How invisible design is helping to shape the homes of tomorrow

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Sometimes less is more. And even less is maximum aesthetics. Invisible design gives our rooms a touch of James Bond and subtly prepares them for tomorrow.

“By dividing the world into objects, with the invisible appearing as a boundary condition, the world is also shaped.” The quote comes from Swiss sociologist Lucius Burckhardt, whose essay ’Design is invisible’ caused a sensation in the early 1980s. At least in the design scene. After decades of inflexible ‘good form’, which in Italy called for radical counter-movements such as anti-design and more emotion, the world was finally ready for socio-design. The product world, too. ‘Invisible design’ did away with the fixation on objects. Instead of excessive detail planning, a new buzzword emerged: ‘ambient spaces’. Suddenly, the focus was on relationship spaces and modes of action. To illustrate this, Burckhardt writes: “Whether a bus is useful does not depend on its sleek design, but on the timetable, the fare and the location of the stops.” Several decades later, the cards have been reshuffled: invisible socio-design is firmly established. But at the same time, the product world has donned its cloak of invisibility. Driven by the digital revolution, nanotechnology and all-determining algorithms, the Internet of Things has long since blurred familiar boundaries and expanded objects. This not only creates space for experimentation, but space in general. This includes empty spaces where radiators, televisions and blinds used to be. Invisible design in 2025 means that things are defined by their function – and disappear when they are not needed. Lighting design, shading, hobs, high fidelity and the descendants of the good old telly bear witness to this.

Media transparency: TV for those who see through it

‘Vanishingly small’: this is another way to describe the metamorphosis to transparent screens, which market leaders LG and Samsung have recently been drawing attention to. The large-format TV screen – a lifestyle statement for some, a disruptive living room space hog for others – ‘disappears’ when switched off. This is ensured by the latest generation of transparent screens. And it’s getting better and better. LG recently solved a problem typical of the development of ‘transparent’ screens with its OLED T model: namely, the lack of deep black pixels and the associated weakness in terms of strong contrasts. The Koreans developed a kind of integrated blind for the back of the screen based on smart technology. The Zero Connect Box developed by the same manufacturer is similarly discreet: Only one cable leads to the LG OLED T; all other connections are made via the box, which is connected to the TV wirelessly. Not completely invisible, but perfectly camouflaged, is the smart TV from competitor Samsung: the design of ‘The Frame’ is modelled on a classic picture frame, which transforms into a digital gallery when in standby mode.

Smart glasses: marvel, watch, stream

I see, I see what you don’t see! Thanks to smart sunglasses. After all, the latest generation of smart glasses opens up special perspectives. Ray-Ban Meta, for example, combines an iconic sunglasses style with state-of-the-art meta technology, seamlessly integrating listening, recording and live streaming functions into the frame. These include enhanced open-ear audio based on discreet speakers and five integrated microphones that support seamless switching between music and calls. You can also use WhatsApp with the smart glasses technology, allowing you to operate WhatsApp, Messenger and SMS hands-free via voice command. Alternatively, a hyper-responsive touchpad is available on the glasses frame. But there’s more: the live stream function, which is also integrated into the smart glasses, supports connection to popular social media platforms. Because you can stream special moments for up to thirty minutes directly from the glasses to Instagram and Facebook, friends and followers can experience the private smart glass perspective live. While Ray-Ban Meta boasts social media performance, other smart glasses offer additional ‘invisible’ functions. Amazon Echo Frames is the ideal interface to Alexa, while Nautica Smart Eyewear Powered by Lucyd offers perfect integration with ChatGPT. Meanwhile, the high-tech AR glasses XREAL One Pro are the champions when it comes to simultaneously experiencing virtual reality and conventional environmental reality – thanks to an expanded field of vision.

Smart glasses, part two

Not on the nose, but in the world of construction and interior design, intelligent glass technologies are proving their worth, giving the transparent substrate a whole range of enhanced functions. Switchable sun protection glass combines the functions of sun protection, glare control and heat protection – automatically, regardless of the weather and as required. What works as controllable sunglasses for the ‘eyes’ of the house, the windows, is also impressive as a privacy screen in interior areas. Switchable glass offers privacy at the touch of a button in shower areas, but also in separate home offices. It can also be used as a screen for TV and similar projections. Embedded in floors and ceilings, smart glasses reveal decorative elements – or not. What’s more, heated e‑glass transforms glass surfaces into invisible heating. In addition to combining pleasant radiant heat with zero condensation, this heating technology optimises the available space – you couldn’t ask for a clearer view.

Kitchen secret: invisibility

AI technologies for smart kitchens have long been revolutionising workflows and kitchen organisation. At the same time, innovative materials are also tidying up the kitchen. Take Invisacook, for example: this technology stands for the principle of invisible induction hobs and can be concealed under any ceramic worktop. The advantages are obvious: more space for preparation, easier cleaning, clean aesthetics. In times of fluid transitions between the kitchen and dining area, minimalist, ‘invisible’ solutions are more in demand than ever. This is evidenced by ranges from brands such as Boffi and Valcucine. In addition to long-established mechanical developments such as handle-free fronts, current ranges focus on the purism of interior design concepts that emphasise pure volumes and a sophisticated sequence of empty and full spaces. In other words, contemporary kitchens are deliberately understated, with luxury versions featuring a geometric system of surfaces whose high-quality materials dominate the overall look. Wine cabinets, fridge-freezer combinations, etc. disappear behind these fronts, which can just as easily be used as storage space for adjacent living areas. This is complemented by the comings and goings of the retractable extractor hoods. They can be integrated into both the ceiling area and the worktop.

Window space

Your neighbours might also sink into the ground with envy. But before that happens, it’s time for the air-lux descending window. The Swiss specialist for frameless sliding windows tackles the topic of invisibility in a big way – and is the first manufacturer to offer large-format descending windows that sink completely into the floor. Of course, this is based on sophisticated construction technology: the drop window stands on a stable framework connected to a counterweight. This ensures that the decending window is perfectly balanced and can be moved up and down silently with the aid of an electric drive.

Intended for the ears

Opinions are divided on this. And the conductors of their own technology ensembles even more so. Should you really do it? Banish the proof of superb hi-fi expertise behind the wallpaper? Renounce the chrome flash and vintage charm of speakers and record players? On the other hand, for many people, technology is not something you show off, it’s something you have. Systems such as Amina Invisible Speakers demonstrate that this can be done perfectly, seamlessly and without frills – one of those innovative speaker solutions that can be covered with plaster, wallpaper or paint and are completely invisible. Another specialist in invisible surface transducers, the LB brand, renowned for its wall and ceiling-mounted cone speaker chassis in the bass range, exciters in the high-frequency range and complex crossovers with outstanding sound characteristics, a very wide dispersion angle and excellent bass reproduction, offers further solutions with customised installation in various pieces of furniture. Bang & Olufsen, in turn, combines discreet speakers and immersive sound – with each speaker synchronising to create a uniform soundscape. Either way, the surprise effect is definitely on your side when you hear the highest sound quality without any visible technology!

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Transformation in the heating season

The quest for invisible technology is not really new. A trip to ancient Roman villas proves this: sophisticated underfloor and wall heating was already known in ancient times. But new heating systems are also striving for dematerialisation. The recently introduced world first, Viessmann Invisible, sums this up perfectly: as part of a compact all-in-one system, an entire technical room is hidden away in the wall: heat pump, storage tank, ventilation and accessories. Viessmann estimates a potential space saving of 6 square metres. Last but not least, low-voltage electric panel heating systems are highly flexible and eliminate the need for radiators and pipes in bathrooms and other rooms. The Roth E‑Vipanel heatable wall cladding system falls into this category and allows maximum flexibility. Individual cuts and the integration of various fittings, towel rails and similar accessories are no longer a problem. The perfect complement to this: invisible shower drains such as Easy Drain M‑line, currently the flattest shower channel series in the world.

Bright living: light perspectives

The latest revolution in lighting – LED, the light-emitting diode – has turned pretty much everything we knew upside down. Not only more efficient in terms of service life and energy yield, but above all glare-free and tiny, these small diodes have since enabled lights with a radically different design – and playfully overturned traditional specifications for reflectors, waste heat and construction. What was once a lampshade or lamp base can suddenly also be a light source – and vice versa. Minimalist and switch-free variations are a matter of course: integrated into the ceiling or furniture, equipped with wireless touch control, invisibly incorporated into glass elements or designed as a minimalist line that supports the spatial rhythm of interior architectural structures. Perhaps controllable by gesture, adjustable in terms of intensity, light colour and temperature via an app, pre-programmable as desired or, thanks to smart technology, reacting automatically to changing daylight conditions – modern lighting technology allows the hardware to fade into the background in many ways. In its place comes pure light.