Is our new luxury really human contact?
Even before the pandemic this was an emerging design theory. The human touch was in decline possibly due to technology and new communication methods making the world smaller.
All this technology and machines (that have made our lives so much easier) has helped create a global village. The adverse reaction is that the local communities have declined. Within this ‘ease’, we move more, live in different countries and connect to each other through a greater number of technology-based methods.
So, has the world become too big? I don’t think so however it should be a conscious balance keeping our emotional and sensory requirements fulfilled whilst navigating this technology-based interaction.
Our friends can be super far away, we have all contact with them at our finger tips yet we crave sitting on the sofa having a cuppa together; we miss the feeling we gain from the five senses that relish the experience of human contact. Sense, taste (only if you desire!), smell, touch and sight, whilst having human interaction with others has huge benefits, we tend to forget that these are all at play.
This theory for me, has escalated during our 18 months of disruption, the lack of human interaction being firmly placed at the forefront of many people’s minds through necessity rather than choice. Humans need hugs. At least four on a daily basis but a total of 8 to keep a balanced maintenance plan going and 12 for growth. Like who knew… they strengthen our immune system, increase our feelings of safety, belonging and of mattering/ self-love.
We can be standing amidst huge numbers of people yet feel alone…
We need connection and interaction of the human kind!
The next time you are designing a product, think of how you can incorporate this theory into the product or how will your consumer connect with the item using the conscious and sub conscious mind. Loss of human contact will be expressed through future forecasting trends; we will desire products that have a feeling of tactility, choose your surfaces, texture and materials carefully. How can colour be chosen and enhanced to accommodate this?
The pandemic has enhanced some trends to grow faster, others to reduce in importance. Examine this whilst creating and take the design process one step further to increase our unseen human requirements.
Sending Hugs!
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