Design Directions

Material expressions

Health & beauty

Beauty routines and mental health are connected. Making an effort and keeping a routine is a positive affirmation of self.

Relaxation is a state where you feel calm and able to manage day-to-day life. Taking a bath, visualising calming places, deep breathing, hypnosis, meditation and exercise all have mental and physical health benefits.

Take time to reflect. Reflection allows you to learn from past mistakes to envisage great ideas, gain perspective, and help others.

Scent can play a healing role. It can help lower stress levels, relieve pain and improve mood.

Ritualistic

Relaxing

Time

Reflect

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Black Girl in Om

Photo by Claire Luxton

Tangent GC Organic Soap by Carl Nas Associates

Top banner image, Transparency Matters by Draga & Aurel

Image by Alex Liu

Reflective Compass by Maite Denolf

Stillness Smart Bath by Kohler

Food

Eating together with those outside our household has been difficult during the pandemic. There will be new ways of sharing food and eating together.

Baking has been a lifeline for many people, enjoying the pleasure and the sensory experience of baking your bread.

Delicate light foods. Complex recipes to try at home. Recipes that take time to complete. Following the recipes of top chefs from all over the world.

Food can positively affect a person’s mood. Plant-based, high-fibre wholegrain food and food rich in omega-3 fatty acids can calm inflammation, clear up oxidative stress, improve gut health and reduce anxiety and depression.

Appearance, colours and texture all influence taste.

Share

Bake

Delicate

Mood food

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Dish by Andreas Rieger Cutlery by Steinbeisser

Dish by Steinbeisser

Photo by unknown

Sesame and peanut by Oliver Beer

Beyond taste by Teresa Berger

Woman’s clothing

Clothes are sharply cut but translated into soft, comfortable textiles. Dress up to feel comfortable and confident.

Gathering and drawstrings to create a shape. Sculptural ruffles, pleats and sleeves.

Classic shapes that reference fashion history. Underwear, pyjamas and robes are worn as luxurious daywear.

Studies have shown colours can impact our mood and how we perceive the world. Every colour has an inherent meaning with your unique associations with it.

Draped, soft fabrics, moulded into shapes to create comfort.

Soft

Gathering

Quiet classicism

Colour

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Outfit by Lutz Huelle

Outfit by Jil Sander

Outfit by Oscar de la Renta

Outfit by Sportmax

Outfit by Rokh

Skirt by Mugler

Men’s clothing

Lightweight textiles that are loose and breathable. Classic dressing is softened by the use of tactile materials and layers combined with knitwear. Softness is vital with comforting, brushed qualities that are a joy to touch.

Layers of the same colour combined in different materials. A monochrome look with depth. The colours are light with grey tones.

Textures, matt and shiny surfaces create interest. Slits, layers and cut panels reveal layers underneath. Textures are irregular, crumpled and crushed.

Soft sportswear references. Tracksuits in high-tech textiles, cotton shorts and layered looks that reference male yoga looks.

Lightweight

Layers

Texture

Comfort

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Dries Van Noten

Auralee

Nous Étudions

Lagos Space Programme

Louise Vuitton

Auralee

Living

Emotional design anticipates and accommodates users’ needs and responses. Rounded shapes, colour and fabric-use, create an atmosphere that affects the senses. Spaces are shielded with half-transparent materials to lead you through the room.

Historical elements are used in new colours. Styles of all ages are referenced and combined.

Light plays an important role. It can be coloured or filtered to create an atmosphere. Daylight plays with colours and changes the mood in a room during the day.

Highly textured materials sit next to smooth lacquer tabletops. The contrast makes it exciting and creates identity in a room.

Emotions

History

Light

Texture

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The Sanctuary designed by Cheryl R Riley for the Obsidian Virtual Concept House

Image by Dagny Thurmann-Moe

Maat Museum Lisbon by SO-IL

Image by Draga & Aurel

Textile by Ellen Arolin

Architecture

Elements are combined to promote play and playful behaviour. Thick rugs invite you to sit on the floor, scattered seating outside invites you to stay, a park on a roof to escape the city for a moment.

Tension in materials and constructions. Elements that appear to float. Stark surfaces that are inspired by nature.

Elements that connect people, that invite you to sit and talk. Public spaces that are well designed and that add beauty to unexpected places.

Colour, shape and material choices can add drama to design. How a building makes you feel is essential.

Drama

Playful

Tension

Connecting

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Prada by AMO architecture

Roof parkinggarage by JAJA Architects

Silent Room by Nathalie Harb

Public Toilet by Suppose Design Office, Japan

Kipu ottomans by Anderssen & Voll

Mobility

New materials and surfaces are used in car design: materials that invite touch, padded and soft or cool and brushed metals.

Glowing light effects affect mood or softly accentuate functions.

Personal settings, your preferences are programmed and remembered. Light, music, seat position, creating your mood.

Sound design is essential in cars. Personal sound bubbles allow those in the space to enjoy their entertainment.

Safety, sustainability and wellbeing are the essential factors in car design in the future, this influences design, ownership and technology.

Surfaces

Glow

Personal

Sound

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Mini Vision Urbanaut

Sony Vision-S entertainment 360 Reality Audio

Microlino electric bubble car

NEVS Robotaxi

Mobility for Future Rural Communities by royal College of Art

Technology

Light installations and effects for relaxing and unwinding.

Connecting AI and humans using language, texture and light.

Haptic design will create a more intimate connection with technology that invites touch and translates touch over distance or to enhance an experience.

Soft robotics draws heavily from how living organisms move and adapt to their surroundings, built from materials with mechanical properties similar to those of living tissues and textures.

More creativity in shape and design, playfulness between humans and AI.