How Tech Is Transforming Interior Design
AUSTRALIA’S LEADING DESIGN SCHOOL SINCE 1987
Technology is influencing what were once typically hands-on design industries like never before with its modern-day advances.
From greater innovation and efficiency to the ability to get even more creative, technology-driven design programs are now allowing interior designers to showcase spaces by laying them out digitally – and no, sorry to break it to you, you’re not an interior designer yet, no matter how many incredibly weird houses you decorated on The Sims growing up.
Over at Billy Blue College of Design, up-and-coming designers are tapping into the digital world to help them create completely new and original concepts, with digital technology allowing things to be more collaborative and environmentally sustainable than ever before.
How Digital Technology Is Influencing Interior Designers
Billy Blue Interior Design Program Director, Scott Skipworth, gave us a bit of a rundown on the emerging technology that interior designers have started incorporating into their work.
“It includes the Internet of Things (IoT) which is the term used for all the digitally connected sensors and actuators in the physical built environment that connect to each other and to humans using digital phones, computers and wearable devices,” he explained.
Also on trend include Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). “AR and VR connect clients and designers to the online platforms of the emerging Metaverse,” Scott said. “In the connected digital platforms of the Metaverse, fully digital buildings, interior environments and furniture are being computer 3D modelled and sold online as unique Non-fungible tokens (NFTs). People are experiencing the Metaverse for retail and public special events online and also individually or to gather with friends in one’s own digital home.”
Digital Interior Design Trends, The Metaverse & The Future
In the year of 2022, there’s no denying that the future is digital. A key benefit of the shift towards a digital future in interior design include reducing environmental impacts.
“There is mounting concern amongst designers for the physical health of the natural environment with efforts to reduce carbon emissions in the manufacture and use of products and to reduce contributions to landfill,” Scott said. “A Circular Economy approach to Interior Design is on trend involving ideas for reuse (circular) going into Furniture, Fixture and Equipment (FFE) schedules during the design stage.”
Scott also said that regenerative design, a process based on restoring, renewing, and revitalising energy and materials is also an up-and-coming trend. “Regenerative design is on trend with designers searching for affordable previously used products and furniture and giving them bespoke new finishes,” he said.
Lynuz Macalalad studied a Diploma of Interior Design and Decoration at Billy Blue and credits the Metaverse and digital collaboration tools to enabling digital designers to work more fluidly.
“I think the Metaverse and digital collaboration tools and platforms are becoming an integral part of our process as interior designers. With Covid still lingering around, it has enabled us to really communicate our design intentions to our clients and related trade. Realistic renderings and walkthroughs of the design make it a little more tangible for the client and easier to visualise how the end result will ultimately look like,“ Lynuz said.
“Another benefit of the Metaverse and digital collaboration tools is being able to share these files world-wide, meaning you don’t have to be in the same room or even country to be able to present these ideas.”
Students at Billy Blue are learning industry standard tech and software to enhance their designs and work towards a more sustainable and digital future including SketchUp Pro, AutoCAD, and Revit.
Lynuz says going digital is absolutely the way to go, both for efficiency and environmental reasons. “I think that working primarily with digital files is so beneficial and so important nowadays. Yes, hard copy files are still integral to our industry but if we can help reduce the paper waste then I think that’s a win for the conservation of our planet.”
Now that is a future we can all get behind.
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