Design is a concept that directly interacts with human psychology. Our relationship with design begins the moment we open our eyes in our bedroom and permeates every waking moment from the living room where we have coffee, the office where we work, the gym where we work out, the venues we visit in the evening, and any new space we enter. Design can be described as the interpretation of global trends in various times by various geographies, and the aesthetic collection that blends this variety with the times. It can be a short period such as the ‘70s, ‘90S, 2000s, and now, the vision for 2030. Technologies, movements, residences, designs… Is what awaits us in the future a digital perception within which our house is covered in screens and we can use voice commands to turn devices on or off?
Who knows, maybe a hundred years from now, design will only focus on engineering and technology. Let’s think about the recent phenomenon the world has faced: global warming, carbon footprint, cities around the world that are further buried in concrete… In brief, there’s a struggle to be made by societies and generations in their lifetime. We’ve been seeing the initial examples of this in design and architecture; the newest global trends include products and structures using recycled materials, and methods of production with the smallest carbon footprint. Indoor spaces are frequently designed with natural materials and refined spaces with a longer lifespan. This new understanding of design which doesn’t call our attention to what’s new and prioritises unity between form and material, can be summarised as “a blend of technology and elegance.”
CHANGING HABITS
In the past, we used to imagine a vacation of sea-sand-sun in summer, and skiing in winter; nowadays, we prefer to be one with nature. We care about recycling. We may have become more aware of our consumption in our effort to buy eco-friendly, organic products. We don’t use plastic. To be honest, we’re witnessing the creation of a collective human consciousness. This awareness instils in us a sense of what is right, reminds us of our obligations, and puts a responsibility on our shoulders to reflect this way of living into our life and work. In addition to increasing governmental support for projects that include sustainable practices such as buildings with LEED certification, customers also request projects they plan to invest in to respond to such expectations. In short, we’re entering a time when spaces that blend technology with elegance are on the rise. Hopefully, our future cityscapes will be adorned not with the tallest buildings, but with the lushest ones.