What architects are reading (but not talking about)

Quiet trends, private obsessions, and the new era of design influence.

Visual by Xarp Studio

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Every industry has its obsessions — but not all of them make it to the group chat.

In architecture and design, influence doesn’t always come from white papers or building codes. Increasingly, it comes from moodboards, bookshelves, and what we read alone, before the meetings start.

Across London, many designers are quietly turning to unexpected sources to fuel their next move. Titles like In Memory Of, Apartamento, and The Touch by Kinfolk and Norm Architects are showing up on desks not for show, but for direction. They’re shaping how we think about texture, restraint, and narrative in space.

What’s curious is how these private references are leading public conversations. A developer might never cite a magazine, but they’ll instantly respond to a visual language that reflects it. This is what makes aesthetic literacy such a powerful, often under-acknowledged tool.

In a recent client meeting in Mayfair, we showed a mood-forward visual based on a palette drawn from a magazine spread rather than a product spec sheet. The reaction was immediate: “This feels right.” No one could explain exactly why — but that’s precisely the point.

Great design doesn’t just function — it resonates. And resonance often starts with what we quietly admire before we build anything.