Designing and constructing manufacturing facilities, warehouses, and other industrial buildings may appear simple. To a casual observer, these facilities can look like large concrete-and-steel rectangles built for storage. However, businesses that depend on efficient shipping and receiving need much more than an empty shell.
Warehouses serve as vital links in the supply chain. Thoughtful architectural design helps these buildings support smoother operations, increased productivity, and the efficient movement of goods.
Although the nationwide surge in warehouse construction fueled by the pandemic-era e-commerce boom has slowed, the Triangle continues to attract new businesses. Developers continue to build industrial parks and warehouses throughout the region to meet this growing demand.
In the fourth quarter of 2023, the Triangle offered approximately 42.5 million square feet of leasable warehouse space. Reports identified about 2.1 million square feet, or 4.8% of the total inventory, as vacant. By the end of the year, the vacancy rate had fallen to approximately 3%. That figure remained below the national warehouse vacancy rate of 5.6%, demonstrating the Triangle’s continued demand for industrial space.
Planning Industrial Buildings for Long-Term Use
Business owners, developers, and brokers can protect the long-term value of industrial properties by working with architects who understand current warehouse trends. An experienced architectural team can design a modern, efficient building with enough flexibility to accommodate future expansion and operational changes.
Architects help clients identify both their immediate priorities and the less obvious requirements that may affect a building’s performance. Important considerations include:
- Building height and clearance
- Indoor air quality and ventilation
- Specialized lighting
- Storage capacity
- Concrete slab design
- Shipping and receiving operations
- Employee safety
- Opportunities for future expansion
Each of these elements can influence how effectively a business uses the space and how successfully property owners market the building to future tenants. Thorough planning and experienced construction management help ensure that a production facility meets the owner’s expectations while remaining competitive within the commercial real estate market.
Selecting a Location That Supports Growth
Architects can also help clients choose a location that meets current operational needs and provides room for growth. The right site should support delivery access, employee traffic, shipping demands, and potential building expansions.
Businesses should also consider how employees and leadership teams will use the facility. Offices, break rooms, conference rooms, and restrooms can bring administrative and operational functions together under one roof. This approach may eliminate the need to purchase or lease a second property for strategic planning and office-based work.
Adapting to Modern Warehouse Demands
Warehouse requirements have changed significantly over the past several decades. Today, a typical 100,000-square-foot industrial building may require approximately 25 loading docks. Twenty years ago, a building of the same size often included only about a dozen.
Clear heights have also increased. Many industrial buildings now provide approximately 36 feet of clear height, compared with the previous average of 26 feet. Greater vertical space allows businesses to expand inventory capacity and support more efficient storage and shipping operations.
Technology continues to shape industrial building design as well. As more companies incorporate autonomous mobile robots, or AMRs, architects must consider how those systems will move throughout the facility.
Design teams should plan interior corridors and operational areas that can support:
- Zone picking
- Goods-to-person delivery
- Autonomous piece picking
- Flexible sorting activities
Planning for automation during the design process helps businesses adopt new technology without requiring extensive building modifications later.
Begin Planning Your Industrial Facility
A successful industrial building must meet today’s operational demands while preparing for tomorrow’s growth. Thoughtful site selection, efficient layouts, flexible infrastructure, and careful attention to emerging technologies can help an industrial property remain functional and competitive for years to come.
Business owners, developers, and brokers who want to begin the design process can schedule a meeting with the HagerSmith Architecture team. Our team provides customized architectural services based on each client’s location, intended use, operational requirements, and long-term goals.
Clients and brokers interested in taking the first step towards the design process can schedule a meeting with our Architecture team, who offer bespoke design services that consider strategic location, intended usage and current trends in the Triangle to deliver specified industrial solutions. View our most current completed industrial buildings.