3 Commercial Architecture Trends You Need to Know Before Designing
From art deco skyscrapers to loft-style office buildings, commercial architecture has seen its share of trends.
If you are looking to construct the next latest and greatest building, it’s important to work with an architect who understands what’s hip today and how much that design will cost you in the long run.
Today’s Fads in Commercial Architecture
There are several commercial architecture fads – some you might expect and others that might surprise you – that are turning heads today. Some of these may soon be replaced with the “next best thing” while others may have staying power. Here are three current trends your architect will help you consider when designing your office space.
1. Trendy Building Style and Design
Open floorplans remain one of the trendy designs for commercial and office spaces, although this trend is beginning to be replaced by broken-plan layouts in residential design.
There are pros and cons in terms of cost, materials, and labor. Your architect will be an expert on this type of design and will inform you if it will be cost effective.
2. Green and Eco-Friendly Elements
The current trend in architecture is to use sustainable materials that connect with the natural world while minimizing environmental impact. For instance, researchers in the United Kingdom are experimenting with various types of self-healing concrete, which contain organic compounds and bacteria that can actually repair itself.
While that material is still a few years away, one of the most common eco-friendly trends today remains solar power. Installing solar panels may increase your costs in the short term, but your architect will be able to let you know the long-term benefit of utilizing this form of renewable energy.
3. Smart Technology and Innovative Features
Innovation has created an increased demand for smart technology in both residential and commercial buildings. You already have the ability to turn on your house lights or open your garage door using your phone and other mobile devices. Similar ideas may soon be more common in commercial architecture designs as businesses look to tap into the latest technology.
Everything Comes with a Cost
As with most new and hip ideas, a trendy design will come with a cost. However, wait a few years, or use elements that are no longer considered cutting edge, and your costs can drastically decrease.
Your architect will be able to let you know which design elements are more cost effective, both in terms of bang for your buck and sustainability. It might be nice to use top of the line building material, but you’ll need to determine if it’s worth it in the long run, especially if you might need to replace that material several years down the road. Your architect will keep your long-term goals in mind and help advise which fads you should embrace, and which ones you might want to reconsider.
To learn more about trends and news in residential and commercial architecture, sign up to receive Design Matters – a monthly newsletter from Bill Whittaker, Registered Architect.
