Technology will allow architects and designers to spend more time designing and less time doing admin, according to Adel Zakout and Tom Mallory of furniture-sourcing platform Clippings.
The duo, who this week announced the sale of their business to US samples service Material Bank, said that architecture and design is "is one of the few remaining sectors that really has not been touched significantly by technology."
But this is finally changing, they added.
"I believe that in 10 years, interior designers and architects will be doing more designing," said Zakout (above, left), who co-founded the London-based platform with Mallory (right) in 2014.
"Today, interior designers and architects are spending 60 to 80 per cent of their time just doing admin like emails, Excel sheets, putting quotes together and just managing stuff," he added. "Unfortunately, that's part of the job today because technology hasn't caught up," he said. "Technology has not enabled them to save time and focus on where they can add value. But in 10 years time, designers will be able to design more" thanks to technology.
Pandemic "accelerated" way of thinking about technology
Mallory added that the coronavirus pandemic has "drastically shifted" attitudes to technology in the sector.
"The pandemic certainly has accelerated the way people are thinking about distribution channels and how technology can be a part of it," he said.

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