Architectural giant Perkins+Will recently surveyed its staff of 1,500 design pros to forcast hot trends in the AEC field for 2014. The resulting Design + Insights Survey reflects a global perspective, influenced by the firm's active international projects.
Trend 1: Design + Resiliency
Robin Guenther, FAIA, LEED AP, Principal/Sustainable Healthcare Design Leader, labels Superstorm Sandy "a critical wake-up call." The report predicts that designers will pay more attention to creating work that accounts for the possiblity of natural disasters. Preparedness will be integrated with community-based design responses to impacts such as earthquakes, tornados, floods, and drought.
Trend 2: Design + Sustainability
Health aspects of building materials, as well as reduction in water use and adaptation to climate change, will be strong focuses in green design. The report characterizes material health as "the number one concern for 2014" among all sustainability issues.
Trend 3: Design + Active Design
Employee health and wellness will be increasingly central to design, the firm predicts. The intention to accommodate more movement opportunities in projects will have to overcome the fact that some clients do not see this as a high priority, particularly in workplace design. Nevertheless, "There are some alarming statistics that indicate movement throughout the day—or the lack of it—is part of a new frontier in predicting health outcomes," according to Joan Blumenfeld, FAIA, LEED AP, Principal/Global Interior Design Leader.
Trend 4: Design + Multigenerational Workplaces
A mix of age groups will continue to force change in workplace culture, collaboration, and research, according to the report. Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Millennials, and Generation Xers often have very different ideas about what constitutes a productive and effective workplace. Millennials (1980-2000) prioritize tools and technologies, whereas Boomers (1946-1964) place a strong emphasis on a supportive culture. "Design [should address] the diverse workstyles emerging as a result of the generational shift underway," says Frederick J. Schmidt, IIDA, LEED AP, Managing Principal/Global Corporate Interiors Practice Chair.
Trend 5: Design + Technology
Modeling, collaboration, and mobile technologies will dramatically influence better design processes, the report predicts. Current key focuses include energy modeling and environmental analysis; project- and information-management applications; remote collaboration/communications technologies; and smartphones/tablets that enable mobility. Important emerging technologies include free and publicly available data sets, ubiquitous remote sensing, and rapid application development.
Related Stories
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Jun 27, 2019
Foster + Partners unveils design of wooden boathouse for Row New York
The project will sit on the banks of the Harlem River in Sherman Creek Park.
Building Tech | Jun 26, 2019
Modular construction can deliver projects 50% faster
Modular construction can deliver projects 20% to 50% faster than traditional methods and drastically reshape how buildings are delivered, according to a new report from McKinsey & Co.
Architects | Jun 24, 2019
Clayco combines architecture and design assets into one business unit
Lamar Johnson Collaborative adds BatesForum.
Architects | Jun 14, 2019
Making public facilities more public
Municipal facilities must strike a delicate balance between openness and security.
Architects | Jun 4, 2019
Big design, small budget: These are the best small projects for 2019
Bjarke Ingels Group's prototype mountainside cabin and Fieldwork's forest pedestrian bridges are among 12 projects honored by AIA's Small Project Practitioners group.
Architects | Apr 26, 2019
Designing for the final frontier: Space architecture
Colonizing Mars is an exciting possibility in the not-too-distant future, and architects will play a vital role in making it a reality, despite the plethora of challenges that need to be overcome.
Architects | Apr 12, 2019
Bipartisan 'Invest in America Act' gains industry support
The bill would attract as much as $125 billion investment for buildings, infrastructure.
Office Buildings | Apr 8, 2019
It’s time for office amenities to get to work
Amenities with the greatest impact on effectiveness and experience are those that directly support the work needs of individual employees and their teams.
Industry Research | Apr 8, 2019
New research finds benefits to hiring architectural services based on qualifications
Government agencies gain by evaluating beyond price, according to a new Dodge survey of government officials.