Had I been paying attention I would be able to accurately reference this, but as it is, I have to begin with a paraphrasing of something I heard recently. In short, someone was being asked for his predictions on design and fashion in 2009, and without a trace of irony they responded: “well, poverty is certainly going to be big”.  

This is a rather glib way of introducing the coming year’s design forecast, but it neatly captures some of the major influences that will be at play. As it said that architecture and design are the only arts to be manufactured, they have a real monetary worth, and as such, are susceptible to events like, oh I don’t know, a global financial collapse. Therefore, expect to be hearing words like frugality, modesty and restraint.

And yet, there are bright times ahead. Architecture has never been more exciting, and what I would as “anti-design” is picking up speed. Ultimately, though, we will benefit, as under-utilised designers seek to occupy themselves with smaller, and much more accessible projects. Here, then, is a small selection of what we can look forward to in the ’09.

Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island
Okay, so we might not see Saadiyat Island in 2009 (it’s due to be completed in 2018), but you will be hearing a lot about it.  And perhaps it doesn’t scream “restraint”, but this is the Middle East, and that’s not what they’re about. It will feature the first gallery outside of Paris licensed to use the name “Louvre”, designed by 2008 Pritzker prize winner Jean Nouvel(http://www.jeannouvel.com), and with a collection sourced from the Centre Georges Pompidou and the Musée D’Orsay amongst others. Add to this a Frank Gehry designed Guggenheim, and this will be a cultural (ahem) Mecca.

Zaha Hadid
Hadid’s works were initially considered as conceptually possible only, until technologies were able to achieve what her designs imagined. Her work is confounding: appearing at once to be the height of artifice and also like an organic piece of the surrounding land. Upcoming projects include a performing arts centre in, funnily enough, Saadiyat Island. Sadly, Melbourne passed up an opportunity to have Hadid reinterpret the struggling Docklands area, and instead went with the more conservative, British architect, Norman Foster.

Anti-Design
Recently, Adbusters asked the question, “What if design stood up for itself?”. In so doing, they introduced the “Power Aware Cord” that doesn’t resist use, but forces the user to acknowledge the power being consumed. The more power drawn, the more intense the pulsing colours become within the cord. Hopefully, this will be first of many designs, which don’t totally remove the conveniences people have come to enjoy, but that remind the user of the consequences associated with them.

The rest
It’s going to be great for the little guys, and not so great for those at the top end (those above being among the few notable exceptions). In times of financial uncertainty people tend to opt for traditional and familiar pieces, which will benefit local craftsman, as families seek to replicate the functional and classically beautiful atmosphere their parents or grandparents had. In the automotive world, it will be Fiat 500s rather than Aston Martin DBS and expect a significant simplification in the sorts of features on the interior of cars. Hey, even James Bond is happy to be seen driving a Ford Mondeo, so why not tone it down a bit.