Our air is getting dirtier, and our world is getting hotter. It all adds up to a very unpleasant future, especially in cities, where a simple stroll outside could become a sweaty and toxic task.
Of course, Atmosphère is a work of virtual science fiction, but its capabilities aren’t so far beyond the reach of current technology. We have the sensors, the air filtering, and all sorts of other methods to vaporize liquids already. Perhaps this collar is a bit small to pack all those technologies inside, and it would need to be recharged too often to be practical today. But Atmosphère certainly seems feasible, which is one reason it’s so haunting.
In 2018, a variety of fashion designers presented runway collections inspired by hazmat suits and other elements inspired by sheer survivability. Now with Atmosphère, we’re seeing that same concept of resilience in the face of environmental destruction playing out in the industrial design space. Perhaps it should feel reassuring that so many creators are considering climate change not as an abstract thought but a reality to actively prepare for. But if all these provocations demonstrate anything, it’s that our comfort and safety in the world of tomorrow may directly correlate to the expendable income—and our ability to mitigate climate change’s impacts at a range of just a few inches from our person. It’s as if designers and companies have tacitly determined that we can no longer save the world—but maybe we can save ourselves for a while.