Built environment in 2021

Re-envisioning spaces in a post-Covid world will come to the fore with an emphasis on taking a vertical approach

Industry experts from CallisonRTKL, a global consultancy specialised in architecture, design and technology, has unveiled key trends which will advance the built environment in 2021. Taking into account new industry regulations and social distancing guidelines, a large emphasis of the year will be focused on re-envisioning spaces leveraging experienced master planning to effectively manage spaces better.

Meeting smart city and sustainability goals continues to be key as building operators continue to work towards meeting the objectives set by visionary leadership as well as creating happier and liveable urban communities. Innovation and technology adoption are key factors in helping to drive this.

Matthew Tribe, executive director at CRTKL and global leader for both the firm’s Planning & Urban Design Studio and its Resiliency initiative, said: “This year has been like no other. But in any crisis, opportunities are uncovered. Businesses across the region have demonstrated agility, nimbleness and most importantly, resilience which has helped support the region in becoming one of the most rapid to bounce back for the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic’s impact on the Middle East – on where we work, on how we travel, and on the way we live – will be felt across the course of this decade. Over the course of the next year, we expect to see those changes impact how we design the build environment around us.”

Residential

In 2021, CallisonRTKL expects for the GCC residential market to move away from the apartment to the villa, as more and more individuals are looking to have more space when working from home.