Shaping Communities aims to improve the built environment for all through collaboration and meaningful design solutions. This theme explored an open dialogue among industries and brands with the common goal of building stronger relationships between people and places. The role that our built environment plays within society should inspire new conversations where human experience and a community’s identity are paramount.

SDS23 highlighted how fundamentally important design decisions truly are, not simply for creating aesthetic pleasing areas, but for understanding how our surroundings hold the ability to evoke emotional responses, uncovering how a space can enhance your productivity and mental wellbeing. As much as places need to have a positive impact on people, how buildings affect the environment must also be considered with sustainable practice being imperative to both design and outcomes. Exploring the importance of how buildings can affect our mental wellbeing, but naturally it will also turn a focus to the wellbeing of our planet. As much as places need to have a positive impact on people, how buildings affect the environment must also be considered with sustainable practice being imperative to both design and outcomes.

Mindful Living is finding the balance between design intuition and analytical thinking to achieve meaningful experiences. 

From physical to digital, materials and their properties play a central role in the multi-sensory space. As we embrace technological advancements and invest in new design approaches, the boundaries between virtual and ‘reality’ continue to blur. But what does this mean for the built environment? 

Mindful Living celebrates progress and innovation in design for interiors and architecture, as we adapt to our ever-changing world. Conversations around man versus machine continue as we search for new ideas. Digital and human intelligence are key, exploring the benefits of each to provide progressive solutions. Whether the focus is on machine learning for industry research, digital platforms becoming independent designers, or simply the virtual world driving new aesthetics, one thing is clear, our material world is evolving.   

The theme for 2024 focuses on the ambition to design well while doing good – with a conscious effort to protect our planet by aiming for zero waste manufacturing and sustainable alternatives. The natural world remains a key influence on the design industry, inspiring new techniques and processes as well as offering a wealth of material substitutes.  

Aiming to live harmoniously, the 2024 Surface Spotlight Live shines a light on cutting-edge surfaces, finishes and processes that embrace the future and harness the vital role materials play on design across all dimensions. 

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