Historians often study architecture to get a sense of how people lived in the past—and what design ideas they held to be important. But in addition to revealing a lot about history, the way we construct buildings today can hint at what styles and practices will be in vogue in the years to come. Finding creative ways to address modern social concerns and incorporate technological innovations, modern architects across the world are developing new building design concepts that could have a big impact on the future. Here are just a few stand-out examples.

3 Trends in Architecture That Are Influencing the Future of Design

1. Recycled Construction Materials

Use of recycled materials is an incredibly popular practice in both residential and commercial architecture that is only likely to grow as consumers become more eco-conscious. Recycled products—including wood, metal, and plastics—all allow builders to create structures that are durable, functional, and sustainable.

While recycled materials may be used to produce entirely new buildings, they are particularly commonplace in adaptive reuse—a construction technique that repurposes existing buildings for modern use.

2. 3-D Printed Buildings

After years of development, consumers are starting to bring 3-D printers into their homes to create a variety of small objects. But at the same time, architects have been developing much larger 3-D printers that can produce entire structures.

Although this approach to building design is still in its infancy—and only used to craft small homes—it shows exceptional promise. As technology advances, architects will be able to build reliable structures quickly and precisely with the help of intuitive printing algorithms.   

3. Vertical Spaces  

With the world population expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, architects are now thinking about building design solutions that can accommodate a growing demand for living and workspaces. Vertical design—or constructing upward—is a way specialists are helping to provide more residential and commercial real estate.

Despite their small footprints, advances in design and technology will help these buildings stay sustainable. For example, vertical gardening techniques can be integrated into the architecture to keep communities connected to nature.