Adequate housing, or lack thereof, is one of the most pressing issues plaguing Maldivian citizens today.
As the government and relevant parties work to find a solution to this problem, it would be prudent to consider not just how much housing is necessary, but the types of housing as well. Apartment buildings are arguably the easiest and most efficient way to house large numbers of residents using a limited area of land, but it also begs the question: how many bedrooms in each apartment are the most ideal?
In a poll conducted by Maldives Opinion Network, it was surveyed among 2000 people whether they preferred a one-bedroom, two-bedroom or three-bedroom apartment.
Only 7.5% of respondents preferred a one-bedroom apartment. 20% stated that they preferred a two-bedroom apartment, while an overwhelming majority, 72.5% preferred a three-bedroom apartment.
Indeed, for most residents, a three-bedroom apartment would likely meet all their needs. More bedrooms means being able to house a greater number of people in one space, which is ideal for family units. On the other hand, although a one-bedroom apartment may theoretically be suitable for a single resident or a couple, it may not be feasible in terms of rent or cost of living for just one or two people.
There are many factors to consider when it comes to this issue. However, if the demand for one-bedroom apartments is this low, do we really need to be focusing our resources on developing them? Instead, would it not be more efficient to develop more two or three-bedroom apartments?
