Why COVID-19 sparked a smart home boom in China
REPORT
22 Dec 2020
Why COVID-19 sparked a smart home boom in China

Over four decades, China has undergone massive economic shifts, with rapid urbanisation and policy changes leading to a competitive property market. But how are constrained spaces and budgets reshaping the notion of ‘home’? And what impact might COVID-19 have on domestic dreams?

Eric Le Khanh

Eric Le Khanh is an architect and urban planner who has lived in China since 2003. He has acted as an expert for the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design and was the design director at several companies including French infrastructure design company AREP and Sunld Design, a Beijing-based architectural practice. He also teaches at the Tianjin Architecture University.

Binke Lenhardt

Binke Lenhardt is the co-founder of Crossboundaries, a Beijing-based partnership active across architecture, environmental design, and urban regeneration. The company has worked on projects ranging from automotive production to childcare facilities to cultural complexes.

Felicia Schwartz

Felicia Schwartz is a cultural insight specialist with 14 years of experience in the Greater China region. She has worked widely across consumer goods as well as retail, luxury, and technology. An advertising veteran, Felicia is passionate about people and what motivates them, hence a career in strategic planning and consumer insights. She has researched Chinese women, children, young adults, and men for clients like L'Oreal, Ferrero, Nestle, and Maserati, and delivered cultural business skills to the DIT, EDF Energy, and Jaguar Land Rover.