From Virgin Galactic’s space lounge to floating furniture, the future is in orbit. But can space design truly break free from earthly limits?
There was a time when space was the exclusive domain of astronauts, scientists, and cinematic dreams. Today, with the advent of private space tourism, it’s becoming a new frontier for human experience and design.
As companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic race to conquer the skies, architects, interior designers, and creatives are asking: What does it mean to design in zero gravity? What materials, shapes, and aesthetic concepts are suitable for orbit? More importantly, how will our perception of comfort, luxury, and beauty change when we’re floating above Earth? Let’s try to understand a little bit more.
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What Will Space Furniture Look Like?
In microgravity, the human body undergoes significant changes: it elongates, loses the sense of up and down, and moves without support. These transformations fundamentally alter our perception of space and how we interact with objects. As a result, interior design—whether for residential use or experiential purposes—must be reimagined.
One pioneering project in this field is the luxurious space lounge area at Spaceport America in New Mexico, developed by Virgin Galactic, Richard Branson’s space tourism start-up, in collaboration with the London-based studio Seymourpowell. This space, designed for suborbital flight passengers, goes beyond mere functionality by incorporating soft textures, curved surfaces, and calming colour palettes, all crafted to foster a sense of safety and wonder during the flight.
Another recent milestone in space interior design comes from Space Perspective, a Florida-based company aiming to take passengers 100,000 feet above Earth in a pressurised capsule suspended from a cutting-edge, high-altitude balloon. In 2024, they unveiled the design for Spaceship Neptune, a capsule featuring panoramic windows and a lounge-like interior crafted to evoke calmness and understated luxury. Sustainable materials and mood-responsive lighting are central to the concept, shaping a serene experience for near-space travellers.
Materials of the Future, Weightless Forms
Space design requires materials that are ultra-light, durable, fireproof, and antibacterial. However, these qualities alone are not enough; the materials also need to be sensory and comforting. In space, the body craves stimuli, familiar references, and warmth.
That’s why NASA and the MIT Media Lab are collaborating on innovative “responsive” surfaces that can react to touch or body temperature, adopting a biophilic and almost emotional approach to interstellar environments.
Meanwhile, the start-up AI SpaceFactory, which won NASA’s competition for Martian habitats, is proposing 3D-printed housing modules made from materials derived from basalt. These lightweight yet strong structures are inspired by organic forms that feel suited to a lunar landscape.
Will Aesthetics Matter in Space? Ask Fashion
Fashion is also gearing up for space. While the initial inspiration was the “space age” aesthetic of the 1960s, characterised by laminates, metallics, and retro-futurism, the focus is now on practical garments designed for life in orbit.
Designer Iris van Herpen, for example, has collaborated with the CERN to explore silhouettes inspired by scientific concepts and floating motion, using translucent materials and 3D printing technologies. Her collections merge the precision of science with the poetry of movement, anticipating a new kind of space couture. Additionally, Y-3, the high-tech line by Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas, developed flight suits for SpaceX that blend function, comfort, and minimalist style.
Where spacewear was once monochromatic and sterile, it now plays with textures, volumes, and colours tailored for environments where the body is free from the constraints of gravity.
Who Needs a Sofa on the Moon Anyway? An Aesthetic Without a Floor in the Making
Designing for zero gravity means questioning everything: ergonomics, verticality, and even the very idea of a “floor.” It presents both a challenge and an opportunity to redefine everyday aesthetics.
Where traditional design is rooted in stability, space design introduces a world where movement is continuous, objects float, and beauty is linked to lightness.
In this new world, luxury may not be represented by gold but rather by silence. It may not stem from mass but from the vastness and the awe of a planetary view through a window.
Will Space Design Redefine the Way We Live Everywhere?
In the future, homes might incorporate variable gravity. Clothing could respond to magnetic fields, and furniture may no longer touch the floor but float alongside us, acting as an extension of our bodies.
As technology advances, design will continue to be our emotional anchor, helping to humanise even the most extreme environments.
Even in zero gravity, our desire to seek beauty will persist. We’ll just find it floating around us.
Paola Toia
Editor and Digital Specialist Consultant, Milan