A lot has changed over the last year, and the architectural world is no different. The current architectural style has seen dramatic shifts in both scale and design. We discuss some of the most notable changes 2020 has seen and whether or not these trends are here to stay.
Current Architectural Style Interiors With Minimalist Interiors
Minimalism was big in 2020, cutting down on more material interiors. This wasn’t just a trend confined to home space either. Commercial offices and buildings also implemented minimalistic designs in their interiors.
Most prevalently, cold-shaded marble, vast concrete, wooden surfaces, and plain walls were used.
Modular Housing Choices
With the pandemic hitting many households hard, modular housing became a natural solution for many people.
These kinds of homes are much smaller, but they can be deeply customized to provide the maximum amount of storage possible. They can also be constructed much faster due to their smaller size and can be made from a wide variety of materials, even shipping containers.
A Focus on Being Environmentally-Friendly
Continuing from last year, 2020 was the wake-up call many architects heard and started designing more buildings that incorporated environmentally-friendly elements into their designs.
Examples of this trend included using roof space for solar panels, designing buildings to be net-zero ready, and a greater emphasis on efficient appliances and fixtures.
Additionally, the implementation of literal “green” spaces for plants in buildings also grew with some buildings using outdoor gardens or indoor plant walls to bring more life into spaces.
Skyscrapers That Are Thin
The Steinway Tower, the thinnest skyscraper in the world, was finally completed in 2020. An incredible achievement and a trend in design that will only continue and population density grows.
With fewer and fewer locations for sprawling, expansive builds, many architects are designing upward where space is unlimited. Some of the notable other projects in progress or completed are the Merdeka 118, Chengdu Greenland Center, and the Citic Tower.
Using Carbon Fibre in More Structures
Carbon fibre is by no means a new material. However, the functionality it offers when it comes to construction makes it highly desirable and valuable for many different kinds of projects.
Already used heavily in the automotive world, carbon fibre has the following properties:
- High stiffness and tensile strength
- Relatively low weight
- High chemical resistance
- High-temperature tolerance
- Low thermal expansion
These properties, especially the high tensile strength make it a great alternative to heavier metals or other costly materials.
Expect next year to continue building on the trends of environmental friendliness, thin skyscrapers, and more extensive use of carbon fibre.
