Synopsis:

Bob Chisholm discusses the future for architects and interior designers after the fall out from the Great Recession. As he mentions, hopefully this economic failure will lead these two fields to think twice at brand new mega projects. He suggests that the future for these fields isn’t ending but shifting – and one area of shift is towards adaptive reuse. Buildings, if built and designed properly, can constantly experience a “gain factor” but being flexible to varying uses. Learning how to redevelop the presently built space can make that space more productive while at the same time help to limit the resources and costs necessary to just build from scratch. He also points out the cultural difference between the U.S. and Europe. Chisholm finds that Europeans are more apt to reuse buildings due to a cultural desire and proclivity to “adapt to functional use and design based on what is frugally available.”

“The future of our design disciplines and service philosophies should bring a demand for increased ingenuity in design, flexibility, durability, and longevity in our buildings. The throw-away/disposable times should be over, as far as a lot of our culture is concerned, and it will definitely apply to the design and construction industry. There will be a focused expectation to return to basic fundamentals of rational approach, to problem solving and solutions, and clients in a new a new time of sobriety will demand it.”