Future Perfect
Trends that will dominate the world of design
The future of design is coming at you faster than you think. The heavy dependance of technology in luxury is already evident in how we use everyday devices and even newer technologies such as augmented and virtual reality seek to bring manufacturers closer to their clients. Heavily integrated seamless tech is soon becoming indispensable in the environment of luxury living and design, and here are a few major ways in how I see it coming together.
Deep technology in living environments
Look no further than what Apple and Google are doing with their voice-activated smart-hubs to take centrestage in your home. The big idea: say what you need and your current and future automaton speaker ‘valet’ understands and sets everything from door locks to airconditioning and lighting. Imagine a future where everything just happens with your voice and your phone, and I mean everything you need to feel in the luxury and design world such as coming home to a perfectly cooled home, lights and TV show, blinds elevated to engage a view, a recliner in a perfect position vibrating and your coffee ready, all with one voice command.
Integrated sustainability
Today, sustainability is being marketed as an alternative to regular consumption. Future design will demand that everything that can be done today will need to be done and better with all actions, materials and techniques that are ecofriendly and sustainable as the norm. Your next branded top-of-the-line table or chair will be made from renewables by earth-friendly production that indicates its carbon footprint in its sales tag.
Mass customisation
Nobody wants what everyone else has, unless its desirability exists at the same level. But what if you could have what is desirable to every-one and yet have it be somewhat different:' Customi-sation isn't unique to the fashion industry and it's not long before the luxury and design industries use tech-nology to create infinite signature variants of the same archetype production piece so that everyone's personal i)refbrences are seamlessly integrated.
AR, VR, Holo and DSR
Augmented reality alters the user's perception of the real world by mixing virtual elements with reality, while virtual reality completely replaces and simulates the users reality with a virtual world. Can we imagine a new world where the next generation of virtuality and augmentation create some-thing deeper and more immersive, like a holograi)li or let me coin a new term: Deeply Simulated Real-ity—perhaps one where a user 'inside' a virtual envi-ronment, can, with a flick of a finger, change product, interior or architectural details, almost "designing" on the fly? Advanced AI software would take care of all the coding, drawings and production, popping out a highly customised product at the end of the design lifecycle.
Robots, Nano and 3D Printing
The next genera-tion of "making" will be clever, automated and efficient; probably able to produce anything that is thrown at it faster and better than before. A robot that makes your house, or a set of production robots simultaneously jacking up the metal structure of your next building, nano-technology repairing your home, or just a beauti-ful new custom 3I) printed facade to replace the old one of your house, it's all almost here.