Home: As a companion

Nearly fifty years after Colombo, Blade Runner 2049 extends the idea of the intelligent home from infrastructure into companionship. The protagonist’s apartment is sparse, almost austere, yet it hosts a constant presence: Joi, a virtual partner projected into the space by a mechanical arm embedded in the ceiling.

Here, the home is no longer merely responsive; it is relational. Intelligence manifests not just through automation, but through emotional simulation. The architecture becomes a stage for interaction between human and algorithm, where intimacy is mediated by light, sound, and projection rather than walls or furniture.

This raises a profound architectural question. If digital systems increasingly occupy roles once filled by people—companion, coach, assistant, therapist—then domestic space must accommodate not only bodies, but presences. The design challenge shifts from ergonomics to psychology, from function to trust. Transparency, consent, and emotional legibility become architectural concerns.

In this vision, the home is neither neutral nor passive. It shapes behavior, routines, and even attachment. Architecture becomes part of an affective feedback loop, reinforcing the idea that the spaces we inhabit are beginning to observe us as much as we observe them.