The next century of architecture will be built by 'mundane' tech
In short: We often imagine the future of architecture as a sci-fi spectacle of impossible shapes. In reality, the most profound changes may come from mastering the invisible: how we manage light, air, and water. To build a sustainable world, we must look backward at history while retooling our basic utilities.
The construction industry currently faces a sustainability crisis, largely due to a heavy reliance on concrete, which carries a significant environmental cost. As the current stock of buildings eventually turns over, architects and engineers are looking toward a 'sustainable architecture' that prioritizes ecological health without sacrificing human productivity or security.
This shift is being charted by a joint project involving the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory plus the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Rather than focusing on immediate goals like the 2050 targets set by the International Energy Agency, this project looks at least one hundred years into the future. The goal is to envision a built environment where technology revolutionizes how we handle energy, water, and resilient design across an entire century of turnover.
However, the 'wow' factor of futuristic design often masks a simpler truth: our buildings are shaped primarily by mundane technologies. Professor Steve Rayner notes that things like light bulbs and air conditioners have historically dictated architectural form more than aesthetic trends. By combining these historical lessons with modern materials, designers aim to create high-impact technologies that improve functionality while moving away from the carbon-heavy methods of the past.
This long-term vision relies on a national conversation involving thought leaders across multiple fields. The objective is not just to build new structures, but to develop strategies for a building stock that will be entirely different by the next century, ensuring that every new structure contributes to health and security rather than environmental degradation.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: What Our Buildings Will Look Like in the Future
- Also: Buildings of the Future | Department of Energy
- Also: What will buildings of the future look like? | University of Oxford Podcasts
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/science-what-our-buildings-will-look-like-in-the-future.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Science · Latest · A–Z · All topics
