Interior of the new Legacy Hall in Plano, Texas. Image © Gensler.
Cities and suburbs are constantly changing and 2017 served up more than its share of challenges—some we saw coming (massive retail closures), while others took us by surprise (historic flooding and other natural disasters).
2017 saw the continuation of the evolution of expectations on the part of consumers, developers, office workers, and cities. Those expectations? Urban design and development is no longer “business as usual.” In that spirit, here are six urban design trends to watch in 2018:
Gensler’s Experience Index is a metric that helps gauge this phenomenon. The importance of experience will accelerate in 2018 as we seek to reinvent existing developments, as well as create new ones.
2018 will see the beginnings of real change for malls if they hope to remain relevant. Part of that change is reimaging the regional mall as a Complete Town Center. Chief among malls’ assets are lots of underutilized acreage (i.e. surface parking), good visibility, and usually good access. Simply replacing empty square footage with “more retail” will not cut it. Beginning in 2018, malls will evolve to include residential, hotels, offices, even high school and college campuses (some already have). This is the renewal of Victor Gruen’s original mall concept (Southdale Center, 1956)—a complete town center. In 2018, Live/Work/Play becomes more than a catchphrase—it is the mantra for retail centers nationwide.
Developers and cities have discovered the value of open space as key design elements—and not just from an aesthetic aspect, but from a real dollar value. In some cities, adjacency or proximity to parks results in a significant increase in rents and property values. And it’s not just New York’s High Line. Gensler’s BQXL project leverages 15 miles of underutilized freight corridor to connect neighborhoods from Queens to Brooklyn. When combined with interests in wellness, urban cycling, and quality of life, the momentum of Re-Greening will be maintained in cities and suburbs. In 2018, smart developers will include significant open space components in their projects.
Now there is renewed interest in creating real places that keep residents, employees, visitors and shoppers engaged. And the arms race of employee attraction/retention is forcing those bucolic suburban office campuses to redevelop in a modern mixed-use fashion. Further, empty-nesters, SINK’s and DINK’s (Single/Double Income, No Kids) seek a return to downtown living for many reasons – access to culture and dining, no maintenance residences, less reliance on driving, etc. Quality of life decisions now span both downtown and suburbs and all ages.
In 2018, cities and suburbs will continue to redevelop fully-functioning mixed-use neighborhoods. Projects like Gensler’s Legacy West are one such example.
Gensler’s concept for the Brooklyn Queens Cross Line Image © Gensler.
To address changes in driving dynamics, the answer is future-proofing—designing a garage with flat floorplates and slightly taller floor-to-floor heights so it can become the framework of future occupiable space. Gensler has been advising clients to look at parking garages as potential future occupiable space, even as mixed-use buildings. It makes financial sense and it is happening right now. Today’s garage may be tomorrow’s office or apartment.
Gensler’s Legacy Hall opened in 2017, featuring unique local concepts. Other halls are popping up all over—from Fort Worth’s Canton Hall to Fabrice Italiana Contadina’s massive 1.2 million square foot Eataly World (Bologna, Italy). A recent New York Times article counted more than 30 food halls in New York City alone. Expect 2018 to be the “Year of the Food Hall.”
What’s Next? In 2018, Autonomous Vehicles will continue to make strides, including at the regulatory and insurance levels. Expect the first practical rollout of driverless shuttle buses to hit our streets, followed by Connected Car technology, with AV’s sometime after that. That’s when things really get interesting.
Joe Pobiner, FAICP, CNU-A, is a master planner and urban designer in Gensler's Dallas office. He specializes in applying responsible planning and urban design principles that strengthen the physical, natural, economic, and cultural frameworks of our rapidly urbanizing planet. Contact him at joe_pobiner@gensler.com. |