Unlike passing trends in architecture, the trend is transcendence, it goes hand in hand with development and technology that evolves over time.
Architectural projects today must adapt to technological, social and economic changes.
As new market demands emerge, architecture seeks to align itself with the new transcendences that propose innovative techniques and also make use of current technological resources in terms of materials and other instruments, which allow improving the functionality of each project.
Sustainable Architecture
The use of ecological materials and the application of elements that favor the energy efficiency of buildings will be two fundamental aspects in the construction of the coming years. The use of recycled resources in construction and low-polluting and energy-efficient materials will stand out above all.
Sustainable design takes into account the life cycle of materials, the use of land and geographic space, the use of renewable energies for its operation and construction, and the recycling of waste, all with the aim of reducing the environmental impact that the construction of a space can represent, without neglecting functionality and aesthetics.
For a project to be sustainable it must be integrated not only by materials that are aligned to it, but also by a whole represented by the technology implemented in the construction of the work. The furniture that will be used in the spaces that compose it must also be sustainable.
The purpose of using ecological materials in these systems is that they can be reused and that despite the fact that the building may deteriorate over time, these elements maintain a long useful life. Some of the technologies that will be maintained in the coming year are solar and wind power, as clean energies that guarantee the operation of the buildings.
Green technology
The use of renewable energies, water collection and reuse systems, dynamic facades that regulate natural light and programs that measure the interior temperature of rooms to save energy, to mention a few, will not be unitary solutions, but part of a decision that begins in the design and continues throughout the construction.
Interesting building materials are emerging, such as straw, bricks or bamboo. The architects of Co-Lab Design Lab are the authors of the Luum Temple, a bamboo structure whose design was made possible thanks to parametric software. "Bamboo can reach the compressive strength of concrete and the tensile strength of steel. But unlike those materials, its production sequesters carbon instead of emitting it."
Renovation over demolition
The construction industry is one of the most impactful, so anything that adds to the process of making architecture and cities sustainable will be imperative to development. It is not surprising that from now on we will try to give more opportunity to renovation and restoration. The paradox of our habitat is to destroy in order to build. One of the main challenges lies in finding the balance between what we need to destroy in order to build.
Tradition and local materials
Construction techniques are increasingly inspired by local and ancestral knowledge. In addition, local resources are used to avoid the economic and ecological cost of transporting materials.
Perhaps the concept of "sustainable" takes on meaning when all the factors involved in the project (climate, local labor and available resources) and its materialization allow a construction to end up being an example of how to use those resources in the most sensible and careful way possible.
Multifunctional designs
In offices, stores and homes, multifunctional spaces have gained popularity, thanks to the fact that they provide the opportunity to adapt to different circumstances, since they improve fluidity, mobility and comfort, thus allowing that, even in small spaces, it is possible to develop different activities. As well as co working, spaces in homes to carry out work activities are becoming a necessity.
Due to the increase in population and the shortage of habitable places and for construction, multifunctional spaces are highly valued, thus increasing their demand, so that experts in the development of these projects have gained a lot of market.
OPEN, FUNCTIONAL AND MINIMALIST SPACES
This is a trend that responds to the two previous ones, since the use of natural light in interior spaces is a resource that is directly related to sustainability, since this resource is used to highlight the designs and their functionality.
This trend in architectural design also favors the temperature of a space, since windows and large windows are excellent insulators, they can also be adapted to improve acoustics or block outside noise, which is why it has gained popularity in urban developments.
Open and multifunctional spaces, which can be adapted to the needs of their tenants and different circumstances, accompanied by a minimalist decor will be the protagonists this year. In the real estate sector, open spaces such as balconies, terraces, rooftops and other open-air spaces are becoming more and more demanded. This could be an effect cause of the pandemic.
In addition, all this will be accompanied by a greater role of home automation and technology, with more automated elements that improve the welfare, comfort and safety of users.
BIM SYSTEM
BIM (Building Information Modeling) is a methodology that allows the creation of digital design simulations, coordinating the management of all the information involved in an architectural project.
Projects modeled in BIM can include the actual products and materials that will be used to build them, incorporating their geometry, characteristics, cost and contact information to acquire them once approved.
Suppliers play a fundamental part within this constellation of actors, since we are in a constant relationship with them to define what the project will be built with, and that relationship is a daily one. BIM could be understood, then, as a kind of catalog of modeled materials, improving the way in which the technical specifications of the project are passed on to those in charge of building it.
There are websites that host huge libraries of products, allowing specific models to be downloaded for immediate incorporation into the architectural project, thus saving the time it would take for subsequent specification. With all this information loaded, the system not only improves the quality of the work, but also reduces decision making and last minute changes during the construction process, addressing problems virtually and lowering overall project costs.
While CAD allows design in 2D or 3D without distinguishing its elements, this data system incorporates 4D (time) and 5D (costs), allowing information to be managed intelligently throughout the life cycle of a project, automating processes of programming, conceptual design, detailed design, analysis, documentation, fabrication, construction logistics, operation and maintenance, renovation and/or demolition.
It is important to clarify the difference between BIM and programs such as Revit®, ArchiCAD®, AllPlan® and similar: BIM is a working system, while Revit®, ArchiCAD® and AllPlan® are software where this system can be applied. Therefore, they complement each other and allow the architect's work to be carried out efficiently.
In this way, BIM enables architects, clients, builders, engineers and other relevant actors to work together in a single, intelligent and shared process.