This is easier said than done, but there are some simple and effective ways to achieve this balance:
- Design should consider everyone. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are becoming increasingly important for businesses looking to enhance the experience for both internal and external audiences. United Minds found that among leaders surveyed, those with budgets between $10 million and $49 million saw a 24% increase in their budgets. These budgets should be used to incorporate design elements into the equipment.
Design elements should be included in the plan, including ramps integrated into the sidewalk, elevators, wide server aisles, accessible racks, and Braille signage.
Data center security is rapidly evolving, and robotics is poised to become an essential component in the near future. According to Gartner, by 2025, half of cloud data centers will deploy advanced robots with artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, resulting in a 30% increase in operational efficiency. Facilities capable of deploying robots will consider their use during the design phase. For example, at Novva, a robot dog designed by Boston Dynamics can scan QR codes to perform routine monitoring tasks and a range of predefined tasks. Facial and palm recognition software, access control authorization, and comprehensively enhanced access security are driving advancements in data center security design. Good data center design breaks with past models, combining these groundbreaking technologies to advance the industry’s facilities.
Another way to create impactful spaces is through good aesthetic design. So far, data centers haven’t been hailed as the next Fallingwater or the Louvre, but future data centers will be far more visually appealing than the simplistic designs of the past few decades. While functionality may be the ultimate goal, it doesn’t have to come at the expense of creating a visually beautiful space:
1. Provides significant value to employees who enjoy working in the facility.
2. Make a lasting impression on clients to win business.
Completing a space with beautiful and unique architecture and design is the final step in an end-to-end project. The data center’s specifications are readily accessible. The experience that results from a comprehensive facility combining data needs with modern design cannot be easily summarized.
The data center industry is on the verge of a lasting transformation, not only in meeting ever-growing data demands but also in how it operates as a whole. Sustainability and digitalization are converging, laying the foundation for the next generation of data centers that deliver a holistic experience for employees and visitors. We are witnessing the birth of future facilities through modern design and architecture that will undoubtedly change how we think about the word “data center.”