Facades as product wrap: a typology to identify the consumers affected by product design

Purpose The elevation of a residential building, or facade, affords aesthetic and functional value to tenants. Facades embody the design of the core product, i.e. the building's unit. When carefully executed, they contribute to the attractiveness, livability and sustainability of urban areas. The purpose of this study is to show how facades influence consumer decision, and to identify the consumers affected more by facades, i.e., product design. Design/methodology/approach Hinging on notions from product design and appearance, this research underscores the ways by which facades affect potential tenants. It also proposes that personality dimensions (i.e. concern with own physical appearance and view of achievement) identify the tenants affected more by facades. A study involving 1,091 consumers was performed to test the hypotheses. Findings Functional and aesthetic facades facilitated the tenant decision to buy or rent a living unit in three ways: attraction, convection and conversion. Two tenant segments (performers and egotists) were the most affected by facades. Hence, key consumer segments including self-actualizers would be less influenced by product design. Practical implications Construction companies should focus on delivering functional, aesthetic and well-maintained facades to boost satisfaction and sales. They should view the resources allocated to this purpose as an investment. Certain tenants are more affected by facades. Companies should identify the consumer segments more affected by design cues to better respond to their preferences. Policymakers are encouraged to set guidelines that foster well-executed facades in urban areas. Originality/value This research underscored the ways by which the facades of residential buildings shape consumer decision. In addition, it provided a typology to help pinpoint the tenants more affected by facades. Finally, it elaborated design theories in the context of residential building facades, which can be used by future researchers to understand the role of facade in fulfilling tenants' needs and expectations.