architecture trends 2014

8/13/2019 Architecture Trends 2014

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As 2013 comes to a close, we are taking the opportunity to look back on the

memorable trends that have influenced the larger dialogue of architecture and

urban design. From the beach-side city of Miami slowly transforming into the

USA's next design center, to a mushrooming of super-tall skyscrapers

competing for the distinction of "world's tallest building," to proposals for entire

cities that function on renewable energy and sustainable building practices,

2013 may be remembered best for the proposals by big-named architects

seeking to claim attention-grabbing titles over the next couple of years.

The upcoming year presents numerous challenges to architects, especially in

solving issues of sustainability and climate change, an ever increasing income

gap in our largest cities, and planning for the smart growth of cities, especially

as the world's population becomes increasingly urbanized. Looking forward to

the next year, here are the architecture and planning trends that we hope to see

more of in 2014.

1. Adapting coastal cities to climate change through resilient design

The profound devastation experienced throughout the New York Metropolitan

area in the wake of Hurricane Sandy made us come face-to-face with a dismal

reality: as worldwide carbon levels in the atmosphere continue to exacerbate the

effects of climate change, our coastal cities are likely to face similar disasters in

the future. Perhaps the most crucial trend that we hope to see more of in 2014:

preparing our cities and citizens to adapt to these impending threats through

design solutions.


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OMA's Urban Catalyst, photo via

As New York started to rebuild after the storm, the President's Hurricane Sandy

Rebuilding Task Force unveiled Rebuild by Design , an initiative that called on

architects and planners to submit proposals to make New York more resilient

against rising sea-levels and catastrophic storms. Among the proposals is

OMA's "Urban Catalyst," a project that would build a hard wall along the airport

terminals of JFK to prevent choking flights during a storm, and give the


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residents of Queens a safe, dry urban refuge. Also of note, SCAPE/LANDSCAPE

Architecture 's "Living, Growing Breakwaters," which seeks to reduce wave

energy by 32%, clean coastal waters, and offer broader ecological education by

reinstating natural oyster habitats.


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SCAPE/LANDSCAPE Architecture 's "Living, Growing Breakwaters," photo via

2. Bringing off-the-grid architecture to the city

This past year, we saw numerous projects that made an outstanding effort at

sustainability by going "off the grid." These buildings make a negligible impact on

their environments, and are often far removed from large urban centerswhich

makes sense, given the significant space that is necessary for generating

renewable energy. However, while staying outside the city seems like an

inherent trait of going off the grid, it leaves the residents of these structures

disconnected from public transit and the vital economic resources of urban

areas. That means, to access jobs and commodities, one must travel long

distances via automobile, which accrues a significant carbon footprint removed

from that of the physical structure.


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Studio 804, Inc.'s 3716 Springfield, photo via

In a downtrodden neighborhood of Kansas City, Studio 804, Inc. designed

the 3716 Springfield residence, an off-the-grid home that received the first LEED

Platinum status in the Kansas City Metropolitan area. The home is located just

south of the downtown coreminimizing the physical residence's impact on its

environment while decreasing the occupants' carbon footprint. Bringing off-the-

grid to larger urban areas, especially in blighted neighborhoods, presents the

opportunity to foster more sustainable and connected communities.


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Exterior view of 3716 Springfield, photo via

3. Greater public oversight for new skyscrapers and development projects

In 2013, New York City watched its downtown skyline be transformed as the

new World Trade Center topped out back in May. But, 2013 will perhaps be

remembered more for a trend that we hope to see less of (or at least greater

oversight over) in 2014: super-tall residential skyscrapers catered to the elite

and super-rich. Each month, another proposal for a residential tower in

Manhattan's Midtown designed by a big-name firm made headlines,

from SHoP's slender 107 West 57th Street , to the contentious One57

condominiums that shut down its surrounding neighborhood on 57th street due

to a malfunctioning crane, to Rafael Violy 's 432 Park Avenue already under

constructionsupremely opulent and pricey buildings offering unrivaled viewsof Manhattan to echo Mayor Michael Bloomberg's statement , If we could get every

billionaire in the world to move here, that would be a godsend.


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SHoP's proposal for 107 West 57th Street, photo via

Each of these palatial abodes received significant opposition from their

communities, as their imposing presence will act merely as a privileged place for

the super-rich who can afford the ultimate view. As Bloomberg's pro-

development reign comes to a close, we hope to see stronger oversight for new

development projects that takes the public payback for these elite structures

into consideration. As Michael Kimmelman noted in a recent New York


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Times article , "Exceptional height should be earned, not just bought. Let

community groups and city agencies weigh in . . . Developers might also give

something back for the profits reaped as they leverage public assets like parks.

They could pony up for affordable housing and improved transit."


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Christian de Portzamparc's One57, photo via

4. More low and mid-rise affordable housing solutions

In the mid-20th century, constructing affordable high-density public housing

often translated into towering concrete apartment blocks set within ample green

spacea practice that today has been criticized for creating stark, isolating

environments that ignore the human scale. However, a new building typology

arose nearly 40 years ago that sought an alternative for public housing, as the

need for better living conditions and space grew. Incorporating more light, open

space, and a closer connection to the ground, this practice became known as

low-rise high-density, and reached its prominence in the 1970s with the Marcus

Garvey Park Village in Brooklyn.


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Marcus Garvey Park Village, photo via

This past year, RKTB Architects & Urban Designers built the Monsignor Anthony

J. Barretta Apartments in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn, an

exemplary model of low-rise high-density public housing. In eight buildings, 64

units were built for very low-income tenants that qualify for Section 8 assistance.

The apartments were built with the intention for LEED-certification, maintain a

close connection to the street and surrounding resources, and show a

concerted effort to improve the living conditions of New York's often overlooked

outer boroughs.


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RKTB Architects & Urban Designers' Monsignor Anthony J. Barretta Apartments,

photo via

5. Plan for people, not cars

In 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake struck San Francisco, leading to irreparable

damage of the city's Embarcadero and Central freeways. But, rather than

rebuilding the two major arteries, San Francisco took a progressive approach to

the damaged infrastructure that ensured a more pedestrian-friendly city: they

tore them down. Since their demolition, the surrounding neighborhoods that

were previously cut-off from one another by the elevated highways started to

slowly stitch themselves back together through the building of public parks,

pedestrian walkways, and bicycle routes.


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Erik Jensen and Justin Richardson' Fieldshift, photo via


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Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates' Park Over the Highway, image courtesy

of CityArchRiver

architecture trends 2014

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