As we head in to 2019 and close out our 80th anniversary year, we’re looking forward to the next 80 years. We recently asked our team members a couple questions about the future of architecture and interior design. Enjoy some of their responses below!
What does designing for the next 80 years mean to you?
Being conscious of the demands in our changing eco system by designing buildings / spaces that promote organic health. And deterring from fads and quick trends.
– Jessica Wolff, Marketing
Designing for the next 80 years means looking for ways to incorporate materials, systems, and spaces that can capture present needs but also be adaptable and flexible to future needs and plans for people many years down the road. Using materials that are innovative and meet challenges whether it be related to energy use, health of building users or limited resources. Also figuring out how to design and reutilize existing buildings and spaces in new and creative ways.
– Jim Gregory, Architect
Designing for health and wellness of humans and the earth. The importance of this is increasing more each day. Architects need to take responsibility for creating a built environment that stops global warming and improved the lives of humans. This a crazy ambitious goal, but an imperative one.
– Tiersa Wodash, Architect
Continuing to push the norms of building and design toward a more sustainable future. Also, to continue designing buildings that benefit the communities they’re designed for.
– Chris Kroeger, Designer
What does the future of architecture / interior design look like to you? What would you like see / design / create?
I would love to design a horticulture skywalk system in a city like Seattle, or Minneapolis. It would give users a sense of being outdoors and away from the city, provide a MUCH needed acoustical solution to the current noisy skywalks, and would require very minimal upkeep if a proper system was in place. Rather than designing an individual building to promote horticulture (example: zoo), I think as a designer it’s important to assess our needs by looking outside of the box and designing the box we already live/work in, therefore saving time, money and very precious space.
– Jessica Wolff, Marketing
I would like to see that good architecture is accessible to everyone, not just in large budget projects. I always like working on projects that an entire community can enjoy. Through new construction and adaptive reuse I hope that we can provide projects that help to provide part of the solution to social and environmental issues that we face today.
– Emerson Smith, Designer
I’d like to assist in creating educational opportunities that introduce and give hands-on experience to students in high school that inform about systems in your home and the job skills within the design and construction fields.
– Tiersa Wodash, Architect
Overall I’d like to see more connections between technology & the outdoors. There’s potential to create a lot of faux outdoorsy features such as fake daylighting or green walls to simulate the same essential outdoor experiences, but there will still never be anything better than real access to natural light, better air quality and a connection to something other than a computer screen. We spend so much time inside of buildings that we lose the health benefits of being outdoors, so I’d really like to create something that better helps blend the two.
– Stephanie Elzen, Interior Designer
Increasing technological capabilities will allow for more interesting and fun design opportunities. I’d like to be able to use cutting edge building solutions in a project – designing a very energy efficient and great looking building.
– Chris Kroeger, Designer
The future of design is moving toward a more mobile society, both with technology, but also with the health and well-being of the occupant. We as a society are currently very mobile, but that is now seeping into the workplace. Some workplaces are already designing and planning for this type of design by incorporating the “well” aspect into their projects. I believe that this concept is going to continue to progress forward and the styles of architecture and interior design are going to keep evolving to match this.
-Katherine Gerzina, Architect
It’s inspiring to see so many ideas focused on how the built environment can positively affect its users and a focus to better / help the planet. To us, the future looks BRIGHT!
Happy New Year!