A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
A design forecast from building firm Gensler highlights potential trends that will drive the development sector in 2024. Ryan Haines and Kristin Jensen describe the forecast in the Daily Journal of Commerce.
One emerging trend is the push for adaptive reuse, particularly as office vacancies remain high and developers look to other ways to repurpose buildings. Governments around the country are incentivizing the conversion and retrofitting of older buildings.
The forecast also asserts that sustainable design has become “non-negotiable,” noting that “Higher standards for products and materials, the adaptive reuse of existing buildings, net zero energy strategies, and regenerative design principles will define our sustainable future.”
Other likely trends include a diminishing focus on return-to-office metrics, a growing focus on the design and architecture needs of older people, a shift to mixed-use districts as an approach to revitalization. “Planners are reimagining downtowns to respond to the evolving and varied needs of those living there, starting with public safety, and focusing on uses that provide activity beyond the workday.”
FULL STORY: Eight trends shaping design for cities in 2024
Office Conversion Sees No Sign of Slowing
The adaptive reuse of office buildings for residential and other uses will grow by as much as 63 percent in 2024 over last year.
Denver Voters Approve Downtown Revitalization Bonds
The city wants to bring new projects and residents to the downtown core, where 13 million feet of vacant office and retail space await new tenants.
How the Post-Covid Reality Is Reshaping Central Business Districts and Urban Centers
U.S. cities are working to redefine their downtowns in response to the “donut effect:” people and businesses abandoning city centers and flocking to suburban areas and beyond.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research