The global architectural services market reached a value of $344.9 billion in 2021.
The world of architecture is always growing, and with time, advancements are made. The architectural technology we have access to in today's world makes a range of things possible that were previously unheard of. This is making modern building designs more flexible, practical, and capable.
For a rundown of some of the biggest architectural technology advancements for 2022, keep reading.
With a constantly growing population, many countries have areas where there simply isn't enough housing for everyone. This was made much worse in urbanized areas as a result of the pandemic. With property prices rising, many people have been left struggling to find a home.
As far as architectural trends go, this isn't the newest, but it's certainly seen rapid growth very recently. Architectural software allows architects to design functional prefabricated homes that can be quickly and easily constructed. They can even be 3D printed, allowing for some very intricate and creative designs.
AR (augmented reality) is a very modern technology that's starting to appear in a range of industries. Recently people have begun to integrate AR technology into real-world buildings. It can provide an advanced overlay to display 3D models over a given environment.
Designers and builders can try out various ideas using architectural renderings to see how something would look when completed. There's a range of things that people can experiment with using AR, such as:
It's an incredibly immersive technology, and one of the best ways to try out different ideas. You'll never know exactly how something will look until it's completed, but this gives a good preview.
Either smart glasses or smart devices (tablets and phones) can be used to view augmented reality environments. Advancements with these technologies are happening very rapidly, making the function and quality of AR something that improves every year.
VR (virtual reality) shares some similarities with AR. It involves the use of smart technology to allow people to view certain architectural designs. The difference here is that people can use it to view an entire virtually rendered design, regardless of their location.
With this, an architect can design an entire home or building, and allow others to view it as a 3D render. Such designs can be viewed at any point from initial mock-ups to the final product. It presents one of the best ways for architects to sell their ideas, as they can show them in a realistic environment.
It also makes it easy for stakeholders to give feedback on any changes they'd like to see. Once these changes have been made, they can take another look to see how things have panned out. This is especially ideal with large projects where there may be a lot of stakeholders who want to have some input on the design.
This is also becoming a more common tool to help property buyers. People can take a 3D tour of a building without having to go and see it in person. This can save a lot of time and effort if people are interested in buying a property that's not in their local area.
Architectural advancements aren't always in terms of physical designs, but they can also come in other formats. Smart devices are adding a huge range of functional advancements to homes and other buildings.
This is commonly seen in the form of virtual assistant devices like Amazon's Alexa that allow for voice control of various aspects of a home. Smartphone apps can also offer similar control and can be used from anywhere.
Depending on what smart devices a property has, there are plenty of features that the owner can implement. With smart locks, for example, someone can control the locks of their home from anywhere. They can double-check to make sure their door is locked, or open it for someone arriving, even if no one is inside.
Smart thermostats allow for similar capabilities, giving people control from anywhere through a smartphone app. You could adjust the temperature of different individual rooms and set schedules to adjust the climate automatically.
Some even include features that will adjust the temperature of a room when sensors detect someone entering, and then change it again when they leave.
With the impact of climate change becoming clearer every year, many industries are looking for ways to reduce the impact on the environment. An example of this within architecture is the increased use of recycled plastic as a building material. This reduces raw material use as well as carbon emissions.
Considerations into making buildings efficient are becoming more common. Solar panels and other renewable energy sources are being implemented more. Advancements in these technologies are making them increasingly viable as an energy solution.
Things like triple-glazed windows are also becoming more popular to reduce the amount of energy used. Better insulated buildings can dramatically reduce the energy needed to heat and cool them, making them more eco-friendly and reducing bills for the owner.
Some smart materials are also coming into play. These may be able to respond to their environment, allowing them to adjust to improve efficiency in different conditions.
Architectural technology, like all technology, is always advancing. Many of these new trends for 2022 are just coming into play, and will likely improve in the coming years.
Designblendz is here to support architectural projects in a range of aspects. We can help with initial designs, visualization of projects, 3D tour generation, and more. If you have any questions on how we can help you, go here to contact us today.