New Design Museum, London, Exhibit Explores the Future of Domestic Living
During the mid 20th century, a spate of exhibitions imagined the next era of design. Architect Alison Margaret Smithson’s House of the Future from 1956, for example, provided a full-scale mock-up of a childless couple’s residence, set 25 years ahead. Both Joe Colombo and Ettore Sottsass participated in the landmark 1972 show called “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape,” featuring their modular living prototypes. Now firmly rooted in the 21st century, the Design Museum, London, has gathered these works along with current ones by the likes of Jurgen Bey and the Bouroullec brothers for “Home Futures,” exploring whether yesterday’s ideas have become today’s reality. Running November 7 to March 24, the more than 200 objects and experiences are categorized into six themes amid an immersive environment of translucent mesh by New York–based firm SO-IL.
