Architecture Consumer Insights

Trend - Engineered bamboo has emerged as a versatile building material in regions frequently impacted by severe climate-related challenges. This material is an eco-friendly and highly durable alternative that withstands extreme weather, making it ideal for constructing homes, bridges, and even skyscrapers.

Insight - Consumers frequently impacted by severe climate-related challenges often look for unique solutions to help protect their homes during extreme weather. These consumers seek solutions that provide exceptional strength and flexibility, prioritizing materials that can endure unpredictable conditions and effectively safeguard their homes and valuables from climate-related threats. Businesses that understand the unique challenges of certain regions can develop products tailored to those communities.

Trend - Architectural companies are creating compact homes with sustainability-first designs. Often with an emphasis on minimalism and nature, these homes offer the essentials for living comfortably in a compact structure built with eco-friendly materials.

Insight - As more millennial consumers become homeowners, many are noting the current undesirable state of the housing industry. With rising costs of living affecting more than just housing costs, it is becoming increasingly difficult for many such consumers to live comfortably on their own. As a result, architectural companies are creating compact, often portable, homes with eco-friendly designs that help mitigate energy costs, tax rates, and more.

Trend - Businesses are partnering with sustainable development companies, or launching research divisions, to craft carbon-neutral or negative offices. These buildings use renewable energies and sustainable materials as part of carbon offsetting measures—resulting in tax benefits and lower operation costs.

Insight - Large businesses, particularly those connected to large product supply chains, are increasingly receiving pressure from regulating bodies and environmental NGOs to become more sustainable. These businesses are beginning to monitor each part of their operations to identify areas that can be improved to reduce their emissions. As a result, many businesses have chosen infrastructure as a focus for eco-efforts. Businesses that invest in these shifts improve their image while appeasing regulators.

Trend - Brands are creating tiny, mobile, and stationary houses that are designed to be more affordable and sustainable than traditional homes. These homes are often built on trailers or in small lots, and they are designed to maximize the use of space and minimize unnecessary features.

Insight - To combat the cost of living crisis, many consumers have chosen to purchase micro-houses and tiny homes as they are affordable living options for those struggling to afford a traditional home or apartment. As inflation continues to shift how consumers spend money, there is more emphasis being placed on humble, smaller-scale ways of living. As a result, tiny homes are becoming increasingly popular for people who want to downsize or live more simply.

Trend - Numerous companies, especially those in the automotive, engineering, and architecture space, are using IoT and VR-based systems to create precise digital representations of their products and systems. These lifelike models are then tested virtually as a way to guide product development.

Insight - When it comes to large-scale buildings, automotive vehicles, and other complex infrastructure, visualizing and troubleshooting these products during their development phase can be incredibly costly. As a result, a wide range of businesses are turning to digital twin technology to create exact virtual replicas of their products -- whether these be jet fuel engines, electric cars, or sustainable condominiums -- which they can then test and assess digitally.

Trend - The metaverse welcomes more developments as architectural studios begin constructing buildings and other infrastructure to mimic the physical world. These structures are able to push the limits of traditional architecture with physics-bending designs.

Insight - The metaverse is a space where the imagination can run wild and concoct structures that are otherwise impossible in the physical world. Consumers are turning to the digital space for content that fulfills their desire for the fantastical. Digital infrastructure is, therefore, being built using cutting-edge technology to provide visual stimulation and appease the consumer's need for escapism.

Trend - As more consumers prioritize home projects, brands are offering elevated backyard storage solutions that better fit the aesthetic and functional needs of modern consumers. These sheds have contemporary designs and enhance the appearance of backyards, instead of taking away from them.

Insight - The pandemic made consumers spend more time at home, and therefore focus more on home projects and upgrades that they could elevate their space with. The focus on having highly functional, well-curated home environments will continue as flexible work accommodations prevail, even with the pandemic's impact lessening.

Trend - The Pandemic enforced many drastic changes in the education space, with virtual learning as the safest option. Now that most places in the world are no longer enforcing strict distancing rules, campuses can reopen -- however, they must do so with safety in mind. Connectivity and robotics are integral to this "new normal" of higher education.

Insight - This more technology-driven approach to campuses follows a pattern seen in many industries post-pandemic. Despite mandates lifting in many places, the threat of COVID-19 is still present, both physically, and psychologically. Technology is the key to providing safe, but familiar experiences as society moves into the next phase of the pandemic. Additionally, the use of exciting new technologies heightens experiences, making them feel more worth the risk, and ultimately speaking to a new set of needs.

Trend - Cork is an increasingly popular material as its known for being renewable and biodegradable. Thus, the durable material is now being used in construction projects that are aiming to be sustainable.

Insight - Consumers are increasingly expecting that brands and institutions prioritize sustainability as the impending consequences of climate change make themselves known. These expectations go past brand values, with consumers expecting everything from production to brands' charitable initiatives going towards reducing environmental harm.

Trend - Prefab residences are now being designed to account for the consequences of climate change and natural disasters, with everything from designs that accommodate flooding to those that are earthquake-proof.

Insight - Consumers around the world are increasingly aware of how climate change will affect weather patterns in the future. Because of this, many are choosing to invest in both micro and macro solutions that both lessen their personal impact on the environment, and that might protect them from some of the consequences of climate change in the future.