Rewilding: principles and history of this megatrend

Our 2022/2023 Trends Book covers 50 pages and 5 trends, exploring the overarching preoccupations within the worlds of design and culture.

Join us as we explore the megatrend of Rewilding - where did it originate from, what are its core principles and what does it mean for the spaces in which we design and live?

Rewilding: letting the earth’s natural rhythms speak first

Through conservation efforts like rewilding, wildlife's natural rhythms create wilder, more biodiverse habitats. We see this reflected in the visual culture of the world around us, as we draw closer to our authentic selves and to each other, to the planet itself, and to the rights of all living creatures and the land.

Rewilding in action

When you look for rewilding in the real world, it suddenly seems to be everywhere, from culture to fashion and judicial policy.

More than 1,000 plants now adorn the exterior of the Palazzo Verde housing that Italian studio Stefano Boeri Architetti has recently completed in Belgium - equating to 780 square metres of greenery.

In 2017, the Whanganui River became the first waterway in the world to get legal personhood. Since then, two rivers in India have been declared legal entities, and Bangladesh gave all its rivers legal rights.

Natural, textural materials

At a time when the question of harmony between the earth and mankind is crucial, Rewilding is rich with natural textural materials, from unfinished woods to tactile textiles with bouclé elements and a dry, linen-like feel.

The way one looks at things is of the utmost importance. Seeing is feeling with the eyes. – Axel Vervoordt, What You Need to Know About Belgian Style Interior Design

Here is a world experienced through the senses, through rough organic forms, natural stone, and Brutalist ceramics.

This is a design theme where rough wood surfaced reign supreme, and concrete ceilings are left unfinished. We see it in interiors full of texture, where textiles of natural compositions and blends are combined with the look of linen, cotton, and wool. These combinations are layered with weaves and textures in neutral earthy tones mixing boucle and chunky yarns with a handwoven structure for tactility and depth.

Woven, irregular structures appear elsewhere too, in ceramics and even furniture such as chairs and pouffes.

Trend watching

Our in-house team of designers, artists and product developers conducted this analysis across a wide range of fields from product design, fashion, interior décor, architecture, art, and visual culture. They draw on their own unique experiences and perspectives, cultural shifts and nuances, and world events.