Top 10 Stories That Defined 2020
From the pandemic’s upheaval of daily life to our nation’s racial reckoning and the dearth of affordable housing, these were the issues we grappled with this year.
It’s been an arduous year, to say the least. By March, the arrival of COVID-19 had shuttered us in our homes, and the following months were marked by economic fallout, mass protests against police brutality, natural disasters, and political turmoil. As the year unfolded, we turned to experts to shed light on how home design, urban planning, and housing policy can both shelter us from the storm and better protect our communities’ most vulnerable populations. The lasting effects of 2020 still remain to be seen, but these stories highlight our capacity to adapt under immense pressure—and the necessity of a united front across different industries to address the changing times.
New York Architects on How COVID-19 Is Urging Us to Rethink Home Design
The pandemic is already reshaping our ideas of home to emphasize wellness, hygiene, and work/life balance.
The crisis reveals how our homes, offices, and communities need to respond to a rapidly changing reality.
Photo: Andrew Holder
Get the Pro Newsletter
What’s new in the design world? Stay up to date with our essential dispatches for design professionals.
Crafters and designers are offering DIY instructions and options to "buy one, give one."
The recent takedowns of controversial statues call into question the meaning and permanence of monuments themselves.
Decades of fire suppression have contributed to increasingly destructive infernos. Now, the U.S. Forest Service is learning from Indigenous fire science to restore balance to the land.
Stormy Staats
Whether it serves as an investment, backyard office, or intergenerational housing, the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) has never made more sense.
Photo by Joe Fletcher
These prefab ADUs are the perfect solution for those in need of a separate home office.
Designers weigh in on the fine line that divides the two when it comes to home decor.
There are as many solutions to the country’s housing crisis as there are causes. We need them all.
William Crocker
Artificial intelligence is not only changing how we design buildings—it’s also influencing how buildings shape our behavior.
Published