Top trends in outdoor amenities guide, Residential and commercial buildings property garden

Top Trends in Outdoor Amenities for Residential and Commercial Buildings

14 February 2025

Leading Trends in Outdoor Features for Residential and Commercial Spaces

For both commercial and residential buildings, amenities play an important role in the overall architectural design. Amenities enhance curb appeal while creating functional spaces for residents and guests to relax, interact, and engage with the community.

For developers and property investors who want to attract tenants, investing in well-designed outdoor amenities is crucial. The following are some of the current trends in outdoor amenity design.

Multi-purpose spaces

Whether it’s a community area in an apartment building, or a space for outdoor meetings in a commercial building, people like having designated areas to work, play, and socialize. A flexible, multi-purpose space typically involves the following elements:

Adjustable seating. Some courtyards are equipped with adjustable seating to allow residents to have a quiet space to relax during the day, while events can be hosted at night.

Movable partitions. For events, movable partitions are helpful for separating vendors and individual activities.
Versatile surfaces. Easy-to-clean surfaces make maintenance easy, and that’s why concrete is a popular choice. However, cracks can make spaces lose their visual appeal. Addressing these issues is crucial. Most people have started using new concrete repair methods, like LEVELift. LEVELift is better than mudjacking because it doesn’t put heavy weight on unstable soil.
Wi-Fi connections. Properties with community outdoor areas have started offering free Wi-Fi and access to power outlets.

Sustainable green spaces

Sustainability is huge in outdoor amenity design, and here’s how property owners are incorporating sustainability into their outdoor spaces.

Living walls/vertical gardens. When you want to relax in an outdoor space, nothing beats being surrounded by lush, green walls of living plants. Having more greenery increases oxygen levels, improves air quality, makes the area smell fresh and clean, and the vertical nature of these walls makes it work in small spaces.

Native plant landscaping. Using native plants typically reduces the amount of water required to keep them alive. It also supports local ecosystems and reduces the amount of required maintenance. To take it one step further, some people use drought-resistant plants, like succulents, echinacea, lavender, licorice, and artemisia.

Outdoor fitness

Some apartments and condos offer outdoor gyms and create paths for walking, jogging, and cycling through the property. These are popular amenities that support health and wellbeing, and are visually appealing to health-conscious applicants. It’s nice to be able to exercise in an enclosed indoor gym, but having access to an outdoor trail is even better.

Meditation and yoga spaces are also popular. Some people use these areas for relaxing and reading. These spaces typically feature soft landscaping, shade, and comfortable seating to create a serene experience.

Rooftop terraces

Everyone loves rooftop dining, but some developers are going out of their way to create attractive rooftop spaces that actively encourage social gatherings. For example, they’re adding bench seating around the perimeter of the rooftop, installing fire pits and barbecues, and creating beautifully-decorated dining areas.

Green roofs

Some rooftops are designed to be covered with vegetation to provide insulation and keep the building cool. Having vegetation on a roof also improves stormwater management. Buildings that feature greenery on the roof look amazing against the skyline.

Outdoor work spaces

In the past, companies with outdoor spaces usually provided employees with small tables to eat lunch and connect. Now that more employees are working from laptops and desire to work outside, companies are creating intentionally-designed spaces with larger tables, access to charging stations, and ergonomic seating.

Water elements

Water adds tranquility and beauty to outdoor spaces, making them more appealing. Here’s what’s popular today:

Waterfalls and fountains. Decorative waterfalls and fountains are seamlessly integrated with existing architecture.
Sustainable water systems. Many properties reduce water waste with recycled water systems, installing permeable pavement, and using rain gardens.

Smart lighting systems

In outdoor spaces, good lighting is crucial. Although it improves security, it’s not just a practical upgrade – great lighting can significantly enhance the visual appeal of an outdoor space at night.

Smart LED lights are popular because they can be programmed on a customizable schedule. Compared to other programmable lighting systems, smart LEDs offer more convenience, allowing the settings and schedules to be adjusted through a mobile app.

Amenities elevate outdoor spaces

Outdoor amenities play a big role in transforming spaces into attractive, functional, and engaging environments in both residential and commercial settings. Today’s architects and developers are incorporating thoughtfully designed features to create outdoor spaces that are both visually appealing and practical.

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