Similar to many other sectors in the modern world, Architecture is aways changing. What it looked like before and how it affected day to day life is not like how it is today. With the progressions in technology,climatic conditions and several other life events that have taken place along the years, humanitys needs from the built environment have changed. Just like the past has shown us, Architecture is an adaptive and constantly evolving field. Predictions of what the future of Architecture may hold for us can made based off current ongoings around the world. However, what’s to come still remains unknown the world is constantly changing and so is architecture.
Storytelling: Is The Future of Architecture Predicatable?
To answer that question in one word, the answer to the burning question is possible. The future of Architecture can be predicted because of the lessons that the past teaches us. However, if we’ve learned anything from the past year it’s that the future of Architecture — and everything else cannot be predicted.
Throughout existence, humans have always created the built environment in accordance with their needs. Cavemen only felt the need to protect themselves from harsh weather conditions and with few skills at hand, settled in caves. For the immigration type of lifestyle, people moved in pursuit of better weather and hunting conditions and so, only created temporary settlements. Today, Architecture answers so many calls like the changing weather conditions, advancements in technology, and leisure.
Factors That Will Affect The Future of Architecture
1. Technology
Technology is one of the most impressive developments in the modern-day world and now, it’s impossible to imagine life without it. While many blame technology for plenty of things that are wrong in the world, a lot to pay testament to how technology has been a lifesaver. Improvements in technology do not just affect the machines and tools we have in our cities but also in how we build our cities.
Predictions for the future developments of Architecture state that AI is only going to grow stronger and higher quality products will be produced faster for less. The increase in the use of high-tech equipment in the built environment will create the mass production of high-tech buildings. Today, many intelligent buildings have been built around the world and as time goes by, these buildings will only get smarter.
Smart buildings won’t just be built to turn the lights on without moving a bone but will be used to help save the environment. Already, it has been proven that smart buildings can help reduce carbon emission which in the modern-day, is a critical matter. As buildings contribute a lot to carbon emission through energy consumption, architects and designers need to pay their part in keeping these carbon footprints at a minimum. In the years to come, architects, contractors, and companies will be held much more accountable for their carbon emissions and so we can expect particular attention to be paid to this.
Improvements in technology won’t only affect how we construct buildings but how we design them too. As the basis of it all, students will learn architecture with a different approach. Years ago, Architecture students spent hours bent over by the drawing board drawing every detail by hand. Today, some schools still acknowledge the importance of hand drawing and use it as a valuable tool whereas others prefer computer programs. With also opportunities to foresee a project before its realization, the future of architecture could be spectacular. Architects and developers will be able to foresee a project, tweak what need be, and end up with well-executed projects from the point of conception.
2. Health
The global pandemic has taught us a lot of things and one of them is that we need to take care of our health. It’s probably one of the most vital things anybody can possess and so should be treated as such. Health does not just cover the physical well-being of humans but the mental and psychological too. During the pandemic, the world had to change how it functions and even though life is getting back to normal in some places, a lot of these changes to how we live will not.
In attempts to stay safe by limiting human interactions, homes have shifted to private and professional spaces. Almost every field has moved from a physical to a digital space and still thrived. In the years to come, companies might not see the need of constructing and renting out offices to save costs and possibly keep their employees safe. Due to this, a lot of newly constructed homes today are being built to be flexible and shiftable. They have to be adaptive to various needs and this will shape a huge part of the future of architecture.
In addition, since people might experience the downsides of being closed off from the outside world, the spaces between indoor and outdoor may get blurred in the future. Roof gardens have existed for centuries and this is nothing new but the need for them in the future will be greater. They will not just exist to provide good views and fresh air but areas of recreation too. As people understand the need to prioritizing their health, they will want to consume healthier food and produce it themselves. Green walls, balconies, and indoor courtyards will give people a sense of openness and answer to their needs to be in nature and connect with the earth.
The fusion of green spaces in homes and usable facilities will not just help the mental side of people’s well-being but also help create sustainable buildings. Sustainability is already a huge topic today and there is no surprise why. It not only helps communities at a collective level but also offers direct benefits to users at a personal level. It’s a win-win situation in the built environment and it will not be any different in the future of architecture.
3. New Building Materials
Some building materials dating back as far as the birth of architecture and others are discoveries of the 21st century. Each building material has its unique value and answers to different needs. Before the invention of certain materials, architects had to design with limitations but in today’s world, buildings materials can answer more than one need.
The world continues to progress and so will the built environment. New materials are constantly tested and developed in response to climatic changes and the needs of the community. The future of architecture is and filled with various designs which will be as a result of developments in building materials.
