Business– it has been happening for awhile but the pandemic may be the final push. We will be working more and more remotely and the quality of your local internet and a supportive daycare environment will be critical to your success as a remote employee or contract worker. My presentation with Bob Herrmann last year on the “Gig Economy” at the AIA New York State Convention may be resurrected.
Residential Architecture – Residential architecture will change as we increasingly work remotely. Those McMansions that we designed in the 1990s during the tech bubble may come back into vogue as office, recreation and full time living move back in to the individual residence.
Healthcare Facilities– Hospitals and clinics will shrink and morph as more primary care providers deliver medical care via tele-medicine. Primary care will become more affordable as tele-medicine takes hold.
Investment – businesses will be valued differently in the future. The stock market will shrink and investment will shift into direct investment. Access to essential products and their components along with supply chains will be valued over technological sophistication, instant gratification and earnings reports. Trusted domestic brands will be more highly valued.
Healthcare – End of life scenarios will change. We will make more informed choices about allocating healthcare after experiencing the triage efforts of COVID19. Hopefully a percentage of the GDP will start to shift to supporting the first five years of life in lieu of the final months of life. Healthcare resources will shift from profitable elective surgeries to preventive care so that we don’t have so many underlying conditions that make us susceptible to Virus outbreaks.
Economic Disparity – Hopefully the pandemic will teach us to value essential workers, who based on my anecdotal observations, are dominated by minorities and women. Going forward essential workers will be more highly valued and compensated for their essential contributions.
Education– As higher education moves into the virtual realm, classrooms will be re-purposed to new uses, hopefully community based ones like affordable housing, community event spaces and markets for locally sourced products, As an educator I don’t look forward to this change and I think it is going to be a challenge for coming generations.
LYNN FRITZLEN ARCHITECT 