IIDA Looks Ahead | 2017 Trends Point To Human-Centric Design

Pioneering projects from IIDA and across the globe point to design standards of tomorrow

The International Interior Design Association (IIDA), the global organization for commercial interior design professionals, marks 2017 as a pivotal year that brought the future of commercial interiors into clearer focus, led by a movement toward human-centric design.

This movement and next-generation model for living workplace design was exemplified with the opening of the association’s new headquarters earlier this year in Chicago. The new IIDA HQ puts people—and the ways in which they affect and are affected by the built environment—center stage. The office, designed by Todd Heiser, IIDA, Design Principal and Studio Design Leader at Gensler, is home base to a team of 25 and global membership of 15,000+ and serves as a physical representation of design that celebrates the connection between people, place, and purpose.

This year also has seen human-centric design morph into an emerging standard on a global scale, as indicated in the 87 projects that were recognized as part of the association’s 12 annual design competitions.

“We’ve long recognized that good design is everywhere, and this year’s award winners proudly emphasize that notion. From Anchorage, Alaska to Kiev, Ukraine, design professionals are creating projects that truly make our lives better,” said Cheryl S. Durst, IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO, Hon. FIIDA, LEED AP. “The positive impact of design in our lives is quickly becoming more widely understood, and this high public regard is being driven by the work of our incredibly talented members.”

A number of key trends that emerged from 2017’s award-winning projects:

  • Natural Elements – From the aerial garden plateaus featuring native species in São Paulo’s Líder Flagship Store to the elevated green spaces geared toward patient health at UC San Diego’s Jacobs Medical Center, designers are choosing to more heavily incorporate nature into spaces of all kinds—an indication that the environment offers comfort, well-being, and discovery.
  • Collaborative & Social Spaces – Now more than ever before, design is being used to create community within offices, schools, hospitals, and more. This is evidenced in projects such as Shanghai’s Evergreen Homeland, an assisted living facility focused on the social needs of its patients and their families, including quiet meeting corners and warm communal spaces.
  • Historical & Cultural Relevance – Providing people with a textured, multi-layered experience through historical and cultural references grounds them in a space and creates a deeper, more connected experience. Casa Amate at ANDAZ Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya in Playa Del Carmen is a prime example, designed as a rural house and featuring interiors that draw inspiration from a Mexican explorer.

“It’s clear that human-centric design is an imperative for the industry now more than ever,” said Durst. “As an organization, we will continue to look toward the future of the built environment, placing people and purpose at the forefront.”

About International Interior Design Association
IIDA is the Commercial Interior Design Association with global reach. We support design professionals, industry affiliates, educators, students, firms, and their clients through our network of 15,000+ members across 58 countries. IIDA advocates for advancement in education, design excellence, legislation, leadership, accreditation, and community outreach to increase the value and understanding of interior design as a profession that enhances business value and positively impacts the health and well-being of people’s lives every day. www.iida.org