AT’s inaugural Business Breakfast explored the challenges and opportunities presented by today’s construction market and what the future might hold.
In association with
The inaugural AT Business Breakfast, in partnership with Total Synergy, took place on 12th December at Redchurch Street Studio in London. Leading movers and shakers from the architectural profession gathered to discuss the principal challenges and opportunities presented by today’s construction market, and what the future might hold. The event comprised inciteful presentations from Brian Green, economist and author of Brickonomics; Tom Mann, director of Savills’ London residential development team; and Miles Mitchell, commercial lead at Total Synergy. The individual talks were interspersed with questions and comments from the attendees, which were held under the Chatham House Rule.
Speakers (from left to right): Brian Green, Miles Mitchell, and Tom Mann.
Changing times
Brian Green kicked off by exploring the relationship between construction and GDP, with the former generally following the latter in terms of performance. With the Treasury forecasting GDP growth of less than two per cent for the next few years, the construction industry looks set for a rough ride. This was born out by the latest Construction Products Association Forecast (Autumn 2023), which predicts a decline of around three per cent in overall growth – a figure that Green thought was optimistic.
Mindful of the bleak outlook, Green turned to the positive, explaining that major change is afoot and that structural shifts are beginning to be seen and felt throughout the construction sector. He said that these were being driven by digitisation, including online shopping and remote working; decarbonisation; and the economic drag of an ageing population.
Source: Construction Products Association, ONS
Green made the point that architects are in for some short-term economic pain, but due to the seismic shifts currently occurring, are ideally placed to both reshape and restructure the built environment. He pointed out that the profession has a long and successful history of doing this, and today/tomorrow’s issues, such as the focus on retrofit and reuse, play to its strengths. The current outlook also presented an opportunity for the architectural profession to regain some of the status is has lost since the post-war period.
Source: Construction Products Association, ONS
The event attendees were fascinated by Green’s presentation, and in particular his enlightening and sobering industry-related economic charts and tables. This led one attendee to comment that the architecture profession was generally better at looking backwards rather than forwards, and there seemed to be a lack of knowledge in terms of accessing economic data.
Broadening the offer
Tom Mann’s presentation focused on the current state of the London property market, which he described as bleak and with an uncertain future, due to a ‘broken’ planning system and the chronic shortage of new housing. For those still in a position to buy, there is demand for two- and three-bedroom units, a desire for some element of uniqueness and/or bespoke design, as well as greater outdoor space.
While Mann applauded innovative residential design by leading practitioners, such as Bell Phillips, Carmody Groarke, and Hayhurst & Co, he felt that this was all too often ignored by housebuilders and contractors, reducing its potential impact at a larger scale. In many cases this is due to a risk-averse culture that values accepted norms and quantity over quality. The solution, according to Mann, is to broaden the residential offering in a way that is perceptible to purchasers. He encouraged architects to challenge the orthodoxy of ‘what good looks like’. We need to show that residential design can and should be better; that it is worth the risk, he said.
Bell Phillips’ Home-Grown Solution to Delivering Net Zero won the William Sutton Prize for buildings below 11 metres using natural materials (image courtesy of Bell Phillips)
From Savills’ perspective, the company would like to see more passive buildings, increased flexibility, higher wall-to-floor ratios, and higher ceilings for family units. In conclusion, Mann said that the creativity and tenacity of UK architects would stand the profession in good stead – providing it is given the opportunity to innovate. Asked by an event attendee how architects could take practical steps in bringing about change and innovation, Mann urged the profession to start by challenging the brief. He said that a good brief should not only highlight context and design scope, but also value and opportunity.
Maximising adaptability
Miles Mitchell explored the importance of adopting adaptable software platforms for long-term success. He began by documenting some of the changes that have affected the architectural landscape over the years, and how digital platforms – from early CAD software to the advanced cloud-based systems of today – have evolved to support architects in their work.
Looking to the future, Mitchell said that the move towards adopting practice management software, such as Synergy from Total Synergy, is being prompted by several factors, including the rise of AI in architectural software, new regulations and legislation prompted by a likely incoming Labour government, changing working practices, and increasing client demands related to design and procurement.
Total Synergy is a cloud business and project management software used by architects and engineers to drive business collaboration and visibility (ph: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock)
One of the main benefits of the software is its ability to navigate shifting project scopes, timelines, and requirements – without compromising the overall design. Other key attributes include flexibility in respect of projects resourcing; scalability facilitated by communication, document sharing, and project tracking; and responsiveness, allowing project teams to make quick and accurate decisions based on the information in front of them.
Mitchell’s presentation engendered lively debate on the pros and cons of remote working with many attendees voicing strong opinions against the practice. This was tempered by one individual who said that the cost of living in the capital was driving younger employees to live much further from their place of work with the attendant travel costs and work/life balance issues. Another audience member felt that it was office culture that needed to change with regards to the long hours many architects are expected to work. Supporting Mitchell’s message, a further attendee said that flexibility was the key, enabling staff to collaborate and communicate through a range of different media, including digital platforms.
Source: Architecture Today