8C — May 21 - June 17, 2021 — Multifamily Development — Owners, Developers & Managers — M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal
www.marej.com
Multifamily Development By Richard Gacek, Gacek Design Group The Future of Amenity Design
amenity de - sign in the pas t year , not only in the features, but also in the percep - tion of how imp o r t a n t am e n i t i e s W
e have experienced significant chang - es in multifamily
and 86% are willing to pay one fifth more for an apartment that has premium amenities and upgrades that make their lives more convenient and appeal to their lifestyle pref - erences. Research also tells us that the amenities offered have a direct correlation to how long someone will rent, and satisfaction levels with the building. With the size of amenity spaces nearly dou - bling in the last five years, the amenities that are selected have a significant impact. As new amenities and ser -
vices emerge, a personalized experience becomes relevant. Custom laundry services; private elevators; personal trainers; and private cabanas are popular. Technology en - hanced services allow for monitoring of lights, heating & cooling; and cloud con - nected devices. Keyless unit entry, in-wall USB outlets and even Bluetooth speaker showerheads are now avail - able. High ranking prefer - ences include: bike storage; car-sharing; cooking classes; package delivery manage -
ment; rock-climbing wall; and wellness activities for artistic and creative talents. Recording rooms for musi - cians, poets, and comedians. Do not forget pets...dog runs, grooming stations, and dog walkers are key. Offering this level of amenity helps to ac - commodate the discerning ex - pectations of the market. The future of amenity design will plan to make smarter use out of square footage. Designers will showcase common spaces that offer social connectivity and the “Cheers” experience.
Designers will create flexible spaces that adapt to chang - ing interests and needs and source more furnishings with technology built in. In 2020, COVID had a di - rect impact on how we define home. For multifamily prop - erties with wide open amenity spaces, re-design was neces - sary for health and safety concerns. Technology played a key role to help reduce the amount of contact fromperson to person. Space layouts were re-designed into intimate seating zones, and decorative screening was used. Touchless access controls, automated entry doors and fixtures were used. Sanitation stations were added. Home office spac - es have become a necessity and are not going away any - time soon. Both work nooks in the apartment, as well as co-work pods in the amenity are popular for those that work from home and want the flexibility to work outside their apartment. Services like on-demand-dining and grab- and-go-grocery are popular. One of the most significant changes to amenity design is a shift towards more outdoor amenities like outdoor work stations; and green spaces to include resident gardens, rooftop lawns and sundecks with outdoor screens. Dedi - cated space for sports activi - ties is back with basketball, tennis courts, and life-size chess games trending. Fitness centers are reimagined as in - door/outdoor centers. As space and planning allow, pools will get smaller and lounge pods will transform to outdoor liv - ing rooms. We will leave the discus - sion with our favorite concept when evaluating the future of amenity design. Biophilic design reconnects people with their natural environment. Research shows when natural elements are integrated into interior spaces, (and inspi - rational, mindful places are designed), the result gives us live and work environments that are productive, welcom - ing, healthy, and less stress - ful. Opportunities to include natural light, earthy color palette, green walls, plants, and natural materials provide balance and serenity. Richard Gacek is the principal designer of Gacek Design Group. MAREJ
Richard Gacek
are to residents. Schlage and Wakefield conducted a survey of Millennials, the largest market of renters in the US,
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