Social Media-Friendly Design: Is Architecture Adapting to Viral Trends and Algorithms?

I saw it on Instagram! It's a phrase we often hear in various contexts, from the latest restaurant recommendations to the trendiest hotel in town. The window to observe and expose ourselves to the outside world now sits in our smartphones. This doesn't necessarily mean it's all doom and gloom. Still, it reflects that we're constantly flooded with data and information segmented by algorithms, all in a super easy-to-consume format. In today's world, it takes only a few seconds to form a lasting impression of a building and its atmosphere—and those first impressions matter more than we often realize.