For new buildings and urban planning and design, they make the process of taking architectural projects from conception to completion more streamlined and efficient. One technology that’s having a significant impact on how products are designed and made is 3D printing. In particular, by making manufacturing more accessible to more sectors. This also applies to other fast-evolving technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). One technology that’s having a significant impact on how products are designed and made is 3D printing. The net result is a democratisation of design. It’s becoming increasingly possible to source and share innovation and inspiration from the most unexpected of places – across industries, geographies and knowledge centres. Just one example is the Biomimicry Institute, a leading centre for the large-scale application of lessons from nature that supports those looking to nature to solve design challenges 4 . The potential of this could have a deep impact on the speed of
innovation, the availability of new materials, operation efficiencies, and sustainability. In one trial project involving 3D printing technology, building demolition waste is being utilised to create street furniture. If proven successful, it’s a process that could potentially save sending many thousands of tonnes of building waste to landfill. Technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) and (VR) are also changing the way people interact with the world. Helping them make better, more informed decisions about products and design. For example, in an interior design setting you can see how colours work in a room with changing light. In the case of the Metaverse and AI, personalisation remains at the forefront. From personal assistants to fully customised experiences, it’s driving forward a new era of possibility and forming new emotional connections between people and technology. For instance, in the UK the number of households with a smart speaker has almost doubled since the pandemic. In 2020, 30% of Briton’s said they had one. By 2022, ownership had risen to 47%. And the latest figures for 2023 this figure had jumped to 52% 5 .
Crown | Colour Insights | 2025/2026 | page 9
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