The global architectural services market is expected to grow at a considerable rate over the forecast period. Increasing trend of service outsourcing across various industry verticals is expected to drive the industry growth. Contractors rely on the government regulations, which help them deliver the right design to the right person at the right time. Thus, favorable government policies and focus on the sustainable development of the environment and urban designs are likely to fuel the market expansion. Demand is dependent on the investments being made on the buildings and large-scale projects in the metropolitan cities across the globe. Such emerging cities promise immense growth opportunities for the builders and contractors.
The industry includes companies that plan and design institutional, residential, leisure, industrial, and commercial buildings. Some of such major firms hold significant shares of the global industry. The application of design and construction procedures, building codes, zoning regulations, and building materials are some of the techniques utilized to perform architectural services. The industry can be subdivided on the basis of products, industry activities, and potential clients. Some of the industry products include building design, interior design, planning, pre-design, landscape and urban design, and construction project management.
Major industry activities include basic designing, providing construction phase services, restoration, planning and providing building fit-out services; while potential clients can be home owners, developers, government, and contractors. Home owners segment may account for a major market share due to higher number of residential projects and buildings. The use of Computer-aided Design (CAD) is on the rise due to enhanced global connectivity. The drawings can be transferred electronically to any part of the world making it easier to communicate the changing trends and needs of the customers with other developers or contractors.
Economic slowdown across several regions and increasing focus on sustainable building techniques may challenge the market in the coming years. However, increased consumer purchasing power across many developing regions is anticipated to have a positive impact on the market development. People are able to afford the best designs thereby helping contractors pump huge investments into the business, creating a positive outlook and room for new designs in the future. Thus, increasing investment in the global construction industry is a positive sign for the architectural services market. The value of both residential and non-residential buildings has increased over the past few years. The cost cutting patterns of various companies have also improved the profit margins, which, in turn, is expected to deliver positive Return on Investment (RoI).
This is also anticipated to augment the growth of this market over the years to come. Moreover, people are becoming more aware of their surroundings, such as advanced architectural designs, which is also expected to help boost the market growth. The single-material approach is being adopted to ensure the sustainable balance between the environment and the surrounding. This approach helps in creating an ecological sense; thus, depending on the climatic context, as well as on the usage of single material, waste reduction can be achieved. Passive cooling and lowered life cycle cost and maintenance are some of the factors that make it more favorable and hence promises better prospects in the future.
Using single-material reduces the maintenance cost, which, in turn, helps in creating the desirable result of sustainable future. The global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is increasing at a steady rate, which indicates good chances of growth. The standard of living are also improving, which is projected to induce the architectural business, as people would tend to invest into better and futuristic homes and designs.
The Chinese government has invested a huge amount of money in the construction of institutional buildings, such as prisons, schools, and hospitals. Futuristic structures, such as the hypnotic bridge, the rotating skyscraper, indoor parks, the invisible architecture, natural disaster-proof forts have opened up numerous of growth opportunities for the industry players.On the other hand, the industry is anticipated to witness a number of mergers and acquisition activities owing to the significant growth opportunities over the next few years.
The recent acquisition of Bury Construction Ltd. by Stantec Inc., a civil engineering firm, would help the latter firm to expand its businesses across the U.S. region.
M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates, Inc. is investing in the Birmingham‘s growing design in the United Kingdom owing to huge growth prospects and opportunities. Moreover, Nikken Sekkei Ltd., a Japanese architecture firm, has reportedly formed an alliance with Krasnoyarsk in Russia and Siberian Federal University to jointly work on the Krasnoyarsk smart city project. Key companies in the market are AECOM; Brickman Group, LLC; M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates, Inc.; HDR; Nikken Sekkei Ltd., Stantec, Inc.; and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP.
