READ + RESPOND: RAL COLOUR FEELING 2028+ focuses on colour in context
How can relevant design emerge at a time when artificial intelligence can generate countless concepts and design possibilities within seconds? With READ + RESPOND, RAL COLOUR FEELING 2028+ places conscious perception, understanding and design at its core, exploring how colour works in interaction with its context.
“New technologies such as artificial intelligence are expanding the possibilities for design enormously. This makes the ability to filter what is relevant from this abundance and make conscious decisions all the more important. In future, design competence will be less about producing as many answers as possible and more about asking the right questions,” explains Markus Frentrop, Head of RAL COLOURS. The guiding principle READ + RESPOND describes this fundamental process: “Read” stands for closely observing and understanding a situation. “Respond” refers to developing a considered and creative design response to it.
At a time when digital tools are producing images, designs and concepts ever more rapidly, the ability to recognise relationships, interpret them and derive considered design responses from them is becoming increasingly important. READ + RESPOND understands design as a process of comprehension. The focus is not on the sheer number of possibilities, but on the ability to recognise connections and make conscious decisions.
RAL COLOUR FEELING 2028+ explores the relationship between colour, place and global colour trends. Its focus is on both the intrinsic qualities of a colour and the experience it creates when perceived in interaction with space, material, light and use.
For RAL COLOUR FEELING 2028+, 15 colours were selected based on social, cultural and design developments, as well as an analysis of international visual and design trends. Together, they form different colour constellations that can be perceived and interpreted in different ways depending on the material, environment and application. Rather than prescribing a fixed stylistic direction, the selection invites designers to engage with context, interpretation and creative possibilities. The selected colours are taken from the RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus. With 1,825 standardised colours, the system enables the colour selection to be expanded according to the specific requirements of a project and supports international colour communication.
The colour combinations identified most frequently in the research can be assigned to five fundamental design directions: Focus, Feel, Relax, Communicate and Play. They represent different colour profiles and provide guidance for design decisions based on context and use. RAL COLOUR FEELING 2028+ deliberately takes a long-term approach. Its aim is not to define a rigid colour set, but to develop a contemporary and forward-looking colour profile that provides design guidance while allowing scope for individual interpretation.
The RAL Trendbox is being released alongside the trend report. It contains 75 material samples from the fields of paint, metal, plastics, carpet and textiles. The collection makes it possible to experience the selected colours directly across a range of surfaces and demonstrates how their effect changes in combination with different materials.
Further background information on the trend report, press materials, inspiration, guidance and professional design tools is available on the RAL COLOURS website. The RAL Trendbox 2028+ is available now from the RAL online shop and selected specialist retailers.
ABOUT RAL COLOURS
RAL is the applied language of colour. With the RAL CLASSIC and RAL EFFECT colour collections as well as the RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus, RAL offers professional colour users a diverse selection of precise colour standards. The RAL colour range comprises a total of 2,540 colours. From colour fans, plastic standards and software products to colour design and trend books, RAL offers the ideal product for every design application. At the same time, RAL and its partners share the goal of developing principles for conscious design and providing inspiration for the colour language of the future.
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