Industry professionals have shared their predictions for the future of residential architecture in a national survey from Reynaers at Home.
The majority of respondents said that sustainability was high on the agenda for the houses of tomorrow.
Looking at the current industry, architects agreed that energy efficiency is still a critical consideration when designing a project, with 48% of respondents citing it as the most popular trend.
When asked: “What does the future hold for housing design?” almost half said more affordable homes for the younger population. More than one in 10 also said that tech-based solutions for smaller spaces will be a prominent future trend.
Architects predicted that there will be more properties built to meet energy demands and budgets for all ages, with a focus on flexibility and functionality supported by innovative design and quality.
One architect said: “The future in housing design needs more affordable housing for all ages, but there’s not the political will to make this happen. Too many people are heavily invested in the inflated housing market.”
Maximising space and light were mentioned as key trends for the future, as well as amenities and space planning, cost-effective repetitive grid facades and floating corners with bifold or sliding doors below.
Compared with Reynaers at Home’s 2013 survey, there was a 12% collective increase in popularity for panoramic window walls, bi-fold doors and floating ceiling corners.
A clear effort is emerging to streamline residential architecture into a landscape of sustainable, affordable and efficient homes which maximise space, light and energy usage.
Rebecca Cope, marketing manager at Reynaers, said: “It’s fantastic to see that as an industry we are looking towards the future. Architects care about the people using their buildings, as well as the world around them.
“Architecture is about creating something that provides an excellent functional space for those who live there, and one that will stand the test of time. This sits in line with Reynaers at Home’s key values, as our product range of aluminium doors and windows boasts fantastic sustainability credentials.”
Of the architects surveyed, 41% of respondents designed for the domestic market and 38% designed for commercial and domestic. The majority of respondents focused on a mix of new builds and extensions/refurbs.
