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December 19, 2019
Cindy Allen’s Top Trends of 2019
The end of the year is the perfect time to reflect on the design trends that have dominated our recent editorial discussions. Of the thousands upon thousands of projects that we’ve reviewed over the past 12 months, these are the movements and concepts that stood out and shined brightly!
When you can’t go up…head down
Cavelike and underground interiors are the new frontier in coziness, giving occupants a sense of grounding via their cocooning, cosseting vibe.
Adaptive reuse is getting ever more innovative, as designers and developers dare to stage interventions in unusual sites; consider a lighthouse turned artist’s residence, or oil tanks converted into a museum.
The bunk house, or grotto, at Plum Gut Grotto, an 1899 lighthouse converted into an artist’s retreat by Randy Polumbo. Photography by Randy Polumbo.The Oracle of Plum Gut, a 4-foot-diameter spinning ball of marine epoxy, crystals, silvered mirror, glass beads, and color-changing LEDs. Photography by Randy Polumbo.Tank Shanghai by Open Architecture, Best of Year winner for Social Impact. Photography by WU Qingshan.Tank Shanghai by Open Architecture, Best of Year winner for Social Impact. Photography by WU Qingshan.
What’s old is new again
Historic structures (a stately church, a classic airport terminal) get a new lease on life thanks to sensitive refurbishments that marry the very best of vintage and modern elements.
The TWA flight center’s original sunken lounge has been restored to its full ’60s glory. Photography by Eric Laignel.The concrete form of the flight center is echoed in the curved aluminum-and-glass facade of the hotel’s Saarinen Wing behind it. Photography by Eric Laignel.Audible Innovation Cathedral by Spector Group, Best of Year honoree for Office Transformation. Photography by Ben Gancsos.Audible Innovation Cathedral by Spector Group, Best of Year honoree for Office Transformation. Photography by Ben Gancsos.
Set at different heights along the rock formation, the guest tents and communal structures at Zannier Hotels Sonop almost appear to be a natural part of the desert environment. Photography by Patricia Parinejad.Each guest tent is outfitted with a claw-foot bathtub overlooking a private terrace. Photography by Patricia Parinejad.Anacapa Architecture and Geremia Design transformed a former Kampgrounds of America site into AutoCamp Yosemite, a hospitality complex in Midpines, California, 25 miles from the national park. Photography by Erin Feinblatt.The suites’ millwork is either American black walnut or walnut veneer. Photography by Kristopher Grunert.
It’s all gone to the dogs
Fuzzy friends are the latest design muse—and co-occupants in feel-good spaces ranging from cat cafés to pup-friendly tech offices.
Along with designing the American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog in New York, Gensler also developed interactive attractions such as touch-screen tables that provide visitors with information about specific canine breeds. Photography by Eric Laignel.An animated frieze of digitally projected trotting dogs runs across the museum’s facade. Photography by Eric Laignel.BarkBoxbyNBBJ, Best of Year honoree for Small Tech Office. Photography by Chuck Choi.BarkBoxbyNBBJ, Best of Year honoree for Small Tech Office. Photography by Chuck Choi.
Pool, baby
Splashy lap pools take on the status of architectural centerpiece at these wellness-focused hospitality and residential environments. Dive right in!
Shanghai Jindi Zhuqiao AD2040 Sales Center by Matrix Design, Best of Year honoree for Large Health + Wellness. Photography by Matrix Design.Shanghai Jindi Zhuqiao AD2040 Sales Center by Matrix Design, Best of Year honoree for Large Health + Wellness. Photography by Matrix Design.Upper West Side BrownstonebyStudio Arthur Casas, Best of Year honoree for City House. Photography by Filippo Bamberghi.Upper West Side BrownstonebyStudio Arthur Casas, Best of Year Honoree for City House.Photography by Filippo Bamberghi.
Hooray for bookstores…in China
For the latest word on the future of retail, look no further than these fantastical wonderlands designed for literary lovers, which take a page from magical realism.
Chongqing Zhongshuge by X+Living, Best of Year winner for Bookstore. Photography by Shao Feng.Chongqing Zhongshuge by X+Living, Best of Year winner for Bookstore. Photography by Shao Feng.Books Over the CloudsbyWutopia Lab, Best of Year honoree for Bookstore. Photography by CreatAR Images.Books Over the CloudsbyWutopia Lab,Best of Year honoree for Bookstore.Photography by CreatAR Images.
