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Walk into any boho cafe in Bandra or a hip new bar in Goa, and you’ll find it—the aesthetic wall. Usually decorated with a vague quote in cursive that makes little sense. But it’s always there, like a stage, an unsaid architecture rule to lure customers. This trend, started around 2016, was a harmless visual language curated for Instagram’s aesthetic that has now evolved into a full-blown design epidemic. That one “aesthetic wall” has now expanded beyond cafés and crossed over into homes, offices, airports, hotel lobbies, and even bathrooms. Many designers have pointed out Instagram has become an unsaid ‘client’ to consider in architectural decisions. Homes now need a certain aesthetic that fits the grid. This begs the question: who or what is driving our design decisions? Is it our personal intentions or the algorithm?
The Rise of Viral Architecture
Architecture has always been susceptible to influence, but social media has accelerated this phenomenon exponentially. Back in the Renaissance era, around 1440, it was the rise of the printing press that carried architectural ideas across borders, gradually shaping a unified European style. The process was slow and deliberate, filtered through scholarly discourse and institutional gatekeepers.
Today, architecture is being influenced at an unpredictable pace. This transformation is largely due to the spread of the ‘Instagram effect’ — a phenomenon where virality, not value, becomes the primary driver of design. A space photographed well — with moody lighting, extravagant luxury, oversized arches — is far more likely to be reshared across platforms. And so, those design cues become templates, replicated not for their architectural merit but for their photogenic appeal. Virality now drives design decisions in ways we’ve never seen before.
Just a decade ago, architecture criticism was limited to established circles. Only certain influential voices in architectural media had the power to recognise and celebrate good architecture. The time and effort required to gain such a spotlight was humongous, sometimes nearly impossible for emerging architects or unconventional designs.
Now, thanks to social media, a single viral post can elevate a design to global prominence overnight. And an average Joe is capable of expressing and sharing what good architecture is.
When Design Becomes a Death Trap
The Vessel at Hudson Yards in New York stands out as a striking example of ‘social media architecture’ — and how it can go wrong. The 150-foot honeycomb structure was unveiled in March 2019, with aesthetics seemingly meant for social media traction. But safety considerations were clearly an afterthought. Its interlacing staircases, soaring high into the air and intended to create an interactive public experience, tragically contributed to the deaths of four people by suicide between 2019 and 2021. This led to the structure being shut down in July 2021.
When it eventually reopened in October 2024, it was fully draped in safety netting — a stark, almost tragic contrast to its original intent. What was once envisioned as a multimillion-dollar landmark became a cautionary symbol of how chasing virality can sometimes come at the cost of human life.
Where Does Aesthetic Stop and Functionality Begin?
I follow several architectural firms on Instagram, and increasingly, it feels as though the same interior aesthetic reappears with every scroll. A neutral backdrop, wooden accents carefully distributed, a thoughtfully placed sculpture, a designer chair, a few curated indoor plants — and almost unfailingly, a woman in a flowing white dress walking through the frame.
Or it’s European minimalism with lots of abstract wall hangings. These designs are surely gorgeous, but everything looks like a remix of a remix. There’s rarely any originality to it. The worst part is local crafts, climate responsiveness, and cultural nuances getting erased in favour of trendy looks. These aesthetic architecture trends are troubling because they ignore the fundamental principles that should guide good architecture: context, climate, culture, and functionality. When every space starts looking like it belongs in the same Instagram feed, we lose the rich diversity that makes architecture meaningful and appropriate to its place.
So Who’s to Blame?
The rise of social media has definitely changed architecture, both for good and bad. On the positive side, architects now have platforms to showcase their portfolios like never before. They can reach global audiences, inspire others, and build their practices in ways that weren’t possible before social media. But here’s the thing—architects have always designed spaces to be seen in specific ways through carefully curated photography and drawings. It’s only now that everyone has the ability to stop and take the perfect shot from any angle. This democratisation of architectural photography has forced architects to consider how their spaces will look from every possible Instagram angle.
The pressure to create visual-driven design spaces can compromise essential design elements that enhance the actual living experience. When you’re designing for the camera first and the human experience second, the fundamental essence of architecture fades into oblivion.
The Need to Be Authentic
Amidst architecture’s increasing commercialisation, visual trends and filters have begun to dominate design decisions. Our perception of space is shifting — not only in terms of aesthetics but also in how we experience architecture as a whole. Platforms like Instagram mediate our relationship with the built environment, often reducing it to a flat, visual moment. A phenomenological lens reminds us that architecture is meant to be lived and felt — through light, sound, time, and texture. But when filtered images replace physical presence, we start valuing spaces for how they look rather than how they feel, creating expectations based on visuals alone and ultimately making our priorities more superficial.
Yet, this moment also presents an opportunity to embrace authenticity and experiential design. While nothing can be completely original, you can always bring something fresh to the table. Why not derive aesthetics from the surroundings? Why not let creativity be guided by practicality? Why not make a statement through purpose-driven design, letting it shape both the beauty and functionality of the project? Why let Instagram define your project’s identity when it is deserving of a lot more?
A Balanced Approach to Design
Social media can be a tool — a space to document processes, share context, highlight interventions, or even tell a story about how people use spaces — but it shouldn’t become the stage on which every space you design is forced to perform. Instead, we need to treat virality as a by-product. We need to find ways to harness its power while staying true to architecture’s core principles. This means:
- We should prioritise designing for people, not just for cameras.
- Embracing local context.
- Prioritising long-term value over viral moments.
The future of architecture doesn’t have to choose between Instagram appeal and meaningful design. It just requires designers and clients who are willing to think beyond the next viral post. After all, we have to live in these spaces long after the Instagram story expires.