Does the future of design lie underwater, in the clouds or even on the surface of the Moon?
A new study into how we will live, work and relax a century from now has predicted a future where underwater bubble cities, drone-delivered mobile holiday homes and super skyscrapers are the norm.
The SmartThings Future Living Report, commissioned by Samsung SmartThings and authored by a collection of British-based architects, academics and scientists, suggests the way we lead our lives will “will change beyond all recognition” over the course of the next century.
According to the research, growing populations and diminishing natural resources, paired with technological advancements, will transform the ways we overcome space constraints over the next 100 years.
Increasingly, it predicts, we will develop super strong materials to build up into the sky, down underwater and below the surface of the earth, before heading for the stars and colonising the Moon and then Mars.
“Our lives today are almost unrecognisable from those a century ago,” said space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock, who co-authored the report. “The internet has revolutionised the way we communicate, learn and control our lives. Over the next century we will witness further seismic shifts in the way we live and interact with our surroundings.”
The report claims our future living spaces will become increasingly flexible and responsive, as CLAD editor Liz Terry predicted during a recent talk on the creation of ‘living buildings’ at the Global Wellness Summit in Mexico City.
Living spaces with malleable walls will adapt to our needs and moods by changing room layouts and furniture and we will be able to 3D print our own houses any time we desire a change of scene.
“The smart home revolution will have massively positive implications on how we live, said James Monighan, UK MD of Samsung SmartThings.
“Our homes are becoming smarter and can now detect the presence of things like people, pets, smoke, humidity, lighting, and moisture. This is just the beginning.
“The smart home revolution is destined to spread to larger communities and countries. By simply turning lights and heating off when we don't use them, we can reduce emissions. By being able to better monitor and secure our homes, we can reduce crime. By better monitoring the habits of ageing relatives, we help them to achieve greater independence and a higher quality of life.”
Finally, the report claims our day-to-day existences will be enhanced by new technology as we start attending meetings remotely via hologram, step into health diagnosis pods to get to the bottom of ailments and download and print our favourite dishes from Michelin-starred chefs.
The SmartThings Future Living Report has been published to coincide with the expansion of the SmartThings company. The firm, which was acquired by Samsung in 2014, currently allows homeowners to monitor, control, and automate their homes from one device and this year is expanding its systems to control a wider variety of home equipment – including televisions, refrigerators and vacuum cleaners.
SmartThings Samsung future innovation living spaces living buildings architecture design
Black Gold project imagines cities of the future located in huge repurposed oil tankers
Could citizens of the future live under the sea? Vincent Callebaut unveils 3D-printed 'oceanscrapers'
Liz Terry predicts the creation of Living Buildings
Masterplan for Basra, Iraq, includes 3,000ft vertical city in the clouds
BIG unveils Eve Music Hall as Croatia venue nears completion
Bob Rogers hands BRC to long-serving leadership team
Wellness care hospital opens in Vilnius with innovative spa and hospitality concept
Universal and Puy du Fou projects point to rise of Oxford–Cambridge corridor
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’ planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism investment.
For years, the corridor has been associated primarily with science, technology, housing and university-led economic growth. However, the clustering of large-scale visitor attraction projects along the
All-inclusive eco-wellness development Auko to open near Vietnam’s Son Doong caves
Shedd Aquarium upgrades its visitor experience with new Immersion Theater
Shedd Aquarium has opened the Immersion Theater developed in partnership with SimEx-Iwerks, as part of a wider strategy to enhance the guest experience and create additional revenue opportunities.
The attraction has transformed the aquarium’s Phelps Auditorium into a multi-sensory venue combining panoramic projection, environmental effects and interactive technology.
A new pre-show area allows visitors to engage with augmented reality marine animals before entering the
Mandarin Oriental announces standalone Mansions-branded residences for Abu Dhabi
MCR is planning a luxury hotel for London's BT Tower
Joy as a radical act: Yinka Ilori launches solo exhibition celebrating the rebellious power of spreading happiness
Work gets underway on Madrid's €800 million leisure complex
Work is underway in Madrid on one of Europe’s most significant multi-functional complexes, combining sport, entertainment, culture and education.
The €800 million initiative to regenerate the former Olympic Aquatic Centre in the north-east of the city, next to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium, is being led by Barsento – a joint venture between Live Nation Entertainment, Oak View Group and Atlético de Madrid. The project will
Therme Manchester reveals 90:90 strategy – 90 per cent of the UK population within a 90-minute drive of a Therme
Four Seasons’ Naples Beach Club opens 2,800sq m Sanctuary spa inspired by indigenous Calusa people
Orient Express Corinthian to host Ocean Rebirth wellness retreat in collaboration with Guerlain
Famed London nightclub, Tramp, launches Tramp Health
First look: Miraval opens on the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia
Hainan Science Museum by Ma Yansong, opens in China
A new science museum has opened to the public in Haikou after attracting more than 350,000 visitors during a four-month soft opening period.
Designed by Ma Yansong and his practice MAD Architects, the Hainan Science Museum is located on the edge of Wuyuan River National Wetland Park and has already recorded peak attendance of more than 5,800 visitors in a single day.
Commissioned by
Zannier Île De Bendor launches with design by Hardel Le Bihan Architectes
Sæl Spa readies for launch in London: “a modern British sanctuary”
Immersive art bathhouse Submersive announces debut location in Austin
Construction begins on regenerative wellness destination The Shenandoah Nature Resort
Royal Caribbean reveals record-breaking cruise ship
V&A East opens in London
David Geffen galleries open at LACMA
New venue The Lands by Capella includes a longevity centre to complement sister hotel Capella Sydney
World of Frozen launches at Disneyland Paris
Pical Resort by Valamar reveals first Croatian spa under the ESPA brand
Mandarin Oriental creates end-to-end Egyptian journey with two new hotels and first-ever luxury river cruise
Designers Mendil + Meyer launch new division called Lām Concepts for strategic wellness projects
Wilderness Bisate in Rwanda reveals brand’s second Sanctuary spa
4a Architekten shares details of wellness extension at Salinarium Bad Dürkheim Thermal Spa
Designed to restore neglected land and renew the identity of Iraq’s capital city, Baghdad Sustainable Forests promises a new way of living surrounded by nature. Gensler’s Ian Mulcahay tells us why he thinks the project could become a model for the repair and enhancement of urban centres





















