ASID’s 2022 Trends Report Spotlights Health & Wellness

April 27, 2022  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

Compiled by the Society's research and knowledge team, the Trends Report examines topics that inform design practice developments, such as demographic shifts leading to new occupant needs and lifestyle trends based on occupant priorities.

“ASID is proud to share this important research as a guide for designers,” said ASID CEO Gary Wheeler, FASID. “As the only design association for all sectors, we are committed to reporting on industry trends, the ongoing effects of the pandemic and how it has impacted practitioners of all types. Our research arms designers with the resources they need to elevate their practice and create a positive impact on the world around them.” 

The report finds that health and wellness continue to dominate both residential and commercial design due to the lasting effects of the pandemic. Sustainability has also shifted from a nice-to-have to a must-have for designers and consumers alike. Additional highlights include: 

Wellness is a top priority for homeowners: Clients are gravitating toward simpler, cleaner, easier-to-maintain designs, as well as outdoor living spaces and places where they can relax and restore from the increased stresses of everyday life. 

Workplace wellness is a must for employees and businesses: To lure employees back to the workplace, businesses need to rethink their office design to provide environments that are meticulously clean and safe, but also less stressful.

U.S. population growth has stalled. Between 2010 and 2020 the nation’s population growth increased by only 7.4 percent, the slowest growth rate since the Great Depression. The dip is part of a longer-term trend tied to the aging of the country’s White population, decreased fertility rates and lagging immigration

Smart home technology goes mainstream. Smart products, such as lighting systems, carbon monoxide detectors and digital thermostats have grown in popularity as they become simpler to use. Most homes now have at least one or two smart items, and it is projected that by 2023 more than half will have three or more.

The future of office design is evolving:  Emerging trends include allowing more freedom and flexibility to employees to design their own spaces, creating experience-based environments with more sensory inputs, the return of the private office and providing more spaces that support team and interactive activities.

Hotels and resorts look to refresh and renew their interiors as they await the return of guests. Those in the hospitality industry are busy refreshing their properties to improve comfort and safety and to update aesthetics. Some current trends include replacing select textiles and wood with porcelain, glass and composite materials.

Wellness real estate outpaces other types of construction. Environments designed intentionally to protect and enhance occupant health and well-being comprise a growing portion of construction projects. Wellness features and healthy design will become nearly ubiquitous in luxury properties and in workplaces, with a growing emphasis not just on wellbeing but on improved human health.

In a tight job market, employees are demanding higher salaries and more benefits. Firms are having a difficult time hiring with open positions far outstripping qualified candidates. Looking ahead to 2022, this trend is likely to continue as more than one in five responding A&D firms indicated that their primary staffing issue would be finding candidates.