The state of Illinois commissioned Chicago-based VOA Associates to design the new facility for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Various DNR agencies are consolidating 680 employees into the 200,000-square-foot headquarters building, located in Springfield, Illinois.

In order to stay competitive in today’s economic climate, architectural firms must stay on top of the current trends. For example, sustainable design and green architecture, as well as design/build projects, are currently on the forefront of architectural trends. Almost all architects are also finding it important to stay diversified in the types of properties they design.

During economic downturns, architects must be able to design the types of properties that are in demand. For example, with the office segment performing poorly in the marjority of Midwest markets, some architects are choosing to focus on multifamily projects instead, which tend to be a booming property type in markets such as Chicago. Other architects have focused on retail projects — a property type that is performing well in some markets such as Minneapolis.

According to Lucien Lagrange, president and principal of Chicago-based Lucien Lagrange Architects, when Chicago’s office segment slowed in the mid-1990s and the multifamily segment started to boom, architects had to switch gears to focus on the hotter property type. “That is where the work was, and that is where you had to go,” he says.

“In the last few years, we have designed a lot of multifamily properties, but we have also been designing hotels, retail projects and some office projects,” Lagrange explains. “Maybe more importantly, we do not have a single style of architecture. We design in a style that is appropriate for the site and for the client.”

Kathy Anderson, principal with Minneapolis-based KKE Architects, also realizes the need for diversity in tight economic times. “We are a very diverse group, intentionally, to weather different markets and economies,” she says. “We started out heavy in retail work, but now we have diversified to include education, senior housing, multifamily housing and government work.” KKE Architects also has designed office and industrial projects in the past but, because of the low demand for these projects, they are not a primary focus for the company right now.

Instead, KKE Architects is focusing on lifestyle centers, which are a hot new trend in the Minnesota area, according to Anderson. “[The cold weather climate] is untested as of yet,” she says. “But, if the lifestyle centers are not as successful as everyone thinks they will be, you will probably see us change our focus.”

Lenexa, Kansas-based George Butler Associates designed the new 21,000-square-foot headquarters building for Livestock Marketing Association in Kansas City, Missouri. The $2.7 million project features asymmetrical façade elevations with broad, sheltering roofs, and a geothermal heating and cooling system that is designed to maintain a year-round temperature of 69 F.

In Chicago, the retail segment is also starting to follow new trends. “On Michigan Avenue, big tenants like Eddie Bauer, Gap and Apple Computer have signed leases in larger stores — in the 20,000-square-foot to 30,000-square-foot range — but with a door and a storefront on the street,” Lagrange says.

These changing trends also dictate the way buildings are designed to fit the market. For example, architects have had to design multifamily buildings and units according to the changing lifestyles of residents. “In the 1970s, kitchens were enclosed,” Lagrange says. “Now, kitchens are being designed where they are completely open to the living space.”

The trend in the multifamily sector has also been toward larger units, according to Michael Toolis, chairman and CEO for Chicago-based VOA Associates. “The most fascinating thing I have seen in downtown Chicago is that developers are building townhouses on the top of condominiums.”

On the office side, some corporations are starting to acquire space through design/build operations, says Ripley Rasmus, design principal for corporate and commercial work for St. Louis-based HOK. “This is where a developer might come to us and say ‘I have a build-to-suit for a corporation; please design it for me,’” Rasmus explains. Besides design/ build projects, Rasmus has also noticed a trend of offices becoming larger and more technologically advanced. “The increase in workplace technology is revolutionizing the way in which we look at the workplace, and the way that we design them,” Rasmus says.

There is also a real interest in sustainability across the country and across all property types. “We are seeing a desire for technological integration and sustainable design rippling through every building type we do,” Rasmus says. “Even public bodies are now pressing for high-efficiency buildings, high-performance buildings, sustainable design and the best possible technological integration.”

Minneapolis-based KKE Architects is providing the master planning and architectural design for The Shoppes of Tamarack Village, a 220,000-square-foot lifestyle center in Oakdale, Minnesota. The project, which is being developed by the Robert Muir Company, will feature ornate design components including towers and cornices.

Sustainable design can come in many forms, such as using natural lighting to reduce energy costs or using recycled building materials. “Sustainable design involves designing facilities that are less injurious to the community by reusing what has gone before us,” says Mike Graft, senior associate and director of design for Lenexa, Kansas-based George Butler Associates (GBA).

“We are using some products now for decking and beams that are a combination of resins and woods — as opposed to using wood products from cutting down old growth forests,” says Jerry Buttron, vice president of marketing and principal for GBA.

Architects also must consider the health of a building to ensure that building materials are mold resistant. “You have to analyze how building materials are used and detailed to eliminate potential environmental health issues down the road,” Graft says.

For example, sheetrock is being produced differently now so that it does not support mold spores. There are also new ceiling tiles available that are mold resistant. “I think the concern is out there, and I think a lot of the architecture firms are going to have to address that concern in future buildings,” Buttron says.

“It is thoughtful design that can produce a high-performance building and make a building do things that we just didn’t understand before,” Rasmus says. “We are moving the art forward in such a way that we can do things that don’t cost extra, but that are focused on burning less fossil fuels, using less energy and making better, more comfortable environments for workers and users.”

20005_~2.TIF Chicago-based Lucien Lagrange Architects recently designed Erie on the Park, a 290,751-square-foot condominium project located at 510 W. Erie St. in Chicago. The 125-unit, glass and steel building is shaped like a parallelogram, and it features a stepped-back façade allowing for terraces at several levels. Photo Courtesy Steve Hall, copyright Hedrich Blessing

Besides having to change architectural styles to meet with market demand, and having to turn their attention to sustainable design, architects also face many other challenges on a day-to-day basis. “In Chicago, developable sites are getting more difficult to find and they are getting smaller,” Lagrange explains. “So, the challenge is to take a small site and do an exciting building and put everything you want on the site.”

For many architects, finding the next job is also a challenge during tight economic times. “I think you get the next job by maintaining your quality and maintaining your relationships with your clients and staying focused on what you do well,” Toolis says.

Another challenge for commercial architects is being flexible with owners. “You must be flexible to fit within whatever role is necessary to do the project,” says Joedy Hoogner, vice president of business operations and principal for GBA. “You have got to be diverse enough in the economy today to handle, and have expertise in, different types of approaches.”

Also, with the economy as it is, architects are forced to be more competitive than ever before. “We are assisting owners a lot more in the pre-development stage,” Buttron says. “We are doing site analysis, programming and strategic planning for our clients, to get the initial project and to be more adaptable to whatever type of facility that they plan to build.”

Perhaps the biggest challenge for some architects is not only staying on top of the trends, but also creating new trends by designing unique projects. “It is important to make sure that we deliver something that is unique and that we do not fall into a formula,” Anderson says.

As new trends come out, others fall by the wayside. For example, the extensive use of decorative stone and false roof work, which was popular during the 1980s and 1990s, is going out of favor, according to Rasmus. “People are also building from lighter weight, more efficient materials, and we are moving toward a period of rational modernism, because of our focus on energy and economy, that I find very appealing.”

Certain building materials have also gone out of favor as architects opt for more sustainable design. For example, designers are looking at alternatives to using a ballasted roof (a roof membrane covered with gravel to keep it in place) and are turning to single-ply, white membrane roofs that help to reflect heat. “Designers today are inclined to use roofing products that are more energy efficient and less prone to problems such as leaks and membrane shrinkage,” Graft explains. “The types of roofing products on the market vary significantly in cost. The end user must first weigh the cost versus the performance.”

Whether it is staying on top of current design trends, diversifying to better meet clients’ needs or adapting to the changing economy, architects have many things to consider when designing a building. “Good design takes into consideration the function as well as the aesthetics,” Buttron explains. “A successful project means that you and the client have communicated well together and, in the end, they have a building that they can use that is functional and that still reflects the character of the project.”

©2003 France Publications, Inc. Duplication or reproduction of this article not permitted without authorization from France Publications, Inc. For information on reprints of this article contact Barbara Sherer at (630) 554-6054.