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Keeping It Simple: Hotel Design With Millennials in Mind

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For decades, hotel design has reflected the preferences of Baby Boomers. According to the Pew Research Center, Millennials are expected to overtake Baby Boomers as the largest adult population in the United States sometime this year. As more members of this tech-savvy generation enter the workforce, their values are leading to more efficient habits and lifestyles. Based on recent trends in hotel design, the hospitality industry is following their lead. Embracing Minimalism  Gone are the days of spacious closets, full baths, and large desks. Because Millennials tend to think of their rooms as just a place to sleep, hotels are cutting back on extras and introducing the small, bright, contemporary spaces they desire. Socializing Workspaces Although desks in hotel rooms have gotten smaller, workspaces have grown. More hotels are opting for larger lobbies with tables and outlets so guests can still work alone but in an open environment. To be more Instagram-ready, hotels hav
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Charming Churches: Five Design Trends of 2019

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Until recent years, church architectural trends were fairly homogenous. Lots of dark wood, dim lighting, and cramped meeting areas prevailed. As seen in some of the top church design trends of 2019, millennials are embracing the opportunity to transform the traditional concept of churches into big, bright facilities that draw guests in for both worship and fellowship. Welcoming Vibe  Instead of trying to incorporate thematic elements that many interpret as overwhelming or cheesy, recent trends saw simplification in newer church design models . By creating areas that are more like home and include features like natural light, sectionals, indoor plants, and fireplaces, churches aim to compel more visitors to grab a coffee, open their laptops, and get cozy. Sophisticated Hospitality From minimalistic stage sets to natural materials and neutral colors, churches are shifting from uninviting dark features to fresh, clean sophistication. Doing away with features that contribut
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Renovation Ideas to Help Your Hotel Stand Out

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When it comes to choosing lodging, travelers have endless options. There’s only one way to stand out among the competition, and that’s by delivering an unforgettable, Instagram-worthy experience that no other hotel offers. These are just a few ways hotels can think outside the box when renovating to keep guests returning again and again. First Impressions Are Everything  The key to wowing guests before they’ve even checked in? An awe-inspiring entrance. The first thing to do is to think about the intended use for the space. Socialization? Work? Relaxation? Then it should be divided into segments with each area treated as its own unique space, but with a theme that brings it all together for one extravagant look. Think an open-roof atrium with wide windows, filled with exotic plants, greenery, and a waterfall that connects guests with the outdoors while they socialize, work, or relax. Or, perhaps use glamorous chandeliers, sparkling fountains, and marble floors to create a soph
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Why Boston Is Moving From Brownstones to High-Rise Condos

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Boston brownstones may create the quintessential image of a Beantown neighborhood, but more and more residents are opting to pull up stakes and head to high-rise condos. Why the switch? Here's what Boston architecture buffs need to know about the city's ascension from rowhouses to luxurious residential skyscrapers. Room for Growth  Building upward means room for more residents. After all, the city only has so much square footage, which means that any expansion eventually has to go vertical. As urban dwellers know, the downtown lifestyle is defined by lots of people bringing their energy, creativity, and brainpower to a relatively small space. This dynamic defines Boston, which is America's third most population-dense city, according to the Boston Globe. Amenities Create Resort-style Living As ever more high-rises dot the skyline, these buildings expand beyond condos to include retail space, entertainment, eateries, and amenities such as spas and gyms. This l
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Building a better triple decker

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The "triple decker" is Boston's most iconic architectural artifact, and  a testimony to the economic boom a century ago. The modest homes provided the base for hard-working families--generally, immigrants--to pursue their version of the American dream.  Laid out as three or six, stacked flat units, the buildings tended to be long and narrow. Generally unconnected to their neighbors, the freestanding building afforded light and air to enter the building in all directions, and characteristically provided front and/or rear decks for occupants to grab some fresh air. Like perforated blocks, the flat-roofed, the buildings created a predictable street rhythm and neighborly dialogue between pedestrian and inhabitant. It was the perfect Victorian model of workforce housing and the backdrop for Boston's boom. En masse, the triple decker ruled Dorchester,  Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, and Roslindale, with thousands of blocks being created until the early 1900's. Built l
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Understanding the Benefits of Adaptive Reuse Projects

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Many architects dream of designing gleaming new structures on a large scale. The chance to etch one's name on the skyline of a great city like New York or Chicago is deeply alluring, and likely always will be. But architects in cities that have already experienced decades or even centuries of development know that working within the built environment to breathe new life into existing structures can be just as rewarding. Adaptive reuse projects have grown in prominence thanks to factors like an emphasis on sustainability and the re-urbanization of many major American cities. Architectural Heritage  A generation ago, one of the defining trends of social geography was the growth of suburbs as people left downtown for the space and safety of the suburbs. In cities like Atlanta, Detroit, and Boston, this hollowed out the urban cores, which often succumbed to poverty and blight. Today, people (especially young people) are moving back into the city center, drawn by affordable hou
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Development without displacement? A realty reality?

The concept of "development without displacement" is being discussed on several, national US platforms. Architectural Record recently dedicated its October issue to the matter of housing ( https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/13658-the-housing-crisis-in-america ) and cited several US markets where housing has far exceeded income. Approaching the matter from a first world perspective, the issue asks how--and if--architects can be a force for change. Ultimately, Architects have little control. Architects require benefactors, those paying for their artistic, civilization-creating services when DEMAND requires it. Architects do not create the program, their clients do, and it is the client who ultimately determines the end goal. For instance, a developer comes to an Architect with a site and asks for 100 units of a certain size that will be marketed toward a certain demographic; it is the Architect's job to creatively package a design that answers the developer&#
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