SAMSUNG SMARTTHINGS FUTURE LIVING REPORT

In 2016, Mamou-Mani contributed architectural foresight and speculative design to Samsung’s SmartThings Future Living Report, co-authored with Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock and other urbanists. The report explores how people may live, work and relax in the next century, forecasting hyper-flexible interiors, responsive building skins and new urban typologies including super-skyscrapers and underwater habitats. The work bridged visionary scenarios with practical implications for product, space and city design.

Through this project, Mamou-Mani transformed speculative ideas into actionable scenarios that bridged design, technology and lifestyle. The report explored the intersection of architecture and emerging technologies, illustrating a future where adaptable, self-sufficient environments enhance our daily lives and respond intuitively to our needs.

The work gained international recognition, featured by Samsung Newsroom and RIBA Journal, influencing discussions on technology-driven architecture and sustainable living.

Our approach combined design research, trend analysis, and speculative architectural thinking. Working alongside a diverse team of scientists, designers and technologists, we developed conceptual living environments that reflected key trends in urban density, environmental change and digital evolution.

The process included:

• Analysing emerging technologies such as smart materials, 3D printing, and AI-driven environments.

• Translating scientific data into spatial and structural narratives.

• Crafting future-living scenarios through visual storytelling and digital modelling.

• Aligning creative outputs with Samsung’s SmartThings vision of connected, human-centred innovation.

• Hyper-Flexible Homes: Interiors that morph to accommodate multiple functions within compact footprints.

• Responsive Building Skins: Architectural envelopes that adapt to environmental conditions using smart materials.

• Projection-Augmented Interiors: Walls and surfaces used as immersive, interactive displays.

• Super-Skyscrapers and Submarine Cities: Concepts exploring new typologies for expanding urban populations.

• Autonomous Building Systems: Structures capable of self-maintenance, energy generation and adaptability.

These ideas were presented through detailed visualisations and narratives that made complex technological futures tangible and relatable.

The Samsung SmartThings Future Living Report gained wide international recognition, influencing conversations around smart cities, sustainable housing, and future urban lifestyles. The publication was featured by major outlets such as Samsung Newsroom, RIBA Journal, and numerous design and technology platforms.

Mamou-Mani’s contribution helped bridge speculative architecture with corporate foresight, illustrating how visionary design can shape practical innovation pathways. The report continues to serve as a reference point for design-driven foresight and brand storytelling in the tech industry.

The Samsung SmartThings Future Living Report received wide international coverage, highlighting how speculative design and architecture can shape future lifestyles. Explore the featured articles below or download the full report.

• Samsung Newsroom: Science Fiction to Science Fact
• RIBA Journal: SmartThings Future of Living Report
• SmartThings Future Living Report

We help organisations explore emerging trends and visualise tomorrow’s possibilities through research-driven design.