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| Architects among today’s US health leaders  In order to help offset rising homeowner utility costs and lengthening commuting times, homeowners are looking for neighborhoods and communities designed to include greater access to public transportation, recreation, commercial and entertainment options. Mixed-use developments are projects where residential units are blended with retail, dining and other commercial activities in the same facility. Infill housing, where smaller land parcels closer to urban centers are targeted for development, is also increasing as metropolitan areas are becoming more built-out according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Home Design Trends Survey from the third quarter of 2007."As a way to foster more community interaction, there has been a rise in demand for traditional neighborhood design that includes front and side porches, along with smaller lots where homes are facing the street, " said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA. "Homeowners have also shown a clear preference for durable, low-maintenance exterior materials including fiber-cement, stone, tile, natural earth plasters, as well as sustainable roofing materials." Households are also looking for neighborhoods that are more pedestrian friendly and generally more vibrant by offering clustered retail development with a multitude of services around public transportation and dense residential units. That design strategy along with greater devotion to open space, bikeways, walking paths and the availability of athletic fields and courts all can have a dramatic impact on the overall health of a community. Residential architects have felt the effect of the housing downturn by reporting weakening business conditions with actual billings, inquiries for new projects and work backlogs all down compared to last quarter and the same period in 2006. On an up note, additions and major structural renovations, and kitchen and bath remodeling projects continue to be a source of revenue for residential architecture firms, and the custom / luxury home market has stabilized in recent months. The AIA Home Design Trend Survey is conducted quarterly with a panel of 500 architecture firms that concentrate their practice in the residential sector. write your comments about the article :: © 2007 Construction News :: home page |