What Your Home Will Look Like In 2015
BY ARIEL SCHWARTZToday
It’s not the house of the future. More like the house of the near-future. It will be smaller and more energy efficient (but don’t worry, you can keep your walk-in closet).

Here at FastCompany we often write about futurist predictions of life in 20, 30, even 100 years down the line. But the National Association of Home Builders is offering up a vision of how we’ll live in just four years–and it’s a little different than what you might expect.
The NAHB sent out a survey last year that asked members–designers, architects, manufacturers, and more– what they think homes will look like in 2015. Some of the results aren’t that surprising. The survey reveals that the average single-family home is likely to drop to 2,150 square feet from 2,400 square feet today, probably as a result of tough economic times and rising energy prices.
That drop in square footage will lead to the living room disappearing altogether, instead being swallowed up by the kitchen or family room to form a single “great room.” Other features that may become increasingly uncommon include sunrooms, dining rooms, media rooms, mudrooms, and skylights. Laundry rooms and walk-in closets aren’t going anywhere but on the whole, it looks like Americans will scale back. McMansions may give way to more sensible living arrangements.
A more important future trend is the use of resource-efficient features. NAHB members imagine that dual flush toilets, low-flow faucets, low-E windows, powerful insulation, and Energy Star home ratings will all grow in popularity. Solar systems may also become popular features, but wind and geothermal energy won’t be widespread–unsurprising since there are already so many cash-saving ways for homeowners to install solar systems, but not for other renewable energy sources.

Occupy L.A. is not far removed from this.  People swarm over it with the most varied agendas: end the Fed (Ron Paul’s minions were much in evidence that day), legalize marijuana, go vegan, PETA, peace (of course), neo-Zapatista, go green, 9/11 conspiracy, anti-9/11-conspiracy.  Raps and speeches from the podium are non-stop.  The grounds are covered with camping tents; it is dirty, scruffy, fascinating.

I don’t know if other cities are like this (I assume the “Occupy” areas are somewhat similar).  I don’t know if L.A. has always been like this.  Is it a special time in the city’s history?  Will we look back with nostalgia on the Decade of Dudamel?

The catch is this: Dainow&Dainow has focused on the best works from London’s newest graduates, and have placed them alongside works from established talents.

For example, architecture graduate Catrina Stewart’s project, The London Farmhouse, examines how urban sprawl and waste can be used for good. Her drawings will accompany an explanation of her idea to integrate agriculture – including electric eels and feces – into inner city housing, eventually leading to self-sufficient urban communities.

Participating artists include Charlotte Baker, Lukas Barry, Charlie Caswell, Nathan Freise, Tom Greenall, Claire Jamieson, Sebastian Kite, Will Laslett, Tom Lea, Pete McMahon, Jenny Melville, Tom Noonan, Alastair Parvin, Tom Reynolds, Ostap Rudakevych, Patrick Skingley, Catrina Stewart, Robert Taylor and Colin Wharry.

Catrina Stewart – The London Farmhouse Tower from Miles Langley on Vimeo.

CHICK from Mayki on Vimeo.

“Chick” is a humorous true-life story about male-female relations. Infatuation and its consequences are depicted in a ironic way: meeting a guy, dancing, having fun, a sexual act. A man, giddy with the charm of a femme fatale, leaves a room. He is followed by failure and doom.