A substantial percentage of respondents (62.4%) to a recent survey by Multifamily Design + Construction magazine (a BD+C sister publication) had provided additional storage space or lockers outside the living units—a strong indication that tenants and condo owners crave extra space for their stuff.
Tenants also crave lounge spaces (both indoor and outdoor) and other areas where they can socialize and relax, including rooftop terraces, coffee bars, fire pits, and cafés, according to the survey of 215 multifamily developers, designers, and builders.
Two-thirds of respondents (67.5%) said they had included a lounge in a recent apartment or condominium project—a relatively easy amenity to supply, which raises the question, Why not 100%?
Half of respondents included a café; ditto for a community kitchen. Additional indoor amenities: video/film screening room (20.6%), music-rehearsal-performance room (12.9%), and—perhaps an up-and-coming offering—wine cellar/wine storage on site (15.4%).
Respondents also stated they had provided a wide variety of “other” outdoor amenities to guests: outdoor movie screens (17.6%), Jacuzzis (17.1%), and catering pantries (11.1%).
More results from the MFDC survey to come next week.
Outdoor multifamily amenities:
Storage (outside the units): 62.4%
Fire Pit/Grill: 60.8%
Lounge Area: 59.3%
Rooftop Terrace (tie): 55.3%
Garden Walk (tie): 55.3%
Pool (indoor or outdoor): 49.8%
Community Kitchen (outdoor): 36.7%
Cabanas: 33.7%
Community Garden/Urban Farm: 29.7%
Indoor multifamily amenities:
Lounge: 67.5%
Coffee Bar/Café: 51.0%
Community Kitchen (indoor): 50.5%
Library/Reading Area: 36.6%
Catering Area: 28.9%
Base: 214
Source: Multifamily Design + Construction Reader Survey, June-July 2017
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Aug 10, 2023
Bjarke Ingels Group and Skanska to deliver 1550 on the Green, one of the most sustainable buildings in Texas
In downtown Houston, Skanska USA’s 1550 on the Green, a 28-story, 375,000-sf office tower, aims to be one of Texas’ most sustainable buildings. The $225 million project has deployed various sustainable building materials, such as less carbon-intensive cement, to target 60% reduced embodied carbon.
Healthcare Facilities | Aug 10, 2023
The present and future of crisis mental health design
BWBR principal Melanie Baumhover sat down with the firm’s behavioral and mental health designers to talk about how intentional design can play a role in combatting the crisis.
Architects | Aug 10, 2023
Hoffmann Architects + Engineers awards first Diversity Advancement Scholarship to Reeja Shrestha of Howard University
Now in its inaugural year, the Hoffmann Scholarship was established in collaboration with the Connecticut Architecture Foundation (CAF) to support students from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups who are seeking degrees in architecture or engineering.
Senior Living Design | Aug 7, 2023
Putting 9 senior living market trends into perspective
Brad Perkins, FAIA, a veteran of more than four decades in the planning and design of senior living communities, looks at where the market is heading in the immediate future.
Higher Education | Aug 7, 2023
Building a better academic workplace
Gensler's David Craig and Melany Park show how agile, efficient workplaces bring university faculty and staff closer together while supporting individual needs.
University Buildings | Aug 7, 2023
Eight-story Vancouver Community College building dedicated to clean energy, electric vehicle education
The Centre for Clean Energy and Automotive Innovation, to be designed by Stantec, will house classrooms, labs, a library and learning center, an Indigenous gathering space, administrative offices, and multiple collaborative learning spaces.
Green | Aug 7, 2023
Rooftop photovoltaic panels credited with propelling solar energy output to record high
Solar provided a record-high 7.3% of U.S. electrical generation in May, “driven in large part by growth in ‘estimated’ small-scale (e.g., rooftop) solar PV whose output increased by 25.6% and accounted for nearly a third (31.9%) of total solar production,” according to a report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Resiliency | Aug 7, 2023
Creative ways cities are seeking to beat urban heat gain
As temperatures in many areas hit record highs this summer, cities around the world are turning to creative solutions to cope with the heat. Here are several creative ways cities are seeking to beat urban heat gain.
Government Buildings | Aug 7, 2023
Nearly $1 billion earmarked for energy efficiency upgrades to federal buildings
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) recently announced plans to use $975 million in Inflation Reduction Act funding for energy efficiency and clean energy upgrades to federal buildings across the country. The investment will impact about 40 million sf, or about 20% of GSA’s federal buildings portfolio.
MFPRO+ New Projects | Aug 4, 2023
Nashville gets 'first-of-its-kind' residential tower
Global architecture firm Goettsch Partners announces the completion of Alcove, a new 356-unit residential tower in Nashville, Tenn., developed by Giarratana LLC.
