Human beings have indefinite reveries regarding the future of Architecture- some dreaming about flying automobiles on hanging buttress-free roads, and a few others picturing the extension of the present- tall, high-rise buildings, with glossy finishes and manicured gardens. Apart from these visualizations, one could also think of a calm, countryside-like region with a gathering place for the communities, low congestion, and work nearby. Since these are just mere examples, I think I can leave the rest to your imagination.
Hopes, Opinions, Visions: The People
A global survey was launched by the UN in 2020 to mark its 75th anniversary, consisting of hopes, opinions, and visions for the future. With over a million respondents and the most immediate short-term priority response being universal access to healthcare for recovering from the pandemic and the most-wanted long-term goal being environmental protection, a ubiquitous opinion was noticed in these areas. Out of 1,439,571 people, 55 percent were hopeful that people in 2045 would be better off and 30 percent felt that people would be worse.
The Post-Pandemic Scene: Workplace Diaries
Starting with the onset of the pandemic, people have started giving importance to their surroundings, health, and post-pandemic architecture. Indirectly, thoughts are strewn across towards separation, distancing, workplace design, and what we employ from time to time – anthropometry. The transition from an ‘in-home office space to the old-school workplace culture has seen measures to increase the distance between cabins/tables, to reduce workflow, design strategies to improve air circulation, utilizing materials that advocate easy disinfection, protocols, and shifts. Although this ideology has not been fully implemented, people are trying to follow their own set of rules to support the quick recovery of the world.
In comparison to an in-home work experience with freshly brewed coffee, a no-limit timeframe to a buzzing, fixed timeframe standard, and take-out food, people miss the latter more for the ‘socializing’ factor. Even so, surveys show that a lot of people are content with completing their work tasks from home due to minimal ‘getting-stuck-in-traffic’ situations, and freedom. The work-from-home trend could persist, even in the post-pandemic scene, given that people are equipped with the right tools and technology.
Virtual Reality and Visualization
An Architectural assessment of the near future can be looked into first, I presume. Although future measures might be focused on decentralization, automized cities, and ‘green communities’, that particular vision might take a lot of years to wake up to. The more happening topic is ‘Virtual Reality and Visualization’. Virtual Reality or VR was stumbled upon, or rather initiated, to smoothen the user-designer interface. Presentations with clients become straightforward and understandable and enable the user to convey their designs in a hassle-free manner. Not only do users view a clear picture of the end product, but there are also lesser errors in the construction process which in turn reduces additional costs and saves time. VR might just end up being the fervid topic for the next 10 years or so, along with increasing advances to improve the field.
Parametric Architecture
Parametric Architecture is yet another domain that has the potential to develop further. A recently binged on topic, this has the flair to showcase architecture we only see in movies. ‘Parametricism’, coined by Patrick Schumacher, a former partner at Zaha Hadid Architects is a revolutionizing term that is surrounded by a paradigm of fantasy, futuristic concepts, organic visions, and a lot more, it cuts across all forms of rigidity.
Let us tweak our vivid imaginations a little. Who knows? Maybe, one day, we would get to build our own houses using gigantic, shiny 3D printers and robotic construction machines. It does not hurt to dream, does it?
Apart from these interests, there is a multitude of theories and proposals for what the future might feel like. The list is never-ending.
Getting out of the daydream, and thinking about tangible topics like mixed-use, self-sustained, less dense neighborhoods, and even intelligent/smart cities, this is a daunting question a lot of people are pondering about. Would a robotic future replace the architect’s role? This question could receive some sort of an answer from John McCarthy, also known as the Father of Artificial Intelligence. The concept ‘Artificial Intelligence’ was first coined by John McCarthy in 1956 at Dartmouth College’s summer workshop.
“Does AI aim to put the human mind into the computer?”
He replies, “The human mind has a lot of peculiarities, and I’m not sure anyone is serious about imitating all of them.”
Is this the Future?
According to the collective findings by the Mckinsey Global Institute, 60 percent of occupations would have 30 percent of automized tasks. They suggest that by 2030, 3-14% of the working population would need to change their occupation categories. It does not seem as though jobs would vanish, but there would be a need to upgrade skills to perform different kinds of tasks to satisfy the needs and requirements of the new era. Research suggests that complex, non-repetitive, and volatile-natured jobs would face no problem as there is only so much, humans can train an intelligent device to do.
We can hope to be optimistic about having enough significance in the future, in the field of Architecture at least. Not all clients would want to pick up computer-based standard prototypes or a customized product to own as a home. Some would want to look at a perspective from an actual person. Of course, you could formulate the computer to produce multiple options with pros and cons out of an area given, but nothing can replace a creative, and over-thinking human brain developed with about 86 million neurons.
On a lighter note, in order to solve the interconnected web of issues the world is going through, rules and regulations might not work solely by themselves. AI, combined with simple approaches, retrofitting, self-sustained neighborhoods, and designs processed with the ‘human brain component’ might be the way to go. I guess we would know for sure a few decades later.
References :
- The Guardian. (2016). The automated city: do we still need humans to run public services?. [online]. (Last updated 20 September 2016). Available at: – The automated city: do we still need humans to run public services? | Cities | The Guardian [Accessed 10 June 2021].
- McCarthy,J. (2007). What is Artificial Intelligence. Available at: whatisai.pdf (stanford.edu) [Accessed 11 June 2021].
- ArchDaily. (2021). Future of Urbanism in China: How Can We Build a Livable City?. [online]. (Last updated 22 January 2021). Available at: – Future of Urbanism in China: How Can We Build a Livable City? | ArchDaily [Accessed 09 June 2021].
- UN 75. (2000). The Future We Want, the United Nations We Need. New York: UN 75 Office
- McKinsey & Company. (2017). Jobs lost, jobs gained: What the future of work will mean for jobs, skills, and wages. [online]. (Last updated 28 November 2017). Available at: – What the future of work will mean for jobs, skills, and wages: Jobs lost, jobs gained | McKinsey [Accessed 11 June 2021].
