Blast From the Past: A Return to Traditional

For most of my young design career, contemporary architecture has been the dominant style. Lately, however, I’ve noticed a shift away from the clean lines, parapets, and simple massing of contemporary toward a more traditional aesthetic. But why is this happening? Here are a few potential causes.

1: One Code Rules Them All

In California, Title-24 drives many aspects of design; with the latest updates, the requirements for solar panels have begun to cause headaches with flat roofs. Due to shadow areas and fall protection of parapets, coupled with attic vents and mechanical equipment required on these roofs, often times there is simply not enough room for the number of solar panels needed to fulfill the code. Thus, simple gable roofs have returned as a design solution for builders.

2: Style is Cyclical

As with fashion, food, and pop-culture, the desired styles of architecture change over time for a variety of reasons: a longing for something new, a rejuvenation of something old, demographic shifts, or simple fatigue with a specific aesthetic. We see consumers getting tired of seeing contemporary forms and colors with a longing for the more “homey” look of Spanish or Craftsman homes they drive by in older neighborhoods. Often, children who grew up in these more traditional neighborhoods are looking for that same feel now that they are adults buying homes.

3: Cost is Not Always King

I’ve often heard that gable roofs, due to the additional materials and labor required, are more costly to build than flat roofs. However, the maintenance of flat roofs can be more challenging due to their drainage issues and shorter lifespans compared to sloped roofs. If homebuyers prefer the look of traditional roofs even though they may cost more to build, the developers building them tend to listen. Bottom line, cost may not always be king, but the buyer is.

4: Variety is the Spice of (City Planning) Life

Cities can usually control the aesthetic of what gets built within them. While some cities strive for a single unified look, others seek variety. After years of contemporary projects, many cities may simply want a change. In recent years especially, I’ve dealt with several cities who requested more traditional architecture after a contemporary design was initially proposed.

In the end, architectural trends are hard to predict, and often even harder to explain. All we can do as professionals is ride the wave as styles, codes, and buyer tendencies shift over time. We may not know what the next project will bring, but for me, that is what makes our profession so exciting.