18 Sep Design Uncensored with Matthew Berman
Ready for another inspiring discussion on trend & design with Stacy’s weekly live series Design Uncensored? On this episode, Stacy hosts an intriguing conversation with Founding Principal of Workshop/APD, Matthew Berman. With work that has been published in The New York Times, Metropolitan Home, Architectural Record, House Beautiful, Interior Design and New York Spaces, his firm is one of New York’s Top 50 Designers.
See 3 Key Takeaways from the conversation below!
1. From City to Suburbs
With all of the changes we’re seeing in the world right now due to COVID-19, Matthew sees a huge trend happening in regards to the location people are choosing to live. He says people are moving out of New York City to places such as Westchester, NY, Greenwich, CT and the Jersey Shore which are all about two hours away from the city. These locations are places where people feel safe and can trade a busy and compact lifestyle for a more calm and quiet way of living. Matthew says, “if we’re not able to travel right now, people need a place to get away”. This trend doesn’t necessarily mean people are giving up their homes in the city, but many are looking at these locales for a second home.
2. Co-Living
Many of Matthew’s recent architectural projects have been co-living spaces as demand for these type of properties have been on the rise. These are buildings which offer “hospitality level of amenities” such as co-working spaces, community rooms, gyms, and courtyards, giving off a “club-like atmosphere”. Matthew explains how the buy-in for these type of properties is much lower as the residents have access to all of these services included in the purchase or rent of their home. Not only that, but they can also use these amenities in other cities that have the same brand of co-living space offering that sense of community even when traveling. An interesting thing about this type of living is seeing a mixture of younger (mostly 25 -35 years of age) and older residents consisting of many divorcees and widows as these are both demographics seeking a more social life.
3. Materials & Spaces Moving Forward
Because many of us are working remotely right now, Matthew predicts to see a demand for more sound proof materials to use for working spaces in the home. He also mentions building homes which will avoid having a child’s room above or next to a home office in order to keep out any distractions. Moving forward, people will still want open floor plans, but a design which allows for separate areas when needing privacy and sound isolation. Another thing Matthew touches on is the idea of bringing health & wellness spaces into the home such as gyms, spas and saunas, as many people are not traveling out to these type of places.
About Matt Berman, founding principal, Workshop/APD
Matt Berman believes passionately in the transformative power of good design. A founding principal at New York City design + architecture firm Workshop/APD, Berman considers the built environment a player and protagonist in its inhabitants’ lives, with the ability to create a mood and catalyze more meaningful interactions and experiences.
Since the firm’s inception in 1999, he has encouraged clients to demand more of their spaces, creating modern hotels, restaurants, high-end homes, luxury residential developments and institutional projects that engage the senses and invite inquiry at every scale. Today, he leads Workshop/APD’s growing hospitality practice, setting the scene for an ever-changing cast of characters with spaces that are interactive, engaging and intrinsically tied to their unique locations.
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