CallisonRTKL, a global consultancy specialised in architecture, design and technology, has unveiled key trends which will advance the built environment in 2021.

Taking into account new industry regulations and social distancing guidelines, a large emphasis of the year will be focused on re-envisioning spaces leveraging experienced master planning to effectively manage spaces better, said industry experts from CRTKL.

Meeting smart city and sustainability goals continues to be key as building operators in the Middle East continue to work towards meeting the objectives set by the region’s visionary leadership as well as creating happier and liveable urban communities. Innovation and technology adoption are key factors in helping to drive this.

Matthew Tribe, Executive Director at CRTKL and Global Leader for both the firm’s Planning & Urban Design Studio and its Resiliency initiative, said: 'This year has been like no other. But in any crisis, opportunities are uncovered. Businesses across the region have demonstrated agility, nimbleness and most importantly, resilience which has helped support the region in becoming one of the most rapid to bounce back for the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic.'

The pandemic’s impact on the Middle East – on where we work, on how we travel, and on the way we live – will be felt across the course of this decade. Over the course of the next year, we expect to see those changes impact how we design the build environment around us.”

On the GCC residential sector, CallisonRTKL said it expects a market shift from the apartment to the villa, as more and more individuals start looking for spacious residences when working from home.

'With working from home a central aspect of post pandemic life, residential requirements have shifted dramatically during 2020. No longer are residents in the GCC looking for apartments in central locations with a short commuting time to offices,' explained Obada Adra, the associate director at CRTKL.

'Rather, real estate trends are indicating that consumers are happy to live in the suburbs in exchange for more living space for a home office and other amenities. Such a transition in consumer appetite will be transformational in the design and development of future real estate offerings in cities in the GCC,' stated the official.

Adra pointed out that the mixed use developments will continue to act as drivers of community and economic vitality in 2021. Their use will continue to be popular among communities looking to re-engage and re-connect, following the conclusion of the pandemic, he added.

Geoff Ford, Associate Director at CRTKL, said: 'As the world is adapting to new ways of living and working, with the lines between all sectors blurring, creating a localised ecosystem that sustains itself and operates more like a circular economy has increasingly become the aim.'

'Be it shopping and entertainment districts, healthcare institutions, airports, sports complexes or hospitality infrastructure, there will be new methods of valuation across all property types as single-use buildings merge in to more mixed-use, digital and adaptive environments. Over the years, these transformations have already began taking shape but will inevitably evolve further in 2021,' noted Ford.

'As such, the historical nature of ‘zoning’ will be eliminated and the main goal will be clear - one asset, utilised flexibly, catering for a range of users,' he added.

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