Q: What exterior materials for apartment buildings are hot right now?
A: In addition to designing a building that gracefully fits into its surroundings, architects and developers are challenged by increasing demands from residents, [who also care about aesthetics]. Here are a handful of trends today:
- The ratio of glass to solid wall has gone up tremendously, increasing the use of natural light.
- Metal siding (zinc and galvanized aluminum, even colored metal shingles) offers curb appeal, exceptional appearance and little maintenance.
- Architectural split and textured concrete masonry units–whether split-faced, split-ribbed, or split-scored–are being incorporated into the building’s design. These materials come in a myriad of colors.
- Multifamily developers are embracing elements that used to be integrated strictly in commercial aspects and in more modern buildings. For example, we design exciting combinations of glass and create fun, geometric patterns with different window shapes. These elements complement metal and stucco siding combinations.
–Donald J. Meeks is chairman and CEO of Meeks + Partners Architects, a Houston-based architecture and land planning firm.