Known simply as the Backyard initiative, this new venture from Airbnb will see the property rental company changing its focus to the design and construction of homes. Spearheaded by Samara, a futures division of Airbnb, the Backyard initiative aims to "design and prototype new ways of building and sharing homes." The first wave of test units will go public in 2019 and will examine how modern buildings could make use of sophisticated manufacturing techniques and smart-home technologies.
Unlike existing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), the small cottages that often sit behind large suburban houses, the Backyard initiative will be building full-sized and fully realized homes. However, the initiative is more than that, as it focuses more on understanding how a modern house works and aims to rethink how we design homes.
Experimental Home Projects
The Backyard Initiative Will Showcase Airbnb-Designed Homes
Trend Themes
1. Property Design - The Backyard initiative is an opportunity for disruptive innovation in property design, exploring new ways to construct and share homes.
2. Sophisticated Manufacturing - The Backyard initiative offers a chance for disruptive innovation in manufacturing techniques for modern buildings.
3. Smart Home Technologies - The Backyard initiative presents an opportunity for disruptive innovation in the integration of smart home technologies into house design.
Industry Implications
1. Real Estate - The Backyard initiative could revolutionize the real estate industry by introducing novel approaches to home construction and sharing.
2. Manufacturing - The Backyard initiative has potential for disruptive innovation in manufacturing practices for modern building construction.
3. Technology - The Backyard initiative creates opportunities for disruptive innovation in the tech industry through the integration of smart home technologies into mainstream home design.