Today is the start of a new month, and more importantly, today is a few building blocks towards normalcy for the UK. Whatever normalcy is now, anyway.
So how will lockdown change design, accommodation and developments in inner cities? And how will building suppliers, housing developers and architects adapt to appease the next generation of potential house buyers? Let’s take a look at what ‘normalcy’ might look like after the building sites pack away, and the new era of post-corona homes are complete. Before we reach that point, a bit more head scratching, and a lot more problem solving is inevitable. But we’re not in this industry for an easy life, are we?
To be part of the country's most exciting architectural projects, we need to keep doing what we’re best at. For us, that’s supporting the country's top developers, designers and architectural firms, and supplying the highest quality bricks on time, and to budget. For others, that may be adapting designs, rethinking floor plans, and reevaluating proposed builds to fit into this new world.
But we’re here to overcome challenges together, and ultimately, our next architectural efforts will transform our cities forever.
Coronavirus may have paused the world. But the world’s greatest architecture is yet to come.
There have been many discussions about how this period will influence our architectural footprint. Lockdown has made us question and prioritize our living needs. And, no doubt, the design of our future buildings, offices, homes and cityscapes will change to accommodate our new world. Because in cities with limited green space, what matters to the families living inside a third floor apartment? And in a penthouse with no communal grounds, what does a thirty-something single professional miss most?
Alison Brooks, an influential architect who has led on housing projects for large-scale developers, local authorities and bespoke residential buildings, gives insight into how coronavirus is forcing the reevaluation of how homes are designed. She highlights how the homes of the future should more carefully consider size and outdoor space, but above all else, emphasis should be on producing high quality homes for people to enjoy.
Brooks highlights how, for future homeowners, ‘there's going to be a value shift’ and that architects will be, ‘thinking a lot harder about amenities.’ Because ‘whether or not there's a pandemic, it's really important to have those outdoor spaces.’
‘It is making people think a lot harder about whether they have amenity space like balconies and terraces or French doors on to Juliet balconies,’ she said. ‘Everybody's paying a lot more attention to places where you can be outside without being on the street.’
Brooks expects there to be a revival in high-quality housing architecture in the UK, and a shift in values among architects, developers and clients.
And this is where we really think Brooks has hit the nail on the head.
Here at UK Brick we value creativity, thoughtful design, and housing solutions that respond to people’s needs. High quality housing comes through great collaborations, and we are proud to be the exclusive UK suppliers of our unique brick collections. All commercial and residential projects we supply bricks to are of extraordinarily quality. Because quality, in both design and material, is what separates functional architecture from brilliance.
June 1st 2020 marks the next era of architecture.
And we can’t wait to see our cities change.
Helping Hands: Get In Touch
Since every build is unique, the best way for us to help is to hear a little more about your build. If you have a colour in mind, we can help find the exact tone and collection
Please get in touch!
chris.flynn@uk-brick.com
https://www.uk-brick.com/contact