Home owners are looking for neighborhoods and communities designed to include greater access to public transportation, plus recreation, commercial and entertainment options, according to a survey conducted for the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
Respondents cited rising utility costs and lengthy commuting times as reasons why they are gravitating toward urban, mixed-use developments. Those projects are defined by the AIA as those “where residential units are blended with retail, dining and other commercial activities in the same facility.”
Infill housing options, where smaller land parcels closer to urban centers are targeted for development, are also gaining attention as metropolitan areas are becoming more built-out, according to the 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,” says AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker.
On the building materials side, “Home owners 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,” says Baker.
Buyers are also looking for neighborhoods that are more pedestrian friendly and generally more vibrant because they offer clustered retail development with a multitude of services around public transportation and dense residential units.
Richard Jackson M.D., remarks, “The health challenges of the 21st century relate to an aging population and to lack of physical fitness with more chronic diseases, especially obesity, diabetes and depression. Well-designed communities support vigorous living in walkable communities and active socializing in healthy ‘places of the heart’. Architects, builders, planners and developers must be included among today’s important health leaders.”
The current residential market has caused residential architects to feel 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.
Those wishing to see more details of the AIA Home Design Trends Survey can go to http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek07/1130/1130b_econ3q.cfm.