Future of Architecture: 7 Challenges & Trends
Three architects fill us in on the big questions that will challenge the industry in the coming years
Zuriñe Iturbe
18 September 2019
Where will architecture take us in the coming years? Which trends will influence the housing construction sector? We posed these questions to Gonzalo Pardo of Spain-based Gon Architects, an associate professor of architectural projects at the Technical University of Madrid; Guillermo López, from MAIO architecture studio, with offices in New York and Barcelona; and architect Manuela Fernández Langenegger from Arnouva Elanández, based in Milan, Italy. They talked to us about sustainability, inclusivity and public space.
1. Environmentally conscious architecture
Climate change is currently one of the most interesting and pressing challenges for society and, of course, for architecture.
New European guidelines mandate that all homes built in Europe after 2020 consume almost zero energy. “Although architecture got on the green bandwagon late, measures seeking to make it a sustainable part of society are now being put into place,” says Pardo.
Find a local architect on Houzz
Climate change is currently one of the most interesting and pressing challenges for society and, of course, for architecture.
New European guidelines mandate that all homes built in Europe after 2020 consume almost zero energy. “Although architecture got on the green bandwagon late, measures seeking to make it a sustainable part of society are now being put into place,” says Pardo.
Find a local architect on Houzz
Today, we see an increasing awareness of building techniques. “We think about an architectural project from a thermodynamic point of view more often, seeking to reduce energy consumption,” says Pardo.
New buildings will incorporate water-saving systems, energy-efficient appliances and better insulation. “Strategies to do with the understanding of primitive factors, such as sunlight and wind direction, will be taken into account,” says Pardo. All of this will be done in order to reduce the carbon footprint of our buildings.
New buildings will incorporate water-saving systems, energy-efficient appliances and better insulation. “Strategies to do with the understanding of primitive factors, such as sunlight and wind direction, will be taken into account,” says Pardo. All of this will be done in order to reduce the carbon footprint of our buildings.
2. Recycling and reusing: cradle-to-cradle design
The principles of the circular economy are also starting to be implemented extensively in architecture. The aim is to decrease the environmental impact of building: construction and demolition produce between one-third and one-half of the solid waste of developed countries.
The principles of the circular economy are also starting to be implemented extensively in architecture. The aim is to decrease the environmental impact of building: construction and demolition produce between one-third and one-half of the solid waste of developed countries.
Up until now, the model followed in construction was a linear one: produce, build, use and throw away/demolish. This meant extensive energy and natural-resource consumption, and the production of massive amounts of waste.
The circular economy operates on “a model based on cradle-to-cradle (C2C) design,” says Pardo. “The base principle of this model is taking advantage of and reusing everything that is considered waste, and being efficient with resources in all phases of construction.”
The circular economy operates on “a model based on cradle-to-cradle (C2C) design,” says Pardo. “The base principle of this model is taking advantage of and reusing everything that is considered waste, and being efficient with resources in all phases of construction.”
Many manufacturers already offer building materials with a circular life cycle: finishes or coatings made out of recycled materials, such as tyres or glass; insulation panels made of crushed cork waste; and materials made of waste cellulose from the paper industry.
Building with natural materials such as straw or adobe also generates less waste because these can be recycled and reused, which means less consumption of energy and resources.
What is Passivhaus Design all About?
Building with natural materials such as straw or adobe also generates less waste because these can be recycled and reused, which means less consumption of energy and resources.
What is Passivhaus Design all About?
3. Preferring renovation over demolition
Old or disused buildings can be turned into avant-garde structures, given new life or transformed into contemporary homes. This year we are seeing the principles of recycling applying more and more to building rehabilitation.
“Rehabilitation policies gained momentum as a result of the economic crisis,” says Pardo. “The reason is financial in many cases: instead of buying a new house, people have opted to renovate the one they already have.”
Old or disused buildings can be turned into avant-garde structures, given new life or transformed into contemporary homes. This year we are seeing the principles of recycling applying more and more to building rehabilitation.
“Rehabilitation policies gained momentum as a result of the economic crisis,” says Pardo. “The reason is financial in many cases: instead of buying a new house, people have opted to renovate the one they already have.”
In a society used to destroying rather than preserving or transforming, this change of mentality entails a double challenge for architects, since the recycling of spaces implies not only conservation and renovation work based on respect for tradition, but adding new value to buildings and adapting them to contemporary needs.
Manuela Fernández Langenegger of Arnouva Elanández, a Milan-based architect who has also lived in Stuttgart, Germany, for several years, defines renovation as “a way to approach construction from a more ecological and sustainable point of view”.
“There isn’t much space left, and we are becoming increasingly aware of how precious a piece of land without buildings is,” she says. “In Germany, for example, the direction is to make an already-built space more dense, changing the parameters of buildable space, re-qualifying spaces or creating more houses of smaller dimensions. That is, making cities more dense rather than expanding them.”
“There isn’t much space left, and we are becoming increasingly aware of how precious a piece of land without buildings is,” she says. “In Germany, for example, the direction is to make an already-built space more dense, changing the parameters of buildable space, re-qualifying spaces or creating more houses of smaller dimensions. That is, making cities more dense rather than expanding them.”
4. Focus on the local: a return to the vernacular
Besides industrial materials and technology, building techniques based on local traditions and resources have become increasingly prominent. “Chefs talk about ‘kilometre zero’ – the concept of purchasing ingredients directly from producers within a radius of less than 100 kilometres – and architects have come up with their own interpretation of it. Today it’s unthinkable to propose a project that does not take into account the origin of materials and the ecological future of the site over the medium- and long-terms,” says Pardo.
Besides industrial materials and technology, building techniques based on local traditions and resources have become increasingly prominent. “Chefs talk about ‘kilometre zero’ – the concept of purchasing ingredients directly from producers within a radius of less than 100 kilometres – and architects have come up with their own interpretation of it. Today it’s unthinkable to propose a project that does not take into account the origin of materials and the ecological future of the site over the medium- and long-terms,” says Pardo.
“This return to tradition and local resources has been mainly motivated by the economic crisis,” says Langenegger. “Also, from another point of view, it has arisen as a reaction to globalisation.”
5. Inclusive architecture
Architecture should have a social function, adapting to everyone’s needs. “Among the youngest architects, there is a major awareness of problems facing the elderly,” says Pardo. “Old age, reduced mobility, and factors such as vision loss or loneliness, for example, are offering new challenges for architecture.”
Architecture should have a social function, adapting to everyone’s needs. “Among the youngest architects, there is a major awareness of problems facing the elderly,” says Pardo. “Old age, reduced mobility, and factors such as vision loss or loneliness, for example, are offering new challenges for architecture.”
Inclusive architecture means more than universal accessibility and the elimination of architectural barriers. It means designing friendly environments that can adapt to the various needs and limitations a person may experience. To do this, it’s necessary to design different spaces for adults, seniors, mothers, babies and people with disabilities, as well as spaces that encourage interaction.
6. Emotional architecture and valuing quality over quantity
The new luxury in architecture will be the quality of the space, rather than the floor area. Due to the rising cost of housing and the increasing tendency for people to live in large cities, residential architecture must provide small-scale spatial solutions for small budgets. “Traditionally, luxury has been linked to the material aspect of architecture. Luckily, this concept has been shifting towards other variables that have more to do with what is atmospheric, spatial, flexible and perfectable,” says Pardo.
The new luxury in architecture will be the quality of the space, rather than the floor area. Due to the rising cost of housing and the increasing tendency for people to live in large cities, residential architecture must provide small-scale spatial solutions for small budgets. “Traditionally, luxury has been linked to the material aspect of architecture. Luckily, this concept has been shifting towards other variables that have more to do with what is atmospheric, spatial, flexible and perfectable,” says Pardo.
The lifestyle of the younger generations, who value versatility and experiences, will influence architecture to create transformable open spaces that can be adapted to different life situations. In turn, this will create comfortable environments. This means that small houses can be big in comfort and functionality.
Houzz Forum: State of Indian Architecture Today and Tomorrow
Houzz Forum: State of Indian Architecture Today and Tomorrow
7. Recovering public spaces
The 20th century developed cities centred on the personal car. In the 21st century, however, there is a push towards an era of the recovery of public space. “We can see this in many cities’ new transportation policies: the car is being banished in favour of recovering public spaces for people,” says Pardo.
“Cultural, social and technological changes, as well as those related to advances in infrastructure and transportation, are inviting us to rethink the way in which cities are developed, and to propose new responses based on a pragmatic analysis while avoiding clichés,” says Guillermo López, architect and co-founder of Spain- and USA-based MAIO architecture studio.
The 20th century developed cities centred on the personal car. In the 21st century, however, there is a push towards an era of the recovery of public space. “We can see this in many cities’ new transportation policies: the car is being banished in favour of recovering public spaces for people,” says Pardo.
“Cultural, social and technological changes, as well as those related to advances in infrastructure and transportation, are inviting us to rethink the way in which cities are developed, and to propose new responses based on a pragmatic analysis while avoiding clichés,” says Guillermo López, architect and co-founder of Spain- and USA-based MAIO architecture studio.
“More and more buildings are being designed with common spaces and collective domestic services, such as kitchens, daycare centres, laundry rooms, et cetera,” says López. “These models seek to establish relationships between neighbours and promote communication, socialisation and increasingly profitable space.”
The challenge for architecture lies in creating urban spaces for coexistence and leisure where one can walk, play or simply enjoy the open air.
Read more:
World Architecture Festival 2019: Showcasing 3 Finalists From India
The Journey of Materials in Modern Architecture
Tell us:
Which of these seven principles would you like to see embraced in today’s architecture?
The challenge for architecture lies in creating urban spaces for coexistence and leisure where one can walk, play or simply enjoy the open air.
Read more:
World Architecture Festival 2019: Showcasing 3 Finalists From India
The Journey of Materials in Modern Architecture
Tell us:
Which of these seven principles would you like to see embraced in today’s architecture?
What are you working on?
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Not just architecture which needs to get with the program as they say. Governments seem to get fixated, due to popular choices or old fashioned outlooks on a ways of doing things, all continue to appear to have their blinkers on. We here in Australia spend billions each year on roads, projects which never seem to fix the traffic problems, leaving petrol guzzling polluting vehicles sitting for hours in slow moving traffic. We have a country with big distances and outback towns in all states which are dying, through lack of population, due to no jobs and hotter climates. So a government who has the backbone to stop appeasing the car owners and car manufacturers (often there is one person in a car, or worse a 4 wheel drive, one person at a time each travelling in the same direction) governments who need to demand that car sharing is mandatory, who provide superior public transport in cities plus super speed trains with services linking outback towns and areas, so industry will move back out there, so people will want to use the services, people who can move to these country areas whilst still being able to be connected to employment if necessary and connected to their families in our major cities. Another bonus would be much less large vehicles on our highways also. If Japan can do it, why can't Australia? The first government who stops spending our billions on capital city roads and builds super train services, will get my vote. We have to make cars a pariah just like smoking, change peoples minds from cars being a status symbol to one where people become ashamed to own and drive a car!
Also each wet season, up north, we have millions of litres of water falling from the sky, yes we need some to fill up our rivers and Lake Eyre but so much rain which causes catastrophic floods downstream, surely there is some way we can harvest the rain up north, so that we have water supply at hand so there are fewer struggling farmers through drought times, where we have water on hand for towns who now need to buy in water, just for drinking purposes let alone any extra. To me money should be made available first, for: water harvesting, high speed trains, better public transport and wave powered power plants, before billions spend on more roads which only mean more cars!
Footnote: We are a 60's something couple who own one car which travels, no more than 2000kl per
year, we live on an island, when on the mainland, we always use public transport, sometimes travelling
for hours at a time, with shopping trolleys in tow, all whilst using public transport. Admittedly, we no longer need to travel to work, as I am semi retired and work part time from home, my husband no longer works, but we have made choices to get us here, where we feel comfortable with our decisions, hopefully helping the planet in our little way
Informative
Conscious Designing is the only way to true sustainability in architecture.