What Approaches Ensure the Longevity of Architectural Designs?

It is best said by Coco Chanel, "Fashion changes, but style endures." The best designs are classic and timeless. As a designer and follower of biomimicry, I believe in learning from nature as a guide to creating healthy designs for the buildings of the future.

Simply iterated by Louis Sullivan, "Form ever follows function." Cultural trends and material exploration transmute as the seasons change. The program of a building not only drives and directs the design but also helps develop its purpose to its users and its surrounding context. Renovations are inevitable, but the "bones" of a building are what make or break the timelessness of the design.

Sustainability in architecture is at the top of my mind as we go into the future of architectural designs. In Data Center design, for example, the final product is less about the aesthetic being timeless and long-lasting, but about the function. Structures should be made of durable and recyclable materials while simultaneously leaning into Louis Sullivan's infamous quote, 'Form follows function,' to guide various market sectors in the industry towards the most sustainable future. We must think not only of the form in the present but also of how this building can be most fungible in the future to ensure its longevity and timelessness.

Longevity in architecture is both paramount and challenging. One way to ensure timelessness in architectural design is to draw from the surroundings. This means that in both urban and rural settings, the surrounding fabric of buildings and terrain can influence the design.

A recent Nordic Spa project aspired to have people reconnect with both nature and themselves. Quiet, simple interiors with expansive glass allowed the users this connection with nature and eliminated distractions from thought. It may not have been obvious at first, but the natural surroundings are what inspired the design.

For timeless design, keep your eyes open and draw from the surroundings.