The future of architecture is so unpredictable, just like the pandemic there are many things that we are uncertain about today that will occur in the future, and various trends in architecture is one among them. We need to look at the past, present, and the impact that it is creating for the future. We just imagine the future as those things that we see from sci-fi movies. Everything keeps evolving, from the mode of communication where people used to write letters to each other to video chatting with each other now. Architecture also keeps evolving, from residing in caves to living in a high-storied building. With imagining something which is futuristic, advanced, and technology-driven, it is more important that we should find solutions to the current issues.
Will you be living in a smart city where there are sensors everywhere or a place where you can save a lot of energy consumption? It becomes curious to know how the future is going to be. Which trends are going to make an impact in the industry? Where will architecture take us? How and where will we live in the future?
Urbanization
We know that we are living in a period of extreme urbanization where the population is increasing constantly and the place for dreaming is becoming scarce. There is a demand for the need for space, so architects are building a vertical living space. But the mobilization of people horizontally through vehicles and vertically through elevators can lead to isolation problems with no interaction with others in their daily lives. Architects are researching more innovative methods to solve these problems. An increase in land depletion, poverty, is also some of the problems for which architects can give solutions through their innovative designs. While designing any building, one should consider the impact on people and climate in mind and then design. We need to act now for a better tomorrow.
Trends and Technologies
The architecture industry has been subjected to dramatic changes paving the way to a better tomorrow. Trends and technologies such as VR technology, sustainable or green buildings, 3D printing, new materials and technology of construction, parametric architecture, robotic construction, vertical living or vertical cities all are responsible for the future of architecture.
Sustainable and green buildings will be the basic architecture that every building will incorporate in the future as it has more focus on renewable energy or minimizing the energy loss, taking care of the use of materials, location while designing the buildings. It creates a positive impact on our climate and the natural environment. We are in a period where AI takes over everything. VR technology has already made an impact in the field of architecture. It helps save costs by spotting design defects and avoiding larger mistakes. In the future, clients or the users would also be able to close or open the windows and doors or even check the amount of sunlight coming into the room. It’s like making the user as close to the realistic environment as possible.
3D printing is becoming a game-changer in architecture and is almost used everywhere. It is mainly used for the construction of emergency shelters as they construct them very rapidly. Mainly, 3D printing is used because it saves a lot of time and also money. Architects are also moving into parametric technologies where they work with a computer algorithm to create complex and a variety of structures.
The construction industry is also evolving and upgrading its methods. Consider the modular architecture where prefabricated materials are used for construction where the elements are just assembled on site after prefabricating in the factories, and the use of robotic technology where the systems are so flexible and are also useful in solving a wide range of architectural problems. They also perform tasks faster than human beings. They can work without rest and can perform dangerous tasks.
The Future
In the future, we don’t want to create a kind of architecture that separates people from one another or forces them to be a part of the neighbourhood. Living together in the neighbourhood happily and comfortably should be made possible in the first place. So, architects have to keep in mind that social interaction is also important while designing the spaces; and no longer the spaces would be a single function space. There are many things that we are imagining for the future today but only time will tell us which trends and technologies will apply and which will fall away. There are new materials for construction being developed every day. But one thing is sure that we will have to build smarter keeping in mind all the challenges of today for a better tomorrow so that the coming generations can live an environmentally friendly life. The future of architecture is interesting as you go deeper and deeper. Let’s see how the future of architecture will be.
References:
- Architecture, T. (2019). 5 Trends That Could Shape the Future of Architecture. [online] Available at: https://www.thinkaec.com/5-trends-that-could-shape-the-future-of-architecture/
- Lonergan, B. (2020). Future Architecture Trends – Materials, Design, and Future Cities. [online] ArchitectureQuote – Connect Architects to New Projects. Available at: https://architecturequote.com/future-architecture/
- Free Documentary (2021). Flexible Buildings: The Future of Architecture | Free Documentary. [YouTube Video] Available at: Flexible Buildings: The Future of Architecture | Free Documentary – YouTube
