It may seem easy to get caught up in 2022’s low points. Russian forces are still occupying Ukraine, human rights issues are casting far-reaching shadows over Qatar and Iran, and misguided climate activists are splashing soup on priceless paintings. Beyond the gloomy headlines, however, design is offering glimmers of hope. Clever solutions are afoot to tackle the homelessness crisis. The world is rallying to protect Ukraine’s heritage sites. AI advances seem poised to streamline everyday life. As we reflect on a turbulent year marked by disruption, one theme emerges: not even darkness and loss could thwart innovation and a global rallying cry for what’s right.

The Creative Sphere Responds to Ukraine: The world’s attention has been fixated on Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February, including the creative community. Artists and designers such as Germans Ermics, Sabine Marcelis, and Alex Proba auctioned works in support of Ukrainian citizens and charities, cultural figures from both countries scrambled to find their footing in a shifting landscape, and observers watched helplessly as Ukraine’s cultural sites and architectural marvels were damaged or destroyed. The conflict will continue to be headline news in 2023.

AI Reaches a Turning Point: After years of hype about the forthcoming age of artificial intelligence, 2022 will be seen as the year we crossed the Rubicon into a thrilling and terrifying future. AI image generators like DALL-E stunned with their ability to create realistic images and illustrations simply by typing short descriptions into a text box—and also caused a revolt among artists who note that the systems were trained on human-made art scraped from the web. Now comes ChatGPT, an experimental chat bot that many believe will kill search engines like Google and possibly kill human writing itself. ChatGPT is even predicting 2023 architecture trends.

Predicting the Post-Pandemic Office: As the pandemic wanes and companies mull returning to five-day-a-week policies, they’re grappling with how to design offices for a workforce that doesn’t want to be there. There’s still no “one-size-fits-all” approach, but employers are toying with zany concepts. Our favorites: immersive soundscapes, beguiling fragrances, treehouse lounges, on-site beekeeping, and Lizzo concerts. Flashy amenities like kombucha on tap and foosball tables are unlikely to return—today’s workforce instead prioritizes flexibility, empathy, and peace of mind.

Fashion’s Changing of the Guard: With Thom Browne’s ascension to CFDA chairman and Tom Ford’s $2.8 billion sale of his brand to Estée Lauder, Raf Simons’ shuttered label and Alessandro Michele’s departure from Gucci, fashion’s churn this year was immense. LVMH’s Bernard Arnault joined Prada Group’s Miuccia Prada in initiating succession plans for their respective enterprises. Meanwhile, the Duchess of Cambridge (and recently minted Princess of Wales) was immortalized in her first official joint portrait with her husband, in which artist Jamie Coreth’s depiction of the royal in an emerald green dress by The Vampire’s Wife and matching Manolos signaled an exciting new era for the institution’s relationship with of-the-moment fashion.

A Reality Check for Buzzy DTC Brands: Record inflation, supply chain woes, and shifting consumer priorities threw a wrench in the overzealous growth plans of viral DTC brands like Glossier, Allbirds, and Warby Parker, which all laid off employees this year amid flattening revenues. Peloton made the biggest spectacle, reporting a $1.2 billion quarterly loss as its ignominious former CEO fled to the rug industry. Experts say profitability is now key to attracting investors, and heritage brands have rolled out strategy changes to catch up. Brands with the most longevity will figure out how to appeal to buyers on all platforms—might we suggest reading up on the live shopping revolution?

California’s Housing Crisis Intensifies: Extreme homelessness continues to grip California, with L.A.’s unhoused population alone surpassing 15,000. The Golden State legalized accessory dwelling units (ADUs), standalone micro-residences built in an existing home’s backyard. Dwell magazine and Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia rolled out high-design varieties, though critics noted the latter may be capitalizing on the problem his former company exacerbated. Google plans to build thousands of units around the housing-strapped Silicon Valley, which hopefully yields better results than Quayside, the ill-fated smart city it envisioned along Toronto’s waterfront.

New York’s Design Gallery Boom: The pandemic jeopardized some industries overnight, but design is booming—specifically the millennial-driven market for eclectic pieces that stun on Instagram. A wave of enterprising curators has quenched New York’s thirst for collectible design, re-energizing a gallery scene long dominated by established names. Among the newcomers: Jacqueline Sullivan Gallery, Objective Gallery, Superhouse, Emma Scully Gallery, and Love House, each representing experimental designers intent on challenging preconceived notions of beauty and function.

Crypto Crash: Last year, we noted the beleaguered NFT market was likely in for even more pain—and we were right. The icing on the cake of the yearlong crypto crash arrived in November, when the massive marketplace FTX filed for bankruptcy and its founder Sam Bankman-Fried was charged with wire fraud, securities fraud, money laundering, and a campaign finance violation. How bad has it been for NFTs? The Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT Justin Bieber bought for $1.3 million in January is now worth $70,000. Overall, sales of NFTs fell to $1.6 billion in the third quarter, a 77 percent decline from the second quarter.

The World Cup Controversy: One of the most anticipated global events every four years, the World Cup kicked off in Doha this past month. Lionel Messi cemented his legacy as the best to ever put on cleats by leading Argentina to victory over France in the final. It was a storybook ending for what’s likely Messi’s final cup, but reports of human rights abuses surrounding host country Qatar’s starchitect-designed stadium development plagued the tournament. At the center of the controversy was the inhumane treatment of migrant workers, which many called modern-day slavery, and laws that criminalize homosexuality.

The Members Club Renaissance: Koko. Casa Cruz. The Aster. The Ned. Soho House Nashville, Tel Aviv, Bangkok, CDMX, and Stockholm. It’s been a banner year for swanky private clubs old and new, prompting some to wonder if the public is losing out on the opportunity to overpay for food and booze. Thankfully, RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, is rising to the occasion with open-to-the-public Guesthouses complete with overnight accommodations and champagne and caviar bars in New York and Aspen.

Climate Protesters Target Priceless Artwork: This year, activists have taken to gluing their hands to the canvases of masterpieces, ranging from Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper and Vincent Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, which they splashed with tomato soup. The uptick in potentially destructive antics has even led some institutions to consult ex-military pros on how best to thwart copycat protests. Are we heading towards a future of VR viewing rooms, with the real works reserved for those with means and clout?

Mushroom Mania Persists: Everyone from 1stdibs and Glossier to Netflix cashed in on mushroom mania. Bills to decriminalize psychoactive fungi have sprouted up from Oregon to Rhode Island and in cities from Denver to Detroit, and microdosing has fully entered the mainstream cultural lexicon. From decor to streaming queues and even therapy regimens, psychoactive fungi have left no stones unturned.

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Long regarded as a hub for Los Angeles creatives, Venice is now home to Maison Lune, a new art and design gallery from Sandrine Abessera and Lubov Azria. The 4,000-square-foot residential-style gallery features art, collectible design, and objets, all of which were curated by Gaia Jacquet Matisse. For its debut exhibition, works by Matisse’s mother, Sophie, along with those by Bobbie Olivier, Jeannie Weissglass, Edson Fernandes, James Fischetti, Angela Damman, and Santiago Martinez Peral will be on view through the end of Frieze L.A.

“We want to build an alternative to traditional galleries, which are often perceived as too elitist and intimidating,” Abessera and Azria told Dezeen. The duo worked with interior designer Gabriella Kuti to convert the space, formerly a private residence, into a “dream home, where beauty rules,” making it the warm and inviting gallery it is now.

A trained graphic designer who cut his teeth at Yale and branding experts 2x4 before launching his own firm, Ben Ganz is leaving a major mark on New York’s design sphere through high-profile creative collaborations with the likes of Nike, Prada, Schiaparelli, and Frank Ocean’s Homer. And the Swiss-born talent, who also serves as the creative director of PIN-UP, continues to expand his creative universe. He recently spearheaded art direction for the magazine’s first book, an architectural survey of the Barbie Dreamhouse, and debuted perhaps his biggest project yet: the inaugural collection for PIN-UP HOME, a colorful collection of skyline-inspired storage objects for USM that turned heads at Design Miami.

During Miami Art Week, Lamborghini unveiled the new Huracán Sterrato, its first off-road supercar. The high-rolling Italian automotive brand has been busy reinventing one of its most pristine and recognizable vehicles, equipping it to go well off the pavement-beaten path. Named after the Italian word for “dirt road,” the Huracán Sterrato is the first sports car created especially to be taken off city streets and into more adventurous territory.

“Everything started with a nice evening in south Italy, having a glass of wine,” Mitja Borkert, Lamborghini’s design engineer, told Surface during a walkthrough in Miami, “We were discussing Lamborghinis on a test track while finalizing Urus [Lamborghini’s SUV] in 2016 or 2017. We were saying ‘The driving experience of the Urus is thrilling, especially on dirt roads. Why couldn’t we bring those same emotions to a super sports car?’”

Arca is a global leader in the natural stone, tile, brick, and wood industry. They operate across all continents, providing high-quality materials from several countries to a vast amount of projects, working hand-in-hand with talented designers. They are inspired by nature’s beauty and are passionate about collaborating with architects, artists, and designers to develop innovative designs that create space for dialogue between nature, technology, and society.

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