working, sports, buying, etc.).

Shared housing can also take the form of co-living. Especially aimed at entrepreneurs, this model lets people live together in a building designed with their professional needs in mind. Intergenerational housing, in which several generations live together within a residence or apartment building, is becoming increasingly popular as well. The arrangement works well; all parties benefit, and the model offers many advantages. Intergenerational housing prevents the elderly from becoming isolated and helps them stay at home for longer. Students, on the other hand, enjoy access to inexpensive housing and the opportunity to slowly transition to independence after leaving the family home for the first time.

One such solution separates the cost of the land and the cost of the building to make home buying more affordable. This model relies on a unique approach to real estate in which households own their homes but rent their land, which is owned by the administrators of a Community Land Trust. This model is widespread in the United States and saves homeowners 20-40% compared to traditional market prices. Efforts to reduce expenses like asking residents to maintain shared areas and decrease the price of an apartment by letting the owner finalise its construction themselves are other potential solutions for reducing the amount of money each households spends on housing.