What used to be: Enduring pandemic-era trends in hospitality construction and design – Commercial Construction & Renovation
Commercial Construction & Renovation featured insights from Glynn Dowdle of Dowdle Construction Group and Nick Dryden of Dryden Architecture + Design about hospitality construction and design trends that they think will carry on even after the pandemic.
One of these trends is the maximization of outdoor space.
“Safety has become a huge consideration for public dining, so restaurants are thinking critically and creatively about how to accommodate patrons without packing them into a traditional dining room. For many, that means adding outdoor spaces of all types and sizes, from conventional patio spaces to extending into back lots or side alleys,” they say in the article.
Another trend Glynn and Nick present in the article is the incorporation of healthcare designs into commercial designs.
“In healthcare design, surfaces and materials must be easy to clean to ensure a healthy environment for patients, visitors and staff. With the continuing threat of spreading COVID-19, the hospitality industry is taking notes from the healthcare industry and opting for similar finishes.”
Residential design is also bleeding into commercial design, according to the article.
“Recently, we have seen a convergence of residential ideas in commercial spaces. Restaurant patrons of late seem to prefer a more comfortable and welcoming environment, rather than a commercial or ‘institutional’ experience. They want to feel as if they’re eating at home even if they’re eating out.”
The final trend they cite is the increased localization of commercial designs.
“The pandemic has brought a lot of confusion, and locals are increasingly wanting to hold on to ‘what used to be.’ Designers and builders are taking that to heart. Some are creating spaces that hyper-localize the experience in, and echo the character of, a city.”
Read the full article in Commercial Construction & Renovation.
Look for these trends in Dowdle’s recent hospitality construction work.