Will there be a paradigm shift in the way people build and live because of varying economic conditions? The building typology will be a sustainable mid-rise mixed use building. The world’s population currently and in the future will need to be more attentive to the general standard of living and reduce the economic burden placed on people through more efficient renewable/ recyclable design. All of humanity utilizes some form of space from birth to death. New building methods, along with sustainable practices, can benefit both the environment and the dweller by reducing operating costs and reducing the carbon footprint. The space we occupy and the approach to design will change the way we live and continue to live in the future. In order to build and live, currently, and in the future, humanity will have to strive towards a new set of standards of the built environment. Sustainable practices will not merely become an addition to a design, but instead sustainable practices will become the distinct means by which we design. By changing our view on what a standard of living, is we can reshape our current beliefs on what it means to be truly sustainable. If we do not do something soon our children may have undue burdens placed upon them with no way of reversing the process. The primary user of the building will be the tenants and the secondary users are retail and office employees, public and professional practitioners. The building has a single owner. Building typology will incorporate: sustainable wood products, glazing, recycled metal products, steel and concrete. The buildings functions will be of a sustainable mid-rise mixed use building also including multiple multifamily dwellings. Major elements of the project include: resident units, retail spaces, office spaces, professional practice space, public space, and parking. The site is located in the midwest state of North Dakota in the capitol city of Bismarck. Within the city, the site is on the north end of town located within close proximity to schools, major roadways, banks, and retail stores. Sustainability and efficiency of living will be the primary main project emphasis. All research will be a mixed method approach, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data, which will be gathered concurrently. Documentation will occur digitally and data will be compiled every two weeks in two different locations: on a hard drive and on a disk. All material will be preserved and be available to scholars through the thesis book and important information highlighted on the final project presentation. The scale of the project will incorporate around 6.75 acres of currently unused land in the north central developed section of Bismarck. A single mid-rise mixed use building and multiple multi family dwellings will inhabit the site. The overall scope of work could easily be scaled larger in size and incorporated throughout currently undeveloped areas in or around Bismarck , North Dakota. Key Words: economic conditions, sustainable mid-rise mixed use, future, general standard of living, efficient, efficiency, renewable, recyclable, dweller, carbon footprint, reshape, residential units, retail, office.