Take a second to imagine a building or a room. Chances are you are envisioning flat rectangular surfaces and straight lines. Whether it be walls, beams or windows, most architectural elements come in standard and extremely practical orthogonal shapes. However, the pandemic has shed light on designs that are not only functional, but also that improve our mood and well-being. In that sense, the power of curved, free-flowing surfaces is unmatched, which explains why they have been making a comeback as a modern design trend. Adopting beautiful nature-inspired shapes, organic curls and bends energize rooms and make users feel good. In fact, neuroscientists have shown that this affection is hard-wired into the brain; in a 2013 study, they found that participants were most likely to consider a space beautiful if it was curvilinear instead of rectilinear. In short, humans love curves.
But besides their beauty – and contrary to common belief – curved surfaces can also adopt many functions. They can add movement, zone creatively, act as furniture pieces and even create load-bearing walls. And thanks to new technologies like 3D construction printing and BIM, it has never been easier to visualize and build complex curved geometries. Nonetheless, technical expertise on materials is still crucial in order to achieve good results.
