Review of 2024: How New Building Regulations and AI Shaped Commercial Interior Design
The year 2024 brought many significant changes for me personally, both in my private life and professionally. Reflecting on the year, I can say I am very satisfied with my decisions and see clear progress. Success can take many forms, and it’s always worth stepping back to view the bigger picture.
From a political and regulatory perspective, important shifts have also occurred in the construction industry. This article highlights three key trends and their impact on the sector.
1. Focus on Resource Efficiency and Urban Densification
With the amendment to the Building Code (BauGB), policymakers responded to challenges posed by climate change and limited land availability. New regulations make it easier to expand existing commercial buildings and better utilize unused urban spaces.
Here are the key changes:
Easier vertical expansion and building extensions
The amendment facilitates the vertical expansion and extension of commercial buildings without requiring changes to development plans. This supports urban densification and more efficient land use.
An example: In 2018, Novum Hospitality created a hotel on top of a shopping center in Berlin through modular vertical expansion. This project demonstrates how creative densification can enhance existing structures. The amendment aims to simplify such processes, making densification more accessible.Simplified approval processes for repurposing
The BauGB amendment simplifies approvals for repurposing existing commercial spaces. This includes transforming warehouses into offices, showrooms, or other commercial uses. By reducing approval requirements, businesses can adapt their properties more quickly and flexibly to new needs.
A benefit: Such transformations not only open up economic opportunities but also contribute to more sustainable land use.Promoting sustainable construction practices
The amendment sends clear signals for resource-efficient building. Commercial interior projects benefit from initiatives supporting sustainable materials like recyclable flooring and modular systems for flexible spaces. This reduces resource consumption and aligns with EU Taxonomy requirements. Additionally, such projects enhance their appeal to tenants increasingly prioritizing sustainable properties.
Why is this relevant?
For commercial interior design, this means more projects within existing structures and greater demand for creative concepts that balance efficiency and sustainability.
2. Artificial Intelligence in Architecture
AI had a significant impact on architectural and construction processes in 2024. In interior design, it proved how versatile AI tools can be:
Applications in interior design:
MidJourney and Stable Diffusion: These tools generate realistic renderings and concept images based on text descriptions, helping to quickly visualize design ideas and convince clients.
Lumion and Twinmotion: With AI-driven lighting, shadow, and material calculations, these tools create high-quality real-time renderings and animations ideal for complex interior projects.
Enscape: A plugin for BIM software like Revit or ArchiCAD that produces interactive 3D visualizations, allowing clients to virtually navigate spaces.
Runway ML: For dynamic presentations, Runway ML enables automated video creation and editing to visually showcase material concepts and space designs.
Chaos Vantage: GPU rendering allows large and detailed scenes to be rendered in seconds—a gamechanger for time-critical projects.
Why is this relevant?
These tools save architects time and resources, offering new levels of quality in representation. Designers who adopt AI-based applications can not only optimize their planning and presentation processes but also provide their clients with modern and innovative experiences.
3. Retail-Trends 2024 in Focus
Retail has also undergone significant changes in 2024, strongly influencing interior design. At the forefront are multisensory shopping experiences, technological innovations, and sustainable concepts:
Experience-oriented design: Retailers are leveraging pop-up stores and interactive design solutions to emotionally engage customers and strengthen their brand identity.
In-store technology: Augmented Reality (AR) and AI play a key role in customer engagement, such as through virtual try-ons or personalized product recommendations.
Sustainable development: Recyclable materials and circular concepts are gaining prominence, setting new standards for eco-conscious interior design projects.
Why is this relevant?
These trends directly influence the requirements for interior design by making flexibility, innovative materials, and smart technologies fundamental to modern retail concepts.
Conclusion: 2024 – A Year of Transformation in Interior Design
The year 2024 was a turning point for commercial interior design. Regulatory changes like the BauGB amendment have created new opportunities to utilize existing structures more efficiently and build more sustainably. At the same time, technological advancements, particularly in AI, have revolutionized how projects are planned and executed. The retail sector demonstrated how innovative concepts and smart technologies can create emotional and sustainable customer experiences.
Key takeaways:
Flexibility and efficiency: The BauGB amendment simplifies the implementation of creative and resource-efficient projects.
Leveraging technological innovations: AI-based tools and digital processes save time and improve planning quality.
Sustainability as a standard: Eco-friendly materials and circular concepts set new benchmarks in interior design.
2024 has set the stage—the future of interior design lies in a blend of innovation, technology, and sustainability.
📩 Which developments influenced you the most in 2024? Let’s discuss!
