2026 Design Shift: Practical, Human-Centered Approaches Take Hold

This post summarizes predictions from leading designers about the direction of design in 2026. Drawing on observations by industry voices such as Nick Foster, Carole Baijings, Natsai Audrey Chieza, Jo Barnard and others, I examine the shift away from polished, homogeneous aesthetics toward rougher, more textured work.

The post also explores the role of generative AI and the need to humanize technology. Financial pressures and the potential decentralization of design platforms and trade fairs are also discussed.

The end of the glossy uniform aesthetic

Many designers say the era of predictable, overly neat commercial design is waning. We can expect a move toward surfaces and forms that celebrate texture, imperfection, and material honesty.

Why the gloss feels stale

Nick Foster argues that commercial design’s “homogenous gloss” produced tidy, safe outcomes that feel anonymous. After decades in architecture and product design, I see clients and audiences are drawn to authenticity—visible seams, irregular finishes, and crafted marks that tell a story.

The appetite for fewer, more considered launches

Carole Baijings predicts a slowdown in product churn with companies concentrating investment on fewer launches. This trend aligns with a broader move to sustainability and quality: less frequent releases, more careful material choices, and a willingness to embrace the beauty of imperfection.

Technology as both accelerant and responsibility

Generative AI is already affecting how designers ideate and prototype. Its rise brings a responsibility to keep human judgment central.

Designers and cultural institutions will need to bridge technical capability with social values.

Generative AI and a new aesthetic diversity

Foster and others link the rise of generative AI to an acceleration of less uniform aesthetics. AI tools can iterate wildly and introduce unexpected textures, forms, and palettes.

However, without careful curation, AI risks producing more visual noise rather than meaningful diversity.

Humanising rapidly evolving tools

Natsai Audrey Chieza warns designers must humanise technologies. Cultural institutions, universities, and community platforms can play a crucial role by bringing technologists, designers, and the public together to ensure tools serve socially resilient outcomes.

Financial caution and structural change

Economic uncertainty and budget constraints will push many practices toward risk management, efficiency, and scalable systems. This shift will affect experimentation and speculative work.

Conservatism in a volatile market

Jo Barnard and Foster note that volatility tends to breed conservatism: fewer speculative projects, tighter budgets, and an emphasis on deliverables that reduce risk. Firms will need to rethink business models and show measurable value.

Decentralising trade fairs and platforms

Luca Nichetto predicts a fundamental change in the trade fair model—shows becoming more local and opening space for designers from non-traditional “design countries.” This could decentralize exposure, allowing community-rooted, context-specific work to gain traction without relying on a narrow set of global hubs.

What this means for practice

Students and emerging voices are increasingly politicised and outspoken. This promises more activist and socially engaged design moving forward.

Firms that adapt will balance craft, technology and fiscal prudence.

• Prioritise material experimentation: Invest in finishes and processes that reveal craft and texture.
• Human-centred AI governance: Ensure tools augment judgment and ethical design outcomes.
• Lean product cycles: Focus on fewer launches with deeper lifecycle thinking.
• Local platforms and partnerships: Engage regional shows and cultural institutions to diversify audiences.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Design could see “long overdue shift” in 2026