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The end of one year and the start of another is always a good reason to reflect and celebrate. For us, 2024 was filled with plenty of exciting architectural challenges. Some, like the Creamery at The Newt in Somerset, we can tell you all about; others we’re keeping under wraps for now.
As well as looking backwards at previous accomplishments we can be proud of, the arrival of a new year is also an excellent opportunity to fix our attention on what’s to come. It is through this future-facing lens that we can predict possible trends influenced by things like changing tastes, new technology, the need to go greener, and the desire to improve our personal wellness.
Whether you’re an architect on the verge of a new project, a homeowner planning a renovation, or simply someone fascinated by the art of design, understanding these trends offers a glimpse into the exciting possibilities opening up.
So, what are the key architectural design trends to watch out for in 2025? Let’s take a look.

Architecture trend #1: Biophilic design
According to biologist Edward O Wilson in his 1984 book Biophilia, we all have an inherent connection to the natural world in which we evolved hundreds of thousands of years ago. Despite our many modern comforts – air conditioning, central heating, Deliveroo – that deep-rooted relationship remains. But with 38% of the UK population spending less than an hour outside, it is often going unfulfilled, likely contributing to the fact that 1 in 6 people are currently experiencing a mental health problem.
While the creature comforts and a desire to stay indoors are nothing new, 2024 saw the rapid development of different artificial intelligences that seem to be encroaching into every aspect of our personal and professional lives. AI might make our lives even easier, but it is also likely to move us even further away from nature.
In 2025, it will be up to architects and project managers to redress that balance through biophilic design. Things like green walls, living roofs, and expansive glass facades that frame natural landscapes are likely to become even more prominent in the year ahead. Plenty of studies have concluded that surrounding yourself with greenery can make you substantially happier, healthier and more productive, but the inclusion of natural elements can also serve practical purposes too. A green roof, for example, can reduce rainwater runoff, positively contributing to flood defence; a green wall (consisting of climbers or plant modules) can improve the energy efficiency of a building; and an expansive glass facade will let in more natural light to boost an occupant’s vitality.

Architecture trend #2: PassivHaus
Geopolitical instability leads to a wild fluctuation in energy prices. Illustrating that fact, in March 2021 one megawatt-hour of energy was priced at £57.18; one year later, as Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, the price skyrockets to £263.79 – almost a five-fold increase. It is difficult to predict what exactly 2025 will have in store, but the potential for turbulence has led many architects, designers, project managers and homeowners to ensure their buildings are as energy-efficient as possible.
The best way of doing so, in many people’s eyes, is to adopt the principles of passiveHaus. Originally developed in Germany in the late 1980s, PassivHaus (or Passive House) focuses on minimising energy consumption while maximising comfort. It achieves these two objectives through high-quality insulation, modern (often triple) glazing, an elimination of thermal bridging (whereby a building’s envelope leaks warm air and lets cold air in), and a focus on air-tightness.
Every one of our projects incorporates bespoke, top-quality glazing – adhering to the ethos of PassiveHaus, but it is this project, in the Lake District, featuring triple glazing, high-quality thermal insulation and a ground-source heat pump, that really demonstrates the value of the German approach. To see how far we’ve come, you may also like to see the first certified PassivHaus in England, built back in 2010.

Architecture trend #3: A return to the Art Deco past
In 2025, we’re likely to see a resurgence of the glamour and elegance of the Art Deco period in architecture. This early 20th-century design movement is characterised by bold geometric patterns, luxurious materials, and an emphasis on symmetry. After a few decades of minimalist and industrial-style buildings dominating the landscape, a revival of Art Deco would offer a breath of fresh air, combining sophisticated design with modern functionality.
An example of this move towards the Art Deco can be seen with the popularisation of Crittall-style windows. These are pieces of bespoke glazing that sit between strongly defined metal frames, immersing the occupant in a bygone style while retaining the functionality provided by modern glazing technologies.
In your next project, aside from Crittall-style glazing, you might also like to adopt geometric patterns and smooth-flowing lines that guide the occupant’s attention around corners or give the impression of aerodynamic elegance.

Architecture trend #4: Circular sustainability
It is no secret that 2025 will be a pivotal year for tackling climate change and the decline of our natural world. Every single person has a part to play, including material manufacturers who might previously have disposed of old/broken products without much further thought. Today, however, it’s necessary that they minimise waste and even incorporate it into the production of new products – a concept known as the circular economy.
Many companies already spearhead the idea of a closed economy – Ikea, for example, invites owners to return damaged, broken and unwanted furniture in exchange for a voucher. The waste furniture is then harvested to create new products. But how feasible is the circular economy for the construction industry?
Concrete, one of the world’s most popular building materials is also one of the most polluting, responsible for approximately 8% of the world’s annual emissions. While it can be recycled, the process itself is very energy intensive, leading researchers to suggest greener alternatives or ways that the initial production can be better for the environment.
On the other hand, is steel, 90% of which is recycled multiple times, making it far greener than concrete (aside from its initial emissions). So, where does glass sit between steel and concrete? While it is entirely possible to incorporate cullet (recycled glass) into the production of new windows, you do run the risk of introducing a high number of impurities that can significantly increase your risk of nickel sulphide inclusion – a big safety concern.
As the world continues to navigate the climate crisis, legislators are likely to put further restrictions on the unnecessary waste produced by construction projects. Whether it’s glass, concrete, steel or plastic, all materials will need to be a lot greener in 2025 – whether that’s part of a circular economy or a linear one.

Architecture trend #5: Photovoltaic glazing
You might think that glass technology has remained static over the last 50 years – a window’s a window, after all – but you would be wrong. Specialist manufacturers are always coming up with modifications and improvements that make glazing just that bit more energy-efficient or useful. One of the latest of these innovations is the production of photovoltaic glazing, whereby your windows produce electricity, acting as a transparent solar panel instead of just a portal for natural light.
That concept might sound like a far-fetched one, belonging to the realm of sci-fi rather than real life, but it is completely possible. Until now, solar windows – as they are also known – have been exclusively expensive, reserved only for projects with the biggest budgets. 2025, however, could see those windows being introduced to domestic developments and commercial premises that can benefit from self-powered solutions.

Architecture trend #6: AI in glass production
AI is inescapable. We’ve already mentioned it in this blog post. The concept of artificial intelligence is one that fills us with joy – it has the power to make life significantly easier – but also anxiety (we’ve seen Terminator). On the one hand, artificial intelligence could predict the maintenance requirements of machinery long before anything breaks down; it could optimise material use to reduce waste; and it could analyse data streams in real-time to make decisions that could create an even better product in a much shorter time. But on the other hand, an over-reliance on AI could disrupt operations when software systems go down or networks fail and there are fewer qualified humans to pick up the slack.
We believe that 2025 will be the year that specialists – who provide AI for the construction industry, for example – will find the sweet spot. Within this Goldilocks ideal, manufacturers can enjoy the efficiencies of artificial intelligence without putting its importance above that of the employees.
We will wait to see if we are right.

Architecture trend #7: Future Homes Standard 2025
Future Homes Standard is coming down the line and is due to arrive in 2025. It is the latest iteration of Part L of the UK Building Regulations – concerned with the energy efficiency of new buildings – and aims to eliminate a dwelling’s reliance on fossil fuels such as gas for central heating. You might be wondering why further scrutiny is required, but experts suggest that the built environment accounts for approximately 25% of UK emissions.
For many of us, gas central heating – and even gas-powered electricity – is an intrinsic part of a home’s ability to keep us warm, dry and illuminated. But the reason why FHS is included in our trend list is because we are definitely going to see an uptick in the number of air-source heat pumps being installed across the UK. After all, it is virtually impossible for a new-build property to meet this new requirement with gas central heating.
The influence of FHS 2025 might only affect new builds at the moment, but it will mean that green heat pumps become more affordable as time goes on, eventually outnumbering the number of gas boilers being installed – but that is likely to be a long way off yet.

Conclusion
In truth, it is difficult to know what 2025 will have in store for us. In one year’s time, we hope to revisit this article to see which predictions we got right and which ones were way off the mark. Until then, let’s continue building a future that is beautifully designed and responsibly constructed.