ghosts of the past : architecture designed for people today

"We are going through a time of seismic change, so how can property development thrive with such unpredictability?

As habits evolve and expectations shift, so does the role of architecture. Architecture seeking inspiration from current trends is architecture that looks backward, not forward, because current trends reflect what may have worked in the past, not necessarily what will work in the future. The filmmaker Adam Curtis argues that, contrary to the common wisdom, AI is not the future but rather the ghosts of the past because of machine learning relies on what already exists. Currently popular design trends in architecture are also the ghosts of the past. 

So for architects and developers to stay relevant, ahead of the competition, they need to be in tune with social and cultural changes to question what work and what domesticity mean for contemporary society:

What does home mean in a world of blurred boundaries between living, working and socialising? What does work feel like when flexibility, and wellbeing matter as much as productivity? And how can design respond with imagination?

To explore this, consider the cultural moment that gave rise to Britpop, dial-up internet, and - unexpectedly, open plan layouts.  Cultural movements often birth spatial revolutions, and the 1990s were no exception.

The open-plan kitchen, now standard in most new homes, was once the wildcard option. It emerged in the 1990s, shaped by a culture of cookery shows, the rise of the amateur chef, and a more social approach to hosting. It succeeded in effecting behavioural and typological change, not because it followed the popular trends of the time, but because it responded to a deeper cultural shift. 

Playful open-plan offices offered a similar example. What began as a challenge to the corporate office quickly became a new model, more fluid, more human, more aligned with how people wanted to connect and create. Again, it worked because it responded to cultural change, not convention.

And in both instances, developers who challenged the market dogmas of the time and championed these typologies cemented their leading market position as trailblazers. 

The changes around us may appear daunting, but they present fantastic opportunities.Evolution favours those who adapt, and rewards those who innovate. It also renders those who don’t into obsolescence.

Remember Blackberry?

Exactly.