planetstyle

Planetstyle is an interdisciplinary aesthetic and methodology described as a planetary approach to design and storytelling. It emphasizes systems thinking, global scale, sustainability, and interconnectedness, applying these ideas across visual design, media, and narrative production. In practice, planetstyle treats projects as parts of a larger planetary context rather than isolated artifacts, using motifs, processes, and materials that reflect planetary diversity and fragility.

Although not tied to a single origin, the term emerged in online design and speculative fiction communities in the 2010s and 2020s as a descriptive label rather than a formal standard.

Visual language often draws on planetary imagery—surfaces, topography, orbits, atmospheres—and uses color palettes that blend earthy tones with iridescent highlights. Typography leans geometric and modular, with depth achieved through layering, parallax, and subtle texture. The design favors adaptive grids, scalable systems, and accessibility to accommodate diverse environments and audiences. Narratives influenced by planetary-scale thinking foreground climate resilience, planetary governance, and cross-cultural exchange.

Planetstyle appears in branding for eco-tech and science-communication projects, in video games and film art direction, in architecture and interior design, and in worldbuilding for speculative fiction. It also informs visual storytelling that communicates data about planetary science, ecology, and space exploration in approachable ways.

Some observers regard planetstyle as a trend marker or marketing label rather than a cohesive theory. Proponents counter that, when grounded in systems thinking and sustainability, the approach offers a useful framework for coherent design across media.

See also: eco-futurism, planetary design, systems design, space art, planetary science.