🌍 Vision 2025/2026: Top Minds on Design, Architecture & Art Trends

🌀 Embracing Fluidity: Mathieu Lehanneur on Futureproof Design

In a world in constant flux, designer Mathieu Lehanneur believes the design industry must let go of rigid frameworks and embrace change as its natural state. Rather than aiming for static perfection, he sees the future in adaptable, emotionally intelligent spaces that reflect the shifting realities of life.

Design should no longer treat humans as stable, logical users. “We’re unpredictable, irrational, and emotionally driven,” says Lehanneur. To truly connect with people, design must go beyond ergonomics — diving into psychology, spirituality, medicine, and science.

The goal? Creating environments that offer not only visual pleasure but a sense of comfort, serenity, and connection to the natural world.

🌱 Heritage & Honesty: Yulia Loboyko on Curating Authenticity

Founder of the “Palaty” gallery, Yulia Loboyko draws from years of regional expeditions across Russia. Her curatorial vision involves weaving together unique objects into meaningful constellations that reveal cultural narratives.

At Collectible Brussels, “Palaty” disrupted expectations with unconventional objects. A standout was a chair by Studio Odingeniy, praised by curator Brecht Wright Gander as one of the show’s best. Meanwhile, PAD Paris called for deeper meanings: Loboyko emphasized heritage, symbolism, and handcraft — a strategy that earned her a feature in ELLE Decoration France.

She sees a movement away from the excess of past decades. “The future is not about grandeur. It’s about sincerity — searching inward for what really matters,” says Loboyko.

💧 Architecture as Compassion: Liu Jiakun’s Poetic Approach

Pritzker Prize 2025 laureate Liu Jiakun views architecture as a force for emotional healing. It should not only house lives but elevate them, cultivating serenity and shared identity.

His metaphor is powerful: “I want to be like water — flowing into spaces, adapting, reflecting the spirit of the place.” Over time, that water may become architecture itself — solidified yet still carrying traces of its origin.

Jiakun emphasizes the potential of buildings to awaken compassion and community. Architecture, for him, is not just about form, but about forming relationships between people, history, and space.

🏡 Resilience at Home: Maria Porro on the Shifting Role of Interiors

President of Salone del Mobile.Milano and Porro’s marketing director, Maria Porro highlights the need for homes that evolve with their inhabitants. “The house is no longer static. It breathes, transforms, and adapts,” she says.

In this era of instability, people seek balance between beauty and well-being. Sustainability is no longer a buzzword — it’s essential. Porro champions closed-loop production systems, materials that are reused, repaired, and responsibly recycled.

Furniture today is more than utilitarian. It’s becoming architectural — shaping how we move, live, and feel within a space. “Design must reflect the soul of the era,” Porro concludes.

🎨 Hockney's Joy: Suzanne Pagé on Art as Emotional Light

As a curator at the Fondation Louis Vuitton, Suzanne Pagé reflects on the continued relevance of David Hockney. His art thrives on emotional transparency, bright colors, and compositional clarity. Even in personal turmoil, Hockney’s creative act is joyous. “Like Van Gogh,” Pagé notes, “he’s happy the moment he draws.”

Hockney constantly seeks new ways to engage the public — from reverse perspective to digital reproductions. His current exhibition at Louis Vuitton is described as “a doorway to spring,” offering viewers a vivid, inclusive sense of renewal.

🔮 Beyond the Object: A New Era of Meaning

What unites these five voices is a shared commitment to emotional depth, cultural specificity, and adaptability. Whether it’s architecture that flows like water or galleries that honor forgotten crafts, the focus has shifted toward sincerity, storytelling, and social relevance.

Design, architecture, and art in 2025/2026 are no longer about trend-chasing. They are about reading the moment, feeling the world, and responding with empathy.