The sky is not the limit

“Terra Cosmos” taps into this renewed interest by offering a fresh perspective that positions us not as merely observers of the cosmos, but active participants, responsible for the impact of our creative practices on both the earth and beyond. “The limitless mindset of ‘The sky is not the limit’ must be questioned in the face of climate challenges,” says Brune Ouakrat of Peclers Paris, the forecasting agency behind the theme which takes visitors on an extraordinary journey where the boundaries between earth and outer space blur, revealing a new frontier of creativity and innovation.

In a response to the growing consumer desire for awe-inspiring experiences and a reconnection with the mysteries of the universe, the theme is a visionary exploration of the future where earthly materials and cosmic fantasies converge. “Science and magic intertwine, giving birth to new narratives that will undoubtedly shape our world. But it is no longer simply a matter of an extraterrestrial elsewhere. We are part of the cosmos, and this position implies responsibility as well as resilient and virtuous creations and practices,” cautions Ouakrat, who advocates sustainability.

The aesthetic landscape of “Terra Cosmos” is defined by its exploration of new materials and forms, from the mineral ruggedness evocative of celestial bodies to the futuristic iridescence and transparency that captures the boundless expanse of the universe. Designs blend the brutalist with the sophisticated to create a sensory futurism that is both tangible and otherworldly. Charlotte Cazals, designer at Peclers, envisions interiors “dressed in mineral ruggedness invested with constellations of satellite objects.” The random shapes, roundness and ovality accentuate the cosmic aspect as much as they soften its contours. The lighting produces vibrant halos, diffracting colors into shifting spectra and magical projections.

Objects achieve a certain intensity with the design and use of materials—like the way “Objects of Common Interest” designers experiment with metal and glass to create pieces that are both futuristic and rooted in reality. They become more than decoration, evoking a sense of wonder to connect us to the expanse of the universe and to challenge our perceptions of space and materiality.

In the hospitality and food industries, “Terra Cosmos” extends further from the visual realm to the sensory and immersive, offering transcendent experiences. Danish chef Rasmus Munk who calls himself an “alchemist,” carefully plans a holistic menu at his Copenhagen restaurant so that diners can take a journey from the depths of the ocean to the brilliance of the northern lights, in a setting that blends the cosmic with the terrestrial. Munk explains that “it is not enough to just mobilize the senses, they must be amplified and confounded through both technology and whimsical storytelling.” El Cosmico Hotel, a luxury campsite in Texas, also offers an otherworldly escape as guests reconnect with their senses and contemplate the heavens.

In retail, the theme manifests itself in stores like Acne Studios and Moncler in Tokyo, blending futuristic design with digital, connected shopping experiences. Ouakrat observes how “avant-garde aesthetics pave the way for a new kind of consumerism where the physical and virtual world intersect.”

Spaces look like they’ve been lifted from the metaverse, inspired by architectural and virtual creations, like those by artist Hugo Fournier. Immaterial objects and environments come to life in interiors designed by Harry Nuriev at Crosby Studios where minerality is complemented by chrome, transparency and glass, offering versatility to clean, pure lines.

To make the theme more accessible, it was applied to three key aspects of the show: product curation, event, and visitor route. Displays designed by curators provide insight on how it can be translated to spaces and everyday objects.

François Delclaux defines the cosmos as the bearer of dreams and fantasies: “With the conquest of space taking on the dimension of a new frontier, lifestyle and design sectors are going on a quest of new adventures with new materials, surfaces, colors.” He singles out pieces that play on raw minerality, in reference to lunar or Martian vistas like those of Pulpo, “which uses primary, if not ‘primitive’ materials as if fallen from a meteorite, thus imposing the very shape of the object.” For lighting treatment, he gravitates to the magic circles used by Le Deun Luminaires as well as Fuoriluogo’s creations which are “redolent of myriads of stars.” Imperfetto Lab is favored for conjuring images of the cosmic universe, “with furniture reminiscent of some distant archeology, as if shaped by water, polished by the wind or forged by fire.”

For Elizabeth Leriche, “it is only with our eyes on the stars and our feet firmly planted on the ground that we can be in touch with the universe.” For her display, she wanted to conjure up “the joy of dreaming before a starry sky, bathed in the glow of the moon, or the radiance of the sun.” Playing on oppositions—the sky and the ground, weightlessness and roots, transparency and opacity, the infinitely small and the immensely large—she wanted to try to see things through the eyes of a child filled with wonder, to evoke dreams and emotions, to find “poetry in the face of this futuristic, technological world.”