Trends are powerful forces that can shape industries and business areas, and it’s a particularly powerful force in the area of architecture. Architectural designs are often driven by the prevalence of trends that make particular designs more aesthetically desirable than others at the moment. If you are looking to design a new space that feels current, fresh, and in with the times, you would want to keep these upcoming trends in mind.
Sustainability and Energy Efficiency
With the threat of climate change upon us, it has become even more important to be conscious of our lifestyle and design choices. This trend has seeped into the prevailing philosophies governing modern architecture and interior design as well.
According to data from the US Energy Information Administration, the construction industry accounts for approximately 40 per cent of energy consumption in the United States.And it’s not just in the United States. A report produced by the International Energy Agency reveals that the construction industry is responsible for nearly 30 per cent of global energy consumption.
This has resulted in the rise of new designs that revolve around energy efficiency and sustainability. Architectural layouts that maximize natural lighting have become increasingly popular, and the use of sustainable materials for furniture has come to the fore.
Materials such as recycled wood bring a unique, warm, and organic charm to interior designs, while well-placed windows and skylights can brighten up indoor spaces without using electricity. Energy efficient lighting are also replacing more energy intensive lighting choices to reduce overall electric consumption.
Living Outdoors at Home
Due to pandemic-induced lockdowns, people have been resigned to staying at home for long periods of time. This has had a negative effect on the mental well-being of some, who have been forced to stay cooped up in their apartments for months on end. This has placed an increased emphasis on living places that have their own outdoor spaces.
People have realized that having a small garden allows you to walk around and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, even when you’re at home. It’s an incredible boon for when you are left with no option but to stay at home due to forces that are completely out of your control.
One trend that has emerged is combining the indoors and the outdoors through intelligent architecture and design. Having large doors that open to a garden can make the transition from indoor to outdoor incredibly seamless, giving one more sense of freedom, even with a limited space. It also encourages one to move about, therefore inducing an increase in activity.
Open Plan Designs with Defined Spaces
Open floor designs have been around for a long time in residential architecture and interior design. But a new trend has come upon open plan designs, and that is the incorporation of defined spaces. With the pandemic causing everyone to stay at home, spaces of work have become intermingled with spaces of rest. This overlap has had a psychological impact on people who have had to work from home for long periods, aslines between work and rest have become blurred, leaving people restless and thinking about work responsibilities, when they should be relaxing.
Defined spaces within open plan designs allow one to compartmentalize and separate work from rest, which bodes better for one’s mental health.
