Brick-and-mortar retail will have to adapt—yet again—following the pandemic. While the public health event has spurred many changes in retail and consumer behavior that will impact the retail business, retail design will also need to change to accommodate new needs. Moving forward, health, safety and wellness will be the center focus of brick-and-mortar retail shops.

"Health, safety, and wellness will be a new focus for brick-and-mortar stores going forward," Anthony Sanchez, newly appointed design director at Nadel Architecture + Planning, tells GlobeSt.com. "Stores and shopping centers will probably be designed to allow plenty of space between customers so that they can socially distance if needed, and we may see the introduction of anti-bacterial surfaces such as copper in stores to reduce the spread of germs. Touchless interactions will increase, and curbside pick-up may become a mainstay."

The exterior space may also be designed, particularly in shopping centers. "Centers may be designed to allow for more curbside pick-up spaces and even curbside returns if applicable. Architectural firms like Nadel, which has been in business for close to 50 years, have the expertise to design retail stores and centers that incorporate these changes while exceeding aesthetic expectations," says Sanchez.