2 minute read
Design-build Trends
from Architectural Products - January/February 2023
by Buildings & Construction Group
Design-build trends are ever-evolving. This year’s trends include biomimicry, net-zero energy design, WELL building standards, and a move from minimal modern into an artisanal design palette.
Biomimicry
Why reinvent the wheel when nature got it right in the first place? Biomimicry is the approach to design that emulates nature’s models in terms of a form, process, material, or system to solve problems and it is certainly emerging as an architectural trend to watch in 2023.
Net-Zero Energy Design
Sustainable design-build efforts are not new, but pursuit of net-zero energy continues to be top of mind in 2023. Looking for ways to make the amount of energy provided onsite equal to the amount of energy used requires careful consideration of the products and systems selected for the project—in terms of both the systems gathering the energy and the systems using it.
Improving Your WELL-Being
The WELL building standard considers how a person’s health and wellbeing are affected by a building’s design and operation. Providing occupants with access to daylight and views; specifying finishes, paints, and products with low-VOCs; encouraging the use of stairs over elevators; and designing a quality acoustic environment are just a few of the ways that architects embrace WELL.
Bringing Back Detailed Design
There will always be a place for minimalistic and modern design, but this year there is a hunger for more. New interior design concepts are more embellished and elaborate featuring more artisanal concepts. These detailed designs bring character and identity to a space.
Marine Biology Meets Concrete
As sea levels rise—and extreme weather threatens our coastlines—there is a continued need for coastal development, maintenance and retrofitting. ECOncrete’s bio-enhancing admix makes concrete stronger and more durable, but also creates habitats for native marine organisms. This concrete admix is ideal for seawall structures, breakwaters, bridge foundations and urban waterfronts and mimics the form, texture and chemical properties of rocky reefs, tide pools and other marine ecosystems.
ECOncrete www.econcretetech.com DETAILED
Antique Tile Design
Everett and Blue is a UK-based company, but their method for hand-painted azulejo tile comes from centuries of Portuguese tradition. Everett and Blue sources their clay from Lisbon and partners with a family-run factory in Portugal to craft the tiles by hand, according to Remodelista. Everett and Blue offers tiles in three colorways: Azul (blue), Verde (green) and Cinza (gray). Their solid design is Cores.
Everett and Blue
Alfama Verde Hand-Painted Tile www.everetteandblue.com
WELL-BEING
Safer, Separate Panels
Goodbye, cubicle. Hello, Humanscale WellGuard Separation Panel. Social distancing ordinances may have softened, but employees deserve a safe return to the workspace. These panels and desk shields reduce the risk of airborne transmission of viral particles between workstations—without making people feel completely removed and isolated. The panel material is highly durable and easy to install— or uninstall—as safety practices evolve.
Humanscale Design Studio Separation Panel & Desk Shield www.humanscale.com
Bird-friendly Design
Every year, hundreds of millions of birds are killed due to collisions with glass. ORNILUX gained inspiration from spiderwebs to develop a transparent, but bird-friendly glass. Spiders weave UV-reflective strands of silk into their webs to prevent birds from flying through them. ORNILUX added a patterned, UV-reflective coating to its glass. The coating is visible to birds but is virtually transparent to the human eye.
Separation panels can decrease airflow between workstations and research shows that stiller air can lower infection rates within a given space.
More Than a Solar Panel
Lumos is committed to changing the perception of solar from an “unattractive appliance to a functional design element,” according to its website. One of Lumos’ flagship products, the SolarScape Classic, seeks to accomplish this goal.
SolarScape is a modular, prefabricated and pre-engineered solar structure that can be configured into a classic canopy design as a solar carport, patio cover, walkway, bus stop, picnic area or EV charging station. SolarScapes are highly durable, easy to install and available in infinite powder coat colors.
SolarScapes Classic Lumos Solar www.lumossolar.com
