Human footsteps from the past reflect human existence and evolution across time. These footprints contain a wide range of items, all evidence of human presence on the planet. Architecture is one of the most effective forms of documentation of human life in many places of the world. Although architecture is a physical building with materialistic worth, it has also served as a symbol of cultural and societal ways of life and other abstract concepts in human existence. It also detects the growth and fall of various societies and civilizations. It depicts the evolution of human lifestyles throughout history. These effects demonstrate the value of architecture. It shows our past, but one can also predict the future through the current scenario. The internet of things (IoT), regenerative and parametric design, artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing, big data, and virtual reality are just a few of the new technologies available to architects to help them think about, create, and build the cities of the future. To address this new interface of opportunities, the architect’s position will have to revolve encouraging multidisciplinary collaboration and incorporating new technology into their workflows. In this article, we will analyze the current problems of the world and the architectural practices of the future that can solve these alive issues.
Smart Cities | Architectural Practices
It has been predicted that our world population will likely exceed 10 billion people by the year 2050, which is an alarming situation for today’s architects who design for tomorrow. To solve this issue, architects have started to visualize intelligent cities, which are the future of architectural practices; one such city is NEOM, the first cognitive metropolis where data and intelligence will fuel technology to interact seamlessly with its inhabitants. The concept of future cities is based on operating as one sizeable data-driven ecosystem. Every interaction and situation gets recorded at the moment, and this information is used to generalize and anticipate intelligent designs that better meet human needs. Some of the most critical aspects of the current cities being analyzed and could further enhance with data include mobility, convenience, mixed uses, fluctuating usage levels at different times of the day and on various days of the week, and the unification of different cultures and communities. Additionally, future cities will be more concerned about sustainability, technology, and renewable energy. To resolve the land shortage due to population influx, the buildings of futuristic cities will expand vertically along with farming to accommodate the needs of the coming generation.
Energy-efficiency
When contemplating future architectural practices, another serious issue is climate change. Buildings and construction are responsible for 38% of all energy-related CO2 emissions. Revitalization over demolition will be an important trend to consider to save time and reduce carbon footprint by removing the building process and waste. In the future, architectural practices will be more focused on energy efficiency in the built environment where technology like sensor networks and building management systems track all sorts of data and will be integrated to enhance the lifecycle of the building with the internet of things(IoT) that may interact with behaviour of the occupants.
Technologically Modified Materials
According to industry analysts, 30 billion metric tonnes of concrete are used yearly to construct bridges, roads, highways, high-rise buildings, sewage systems, and other structures. The rock-hard substance supports a large portion of the modern world. It is also responsible for many of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. As per the International Energy Agency, the high-temperature process for making cement, the all-important glue that bonds the elements of concrete, accounts for around 8% of worldwide anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and uses 2-3% of the global energy supply. To Sustain in the future, Architectural practices will be more emphasized in adopting technologically advanced materials created out of waste through recycling, upcycling or sustainable sources, and biomechanics that result in less CO2 emissions.
Colonization on Mars | Architectural Practices
For a long time, humans have been exploring Mars. From the initial landing on Mars in 1971 through the deployment of the first effective lander in 1997, the investigations have now culminated in an expedition with multiple goals of colonizing Mars. Companies like Foster + Partners, HASSELL, and AI SpaceFactory are not just conceptualizing extraterrestrial architecture but also investigating building methodologies that allow for the construction of objects in environments vastly varied from Earth’s. In 2013, ZA Architects, a German-based architecture firm, participated in the Mars Colonization Project. Their concept called for the construction of an underground complex of caves for human settlement on Mars. The company employed automation as a guideline to create these caves, which can even hold a basalt processing facility and an artificial glacier. This artificial subsurface glacier was designed to give the occupants oxygen and water. If architects would go with this pace, the future will show great architectural marvels on Mars.
References:
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Sambiasi, S. (2022). 7 Architectural Considerations that are Shaping Future Cities. Arcdaily. https://www.archdaily.com/927262/7-architectural-considerations-that-are-shaping-future-cities
(2019). 5 trends that could shape the future of architecture. Thinkace. https://www.thinkaec.com/5-trends-that-could-shape-the-future-of-architecture/
Bradley, J. (2021). Neom. https://www.neom.com/en-us
Sawantt, S. (2021). mars-life-enhancing-architecture-on-the-red-planet. parametric-architecture. https://parametric-architecture.com/mars-life-enhancing-architecture-on-the-red-planet/
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