4 trends in architecture that will accelerate after the pandemic
We are living a disruptive period that has affected mostly how we live, how we work and how we socialize. When this happens, not by human will, but due to external factors, it triggers a need to re-adapt as fast as possible for survival.
However, once society has re-established and starts to gain insight on what this new normal means and what are its consequences, we start to ask ourselves why did that happened and how to improve to prevent it from happening again. At the same time, the new reality will bring unexpected positive changes that we will want to maintain for the future.
Architecture helps define in a great extend how we live, how we work and how we socialize, and it feels inevitable to look inwards to our practice to start to define the changes we will need to make to contribute the best to this new society.
Understanding what aspect have changed and what technologies will be involved in this new reality can help architects deliver better buildings that serve better it’s porpoise.
Here are 4 trends that will consolidate in the coming years:
1. Sustainability
In the last few months, people have been spending more time than ever at their homes. First, because of the confinement and second, as a result of working from home. We have been interacting a lot more with our homes, using more water, electricity, and heating in the winter months and air conditioning in the summer.
Just before the summer, a study from Columbia University that had been monitoring electricity consumption found out that it went up by 23% during business hours in March since many companies shifted to work from home. In addition, summer months are the ones with the highest energy consumption due to the use of air conditioners, bringing these numbers even higher.
In the residential market of the coming years, buildings that show better performance in electricity consumption, thanks to more efficient heating and cooling systems as well as better insulation, will be received with more enthusiasm by people.
Sustainability has been with us already for many years and we already have the tools to make sure buildings are more sustainable. Systems like LEED and Passive Haus measure how sustainable a building is and inform the design in early stages. At the same time, these systems are a marketing feature that make it easier for prospective buyers to understand how sustainable a building is, as well as the potential energy savings.
2. Well-being certification in buildings
Millennials account for 75% of the workforce and they are the target demographic for most of the future developments. Studies show that 53% of them indicate that well-being and stress is one of their highest concerns and priorities.
One of the things that make our homes more healthy and brings a sense of well-being are plants. A house where plants thrive is a healthy environment. In addition, plants have been acknowledged to bring health benefits to people. In these last few months, social media has been full of posts of people enhancing their homes with nice plants as a way to try to make their spaces prettier and healthier.
Building residents not only want their homes to be sustainable, but to also feel good in them. Certification programs like WELL target this and make it easier for architects and developers to achieve it. This system monitors the quality of air, water, and access to sunlight, among other factors, to score how healthy a building is.
3. Virtual reality showrooms
During the confinement phase, developers decided to close their sales centers. Even after the measures eased, people have been reluctant to go in person to see homes.
Options that will allow prospective buyers to make an informed decision before buying a new home without the need to visit a sales center would be very valuable.
First, solutions came in the way of real estate agents touring already built apartments and showrooms to showcase them. However, there are better solutions that allow developers to reduce costs by eliminating the need of building a sales center.
The answer is virtual showrooms. The technology is already here and companies like Zoan have proved it’s viability by creating a full model of Helsinki that can be visualized with VR glasses, all built using the technology of Unreal Engine. Other solutions in the market allow for 3D models that can easily be toured, navigating in the same fashion as Google Street View.
The using the power of these tools, virtual models can be hosted online to allow buyers to tour and explore future buildings easily from a web browser.
Companies like Porcelanosa have already built theirs showrooms where you can review their products.
4. Touch-less devices
Switches, buttons, knobs, and faucets are the most common things we touch multiple times a day when interacting with buildings. This poses a health concern, especially in office spaces and common areas. Touch-less devices like the Dyson faucet that allows you to wash and dry our hands without touching any surface are already on the market.
Companies like Fibaro have developed motion sensor devices that recognize smart gestures to open and close doors, turn lights on and off, and even control your whole house.
The Covid-19 crisis has forced designers, architects, and developers to adjust and respond fast to the new reality. Surprisingly, the technology to solve most of the challenges is already here. This new reality has accelerated their adoption. The early adopters of these new technologies are the ones who will be more prepare to respond to the needs from society.
Hope you enjoyed it and thanks for reading!
