Frame Magazine – Issue 156

Frame Magazine Issue 156 (The Real World) is available now on loremnotipsum.com. Frame’s spring issue takes stock of the design strategies that infuse experiential spatial activations with relevancy, substance and emotional value, ultimately meeting the contemporary demand for authenticity.

Immersive, engaging and interactive: judging by the press releases we’re inundated with on a daily basis, ticking off the boxes behind those three adjectives is the route to designing successful experience-led spaces. But these terms are broad, with a wide range of possible – and vague – interpretations. In fact, this list of buzzword objectives to pursue when it comes to shaping experiential environments that meet the needs of modern consumers may even be outdated – or at least incomplete. And, as our editor at large Tracey Ingram writes in Frame 156, ‘questions are arising about their lack of meaning’. Questions that have become the starting point of this issue, which takes stock of the design strategies that help add relevancy, substance and emotional value to experiential spatial activations, ultimately delivering the authenticity that people are looking for today.

There’s a business motive at play here, too. Aim Architecture’s principal Wendy Saunders, who we interviewed for The Conversation, says that ‘young consumers are highly sensitive to authenticity and will see through a brand’s storytelling and commitment if they’re unaligned with that brand’s visions’. If you take into account that Gen Z and millennials are the two generations with reportedly the highest annual spending, it becomes even more important for brands and businesses to embed authenticity into their spaces. And that doesn’t just relate to commercial spaces. Employers, for example, can reach desired talents though their workspaces. And on an urban level, cities can diversify their streets (in more than one way).

But back to the ‘how’ of offering meaningful experiences. The projects shown and discussions shared over the following pages will provide you with suggestions. In our Mood Board, a Norwegian restaurant offers expedition dining. Pairing adventure with education, guests embark on a culinary journey that also tells a story about the challenges, threats and potential solutions to the global food system. Over in the Ones to Watch section, Sámi artist-architect Joar Nango explains how tapping into his Indigenous background helps him craft spaces – or as he calls them: discussion arenas – where people can experience solidarity. And, as part of our Insights articles, we analyse stress-reducing air travel hubs that incorporate a people-centric approach that recognizes humankind’s desire for community as well as the traveller’s desire for exploration.

What you’ll notice when flicking through this issue, is the focus on physical versus virtual environments. As expressed by our cover title, we’re looking at the ‘real’ world. That’s a conscious and twofold decision. First, we believe in the relevancy, pulling power and impact potential of physical space. Secondly, our next edition will dive into the potential of extended realities, mapping everything from AI’s impact on the business of design to the most relevant realms on the rise.

Frame is the world’s leading interior design publication. Since its launch in 1997, the magazine has remained faithful to its mission: putting interior architecture on the map as a creative profession that’s equally important as design and architecture. In six issues per year, Frame publishes the world’s most inspiring interiors, spiced up with design, art and creative endeavours like window displays and stage sets. Sold in 77 countries, Frame is printed in English.

Content: Frame Magazine – Issue 156

• Issue 156 captures our drive for authenticity through design
• Go offline: Frame’s spring issue proves the pulling power of physical experiences
• How to make experiential spatial activations more relevant