Places.
Tackling housing sector challenges sustainably
Enhancing energy-efficiency outcomes in the workplace
Architectural beauty and user safety combine in Barnsley
People.
Anni Feng on the gap between designer expectation and user behaviour
We’re horizon scanning and looking at what could happen next with a human perspective
Possibilities.
Let’s consult with communities
Kael Gillam has a lightbulb moment
FOREWORD
Evolving the built environment puts us at a unique intersection. We span technology, economics, local and global regulation, environmentalism, and the health and wellbeing of society. We craft the stage where lives – billions of them – play out every day.
The privilege, magnitude, complexity, and responsibility of this role can sometimes feel daunting. With every innovation, every development in how we work, and each impactful project, the need for more, better, newer seems to follow. The world feels fast, vast, and often out of control. Despite the pioneering developments they may feature, when projects take years to come to fruition, it can feel as though there’s always more that could be done.
So how do we combat that overwhelming feeling? How do we even begin to make changes that keep pace?
We explore.
What have we learned from the first quarter of the 21st century and how’s that going to impact the next 25 years – and further beyond?
In this special edition, we’ve been exploring possible near-future scenarios and the catalysts that could cause them, looking at how these will change the face of society on a local and global scale, with an eye on technology, society and the environment.
Looking for solutions for a better tomorrow.
Working hand in hand with some of our experts across the business, we’ve been trying to come up with answers that only bring out the positives from our collective futures – for us and generations to come.
We’re also talking about whether ChatGPT can make a decent cuppa, how data centres could be the glue in a more inclusive society and how VR can help our industry better understand the needs of the end user.
The future isn’t guaranteed to be bright but, if we work together, we can steer a positive path.
Cover Illustration: Courtesy of Brad Cuzen
Photo below: Willian Justen de Vasconcellos on Unsplash
The future belongs to the curious
“A healthy vision of the future is not possible without an accurate knowledge of the past.”
Daisaku Ikeda (1928-2023), leader, author, and educator
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