AXOR's compact luxury megatrend explores future of urban living

AXOR – the creator of luxurious bathrooms and kitchens – explores the future of urban living through the dimensions of ‘compact luxury’. this megatrend responds to how it is predicted that two in three people will inhabit a megacity by 2050. as such, living spaces are shrinking under 50 square meters whilst the demand for an ever-higher quality of life inside the home is expanding. these areas are used to socialize, entertain and work yet must restore well-being. exemplified by bathrooms, homes should offer personal spaces of retreat and revitalization even amongst the hustle and bustle of the city.

find new ideas, insights and inspirations for urban luxury living with AXOR’s whitepaper – here.

compact luxury – exploring the future of urban living – infographic
all images courtesy of AXOR

‘what can architects and interior designers do not just to optimize these spaces but to enhance them? to infuse them with character, meaning and soul? to deliver on the very personal perception of what luxury is for each and everybody? these are the questions we are exploring with this project,’ explains anke sohn, head of AXOR brand marketing.

the future laboratory, a london-based yet internationally-observing consulting firm on future trends, helps AXOR explore questions surrounding the ‘compact luxury’ megatrend. the investigations uncover the major influences of urbanization which, in turn, are having a deep, lasting impact on the way people assess their ever-lessening living spaces in the city of the future, their behaviors, and the objects they live with.

london-based consulting firm, the future laboratory, spotting the trends within ‘compact luxury’

the megatrend recognizes that new urban luxury is not measured only in square meters nor the quality of one’s private time. rapid urbanization has lifted consumers’ expectations higher than ever yet left space at a premium. the new notion accentuates the modern high-end in a stream-lined space. instead, designs must be timeless in style and quality, and express one’s individuality while fulfilling the desire to live consciously, holistically and harmoniously. interiors and furnishings should be perfectly sufficient rather than excessively material. this includes low-impact products that enhance collective and environmental well-being.

nendo’s stairway house leads into a light, plant-filled interior in toyko
read more about this project on designboom here

AXOR’s inspirational ‘compact luxury’ whitepaper – available here – unpacks three major trends from these findings. liberated living explores how a boundaryless mindset is merging among consumers, driven by a desire for flexibility. immaterial affluence identifies how consumers are forgoing traditional markers of wealth, embracing increasingly immaterial forms of luxury instead. finally, conscious well-being recognizes how consumer concern around urban living is directing a desire for spaces that support individual and collective well-being.

the home maximizes the parameters of its site to afford openness and connectivity, flooded with natural light
read more about this project on designboom here

along with their whitepaper, AXOR inspires and assists architects and interior designers, planners and builders, and the design-savvy public for urban builds and renovations that fit ‘compact luxury’. these projects range from luxury hotels to one-of-a-kind homes, including the poetic ‘stairway’ house by nendo in tokyo, japan; the re-imaginative ‘stealth’ building by WORKac in new york, USA; and the form-defying ‘switchback’ house by edmonds + lee architects in san francisco, USA. each is awash with high-quality fittings within their kitchens, bathrooms and personal spa spaces.

WORKac’s stealth building in new york is topped with a hidden penthouse
read more about this project on designboom here

the three story rooftop home’s form is derived from the need to be invisible from street below
read more about this project on designboom here

family-orientated switchback house by edmonds + lee architects in san francisco

the home, called a ‘domestic spa’, explores light, space, plane, material, and the endless possibilities of form

project info:

brand: AXOR

megatrend: compact luxury

whitepaper: compact luxury report

consulting firm: the future laboratory

case studies: ‘stairway’ house by nendo in tokyo, japan; the ‘stealth’ building by WORKac in new york, USA; and the ‘switchback’ house by edmonds + lee architects in san francisco, USA.