Breaking the Cost Barrier in Multifamily Design

Perspective from Gwen Jarick, Design Director at DesignCell Architecture

The Breaking Point

At the Interface Multifamily Phoenix conference, one theme stood out to me more than any other: we may have reached the breaking point of how far we can reduce multifamily development costs using traditional methods.

Each discipline involved in a project, from design to engineering to construction, has already pushed the boundaries of what’s possible. Yet projects are still struggling to pencil.

Parking and zoning ordinances, land costs, labor shortages, material price volatility, and rising soft cost all continue to add pressure. We’ve exhausted the conventional levers. To move forward, the industry must embrace new building technologies and construction methodologies that can break the cost barrier and allow us to build more efficiently.

Rethinking Space and Program

This shift also challenges how we approach design. It requires questioning long-held assumptions about what goes into a multifamily project.

Do we need to include an on-site fitness room if a partnership with a nearby fitness company is possible?

Do we need large club lounges when a community center already exists next door?

These may seem like small considerations, but in an urban context, where space is scarce and every square foot carries a cost, reducing underused or redundant spaces can meaningfully impact project feasibility.

Designing Smarter, Not Just Cheaper

At DesignCell, these conversations are becoming an essential part of our early design process. We’re asking the right questions upfront, with the goal of helping our development partners balance brand standards, market appeal, and cost efficiency.

That means being open to new building technologies. It means exploring alternative construction methods that can shorten schedules and lower hard costs. And it means making design decisions early that protect the proforma and strengthen long-term project value.

Looking Ahead

The industry has done everything it can to cut costs, and it’s no longer enough. The future of multifamily design will depend on building smarter, not just cheaper.

That’s the perspective I brought home from Interface Multifamily Phoenix – and it’s the mindset we’re carrying forward into our work with development partners.