Humans find it comforting and comfortable to be in the presence of curving lines; more rectilinear ones bring thoughts of efficiency and functionality to mind. As we bounce from one pandemic related stress to the next, positively responding to curve-y things, having them feature more prominently in design offerings and presentations, etc., makes a lot of sense.
In Nine Notable Trends at NeoCon 2021, a piece by Jean Nayar in the December 9th edition of Interface’s Human Spaces newsletter, (Interface Blog), Ms. Nayar says, “Among the clearest design motifs that dominated show spaces this year were flowing lines and curvilinear forms that can be used to add a sense of softness and new dimension to healthcare and office spaces. ‘Rounded archways, curved sofas, chairs with rounded backs, and oval benches and coffee tables continued to be prevalent as they have been in the recent past,’ says Katherine Cohen, manager of visual merchandising and photography for Interface. ‘The use of curves in wall graphics and circular or organic amoeba-shaped rugs contributed to this trend,’ says Andy Porter, custom design manager at Interface.”
Curved elements and lines often feature prominently in residential environments, so their current popularity can also be seen as a continuation of the trend toward a more residential feel in workplace design.
While it’s unlikely that stress levels in many public places will return to pre-pandemic levels anytime soon, including curvilinear elements seems to be a simple way to contribute to a general sense of calm.
Sally Augustin, PhD, a cognitive scientist, is the editor of Research Design Connections (www.researchdesignconnections.com), a monthly subscription newsletter and free daily blog, where recent and classic research in the social, design, and physical sciences that can inform designers’ work are presented in straightforward language. Readers learn about the latest research findings immediately, before they’re available elsewhere. Sally, who is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, is also the author of Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture (Wiley, 2009) and, with Cindy Coleman, The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design (Wiley, 2012). She is a principal at Design with Science (www.designwithscience.com) and can be reached at sallyaugustin@designwithscience.com.