Design trends from Gensler’s 2017 Design Forecast

The process of anticipating what the future will hold and then design and develop methods to minimize the effects of future events is known as future-proofing. Gensler’s 2017 Design Forecast deals with this concept and how the firm is implementing design strategies to create functional spaces for the future.

Things become outdated in today’s world faster than ever before, which prompted many of Gensler’s clients to pose questions about the future: How can we future-proof our projects so they fully repay our investment? Can we stay at design’s leading edge when everything changes so quickly?

These questions and others like them, and the issues that arise from them, were the catalyst for Gensler’s 2017 Design Forecast. The forecast centers on four major themes that encapsulate the ideas Gensler is focused on with its clients: The Experience-Driven Life, Livable Cities, Everyday Impact, Responsible Design.

It is through these lenses that Gensler examines how design will shape the human experience moving forward.

Below are Gensler’s four themes

DESIGNING THE EXPERIENCE-DRIVEN LIFE

Etsy, Brooklyn, NY. Etsy’s values of craft, community support, social innovation, and sustainability are reflected in the space. Photo courtesy of Gensler.

Experience is key for companies seeking to make their purpose relevant and emotionally engaging to employees. In a values-based world, brands must live their mission every day. Office buildings function as dynamic ecosystems that support purpose and innovation. There’s no better example than the Etsy headquarters in Brooklyn, where a reprogrammable work platform celebrates the handmade. A journey through the space weaves a narrative built on the local maker, artist, and artisan contributions. It sets a new standard for the values-based workplace—putting a priority on inclusivity.

The company culture thrives on a variety of collaboration spaces, open lounges, and pantries with communal tables. Amenity floors include well-stocked maker spaces for staff and community members to learn woodworking, 3D printing, weaving, and silk-screening. And every material has been vetted to meet the rigorous environmental standards of the Living Building Challenge.

DELIVERING TOMORROW’S LIVABLE CITIES

The Tower at PNC Plaza, Pittsburgh. Driving performance to new levels, this headquarters building integrates with its neighborhood and inspires an engaging experience for its users and city. Photo courtesy of Gensler.

Buildings contribute more than any other factor to global carbon emissions—30 percent and up to 80 percent in some developing countries. The good news? Our clients are recognizing design’s role in addressing climate change and are already responding effectively.

The breathable net-zero Tower at PNC Plaza represents a benchmark of performance that if applied to other buildings would meet the Paris Pledge for Action goal of limiting global warming to less than 2°C. The 33-story tower expands the scope of resilience beyond environmental factors to encompass energy-saving, workplace innovation, and community building.

The Tower at PNC Plaza, Pittsburgh. Purposeful parks in the sky: on the building’s multiple outdoor decks, green-roof technology collects rainwater for treatment and reuse. They are also a place where workers can engage with each other and the city. Photo courtesy of Gensler.

While high-performance building is a core strategy, the long-term success of a project depends on its ability to unlock innovation. Design fosters that ability by considering the impact that a building, like The Tower at PNC Plaza, has on the human experience. What is it like to work in a building that breathes? How can design inspire and enable great work? How can new building types minimize resource use and spur continued development? What does it take for a building to augment its surroundings? Resilience depends on how all these parts relate. The growing desire for it leads to new kinds of partnerships that allow growth and resilience to work together. This will bridge the public and private intents and help reorganize the global economy around these shared pursuits.

DESIGNING FOR EVERYDAY IMPACT

University of Kansas School of Business, Lawrence, KS. Photo courtesy of Gensler.

Gensler research on both education and workplace shows that more collaboration and the use of different spaces for different work modes correlate to higher levels of creativity and innovation. Transparency plays a big role in creating these settings. At the University of Kansas School of Business, it serves to spark connections and inspire a more entrepreneurial culture for the whole campus.

This business school is designed with millennials in mind, providing a connection with peers and places to participate in the action. Photo courtesy of Gensler.

At Duke Kunshan’s sustainable campus, learning happens everywhere and with everyone, to support a diversity of learning styles and innovative learning strategies. Transparency also communicates the larger context of education today—the partnerships with business, government, and communities that educational institutions are forming. These relationships make education relevant while elevating the roles of learning, creativity, and curiosity in other sectors of society.

This new context of education positions universities as anchors of growth for their communities.

MAKING DESIGN MORE RESPONSIVE

“Tornado” concept, Opportunity Green Conference, Los Angeles. The “tornado” was built in 24 hours. The team used modeling and 3D printing. Visitors use an AR App to interact with the structure. Photo courtesy of Gensler.

On the delivery side, 3d printing, robotic fabrication and prefabrication, and other methods are speeding things up while reducing costs and errors. Digital fabrication and prefabrication are a growing part of the delivery. Computational design harnesses computing power to develop new forms and test feasibility and performance while a project is in design.

3D Printed Office, Dubai. The fully functional office took just 17 days to print and install on-site. The technology helps cut labor costs, construction waste, and construction schedules. Photo courtesy of Gensler.

Gensler, in partnership with Thornton Tomasetti and Syska Hennessy, unveiled the world’s first fully functional 3D printed office in Dubai. The structure, designed originally as a house, moves beyond prototyping to full occupancy. These methods unfold in different scales. Gensler used digital fabrication techniques to create a prototype that duals as a bike rack and bench for Costa Rica’s Department of Transportation & Public Infrastructure.

Source:https://www.gensler.com/research-insight/publications/design-forecast?utm_source=client-email-blast_2017feb15&utm_campaign=design-forecast-2017&utm_medium=email&utm_content=crm-client-list