My first Publication Arup_BuildingDesign2020_v2 | Page 54

Conclusion
Building design stands on the precipice of great and subtle
change, enabled by the confluence of increasingly democratised
design tools and advanced fabrication technologies, catalyzed
by emerging economies and urgently needed to house a rapidly
expanding human population.
Emerging economies and hyperdense
urbanisation are changing the makeup of
our traditional client base; new models
of investment, project procurement and
collaboration may well alter project
workflows; accessible software tools and
collaborative workplace arrangements
are blurring the definitions of traditional
specialties.
Workforce composition and skillsets
remain the core of building design. Highly
mobile, technically adept architects and
engineers are adapting disruptive concepts
from the tech sector to enhance every phase
of building design; ensuring that this new
generation of workers can collaborate with
and learn from the experience of legacy staff
will create a potent mix of talent.
New developments in materials
technology and fabrication processes are
enabling previously inconceivable formal
and aesthetic solutions, while allowing
increasingly sensitive, efficient structures to
be built more quickly and safely than once
imagined possible.
Technological change continues to drive
opportunity. The rise of algorithm-driven
design and automation-assisted construction
means that firms must carefully consider
their processes and value proposition to
clients; conversely, the amounts of data and
connectivity available to today’s designer
mean that “smart” and “green” solutions can
now be effectively applied at neighborhood
and regional scales.
As the industry moves towards 2020,
building design will become increasingly
dynamic, sustainable and competitive. Arup’s
responsiveness to the areas of focus outlined
in this report can help ensure our fitness for
purpose as we lead, innovate and excel in
designing the buildings that will define the
next decade and beyond.
55