In many ways, architecture was well-positioned to weather 2020. But the COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the importance of sustainable design in future projects. Through 2020, architecture was just one of many industries suffering from the effects of a lack of innovation and adaptation in other industries, said Zach Verhulst, founder and managing principal of recently formed PURE Architects. Preexisting issues like material prices, labor volatility, immigration issues and supply chain instability were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Verhulst predicted construction will be forced to automate to overcome these issues. “I think some of the challenges are going to be with construction or architecture in general — how do we start to deal with labor pricing, supply chain instability?” Verhulst said. “Sourcing materials from all over the world turned into a real hurdle in completing projects this year.”