What It Means to Design With Gen Z in Mind

When you have a consumer market of some 90 million people, you pay attention to their likes and dislikes. We are talking about Gen Z, of course. These are the renters of today and homebuyers of tomorrow, and their influence is being felt profoundly in  boardrooms and design studios across America.

Who exactly is Gen Z? Colloquially also known as Zoomers, Gen Z is the demographic cohort succeeding Millennials and preceding Generation Alpha. They were born between 1995 and 2012. They have grown up in an environment of Internet resources, instant worldwide communications, digital technologies, iPods, iPhones, texting, Facebook, Twitter and intense multi-tasking. In fact, they are the first consumers to have grown up wholly in the digital era. They’re tech-savvy and mobile-first—and they have high standards for how they spend their time online.

These tech-savvy consumers are now in their household formation years. They are intelligent, articulate, detail-oriented, and armed with a textbook consumer’s market sophistication and mentality. They have a distinct advantage over previous consumer groups due to their intuitive use of the social media and Internet services for instant, on-line market research, comparison and analysis. They have evolved into the “Spreadsheet Consumers.”

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READ ALSO: How to Attract and Retain Gen Z Renters

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So how do you design for this important market? First and foremost, design with connectivity in mind, in terms of the Internet for sure but also visual, physical and social connectivity. For instance, lobbies, mail rooms and even laundry rooms shouldn’t be limited by design to their specific uses and enclosed areas.  They should be designed to interconnect with other parts of the structural environment so residents can at least see each other, which promotes interaction and initiates conversation.

In the multifamily projects we are designing, we are strategically connecting spaces with the use of glazing and stacking to create visual links to multiple spaces. Wherever and whenever we can, we are trying to create opportunities for visual and social interaction. People want to be seen and they want to see others.

This group is also a big proponent of exercise and prefers walking to driving a car. Thus, in designing today’s multifamily projects, walkability does play an important role. In fact, walkability should be considered an amenity. The ability to be able to walk or bike to work, restaurants, theaters and entertainment, is more important now than ever before. Depending on the location, residents will want to walk to the beach, to the mall, to the supermarket, to the Apple Store.

Whether younger or older, these residents also like active sports.  You can see them, especially on the weekends and holidays, in the public parks and beaches playing baseball, football, soccer, volley ball, and tennis. These are the same people you’ll see tackling a climbing wall or going full bore on outdoor fitness equipment. At an apartment community called Boardwalk, we are designing in Huntington Beach features a central park with a sand volleyball court, a climbing wall, outdoor fitness equipment, and pickleball court to enhance the active nature of the community that promotes a healthier lifestyle. Developers could also consider adding recreational loaners such as bikes, paddle boards, scooters, and so forth.

If the potential tenant is sacrificing in square footage or personal outdoor space a great communal outdoor area is the way to go. Splurge on nice outdoor furniture, install a fire pit, and think about using rooftop space for great views. It’s important to give Gen Z renters a comfortable space to gather with a group of friends. It also pairs really well with community-wide Wifi as a lot of Gen Z have more flexible jobs that allow for working from home. This isn’t quite an amenity, but community perks can really help sell a potential Gen Z renter. Think about hosting wine and beer tastings, yoga classes, holding a summer BBQ, or having a food truck come once a month. Bringing these sort of perks to an apartment can really make up for being a little further away from the city or a cool neighborhood.

These groups also want to be cool and hip, proud of where they live.  Imagine a nightclub at the top of a high-rise hotel overlooking the city in Las Vegas nightscape. Some of today’s amenities and trends in multifamily projects are definitely following in the footsteps of the hospitality industry. Cool and hip hotels, inspired by happening places such as the Roosevelt, Standard and W hotels, are a good indication of where newer, upscale apartment communities are heading with their lifestyles and amenities.

Luxury is key with this group. Gen Z is entering the rental space already accustomed to higher-end amenities. According to research by student-housing development firm Servitas, luxurious community amenities are one of the top trends in student or campus housing, even if student-housing residents rarely take advantage of these types of communal spaces. When it comes time for Gen Zers to transition from student housing to living on their own, they will look for amenities similar to what they had in college, such as outdoor media walls, infinity-edge pools and yoga rooms. From mixed-use buildings with easy access to coffee shops and retail to leading-edge wireless capabilities, this generation has high expectations when it comes to amenities. Developers and campuses are continuing to push amenities and events to attract more students so this is definitely driving multi-family expectations.

According to recent studies, the vast majority of Generation Z shoppers also prefer to rent sustainable homes, and they are most willing to spend 10 percent more on sustainable products. Going green is just a given for Gen Z. A study by Sparks & Honey found 76 percent of these renders are concerned about the impact humans have on our planet. This group is on the lookout for the Energy Star labels on washing machines, dishwashers, and refrigerators. So it’s worth the splurge for multifamily properties to avoid being edged out by a more eco-friendly option. While many communities may already have stepped up their sustainable practices to attract millennial residents, amenities such as efficient appliances, walkability and bike storage will continue to be important. The report also found that Generation Z, along with Millennials, are the most likely to make purchase decisions based on values and principles (personal, social, and environmental).

They are pet people

Gen Z are also pet people.  A growing trend in urban living is to have a canine companion or two. They care about the environment, about our planet, about people, and seem to care a lot about the welfare of pets, especially dogs. An apartment project that we are designing in Glendale called Crown Glendale features a “woof top deck,” where residents can take their dogs on the roof and mingle with their neighbors. The pet-oriented amenities also include a dedicated area where pets can be washed, dried and fluffed. Recent studies by The Concord Group suggest that developers should plan on 100 percent pet participation. Not all residents will have pets, but at some point, each apartment will have a pet. This leads to thinking about quality and type of materials from the apartments, corridors, elevators and leading to the “pet area.” Harder materials with durability are key for this because pet spaces are definitely a must for this group.

Despite Facebook, Twitter and all the other social media, Gen Z like to congregate with others even if they are glued to their computer screen. Starbucks is a prime example of a communal place where both young and old can sit and read or conduct business on the computer. It’s a place where you can use Wi-Fi, read the paper, people watch, and feel like you’re, well, socializing. Talk if you want to talk, or not.

With this as a template, an apartment project we are designing in Los Angeles at Wilshire and Brea features a Wi-Fi Grotto where residents can socialize while surfing the net. Another feature could be a coffee shop just for residents and guests. Today’s multifamily projects will have a competitive advantage if they offer multiple ways for residents to relax, socialize and Wi-Fi.

The desire to socialize and use time wisely should be extended to the business centers or co-working spaces.  We believe these increasingly important productivity hubs should not be an isolated room down the hall with two computers and a fax machine. Our view, and one that is being considered for another multifamily project we are designing in Los Angeles, takes the business center one step further for those residents who work at home by offering a receptionist service that would take phone calls, deliver messages, sign for and accept packages, etc. We envision the business center more as an active office environment with an Internet lounge connected to a café type space with visual access to other spaces, such as the lobby and perhaps an outdoor pool/spa area.

The fitness center has also become a bustling social hub. The Boardwalk apartment community in Huntington Beach features a three-story fitness center with a cardio and yoga deck on the second level that overlooks the pool area and extends to an outside Wi-Fi Grotto. And don’t forget the laundry room.  Because of the smaller apartment size (i.e. micro lofts that don’t have space for washers/dryers), there has also been a return of the laundry room. But now, instead of just a room with washers and dryers, we are seeing more people-friendly spaces with reading areas and adjacent Wi-Fi lounges so residents can survey Facebook and Twitter with their friends while waiting for the laundry.

Entertainment still rules

With big screen, high definition TV and video game systems such as Xbox, the movie/entertainment /community lounge has evolved into an even more important amenity. Envision a double-volume media lounge such as the one we have designed in the Boardwalk apartment community with a high definition TV that can be a social center for the American Idol finale, Super Bowl parties, the Grammys or Oscars, or any type of media-oriented events in addition to traditional theater presentations. If you’re tired of watching TV, you can plug your Xbox into the system to play the War-of-the-Worlds video game with your friends until three in the morning.

We have noticed that the more marketing-oriented designers and developers are actually taking cues from theme parks such as Disneyland and Magic Mountain. Ever notice how, when you exit the ride at these parks, you have to cross through a gift shop. We are adopting that marketing concept at projects we are designing today by configuring project “tours” that start in the lobby, move through all the key amenity areas, and end up back at the lobby and the leasing office.

We call this strategic marketing schematic an “experiential product design.” It has also been coined by other clients as “the yellow brick road” or “phase 0.” Regardless of what we call it, by this we mean that we design the entertainment, socializing and recreation amenities with the intention of marketing and leasing the apartments.  The planned tour creates an opportunity for a potential renter to pause and really appreciate a space by experiencing it in context rather than just quickly passing through.  The leasing tour sells the idea of the community’s lifestyle, and concluding the tour at the leasing office will effectively initiate the process of leasing an apartment.

A good percentage of Gen Z renters say they enjoy cooking and cook at least a few times a week. An upgraded kitchen speaks to this foodie generation. Seeing granite or quartz counters, stainless steel appliances, and subway-tiled backsplashes will definitely sway their opinion. Gen Zers grew up in a time when walk in closets started becoming a social status and anything they want is at the click of a mouse. Savvy clients are accessorizing the closets so residents can visualize their belongs in the closet, which is another big selling point these days. And while they are willing to sacrifice living area space, they are not willing to do the same in storage. Some studies suggest that more than half of Gen Z females shop for clothing at least twice a month, leaving a need for closet space. Walk-in closets are a BIG draw. Seriously a big walk-in closet could sell an apartment by itself, especially for women. If that isn’t an option, multiple closets could be just as good.

Showcase the lifestyle

An iPhone isn’t a technological achievement. It’s simply a part of daily life. As a result, members of that generation are experts at online research, have short attention spans (eight seconds, according to customer-insight firm Vision Critical) and expect immediate results. Their shorter attention spans apply not only to the time required to consume content but also to the speed at which they can access it. A report from IBM and the National Retail Federation (NRF) found that 60 percent of Gen Zers will not use an app or website if it is too slow to load. The study also found that “access to product information—such as peer reviews, product specifications and vendor ratings—empowers them to be smarter shoppers.” As such, they demand accurate information that is easily available online on a visually appealing, efficient website optimized for mobile viewing.

In a world where marketing is everywhere including your home, work, and even your car, today’s renters and buyers are, perhaps more than any previous groups, sensitive to and understanding of the power of marketing and promotion. They enjoy showcasing (i.e. marketing) their lifestyle to their family, friends, and the public, and are attracted to living in places that do just that, such as a glass-walled gym facing onto a busy street.

The “wow” factor is critical to establishing a marketing platform in today’s highly competitive world.  Armed with this knowledge, we in the architecture and design businesses should be creating and selling distinctive lifestyles for today’s multifamily projects with a strong “marketing narrative” in mind (e.g. a beach theme if a project is within the ocean’s area of influence). A well thought out, articulate narrative allows the physical architecture of the building to match the narrative ideal of the design and thus ensure marketing and leasing success. The “wow” factor is also about branding and taking the brand all the way through the project with social media opportunities, selfie spots for promotions, wayfinding and community involvement.

Success requires a commitment by companies to prioritize and invest in these ideas. There are 90 million people in this consumer market and they will demand that designers, developers and owners get it right. Though increased care must be given, designing for Gen Z has proven both doable and effective at keeping rentals strong in your communities.

Tim Mustard is a principal at TCA Architects.