As the calendar flips decisively into 2026, there’s an unmistakable sense of renewal in the air; perhaps an opportunity not to renounce pleasure per se, nor to stride grim-faced into a monastic-like abstinence, but to embrace a more mindful kind of enjoyment. Given how bleak January tends to be, a completely Dry month has never appealed to me, but what does is the opportunity to refine my drinking habits and explore the wealth of low and no-alc options now appearing on bar menus and retailer's shelves.

Increasingly, drinkers are discovering that moderation needn’t feel like a compromise; in fact, it can open the door to a richer, more curious world of flavour. And at the heart of this shift sits a burgeoning sector of non-alcoholic alternatives: drinks crafted with the same intent, creativity and provenance we’ve long admired in fine wines and spirits- yet engineered to offer the drinker greater control over how, when and why they imbibe.

What does 'Non-Alc' actually mean?

Today's most credible non-alcoholic alternatives, in the truest sense, are not merely soft drinks dressed up in fancy packaging. They are thoughtfully built beverages designed to replicate the structure, complexity and ritual of alcoholic drinks - minus (or with minimal) alcohol.

For wine, this often means de-alcoholised expressions: wines that begin life exactly as any conventional bottle would, grown in the vineyard, fermented, and nurtured into a well-balanced liquid. Only then is the alcohol removed, usually through techniques such as vacuum distillation or reverse osmosis. Both methods allow producers to retain the aromatic compounds and flavour nuances that define the original wine. The result is a drink that feels familiar in the glass: structured and tannic, food-friendly and genuinely vinous, yet invites us to sip without consequence.

Creating a credible – and tasty – spirit without the alcohol content is devilishly tricky. The inherent complexity of a spirit is intensified by the distillation process, so resorting to other means to create similar flavours has meant that the results are never quite as robust or mouth-filling as the original. Some are made in the same way, ie distilled from a beer or wine, with the alcohol molecules removed post-distillation. Others use what is called a hydrosol: distilling water, or tea and adding specific flavourings, such as ginger and citrus elements, salts, acids and flavour stabilisers, to mimic the flavour and mouthfeel of a spirit, which is combined with other flavourings such as gin botanicals and spices - and in the case of low-abv spirits, a small amount of spirit, such as gin etc.) This results in a concentrated, realistic spirit flavour. Adding a small amount of glycerol, post-distillation can also help to develop the thicker, perceived ‘unctuousness’ that an alcohol-rich spirit brings.

What feels most exciting about entering 2026 with these drinks at our disposal is the sense of possibility they offer. it’s about expanding our toolkit of pleasure. It’s about pacing ourselves across the night, staying present in the conversation, waking up clear-headed, yet still feeling like you’ve indulged in something crafted, thoughtful and delicious.

Five Solid Non-Alc 'Wines' to try:

Five Non-alc 'Spirits' to seek out:

From a vintage Italian egg basket to a meringue disguised as a fried egg, if omnipresent tinselly towers of chocolate eggs give you that sickly sweet feeling, there are plenty of other ways to celebrate the humble egg this week. Here are some of our favourite alternative Easter eggs.

No-chocolate, alternative Easter eggs

The egg canteen

The arrival of Easter means that picnics, al-fresco dining, and tennis tournaments are due to start peppering schedules. Roland-Garros, the first European major tennis competition is limbering up to open its doors on 20 May 2024 (tickets here), and French silversmith and purveyor of fine tableware Christofle is marking its partnership with the event in what it terms ‘a match of manners’. ‘MOOD Roland-Garros’, is a celebratory version of Christofle’s noted egg-shaped table-top canteen in three terracotta versions, reflecting the rich, russet Roland-Garros clay courts. Containing cutlery for six people (24 pieces), the special edition is due to arrive at Christofle’s rue St Honoré Paris flagship and international boutiques in April, just in time for spring picnics. It will also be launched in party and coffee versions. 

MOOD Roland Garros available in April, from christofle.com (other ‘MOOD Christofle’ versions are available now)

The ‘egg’ dessert

Trust Albert Adrià, the man commonly known as the 'the world’s best pastry chef', to come up with this too-good-to-eat delicacy. Adrià’s carrot cake recipes are legendary and, as part of his Easter menu at Cake & Bubbles, his restaurant at the Hotel Café Royal in Piccadilly, London, he is offering one in a celebratory guise: an orange and carrot concoction of foam, frosting, ginger and biscuit, topped with a perfect ‘egg yolk’ of lime mousse with an orange glaze. However, if you're on the hop or looking for a gift, pop in for a takeaway delight, such as a spiced meringue and mandarin marmalade Hot Cross Bun or a Cake & Bubbles Easter egg, one of which contains a golden ticket offering a prize of an overnight stay for two at the hotel. 

hotelcaferoyal.com

The egg basket

An egg basket is generally made for everyday use, presumably to sit on a kitchen counter. So why are so many contemporary designs so unattractive, chintzy or all-round aesthetically unpleasing? The point is this: a good egg basket is hard to find, and so it’s off to the past we must go. This abtract brass and aluminium Italian modernist chicken, with yellow and red accents in all the right places, is, we think, an egg basket you could live with, day in, day out. 

£1,313, at 1st Dibs

The egg cup

Jochen Gerner, the artist, illustrator and member of comic art experimentalist group OuBaPo, imagined these way-too-charming motifs for the Saut Hermès egg cup and saucer. Inspired by the French maison’s annual showjumping event, traditionally held inside the Grand Palais in Paris, his drawings have been transferred to porcelain using a hand-laid screenprinting method. Whether you are a horse-lover or not, the Saut Hermès egg cup and saucer make a delightful case for boiled eggs for breakfast on Easter Sunday and every other day besides. 

£190, at Hermès

The egg on toast

For an oh-so-cute Easter breakfast treat, this fun-sized recipe from our October 2015 edition of Smallpaper* by Wallpaper* entertaining director Melina Keays never fails to raise a smile.

Egg flowers on toast

Ingredients

1 thick slice of bread
butter, at room temperature
1 egg
2 frankfurter sausages
baby tomatoes and baby corn, to serve

Method

Butter the bread generously on both sides. Press out a cavity in the centre of the slice using an 8cm flower-shaped biscuit cutter. Reserve the bread flower.

Break the egg into a small bowl.

Heat a non-stick pan over a medium fame and place the bread and the cut-out flower in the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes until golden, then flip over.

Tip the egg into the cavity. Press lightly at the edges of the flower, until the white begins to set, to prevent the white from spreading outside the toast. Cook until the egg is just set.

To make the frankfurter flowers, bring a small pan of water to a simmer. Slice one sausage lengthways, and make a series of cuts halfway across the width, about 1/2 cm apart, on the whole length of each half-sausage.

Cut the other sausage into 3cm lengths and this time make vertical cuts, halfway down the length of each piece, to form the ‘flower petals’.

Place the sausage pieces in the simmering water for 2 minutes until they have curled into flowers.

Assemble the plate, surrounding the egg toast and cut-out flower toast with sausage flowers using halved tomatoes at their centres, and baby corn as leaves.

A garden has always been spatial shorthand for sanctuary; in times of crisis, this gets amplified. As many of us increasingly seek the safe haven of our garden, the local park or nearby nature reserve, we raise a glass to the many, gorgeous green projects that bring cheer and serenity to our everyday lives. From small domestic gardens and urban gardens, to plant-based urban interventions, woodland installations, leafy architectural landscapes and even the dry terrain of desert flora, here, we tour some of the best projects set to green up our views and encourage the healing and balancing power of nature to filter through into our day. 

Morgan North, New York, USA

The complex, mixed-use project that is Morgan North sits in Midtown Manhattan – a part of town that is always in flux. Though demand for office space is changing, taller towers continue to pop up, replacing old structures and filling every last plot of land. It’s predicted that New York’s iconic skyline will be unrecognisable by 2030. And yet, rather than constantly building anew, a handful of developers have set their sights on transforming existing buildings, creating state-of-the-art facilities that meet new workplace standards while also preserving original characteristics.

Promenade Samuel-de Champlain, Canada

Quebec's Promenade Samuel-de Champlain has opened to the public, with the third and final phase of the project now completed, comprising some 2.5km of a waterside urban boulevard. The finished development is a new community space, ideal for bankside walks, beachside cafés, and recreational activities, carefully intertwining urban design with its surrounding context. Architecture studio Daoust Lestage Lizotte Stecke wrapped up this final phase 15 years after its initial proposal from Commission de la Capitale Nationale du Québec. The area, set in the heart of the Canadian city, along the St Laurence River, previously consisted of neglected highways and rail corridors, which felt unwelcoming and unloved. The goal was to return the river to the local community.

House Under the Ground, The Netherlands

Eindhoven-based architecture studio WillemsenU has hidden a house in an undulating meadow on the edge of a nature reserve in The Netherlands. Surrounded by wild flowers and meandering streams, House Under The Ground has a curved concrete, green roof that rises from the ground and could easily be mistaken for a grassy hill. Occupying the plot of a former goat house, the two-bedroom house has a compact footprint yet feels generous and expansive inside. The poured concrete roof hides three levels of living spaces beneath it, two of them below ground level. Though, contrary to what you might expect from a mostly underground house, this one is filled with daylight and cleverly connects its inhabitants to the outdoors.

Terremotto, USA

Terremoto is the kind of firm that enthusiastically describes its approach to a recent project as ‘hippie-dippy gooey goodness.’ The landscape architecture design studio with offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco digs a countercultural vibe. After all, they did restore and enhance the landscape of the Sea Ranch Lodge, the historic (and famously hippie modernist) outpost on the Northern California coast master planned by landscape architect Lawrence Halprin. Their gardens and landscapes are mini habitats—places where people, pollinators (birds and bees), native plants, and even art share the love. In the 7th Avenue Garden, designed in collaboration with artist David Horvitz, a weedy, vacant lot was transformed into a small park made up of a jumble of milkweed, plumeria, and wildflowers. Terremoto added a few chunky wood benches and a deck, and rubble and rebar from the demolished LACMA buildings were shaped into found-object sculptures. 

Villa M, France

This architectural garden is a vetical one. Design by Brazil and France based Triptyque Architecture and Philipe Starck, the project features an extensive green facade, built around the principles of biophilic design and wellness. The mixed use scheme houses healthcare professionals in an innovative mix, including a hotel, restaurant, bar, conference area, a check-up area, a co-working space, and a showroom for start-ups in the world of health. The idea is ‘to promote mixing, exchanges and mutual aid between the different specialties and the different generations of health professionals,’ explain the architects. 

1105 West Peachtree, USA

This new mixed-use development in the heart of Midtown Atlanta features a garden at its heart. Designed as a ‘sky terrace', this expansive architectural garden not only adds a green lung to the heart of the city but it also helps direct circulation and connects the three different buildings it's placed among (the development comprises residences at 40 West 12th). Designed by Atlanta-based firm SITE solutions, this green space was created around the scheme's masterplan, conceived by architects Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio. The aim was ‘to bring the human experience of the street to the development’s many users, offering a strong sense of community through smart design.'

Hillcrest Meadow Gardens, Canada 

Canadian ecological designer Nina-Marie Lister has been recently announced as the recipient of the prestigious $50,000 Margolese National Design for Living Prize, which is offered by the University of British Columbia’s School of Architecture + Landscape Architecture. Recognized by the jury for ‘her commitment to addressing and nurturing the coexistence of wildlife and people in safe, healthy, and interconnected landscapes, as well as connecting people to nature in cities,' the designer has several green projects under her belt. One of them is Hillcrest Meadow Gardens - Lister's own personal home garden, a pollinator meadow with a biodiverse, native urban habitat (pictured above). 

GuangzhouGarden, UK

2021 Chelsea Flower Show’s Gold Medal Winning GuangzhouGarden, created by Grant Associates includes five latticework bamboo structures developed and fabricated by Bristol-based advanced timber structure specialists Xylotek. ‘Taking part in our first RHS Chelsea Flower Show is an exciting creative challenge for us as we look to capture the essence of vast and vibrant Guangzhou, with a population of 15 million people, and distil it down into a garden plot just 20m x 10m!,' says Grant Associates' director Peter Chmiel. Xylotek's Martin Self adds: ‘We were thrilled to work over the past two years with Grant Associates on the design and realisation of the ‘Guangzhou Garden. We particularly enjoyed exploring bamboo’s technical potential and harnessing its capacity to create poetic new forms.'

FormaHQ rooftop, UK

One of London's latest cultural hubs, FormaHQ in Southwark, also boasts a fabulous green roof. The existing modernist building was refurbished and reimagined by Sanchez Benton Architects with international artist Gabriel Kuri and features a cleverly planted rooftop with a garden by Nigel Dunnett. Offering views of the surrounding cityscape as well as respite from its central London's densely built setting, this little gem plays with colour as the greenery contrasts the redesigned building's vibrant orange hues. The building hosts a varied artistic programme and the garden will be open to the public during office hours. 

Garden Among The Courtyards, Italy

Milan has long been a city of secret gardens. In this dense, industrial, grande dame of a metropolis, composed of large apartment blocks and walled-off palazzos, one of the great joys of wandering aimlessly is accidentally discovering the planted clearings and courtyards that offer respite from its fabricated scenery. Still, many such green spots remained private and off-limits to most until recently, when more parks and community vegetable gardens slowly started to make an appearance. Milan Green Week in 2019 and local organisations such as Clever Cities and RoofMatters have been helping to foster sustainable practices in the city, including a culture of urban gardening and green roofs. Brera-based architecture studio Piuarch has been cultivating its own planted roof since 2015, titled Garden Among the Courtyards – enhancing liveability, wellbeing and social relations for both employees and the local neighbourhood. Directors Germán Fuenmayor, Gino Garbellini, Monica Tricario and Francesco Fresa believe that while the design community is aware and engaged in the dialogue about creating more green space in their city, there’s still much to do. ‘It is not only about urban planning but also about subverting social, cultural and educational policies within the city and people,’ says Fresa.

Sky Garden, UK

This new indoor botanical delight is Sky Garden; a green space in the heart of London, right at the top of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Commissioned by Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and its charity CW+, the piece was designed by award-winning landscape designer and CW+ Artist in Residence, Jinny Blom. ‘Gardens, quite simply, improve our lives,' says Blom. ‘To go and sit amongst plants and nature, especially in the context of a bustling hospital, has an immediate positive impact on stress levels.  The Sky Garden will provide an irreplaceable source of respite to those in need.' The design takes its cues from Modernist architecture and features clean planter shapes engulfed in greenery and calming colours. 

South Ken Green Trail, UK

The South Ken Green Trail is a new series of green interventions on London’s Exhibition Road. The three projects are ‘The Algae Meadow' by Seyi Adelekun and Wayward (in collaboration with the V&A, and working with specialists from UCL and Imperial College London), ‘Home away from Hive' by Mizzi Studio (pictured here), and ‘Windflower' by Urban Radicals with Adam Harris. They are free for all to visit and together are ‘supporting the post-pandemic recovery of London’s arts and science district,' say the project's organisers. Highlighting our natural environment as well as great design and architecture, the installations are part of the 2021 London Architecture Festival and will remain in place until the Great Exhibition Road Festival which runs from 9-15 October.

Taiyuan Botanical Garden, China

The botanical gardens at Taiyuan City in China commissioned Austrian based studio Delugan Meissl for a new home; and the results are impressive. The team transformed a former coal-mining area into a landscape park, incorporating architectural structures, like pathways, greenhouses and a bonsai museum (pictured above) with planting and greenery of all kinds in a harmonious, eye-catching design. ‘The centrepiece of the buildings, which are very precisely inserted into the modelled topography, consists of three greenhouses, which were realised as three hemispherical timber lattice domes,' explain the architects. Publicly accessible areas are matched by a cleverly integrated research centre containing laboratories, studios, office buildings, workshops, meeting rooms, lecture rooms and a library. 

RHS Hilltop, UK

Designed by architecture studio WilkinsonEyre, RHS Hilltop is the gardening science hub for The Royal Horticultural Society at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey. Blending modern architecture with lush gardens, the project is an exciting new centre for horticultural science and learning, and the result of a five-year transformation. The surrounding green spaces of the newly landscaped Wisley gardens, have been masterplanned by Christopher Bradley-Hole, and designed in detail by Matt Keightley and Ann-Marie Powell. ‘The new centre is designed to integrate with the working gardens and provide a central hub for the scientific community based at RHS Garden Wisley and the million plus visitors that come each year,' says WilkinsonEyre's Geoff Turner. 

New Haven Botanical Garden of Healing Dedicated to Victims of Gun Violence, USA

According to data collected by Gun Violence Archive, at least 5,132 children were shot in the USA last year. As a response, Svigals + Partners have created a garden that ‘honours the lives lost to fatal gun violence in New Haven and raises awareness of the immense emotional impact of the crisis.' The project is located in New Haven and was envisioned as both a green space for healing and a call for action for the local community and beyond. Leafy expanses and sculpture blend in this architectural garden that is perfect for contemplation. 

Silence by Pawel Althamer at the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Russia

Nature, art and contemporary building design meet in this green installation at the Garage museum of contemporary art in Moscow. The brainchild of Polish artist Paweł Althamer, this spatial piece was conceived as a garden for meditation. The project has a clear collaborative and therapeutic nature, according to the artist. ‘Each element of the garden—be it a fallen tree or a particular deciduous bush—is a hidden quote, while the composition as a whole is a unique environment where the restless city dweller of today can alter the regime of time, as if transported to a picturesque space in a past era, where the rhythm and pace of life were not by default accelerated to the limit,' says the museum's statement.

Elephant Springs, UK

There is an exciting new natural stone and water landscape in London. Elephant Springs, located in Elephant Park in South London and designed by landscape architects, Gillespies in collaboration with artist Mel Chantrey of The Fountain Workshop, blends greenery, natural materials and water features in a sculptural environment that is open to all. ‘Elephant Springs sits at the heart of this landmark regeneration project, nestled in an ever-expanding central park that saw the first phase open in 2017 before any of the buildings,' says Gillespies' Armel Mourgue. ‘Our landscape-led approach created very early on a destination for relaxing walks, playful times and essential human interaction. The new phase will see all these activities expand into a much larger park, where unforgettable moments of play and water are revealed amongst a landscape of rain gardens, pockets of lawn and groups of mature trees.'

Little Island, USA

A new public park has opened on the Hudson River. The new green space, which encompasses three new performance venues for New York, is designed by London based Heatherwick Studio, who was invited to the project by philanthropist Barry Diller and the Hudson River Park Trust. Set on an impressive sculputral constellation of some-280 concrete piles that rise from the water, the park was created as a haven for both humans and wildlife, filled with nature and opportunities to connect with it. Its construction was impressive and the result is certainly eye-catching. ‘The project began when we were asked to conceive of a sculptural structure to go on a design for a newly enlarged piece of the Hudson River Park promenade,' says studio founder Thomas Heatherwick. ‘The project was interesting, but we saw the opportunity to create a more engaging experience for New Yorkers and to build on the city’s heritage of inventing exciting new public spaces. Instead, we had the idea to make an entirely new type of pier as a lush rectangular garden island, connected to the land with generous gang-planks as bridges, aligned to the street grid of New York.' This undulating pier structure is like no other. 

Swing Bridge, UK

A project instigated by the community of Friends of Crystal Palace Dinosaurs, this elegant new bridge forms part of the landscape at the well-known South London Crystal Palace Park. The structure was designed by architecture studio Tonkin Liu, and it's inspired by the architecture team’s decade-long immersion in biomimetic studies. The project was launched to create a necessary and secure crossing to the park's Dinosaur Islands and their sculptural displays. The Swing Bridget is a pivoting design with one central foundation; this allows it to move and only allow access to the island when needed, therefore protecting the exhibits. Made out of steel, the structure is visually powerful through its skeleton-inspired design and geometries. 

Al Fey Park, Abu Dhabi

Al Fey Park claims to be the Middle East's very first urban biodiversity park. Boasting great biodiversity in its wildlife and planting, as well as its own microclimate and a design by Danish landscape architecture specialists SLA, this green expanse is located in downtown Abu Dhabi. The public park spans. some 27,500 sq m. ‘Al Fay Park is a new type of forest park in Abu Dhabi. Through our extensive research in the region’s flora and fauna, we create a new paradigm for how to think and design public realm in the Middle East. Al Fay Park is a celebration of Abu Dhabi’s native nature and culture and a prime example of how to maximize climate action, increase life-quality, and radically improve the biodiversity of an entire city – all on a former sand site,' says SLA design principal and partner Rasmus Astrup.

Between Heaven and Earth, China 

Created for the Shenzhen Flower show in China, this garden, entitled ‘Between Heaven and Earth', is the brainchild of garden and landscaping outfit McWilliam Studio. The space feels at once delicate and deeply grounded to its site, respectful and expressive. It ‘explores the connections between space and form and the interactions between woodland and water, land and sky,' explain its creators. Combining the water element with paved surfaces, light and textural planting, the design features a series of irregularly placed vertical metal poles, which mirror the surrounding woodland's trees. Some span some 10m high and each carries either a small LED or a misting spray at its top, adding an extra dimension to the installation. With this design, the garden experts scooped the show's Gold Medal.

Hidden Burle Marx Gardens, Brazil

One of Sao Paulo's iconic modernist-inspired office buildings, Condomínio São Luiz was designed by Brazilian architect Marcelo Fragelli in 1984. What many didn't know, is that the development had a Burle Marx designed garden ‘hidden' away in its grounds. Now, a sensitive restoration by Perkins & Will meant the gardens by the iconic landscaping artist could open to the public for the first time in almost 40 years. The architects' retrofit included unifying the workspace's former two receptions into one central hall. This allowed the removal of partitions that surrounded the building, thus creating access into the garden for pedestrians.

The Waiting Room, Somaliland

A small project created and built by architect Rashid Ali Architects with students at Abaarso Tech, the first school of architecture in Somaliland, The Waiting Room is a light, open air, planted structure in the city of Hargeisa. It is also the first structure in the city to be entirely made out of timber. The building sits just outside the city government’s land registry office, within a public courtyard, and offers much needed space for waiting and socialising for both visitors and staff. It connects users with the context and leafy planting in the courtyard. ‘The idea was to design and build a small contemporary building, while also introducing and experimenting with materials and construction techniques that are not familiar locally,' explains the team. ‘Our aim was not just to use such materials just for the sake of it, but to build in a relatively short time from pre-fabricated components and leave possibility for disassembling and for reuse in future.'

Terra Dominicata, Spain

Part of a hotel and winery experience in the Tarragona area, called Terra Dominicata, this expansive terrace and gardens was designed by Spanish architecture and landscaping studio SCOB. Taking its cues from the surrounding Montsant Natural Park, the design included the refurbishment of a set of abandoned, formerly agricultural buildings previously belonging to a monastery, and a series of outdoors spaces, from small courtyards to paved terraces and a swimming pool deck. ‘The materials, the vegetation, the textures and colours, as well as the traditional ways of building are representative of the place together with its historical and cultural heritage,' say the architects. Drawing on the region's planting, the surrounding vineyards and adding climbing frames for wisterias, the team created a green haven, particularly suited for southern gardens with a Mediterranean climate.

scob.es

Samos Garden, Greece

Created to compliment the restoration of a historic villa on the island of Samos in Greece, this garden is the brainchild of Stockholm based architecture studio OOAK. The architects got involved in the scheme to develop a landscaping strategy for the property's grounds, to add a pool and work with the garden in front of the main building and the guesthouse. The team drew inspiration from medieval hortus conclusus (enclosed gardens of the time) and a nearby overgrown space within a fortified monastery. A geometric carpet of recycled brick, gravel and plants was applied, creating a soft, leafy environment. This is contrasted by the sharp, minimalist, black-coloured pool that sits within. OOAK worked with Athens based agriculturist and gardener Marios Virlas, for specialised advice and insights on the horticultural side.

ooakarchitects.com

Brooklyn Heights Garden, New York, USA

NYC-based architecture office Worrell Yeung has led the renovation of a family home's outdoor space in a Historic Landmark District in Brooklyn Heights. The commission consisted of the front and back gardens of a typical brownstone building. The architects also made sure to fine tune existing details to support and enhance the new design; for example, by restoring the historic forged iron fencing and gate details on the front entrance and by enlarging the steel casement openings towards the back, to bring plenty of light into the interiors and better visually connect indoors and outdoors. The project features stone paving, new planters and a new, black custom metal staircase that leads directly into the small rear garden below. ‘This is consistent with a lot of the interior architecture work we do, in which we deploy ‘objects’ within a space. We treated these objects like vitrines, which helped us to organize the cubic hot tub with the plantings, for example,' says co-founder Jejon Yeung.

worrellyeung.com

Guangming OCT Trail, China 

Conceived by international landscape architecture, planning and urban design firm SWA Group, a new circulation route has been installed in China's Guangming District, located north of Shenzhen. The region's picturesque, forested mountain landscapes are a major nature attraction and now, a system of three bridges that float above the undulating terrain allow visitors to take in the rich greenery from a vantage point. Simple, geometric and dynamic, the design is contemporary and invites pedestrians into the tree-filled expanses of the Chinese countryside. What started as a smaller project to expand and finess a regional jogging and biking trail, has now developed into a ‘an iconic destination that adds value for locals and tourists, while supporting goals for healthy living and urbanization, connecting the city of Shenzhen with its surrounding towns and national parklands,' explains the design team.

swagroup.com

Moor Lane Community Garden, London, UK

Bringing nature into the urban heart of the British capital, a new pop-up community garden has been installed in the City of London. Designed by local landscape firm Wayward, with the support of local community and resident groups, the City of London Corporation and its cultural district, Culture Mile, the project is titled Moor Lane Community Garden. The piece – a series of interlocking, leafy planters – features robust, sculptural bases inspired by the character of the nearby Barbican housing estate and London Wall. Created as a temporary project, but in place at least till next summer, the structure offers a breath of fresh air and acts as a testbed for a future landscaping project in Moor Lane.

wayward.co.uk 

ISPACE, Val Calanca National Park, Switzerland

This project, designed by Davide Macullo Architects, is nestled within rich woodland outside the village of Rossa, in the Calanca Valley of Switzerland. Created with the support of the RossArte Foundation, the municipality of Rossa and the Swiss National Park Val Calanca, and titled ISPACE, the small timber structure offers an architectural resting spot within nature for visitors to the park. ‘ISPACE is a project born out of an idea combining art and architecture in the creation of environments that stimulate people to perceive the influence of a space on their moods,' say the architects. ‘It is a re-evaluation of the territory, allowing us to rediscover our bond with nature.' This structure is the first in a series of similar installations in these woods; nine more architectural sculptures are set to appear in this part of the world in the next months. 

macullo.com

The Landroom Observatory, Israel

The majesty of nature spans thick, green forests, more tropical climes, as well as drier, desert environments. French-Israeli architect Ben Gitai has recently completed a striking architectural installation that harnesses the power of the last – the new Landroom Observatory has been designed to overlook the world's largest geological crater: Makhtesh Ramon in the Negev desert. This structure, created as a sculptural star and desert-gazing observatory, is made entirely out of local sandstone and limestone extracted from the ground around it, making it look and feel entirely of-its-place and camouflaged within its surroundings. It provides visitors to the area a shelter from the sun and a spot to sit, relax and take in the magnificent scenery. The boutique piece is designed to accomodate only two people at a time.

gitaiarchitects.com

Dream Within A Dream, China 

Created as a property sales centre with a twist, Dream Within A Dream is a concept by Shanghai-based Wutopia Lab. ‘Shanghai Huijian invited Wutopia Lab to design a welcoming stage in front of the sales’ center of their project in Huzhou,' explain the architects. ‘The only request from the client was to make it different.' The team drew on the power of nature and landscaping to create an environment that challenges the norm about what a ‘modern city' is. The steel construction includes a forest of volumes, perforated screens and bright white surfaces, which house different ‘landscapes', such as caves, hills, streams, rocks, highlands, waterfalls and auditorium formations.

wutopialab.com

Grosvenor Square, London, UK

Architecture studio Tonkin Liu is behind the revamp of one of central London's rare beasts – the garden square. Upon completion, Grosvenor Square, the second largest garden square in the capital, will be formed by four interlocking gardens based on the project's original oval shape. Principles Anna Liu and Mike Tonkin shaped their design through feedback from local residents and Londoners, and input from experts including Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, LSE Cities and the Green Infrastructure Consultancy. The result is a design that promises to increase biodiversity and double the number of trees in the open space. The refreshed square will include corner gardens with ‘options for small dynamic structures welcoming visitors', as well as shaded seating under the canopy of trees, a sense of openness and a secret water garden.

tonkinliu.co.uk

Houston Botanic Gardens, USA

An island in Houston's Bayou system has recently been re-introduced as the American city's very first botanic garden. International landscape firm West 8 is behind the transformation, which includes a collection of tropical, sub-tropical, and arid plants from around the world. Underpinning everything in local flora and fauna, the garden is also set to showcase the area's amazing biodiversity, which the project encourages. ‘The intent of the site design is to seek balance in all aspects, from planting and soils, through to topography and materials – the careful juxtaposition of order and chaos that is at the heart of enduring gardens,' says West 8 New York office's Donna Bridgeman-Rossi. Working to amplify the existing site's qualities and support sustainability and diversity, the project also features elements to make the user experience as comfortable as possible, such as a series of 21 thin shell concrete vaults that line the perimeter of the main global collection garden (pictured); the alcoves offer shaded rest spots for visitors. 

west8.com

When it comes to podcasts, there’s a lot to sift through. Spotify, alone, in fact has more than 6.5 million on its platform, hundreds of which are devoted to topics like design, architecture, and more. If that feels overwhelming, not to worry: we’ve got more than a few favourite design podcasts in our queues. And, with Salone del Mobile just around the corner, there’s no better time to pull up a chair and grab your headphones. Much like Wallpaper,* our favourite shows are both light and cerebral and offer everything from engaging interviews with the world’s leading creative minds to in-depth explorations of industry topics and trends. Can’t wait to get listening? Here are the 20 best design podcasts we can’t get out of our heads—or our ears.

Perhaps design isn’t your thing? Take a look at our podcast picks for art addicts and fashion buffs.

LISTEN TO THESE 20 GREAT DESIGN PODCASTS TO TUNE IN AND ZONE OUT

Creative Capes Podcast

Creative Capes, a production spearheaded by Future London Academy, encourages colloquial conversations between design innovators from around the world. Through these relaxed interviews, participants share their personal insights on leadership, branding, and innovation, while also sharing anecdotes and mistakes they have made along the way. From Zaha Hadid Architects on Bauhaus, design leadership and why creatives should question everything, to Steve ‘Buzz' Pearce on the power of design in business, listen and digest on what’s going on in the industry.

Listen here

Writer: Tianna Williams

99% Invisible

A podcast which started in Roman Mars’ bedroom has expanded into a popular audio show with listeners across the world. The concept is to draw attention to the unnoticed architecture and design and explore the thought that goes into it. The podcast recently has a new series titled ‘ Not Built For This’ which explores how climate change is impacting the built environment in North America, from Florida to Arizona, California to Vermont, and how communities are responding.

Listen here

Writer: Tianna Williams

Design Matters

Es Devlin to Ai Weiwei, Mickalene Thomas to Marina Abramović, Design Matters is one of the first and longest podcasts having launched in 2005. What started as conversations via two landline phones has evolved into a show which brings together pioneering leaders withing the creative industry and more- from scienteits, philosophers, artists, and writers. Here, host designer and artist herself, Debbie Millman dives into each guests origin and the challenges they’ve encountered along the way.

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Writer: Tianna Williams

The Bowery Boys History podcast

This podcast is quite a fun one for those living in New York, or with an infatuation with the city that never sleeps. The Bowery Boys aka Greg Young and Tom Meyers unpack the history of the state, in 25 minute nuggets. Usually each episode is focused on a place, building or person, and with buckets of curiosity they unpack the foundations of the state and city.

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Writer: Tianna Williams

Gae Aulenti's Legacy by Triennale Milano

Diving into the life of pioneering designer Gae Aulenti, Triennale Milano have released the new podcast ‘Gae Aulenti's Legacy’. Hosted by writer and design critic Alice Rawsthorn, the first episode of the five-part series offers insight into Aulenti’s work through the perspective of those who knew her, from friends, to curators, and architects, including Paola Antonelli, Stefano Boeri, Ludovico Einaudi, Antonia Jannone, and Farshid Moussavi. The podcast runs in parallel with the retrospective, ‘Gae Aulenti (1927-2012)’ curated by Giovanni Agosti, at Milan’s Triennale Design Museum which is dedicated to the designer's illustrious career. Each episode is released every two weeks.

Writer: Tianna Williams

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Arganto, Gabriele Devecchi Between Art & Design

The ‘Araganto’ podcast takes listeners on a journey through the life of pioneering artist and silversmith Gabriele Devecchi (Milan, 1938–2011). Diving into the theory and history of Italian design, and its symbiotic relationship with contemporary art, the six part series recounts the designer’s life's work through memories, testimonies and reflections from friends to colleagues, critics to family members. Narrated in English by David Plaisant, the podcast also include the voices of Devecchi’s children Alice, Giacomo and Matteo, further adding a personal touch.

Writer: Tianna Williams

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The Chromologist by Farrow and Ball

Farrow and Ball have plunged into the podcasting world with a new series that celebrates creativity and colour. The series titled ‘The Chromologist’ invites inspiring guests within the art and design world including Tan France, and fashion designer Christopher John Rogers, to share four colours which represent a defining period in their lives, to anecdotes from childhood. Hosted by Farrow and Ball brand ambassador, Patrick O’Donnell, each guest embraces how pattern and colour can play a part in people's lives. After exploring these memories Farrow and Ball will recommend a colour for the guest’s next chapter in their lives, taking away a sample pot to try.

Writer: Tianna Williams

Listen here

'Homing In' by The Modern House

A second podcast recently launched by The Modern House, 'Homing In' is a series of conversations with creatives ranging from India Mahdavi to Ruth Rogers exploring the meaning of home. Modern House co-founder Matt Gibberd leads a conversation with his guest that in each episode includes a home from their past, their current living space, and where they would like to end up in the future.

Listen here

Writer Rosa Bertoli

Sofa, Looking for Togo

‘Sofa, Looking for Togo’ is a new podcast series honouring the design, history and popularity of the iconic Togo sofa. Part of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the sofa’s creation, the podcast is hosted by French journalist Aurélie Sfez and produced by Radio K7 Creative, with contributions from industry leaders from a variety of creative disciplines. The podcast, Sfez explains, ‘is an adventure and an investigation to try to understand this worldwide success a little better. How did this sofa become such an iconic, inescapable piece of design? Why does everyone want it? What’s its secret?’. Tune in to find out.

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Writer Rosa Bertoli

 Design Emergency Podcast 

Collaborative platform Design Emergency waS set up by MoMA design curator Paola Antonelli and design critics and Wallpaper* contributor Alice Rawsthorn, with the aim of exploring ‘design’s role in building a better future.’ What started as an informal Instagram live series during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has blossomed into a project that constitutes an important voice on the design panorama and now includes a book and design podcasts. In its inaugural episode, Rawsthorn interviews architect David Adjaye who talks about ‘architecture’s potential to secure a sustainable future for Africa’, in the context of some of his landmark projects including the National Cathedral of Ghana and the Edo Museum of West African Art in Benin City.

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Writer Rosa Bertoli

Material Matters

The starting point for each of Grant Gibson’s conversations with designers, makers or entrepreneurs is a material. Gibson created a series of engaging and intensely addictive episodes focusing on everything from paper (with Wallpaper’s long-term collaborator James Cropper), recycled aluminium (with Emeco owner Gregg Buchbinder) and even bacteria (with Natsai Audrey Chieza) and dead animals (with artist Polly Morgan). Each hour-long interview delves into the subject’s personal history while offering an educated, informative and in-depth take on each material. The podcast has now evolved to become a design fair, which made its debut during London Design Festival 2022.

Listen here

Writer Rosa Bertoli

On Design

On Design is hosted by illustrator and media professional Justyna Green through a series of insightful conversations with leading figures of design, from entrepreneurs to curators and designers: ‘If you want to know what inspires them, how they work and how they see the world, this is the podcast for you.’ With early interviews featuring the likes of Michael Anastassiades and Formafantasma, the latest season features designers Bethan Laura Wood and Alex Proba, and artist Shantell Martin.

Listen here

Writer Rosa Bertoli

The Be-Spoke Podcast

Multimedia project Woven Voices launched the Be-Spoke Podcast, revealing ' the relationships behind the commissioning process through the stories of designers, makers, clients, curators and brokers.' Woven Voices founder Adriana Paice Kent speaks to creatives including Shiro Muchiri of SoShiro and architects Katerina Dionysopoulou and Billy Mavropoulos of Bureau de Change, delving into the experience of commissioning and making.

Listen here

Writer Rosa Bertoli

The Creative Boom Podcast

A series of ‘candid conversations with artists and designers about their creative journeys so far’, the Creative Boom design podcast goes deep into the artistic world and lives of creatives such as Pentagram's Marina Willer and artist Morag Myerscough. The series so far features over 70 episodes that cover creativity as well as the challenged faced by working in the industry, from equality to mental health.

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Writer Rosa Bertoli

It’s Nice That Podcast

Newly launched at the beginning of 2022, the It’s Nice That Podcast made its debut with three episodes looking at creativity through in-depth conversations with graphic designers including Christoph Niemann, Eric Hu and the New York Times Magazine creative director Gail Bichler. Hosted by editor-in-chief Matt Alagiah, this new fortnightly design podcast 'seeks to scrub away the Instagram gloss and hear the honest truth from people who have built careers out of their creativity.' As an added bonus, each episode ends with a 'Nice Note', a voice memo sent by global designers and artists, describing a favourite spot in their home city (with the inaugural episodes 'visiting' Mumbai, Montpellier and Sydney).

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Writer Rosa Bertoli

Talking Practice

What do designers do, why and how they do it is the focus of a series of design podcasts from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. ‘Talking Practice’ is hosted by Grace La, the school’s professor of architecture and chair of Practice Platform, and features ‘in-depth interviews with leading designers on the ways in which architects, landscape architects, designers, and planners articulate design imagination through practice’. Episodes include interviews with OMA partner Shohei Shigematsu and designers Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu.

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Writer Rosa Bertoli

Words on Wood

Described as ‘a deep dive into the built environment’, AHEC’s ‘Words on Wood’ podcast (now in its second season) is developed as a series of cross-disciplinary conversations with designers and material experts to explore our relationship with the forest. Hosted by editors Oli Stratford and India Block, each half-hour episode is alternated with a 15-minute ‘tree short’ focusing on a specific species. Guests so far have included designers Sam Hecht and Yves Behar talking about new wood technologies, and Stephen Burks talking with Zanat founder Orhan Niksic in conversation on their approach to traditional woodworking techniques.

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Writer Rosa Bertoli

The Couch – Conversations on Design by B&B Italia

B&B Italia enlisted journalist David Plaisant (who memorably interviewed architect Paolo Portoghesi for Wallpaper*) to curate its first podcast series, talking all things sofas and homes with leading design voices including Michael Anastassiades, Mario Bellini, Ivy Ross, and Philippe Starck. Topics of the 30-minute conversations include ideas on the home of the future, comfort and ergonomics and the impact of the sofa on popular culture, with focus episodes on B&B classics such as ‘Camaleonda’ and ‘Le Bambole’, two iconic Mario Bellini designs.

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Writer Rosa Bertoli

Brackish ( formerly Making Design Circular)

Through her work, journalist Katie Treggiden has specialised in craft and sustainability and she shares her expertise in the hour-long episodes of her design podcast, 'Brackish’. In every episode, Treggiden talks to the thinkers, doers, and makers of the circular economy: ‘These are the people who are challenging the linear take, make, waste model of production and consumption, and working towards something better.’ Through this inspiring series, she talks about topics such as repair and waste with Celia Pym, Christopher Raeburn, Daniel Charny and many more.

Listen here

Writer Rosa Bertoli

Opinionated Podcast

This series of design podcasts features informal dialogues between Italian, Stockholm-based designer Luca Nichetto and his creative friends, including Daan Roosegaarde and Giorgia Lupi, who share their views on the world-changing power of design. Wallpaper*s standing global design director Hugo Macdonald is featured in the episode above, where he talks about his boutique and creative space, Bard, and elevating daily rituals through craft and design.

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Writer Rosa Bertoli

Tekla has been inspired by Le Corbusier’s colour theory for a new limited-edition collection of mohair blankets. Presented at the Studio-Apartment of Le Corbusier in Paris, in partnership with Les Couleurs Suisse, the new pieces are available in three distinctive hues (the collection comprises three single-colour bankets and one striped).

‘Le Corbusier’s legacy has always been an inspiration for Tekla – he’s one of the most influential architects, synonymous with modern architecture,’ says Charlie Hedin, founder and creative director at Tekla. ‘In our research for this project, we also realised his incredible contribution to colour.’

Le Corbusier’s interest was encapsulated in Architectural Polychromy, a collection of 63 hues across two palettes, created in 1931 and 1951. The colours were used to accentuate the designs of buildings’ façades or to bring life to interiors in a play on mood and atmosphere.

Now, Tekla has rethought these considered hues as mohair blankets in colours 32024 Outremer Gris, 4320K Bleu Outremer 59, and 4320C Rose Vif, bringing a contemporary mood to soft pieces finished with a flippant fringe. By working with Les Couleurs Suisse, Tekla was able to create textiles in these colours for the first time, with the blankets then hand-woven by artisans in Spain, and extra-brushed for ultimate softness.

The finished products will be showcased at Le Corbusier’s Studio-Apartment in Paris in a nod to the playful and practical essence that epitomised the architect’s work. Adds Christoffer Lundman, senior product designer at Tekla: ‘We were attracted to the colours in Le Corbusier’s creations, how they were so central to the design and how he used them in his own life.

‘As you move through his studio and home, colour almost acts as a guide, helping you to understand the space’s use. Many of his spaces have a tempo and a movement that feel quite joyful. We wanted to capture this approach to colour in blanket design.

INFORMATION

teklafabrics.com

Nestled in the rich greenery and rolling hills outside the city of Sangzhou in China's Zhejiang Province, the newly completed Qingxi Culture and History Museum is a cultural space created for and from its environment. Designed by Hangzhoh-based architecture studio UAD, the region's fresh visitor destination, created for the Ninghai Cultural Tourism Group, is a multi-award winning rural gem, conceived to connect its visitors with the local nature, history and culture. 

The architects drew inspiration from the structure's countryside setting, which mixes wooded areas, wild fields and agricultural land, tended by residents from the surrounding villages. There are terraced fields and a backdrop of mountains in the distance – making this an idyllic setting for embracing the area's pristine nature. Adapting to the landscape's terraces and created to overlook the water element from a creek below, the Qingxi Culture and History Museum is a low, stone-clad structure that features planted roofs and broken down, small volumes, which, from a distance, feel part of the overall organic setting. 

The interiors are composed of generous, tall halls, perfect for flexible exhibits. The shapes correspond to the exterior's fluid nature, mixing concrete with minimalist white plaster and textured stone. Natural light, often coming from skylights punctured into the roof above, brightens the exhibition rooms.

The mostly exposed materials highlight a pride in the construction process, as the architects worked with local, skilled stonemasons, who crafted the museum's masonry walls on site, working with raw material from the surrounding fields. 

‘Based on simple techniques and methods, the whole building is in harmony with its surrounding terraced fields and mountains, both in texture and in form. Details such as stone window frames and drip edges were meticulously made by craftsmen,' said the architects.

‘The architectural volumes dissolve into the environment. The building is in dialogue with the terraced fields, creek, bridge and paths. Walking through the bridge above the stream, and approaching the building nestled under mountains, visitors continuously encounter unexpected surprises along the way.'

INFORMATION

uad.com.cn

Over the last decade, Tokyo-based techno-creative collective teamLab has proved the crowd-pleasing (albeit not always critic-pleasing) potential of the ‘immersive’, interactive art (is it strictly art?) installation. 

Established by Toshiyuki Inoko in 2001, the collective gained an international reputation when Takashi Murakami showed its work at his Taipei gallery in 2011. Since then, teamLab has created spectacle and wonder – often involving light and lasers or interactive digital simulacra of the natural world and the apparent dissolution of physical space – pretty much everywhere. It now has permanent exhibition spaces in Tokyo, Shanghai, Singapore and Macau with more to follow. (Tokyo’s teamLab Borderless opened in 2018 and attracted 2.3 million visitors in its first year, making it the most popular single-artist museum in the world.)

Of course, teamLab is no longer the only player in the immersive installation space. Other artists, designers, galleries, and cultural institutions have noted that pulling power. (Signed by Pace gallery in 2014, teamLab also pioneered a new economic model for artists and art collectives. Much to Pace’s initial scepticism, teamLab insisted on charging for tickets to its 2017 exhibition at a pop-up Menlo Park space, a former Tesla showroom, in Silicon Valley. Charging for admission is what museums, not private galleries do. But teamLab’s work is not private-collector friendly so, it argued, ticketing was the only way to fund the works. The show proved a huge success and revenue generator. Pace, in turn, launched Superblue, its dedicated experiential art division in 2020 with a permanent space, for ticketed shows, in Miami and a new outpost set to open in Kyoto).

The trick for teamLab – now an almost 700-strong super studio or ‘art stack’ – is maintaining some kind of creative distance from other digital art makers. Its collaboration on a new production of Puccini's Turandot, at Geneva's Grand Theatre 24 June – 3 July 2022, is evidence of that creative stretch. 

The production is directed by Daniel Kramer, former artistic director of the English National Opera, and known for his radical updates of opera's canonical texts, including a collaboration with Anish Kapoor on a production of Wagner's Tristan and Isolde (and a hugely ambitious, non-canonical and financially catastrophic version of King Kong). 

Kramer’s new Turandot is similarly iconoclastic. The story of a prized princess testing a stream of suitors is reimagined as a dystopian game show (for the record, the production has been in the works for four years, plotted before Squid Game made dystopian game shows a thing. It is, though, similarly gruesome. One of Kramer’s innovations is that ‘contestants’ who fail Turandot’s tests are not beheaded, as is their traditional fate, but well and truly emasculated).

Kramer met up with Inoko in 2017 to talk about how he might incorporate teamLab’s light and lasers into a new work before signing them up to work on Turandot. Adam Booth, the collective’s art director on the project, admits that it has involved a certain amount of creative negotiation. ‘He came to see us in Tokyo and there was some intense brainstorming, working out how we could participate and keep our own aesthetics and integrity. Daniel had his ideas and we had ours and we worked through that. It was a long process.’ And got longer. Given that productions of Turandot usually feature a 100-strong chorus on stage, a Covid-safe outing was out of the question. 

Despite the game show conceit, Booth insists teamLab was not enlisted to provide an easy spectacle. ‘When you say lasers, most people think of light shows and green beams but it’s not about that for us. We’re trying to make planes of light and three-dimensional shapes by overlapping different planes and creating moiré effects when the lights cross. It’s not a pop concert, we’re using them to express something very subtle and delicate.’

The Covid hiatus gave Booth and his team time to work out how they could create a fluid architecture, unbounded by the proscenium arch, in lights and lasers. The studio’s in-house architecture team, teamLab Architects, meanwhile, were drafted to work on scenography, creating a stark, rotating multi-level structure, the gender power hierarchy at work in the play – with Princess Turandot very much on top – made physical. Booth and his team use mirrors and LEDs inside the set to create an intense kaleidoscopic take on the unfolding psychic drama. 

They also worked with the legendary costume designer Kimie Nakano. ‘Daniel is this amazing, energetic character and he wants everybody on board with everything. And it created this really interesting mix,’ Booth says.

The Grand Theatre is also planning to screen the production for free, live in Geneva’s Parc des Eaux-Vives. Though he admires the democratising impulse, Booth says a lot of the power of teamLab’s work will be lost in translation. ‘Lasers are just not suited to being filmed.’

For all the high-tech wizardry involved, what teamLab does is meant to be experienced physically, in person, and preferably collectively. It’s a point picked up by the collective’s project manager Kazumasa Nonaka.

Nonaka is behind another, unrelated, Geneva outing for the collective. Opened earlier this month at Pace’s outpost in the city, ‘Existence in an Infinite Continuity’ is another series of installation pieces involving moving digital forms. These new works, though, have a rare, raw spareness. A number of works called Dissipative Figures use minute lines to map the movement of air around human bodies and birds in motion. They are simple but mesmeric and hauntingly beautiful renderings of the disturbed, energised air we leave in our wake. 

‘As an expression, it’s very quiet but what’s happening is very dynamic; you see lines almost exploding as the figures run or walk,’  Nonaka says. ‘We are known for these very saturated and dynamic colours but just the difference in thickness and direction of these black and grey lines was enough to show the three-dimensionality of the air that moves around the human body.’ And if they feel a little sketchy, in a good way, that’s because they are just the first take on what Nonaka says will be on an ongoing series. 

Clearly, technology has advanced remarkably in the 20 years since teamLab was founded, or even over the last decade, when it has been a real international force. But Nonaka says that technology has only really helped speed up the collective’s creative and production process rather than effect any fundamental changes in the nature of its work. Advances in sensor technology have changed the degree to which its installations can be interactive (‘Existence in Infinite Continuity’ is also rare in that it is not interactive) and for how many people at the same time. 

As for all artists and galleries, pandemic-induced shutdowns forced teamLab to look at how it might put work out on social media and digital platforms such as YouTube. The collective created a ‘participatory’ piece, Flowers Bombing Home, for YouTube but Nonaka admits it wasn’t hugely successful. And, he says, teamLab is taking a cautious wait-and-see approach to AR/VR and the metaverse. ‘We still believe in physical interaction in physical space.’

INFORMATION

teamlab.art
Turandot is at Grand Théâtre de Genève, 20 June - 3 July gtg.ch
Existence in an Infinite Continuity is at Pace Gallery, Geneva until 2 July pacegallery.com

In partnership with Porsche

For its Milan Design Week debut, Porsche presents the latest work in its series ‘The Art of Dreams’, at Palazzo Clerici, Brera. The company explores the interplay of nature and technology through an immersive installation by Berlin-based botanical artist Ruby Barber, founder of Studio Mary Lennox. The sculptural artwork combines the fragility of flowers with the promise of 21st-century tech.

Fascinating in its resting state, the installation comes to life for regular, choreographed performances. In an intense creative development process, the artist collaborated with flight engineers and dedicated drone pilots to create a new-to-the-world art experience.

Ideas of renders and animations, first envisioned in the virtual realm, are transported into reality, creating surreal vistas and sensations for the viewer. The installation connects with the sports car manufacturer’s pioneering spirit, simultaneously posing subtle questions about the role of technology, its global contribution and its relation to the natural world.

‘I am curious to explore the connections between nature and the modern human environment,’ says Barber. ‘The possible interactions between botanics and technology are particularly intriguing to me. In this work, I dreamt of a meeting place between the two worlds, fusing both together to create a space for a new experience.’ 

Barber’s surreal arrangements create spaces between nature and architecture, between reality and dreams. Her installations are modern and emotional, and include collaborations with the likes of Hermès and Cartier. 

This piece is the second commissioned work for ‘The Art of Dreams’, a global art initiative by Porsche that deals with the motif of dreams through various interactive installations in major cities around the world. With its aim to inspire, convey optimism, and contribute to lively communities, the initiative launched in Paris in 2021 and visited Singapore in early 2022.

During Milan Design Week 2022, ‘The Art of Dreams’ will be showcased at Palazzo Clerici for seven days as part of a wider programme of engagement, including exclusive events and a secluded garden café. Committed to a sustainable way of working in local communities, the brand selected partners from among the best and brightest of Milan’s creative minds and culinary entrepreneurs. 

Yoga and meditation sessions, for example, in collaboration with yoga community Ciaomondo, founded by Licia Florio and Francio Ferrari, provide a mindful start to the bustling days of Salone. 

Vegan and vegetarian delicacies for all exclusive events are created by Sara Nicolosi, Cinzia De Lauri, and Giulia Giulia Scialanga, the chefs and masterminds behind Altatto, Milan’s most innovative haute cuisine establishment. 

In the garden, meanwhile, Milan-based, Buenos Aires-born artist Alek O will realise a group of sculptures, giving new life to found tiles, and welcoming visitors to rest and enjoy the peaceful surroundings.

‘Porsche is driven by dreams,’ says Robert Ader, chief marketing officer at Porsche. ‘With “The Art of Dreams” initiative we want to remind people about the importance of dreaming and to inspire them. At the same time, we are keen on supporting the creative community and on bringing exceptional artwork to the public.’ 

INFORMATION

‘The Art of Dreams’ is at Palazzo Clerici, Via Clerici 5, 20121 Milan, 6 – 12 June, porsche.art

‘Sleeping beauties’ is how Romain Brabo describes the rolls of fabrics that lie in storage in the back rooms and basements of Paris’ couture houses – used once, and often never again. Previously working in materials purchasing and manufacturing at both Givenchy and Kenzo, he founded Paris-based resale platform Nona Source – alongside Marie Falguera and Anne Prieur du Perray – to connect these forgotten riches to a new generation of designers at a significant discount, supported by LVMH’s entrepreneurial programme, Dare. ‘This isn’t about profit, it’s about supporting creative communities,’ Brabo told Wallpaper* last year.

As of this month (May 2022), a new outpost of Nona Source opens in London’s King’s Cross neighbourhood, giving the city’s designers access to fabrics from LVMH maisons – from Louis Vuitton to Dior. Now supported by LVMH’s Life 360 programme (Life: LVMH Initiatives for the Environment), Nona Source’s library of fabrics will be available in a showroom at The Mills Fabrica, a membership-led workspace dedicated to sustainable innovation. London-based designers will be able to shop an array of fabrics – cotton poplin, silk, crêpe de Chine, Shetland wool and more – at more than two-thirds off their original price.

The arrival of Nona Source in London coincides with the platform’s first anniversary, marking ‘a major step forward in Nona Source’s commitment to develop circular creativity and creative reuse as well as supporting young and emerging designers, talent and brands’, as Brabo tells Wallpaper*. ‘There is a huge pool of young designers and creative talent here that push the boundaries in terms of creative fashion, which ultimately is what we want to champion through Nona Source.’ With the latter in mind, the showroom is located in close proximity to Central Saint Martins, providing those on its esteemed fashion courses access to some of the best fabrics currently available. Alexandre Capelli, LVMH’s environment deputy director, calls it ‘a concrete tool to inspire and support one of the most creative and sustainability-focused communities of designers’.

Nona Source already has plenty of fans in London: among them, designers Richard Malone, Sarah AlHamdan and Stella McCartney, each of whom has created a special design out of the platform’s fabrics that will be displayed in the showroom. ‘It’s no secret that the fashion industry has a huge waste issue; currently, less than one per cent of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new textiles,’ says McCartney. ‘ This is where Nona Source comes in, taking these incredible deadstock fabrics from the world’s leading fashion maisons – meaning they are accessible for all brands, new and old.’

INFORMATION
nona-source.com

A Polish farmhouse set in the rural idyll of the country's green, rolling hills, has been redesigned by BXB studio head Bogusław Barnaś and his team into a contemporary homestead. The generous project, which spans over 500 sq m, consisted of five distinct existing agricultural structures that were slated for demolition, being neglected and in a bad state of repair. The architect stepped in to transform the complex into a modern home made up of a series of interconnected barns that fan out across the verdant site. 

Led by the orientation of the vistas, as well as the sun's path during the day, the architecture team defined how the structures sit and open up towards the landscape. Clad in timber, the five buildings blend comfortably in their natural environment, while at the same time, their clean, contemporary forms clearly cut a distinct, modern figure in the leafy context. ‘Each and every project is a real challenge, [representing] a deep desire to create something unique and breathtaking, it is a great social responsibility to shape the world we all live in,' says Barnaś. 

Barn conversion reimagines Polish farmhouse

The five buildings contain, respectively, a garage (which also acts as a buffer between the residential parts of the complex and the road); the kitchen and family spaces; the children's bedrooms; a studio space; and the master suite and a living space with a wooden deck looking over the surrounding wilderness. Each barn’s wood species and textures have been researched and selected to specifically fit their use – being softer or more hardwearing, lighter or darker, according to the function. 

Aiming to be respectful to its natural environs, the Polish farmhouse's redesign incorporates gestures such as the preservation of trees found on the site, and a volume arrangement and footbridge that negotiates the existing terrain to ensure the house has a minimal impact on the land. Meanwhile, design elements abstractly nod to traditional agricultural structures in the region. ‘We, at BXB studio, think that this kind of openness with regard to heritage and tradition allows us to discover a richness, full of great creativity, and that this kind of creation of space gives our buildings durability and timelessness. We believe that in this way, our buildings are not merely anonymous or without a soul, and that they are something more significant than just a modern building,’ the architects say.

INFORMATION
bxbstudio.com

You never know what you might encounter, opening the door to a period house in the UK. Styles and approaches inside can vary a lot and this suburban house by London architecture studio SPPARC is a fitting case in point. What appears to be a standard early 1900s two-up-two-down type of house in a sleepy, leafy south London street, has been transformed through craft, colour and material into a playful, rich family home – the base of SPPARC's founder, Trevor Morriss, and his family of six. 

That the house is a labour of love is perhaps an understatement. Every corner and nook have been designed with care, and bespoke details abound in this highly tailor-made interior. From the timber cladding (with precision reliefs throughout to avoid a uniform look and accentuate the wood's texture and feel) to the built-in furniture and the surgically punctured openings at key places (the floor appears to simply disappear as you approach the ground-floor bathroom), the home bridges fun domesticity with a craft-heavy design approach. Wood is present throughout, manifested in an oak palette, in varied tones, for the floor, doors and wall panels, complemented by lighter hues of ash for the wall, ceiling and joinery elements. 

‘It took four seamstresses and 120 hours to finish the main staircase,’ Morriss says, as he recounts how one day, a group of professionals entered the building site to set up their sowing machines and artfully stitch the impressive, green Italian leather-clad, butter-soft main circulation stair core. It's a central element that connects the house's four levels. A fairly conventional arrangement – more formal living spaces on the ground level, a kitchen, family room and cinema on the lower ground, and bedrooms on the two upper floors – is countered by a less traditional design style throughout. 

Unexpected touches elevate the interior. A narrow-gauge oak herringbone parquet-lined slide connects the garden and the cinema space, as a continuation of the room's floor. Two specially designed timber structures in the garden act as a storage shed and a treehouse for the children. A roof extension at the top of the house contains the master bedroom suite and bathroom behind a porous screen of laser-cut aluminium sheets that have been basket-woven into a brick format with bespoke-sized brick infill. This move adds texture to the rear façade and hints at the home's unique identity.

That the home is bespoke does not take away from its sustainability credentials – if anything, it enhances them. Sustainable architecture features include the overall approach to rework an outmoded property into a modern home that has flexibility to change over time as the family grows, without the need for future refurbishment; eco-consciously sourced materials throughout; the integration of technology into the fabric of the property to reduce energy demands; and the use of air-source heat pumps, rain water harvesting, LED lighting and high-performance insulation.  

Morriss has installed a home office in an outhouse, right at the back of the long garden, just behind a grouping of young silver birch trees that are sure to grow into a kind of mini forest, offering a wild element to the green space. For him, this suburban home’s design is a continuation of ideas and passions he developed in past works – the family’s previous base, for instance, an apartment in central London. ‘The house is a design manifesto of the importance of craftsmanship. The timber element was a theme in our previous home too, but here the design ethos has been evolved and expanded,’ says Morriss. ‘It took a tremendous amount of detailing and time but it’s so worth it to have a space where you can be surrounded by a meticulously crafted interior, with its natural feel and rich, calming sensory qualities.'

INFORMATION

spparcstudio.com

This summer, an intriguing new Milan restaurant is set to open its doors. Located on top of The Medelan building in the centre of the city, Horto promises to be an Arcadian oasis hidden amongst Milan’s industrial clutter. To create this unconventional hideaway that blends urban edge with bucolic charm, founders Diego Panizza and Dr Osvaldo Bosetti worked with Luisa Collina, dean of the School of Design at the Politecnico di Milano; architect Genius Loci Architettura, landscape designer Raffaella Colombo; and creative agency Motel 409.  

‘The past months have sent us a clear signal,’ explains Panizza. ‘We have to carefully consider how we spend our time, because it will dictate the quality of our lives and the lives of those around us. Milan is a fast, growing and working city, but the centre of this metropolis lacks a space where one can fully and truly stop. A reconnection with nature can offer that sense of escapism, instants in which to rekindle oneself in peace.’

Horto: new Milan restaurant with an ethical approach

For its founders, Horto is a cultural experiment as much as it is a culinary project, using the format of the urban restaurant as a mechanism for exploring questions such as what does time well spent mean? How can our physical surroundings impact the quality of our lives? How do you create a successful commercial enterprise that respects its local ecosystem and the time of its employees? 

Every aspect of Horto has been considered in relation to an ‘ethical hour’ philosophy, which dictates that hours of the day should be spent in pursuits that improve the future and the present for ourselves and for others. 

‘We wanted to do something that could positively influence the future,’ explains Panizza, ‘and that starts with respect. Being respectful means spending our time being ethical, thus the “ethical hour” came to be, a concept we have applied to every element of Horto’s microcosm.’

From a culinary perspective, Horto has done this by entrusting its kitchen to chef Norbert Niederkofler (of three-Michelin-star and one-green-star restaurant St Hubertus at the Hotel Rosa Alpina in San Cassiano). For years, Niederkofler has been a proponent of sustainable cuisine with cooking that places an emphasis on raw materials, local suppliers, and low-impact farming. Niederkofler alongside executive chef Stefano Ferraro (former head pastry chef of Noma) and head chef Alberto Toè has designed the menu to feature predominantly seasonal raw ingredients sourced from the local Lombardy region and purchased from producers within an hour's drive from Milan. 

‘Vicino c’è tutto (there is everything nearby) became our mantra,’ explains Panizza. ‘We’ve also created a semi-cooperative, so that only one means of transportation gathers all the products from the different producers. We’ve carefully selected every producer we collaborate with to ensure they are in line with our sustainable credo.’

That sustainable approach extends the aesthetic elements of the restaurant as well, from the furnishings of the space to the staff uniforms, which are made with natural and recycled materials and repurposed fabrics from emerging local businesses. 

‘Inside the space, we are using, for example, old vinegar barrels for the floors, and a special plaster made from recycled matter,’ says Panizza.

He adds that similar consideration has been given to every aspect of the business: ‘By closing on Sundays and setting team changes, [we] respect our employees’ time. We’re also providing our staff with a sustainable electrical car [courtesy of] Alperia (a green energy supplier based in Alto Adige). We’re really trying to think of the all-round picture and this ethical philosophy will also guide our future choices.’

INFORMATION

Horto opens this summer, on the rooftop of The Medelan, via San Protaso 5, 20121 Milan

hortorestaurant.com

‘Space and light and order, those are the things that men need just as much as they need bread or a place to sleep,’ said Le Corbusier. While there are sadly no sleepovers at Costra bakery in Mexico City, it has Le Corbusier’s other essentials in abundance.

Good bread and good design go hand in hand at the venue, which has recently been redesigned by local architecture practice Javier Puga Estudio in collaberation with Campo Estudio. 

The open-plan space manages to be both airy and cosy. Walk through the garage-like entrance and warm orange-hued lights (inspired by an oven fire) will guide you to a counter brimming with bread and coffee. ‘The experience begins with the contrasts of colour between the city and this place that seems to be born from the fire of an erupting volcano,’ says architect Julia Villagómez Volkers of the design. 

At the same time, ‘we wanted to recall the industrial process by which bread and coffee are handled, using materials such as steel, evoking the handmade part of the process through the shades of clay and earth’. All of this is enlivened by whimsical touches – a hall of mirrors in between the bathrooms, upturned traffic cones repurposed as flower pots, hanging shelves that display pastries like works of fine art. The result is a space that is cool without being cold, welcoming visitors from the buzzy Narvarte district outside.

And of course, there's the bread. Costra’s offering is straightforward but satisfying – cloud-like croissants, frisbee-size cinnamon rolls, and simple sandwiches served on crunchy baguettes. It is a place for enjoying a casual lunch or sweet afternoon snack and, most importantly, it has a quality coffee selection. 

Say the architects at Javier Puga Estudio, ‘Costra is a space that aims to connect with visitors through colour, light and scents. It is a design experience, and we wanted everyone to feel part of this place.’

Mario Pani’s 107th birthday
29 March 2018

Mario Pani played a large part in shaping the design of Mexico City in the twentieth century, with this Doodle - created by his son, artist Knut Pani - paying tribute to them. Pictured is his extensive residential complex, the Tlatelolco Urban Centre in Mexico City, which houses 12,000 apartments in 102 buildings and is characterised by its curved element and triangular tower.

Saloua Raouda Choucair’s 102nd birthday
24 June 2018

Lebanese sculptor Saloua Choucair explored mathematical patterns in her artworks which interlocked together in intricate forms. Her series, ‘poems’, could be dismantled, the movable pieces comparable to the verses of a Sufi poem. Acclaimed throughout her life, at age 97 she was honoured by London’s Tate Modern who put on a retrospective celebrating her long career.

Wilder Penfield’s 127th birthday
26 January 2018

Montreal’s first neurosurgeon, Wilder Penfield’s work in mapping the brain led to new techniques to treat epilepsy. In experiments using electrical probes, he discovered stimulating certain parts of the brain prompted memory cues - such as the smell of burnt toast the Doodle depicts.

Gabriel García Márquez’s 91st Birthday
6 March 2018

Google bring the mystical world of Gabriel García Márquez to life with this Doodle which draws the lush tropical world of Macondo in the Amazonian jungle, the famous setting of his book, One Hundred Years of Solitude. Márquez combined fiction with political activism in a long and distinguished career.

Pi Day
14 March 2018

If you haven’t been marking Pi Day with a slice of pie - why not? The mathematical concept of Pi was recognised in 1988 by Larry Shaw, and represents the ratio between a circle’s circumference to its diameter. This Doodle, baked by Cronut creator Dominique Ansel, pays homage to a mathematical constant which is much more interesting to us when constructed in pastry.

Marga Faulstich’s 103rd birthday
26 June 2018

Next time you grab your shades on the way out the door, spare a thought for German scientist Marga Faulstich who devoted her life to glass chemistry, making your favourite specs possible. She found a way to change a gas directly to a solid without it becoming a liquid, meaning small glass objects could be coated with a vapour, allowing for a glass with anti-reflective coating which blocks UV light.

30th anniversary of the World Wide Web
12 March 2019

‘Mesh’ was Sir Tim Berners-Lee’s working name for the world wide web application, the invention which forever changed life as we know it. Originally a flowchart, it soon became a working model complete with the HTML language, HTTP application and the first Web browser and page editor. Two billion users now use it, hopefully for purposes in addition to reading about Google Doodles.

Erich Ohser’s 115th birthday
18 March 2018

German cartoonist Erich Ohser acted out his political ideology through cartoons and caricatures which depicted his disgust with the National Socialists. Throughout the twentieth century, he balanced his more politically-dangerous pieces with a popular and light-hearted comic strip about a father and son.

Stanisław Moniuszko’s 200th birthday
5 May 2019

Warsaw-based illustrator Gosia Herba paid tribute to Polish musician Stanisław Moniuszko on what would have been his 200th birthday. The director of the Warsaw Opera House, Moniuszko oversaw the production of many of his own works including Halka, which went on to become a classic of Polish culture.

Celebrating Seiichi Miyake
18 March 2019

In 1965, Seiichi Miyake invented tactile blocks to help a friend suffering with their sight. The blocks - one kind which came with dots, the other with bars - let the user know when they were approaching danger, and which way to go. Two years later, they were introduced onto the street in Japan and soon made their way into urban environments around the world, transforming the lives of the visually impaired.

Nowruz
20 March 2019

Google marked the spring equinox and Nowruz, the Persian New Year, with a floral tribute. The festivities, lasting for 13 days, begin on the first day of Farvardin, the first month in the Iranian Hijri calendar.

Parveen Shakir’s 67th birthday
24 November 2019

Pakistani poet Parveen Shakir won Pakistan’s President’s Award for Pride of Performance in 1990 for her Urdu poetry. The first poet to use the word larki (girl) in her work, she subverted male traditions by honestly depicting the female experience.

Nicholas Winton’s 111th birthday
19 May 2020

Sir Nicholas Winton organised the escape of over 600 children from German-occupied Czechoslovakia in the months before the Second World War, a fact he never revealed to anyone. It was only when his wife discovered documents in the attic in 1988 she learnt of his efforts in finding homes, raising money, forging documents and bribing officials, saving the primarily Jewish children from almost certain death.

Celebrating Falafel
18 June 2019

We all love a falafel - why not celebrate it? As India entered high season for the majority of the world’s chickpea crop, Google clearly agreed. Whatever you do with it - Egypt grind down fava beans and fry them, Germany top theirs with sauerkraut - it cannot fail to be delicious.

Tatyana Lioznova 96th birthday
20 July 2020

In a move rare for a female Russian director, Tatyana Lioznova achieved huge success in the twentieth century with her popular programmes, including the 12-part ‘Seventeen Moments of Spring.’ which followed the adventures of Russia’s answer to James Bond, Maxim Isayev.

Julius Lothar Meyer’s 190th birthday
19 August 2020

One of two scientists to discover the periodic law of chemical elements, German chemist Meyer’s periodic tables are ubiquitous in every school in the world.

Barbara Hepworth
25 August 2020

English sculptor Dame Barbara Hepworth hammers away at Google in her Doodle which marks the day she arrived in St. Ives in 1939. The seaside town would be instrumental in a career which saw her embrace natural, abstract pieces which were sensitive to the qualities of the raw materials she transformed.

Doodle for Google US winner
23 September 2020

Ten year old Sharon Sara was the winner of 2020’s Doodle for Google competition which invited tens of thousands of students in America to illustrate the prompt: ‘I show kindness by..’ Sara, with her Doodle showing how kindness can be shown through friendship and inclusion, was the lucky recipient of a $30,000 college scholarship, with her school benefitting from a $50,000 technology package.

Dr. Harold Moody
1 September 2020

Charlot Kristensen, a Dublin-based guest artist, depicted Jamaican-born British doctor and racial equality campaigner Dr. Harold Moody for his Doodle, marking the day Moody arrived in the UK from Jamaica in 1904. Moody went on to become the founder of the UK’s first civil rights movement after facing racism which denied him work. His kindness is represented by the children in the illustration, signalling the countless deprived young Moody would treat for free.

Google’s 22nd birthday
27 September 2020

Well if you don’t let everyone know it’s your birthday, how will they know to celebrate you? Google marked 22 years of Larry Page and Sergey Brin deciding to rethink the way people interacted with information on the Web with an appropriately restrained lockdown Doodle - never mind, we’re sure the real celebrations were saved for offline.

Professor Udupi Ramachandra Rao’s 89th birthday
10 March 2021

Professor Udupi Ramachandra Rao’s spearheading of India’s satellite programme led to the 1975 launch of India’s first satellite, one of almost two dozen satellites which addressed poverty by increasing communication to rural areas. In 2013, he became the first Indian to be inducted into the Satellite Hall of Fame, an accolade which coincided with the launch of a satellite which orbits Mars today.

Kuzgun Acar’s 93rd birthday
28 February 2021

Kuzgun Acar’s artworks in wire, nails and scrap metals rethought modern sculpture in Turkey in the twentieth century. After learning his skills at ship-dismantling workshops, he went on to produce classic pieces such as ‘Turkey’ - a relief in bronze - as well as producing steel and rubber masks for German theatre play ‘The Caucasian Chalk Office’.

Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s 140th birthday
9 November 2020

Guest UK-based artist Jing Zhang paid tribute to one of the smaller creations from British architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Scott worked on many large designs, including the Battersea Power Station and his first project, the Liverpool Cathedral, but it is the red telephone box he designed in 1924 which captures Zhang’s imagination.

Celebrating Johannes Gutenberg
14 April 2021

Lovers of the written word have German craftsman Johannes Gutenberg to thank. His fifteenth century movable type printing press, which replaced the wooden letters of traditional printers with metal type, made books affordable for the first time. Two decades later, his printing press was the largest in Europe, kickstarting a new direction for mass media.

151st anniversary of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
13 April 2021

Founded in 1870 by a group of American citizens, the Metropolitan Museum of Art was established in 1870, quickly collecting a Roman sarcophagus as its first work. Parts of its extensive eclectic collection can be seen in the Doodle, from a Byzante floor mosaic to the armour of Emperor Ferdinand I and a Tetin Sioux beaded dress.

David Warren’s 96th birthday
20 March 2021

Although his first prototype was in red, Australian research scientist Dr. David Warren’s life-saving invention is better known as the ‘black box.’ In the Fifties, he invented an almost indestructible recording device for aircrafts which caught conversations in the cockpit in real time, preventing recurring tragedies.

30th anniversary of Pac-Man
21 May 2010

‘Pac-Man seems like a natural fit for the Google homepage,’ said Marcin Wichary, senior UX designer and developer at Google, in May 2010. ‘They’re both deceptively straightforward, carefully hiding their complexity under the hood. There’s a light-hearted, human touch to both of them.’ The Doodle, which he created with in-house ‘Google Doodler’ (as they have become known)
 Ryan Germick was the first-ever playable doodle, and was on the homepage for 48 hours, because, said Wichary, ‘it’s too cool to keep for just one day’.

The Great Wave of Kanagawa
31 October 2010

It’s an odd thought: a 17th-century Japanese century woodcut going viral. The Great Wave was first circulated the old-fashioned way, via traders and tall ships in the 19th century. Since then, it has inspired Claude Debussy’s orchestral work La Mer, appeared in poetry and prose by Rainer Maria Rilke, and was animated by teamLAB at London gallery Pace. Levi’s and Patagonia used it in marketing campaigns. In 2011, it was preserved in cyberspace as a Google Doodle, and has since been turned into an emoji. Thanks, in no small part to the uncompromising powers of Google Search, it is an image that is as globe-spanning, and enduring, as the ocean itself.

Happy Valentine’s Day from Google and Robert Indiana
14 February 2011

This iconic Doodle (if you can call it that) was created by renowned artist behind ‘LOVE’, and it broke the trend of month upon month of interactive doodles, reverting back to a simpler, stationary symbol. Robert Indiana – poster artist of pop culture – is no stranger to having his work seen in unconventional settings by millions: the US Postal Service carried reproductions of his works on stamps in 1973 as part of its ‘love series’, and he created a work for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign depicting the word ‘HOPE’.

Courtesy of the Morgan Art Foundation / ARS, NY

First Day of Winter by Takashi Murakami
21 June 2011

In the San Francisco Bay Area where Google is based, its typically pretty mild all year round. Craving some seasonal differentiation, it turned to Japanese art superstar Takashi Murakami to ring in the summer and winter solstice in 2011 with a pair of doodles for the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, respectively. Google’s Ryan Germick said at the time, ‘The doodles feature some of Murakami’s quirky characters and signature bold colors. It was a great honor to collaborate with Murakami-san and his Kai Kai Kiki team, who create what must be some of our most “kawaii” doodles yet.’

Mies van der Rohe’s 126th birthday
27 March 2012

Along with Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius and Frank Lloyd Wright, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of modernist architecture. To honour what would have been his 126th birthday, Google created this colourful interpretation of his Crown Hall at the Illinois Institute of Technology (1956). The glass windows are coloured like Google chars, in a way which also nods to Le Corbusier’s use of primary colours in the windows of Unité d’Habitation in northern France.

Jan Kaplický’s 75th birthday
18 April 2012

Only originally displayed on the Google homepage in Czech Republic, this Doodle depicts neo-futurist Kaplický’s highly controversial Prague National Library (nicknamed ‘the octopus’) which he designed before his death in 2007 at the age of 71. The commission, however, was canceled in 2008. As the octopus never got to stretch its legs, its with love that Google remembers its creator in this digital epitaph. 

Keith Haring’s 54th birthday
4 May 2012

In 2012, one-time subway graffiti artist Keith Haring was presented on a different kind of much-trafficked wall. The late-80s pop artist, whose work currently fills the sky-lit lobby of Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum, is here copied by in-house Google Doodlers. Widely recognised as creating his own visual language, his famous figures are here bent out of shape, to form a wobbly Google logo. 

150th anniversary of the London Tube map
9 January 2013

Frank Pick’s London Tube Map is a unique accomplishment of graphic innovation, and has become the subject of many artistic endeavours since its creation in 1863 – like Langlands & Bell’s renowned memorial unveiled at Picadilly Circus in 2016. This Google Doodle, a simplified version of the map, rendered in Google’s typical Sans Serif typeface, was only shown in the UK, so we hope its inclusion in this round-up gives the rest of the world pause to acknowledge this beloved symbol of British design prowess. 

Luis Barragán’s 111th birthday
9 March 2013

Even in the midnight hue of the sky, this Doodle transports us to Mexico City. It depicts the brightly coloured pool and pink stable block of Mexican architect Luis Barragán’s Cuadra San Cristobál, an equestrian and estate which is privately owned by the Egerström family since its completion in 1968.

Saul Bass’ 93rd birthday
8 May 2013

Here’s where things get meta. In 2013, Doodler Matthew Cruickshank was given the tricky task of creating a logo celebrating the logo design master Saul Bass. Cruickshank took Bass’ motto – ‘symbolise and summarise’ – to task with a short animated sequence that reimagines Google’s logo in the designers’ unmistakable brand of title credits, set to an upbeat jazz tune composed by David Brubeck. During his 40-year career, Bass, who died in 1996, collaborated with many of the industry’s most influential filmmakers: Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorcese, and Otto Preminger, to name a few. He single-handedly revitalised title sequences in his work for Alfred Hitchcock’s films, devising a revolutionary type of kinetic typography that characterised the openings of classics such as North by Northwest, Vertigo and Psycho.

Kenzo Tange’s 100th birthday
4 September, 2013

Depicting the renowned Structuralist architect stringing up Google bunting across the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo (1961-64), this doodle celebrates the life and work of Kenzo Tange, and was only displayed on the Google homepage in Japan. 

Niki de Saint Phalle’s 84th birthday
29 October 2014

Niki de Saint Phalle’s ‘Nanas’ took over the Google homepage for the French sculptress’s 84th birthday in 2014. Inspired by her pregnant friend, the ‘Nana’ sculptures were de Saint Phalle’s artistic rendition of the everyday woman and became a symbol of femininity. De Saint Phalle described her first ‘Nana’ house as a ‘doll’s house for adults, just big enough to sit and dream in.’

Wassily Kandinsky’s 148th birthday
16 December, 2014

This doodle was inspired by the work of Wassily Kandinsky – the man credited with creating the first ever purely abstract works of art – and was used with special permission of the Estate of Wassily Kandinsky, which is represented by Artist Rights Society. It depicts his pioneering use of expansive coloured masses, cluttered with near-spiritual irreverence, geometry and abstract lines, perhaps best described by The Rider, (1911). In typical Kandinksy fashion, it barely says ‘Google’ at all. 

Lygia Clark’s 95th birthday
23 October, 2015

Famed Brazilian painter, sculptor and teacher, Lygia Clark co-founded the Neo-Concrete movement, which sought to change art from a passive viewing experience to an engaging interaction. Her art pieces, specifically the ‘bichos’, were designed to be modified, re-positioned and folded into new configurations by participants – the participant here being Google. The logo has been stripped of its primary colours, and rendered in greyscale shades favoured by Clark, each letter folding in on itself like origami. These ‘critters’ represent Clark’s early attempts to bridge the gap between artist and viewer, alongside Google’s attempts to bridge the gap between searcher and host.

121st anniversary of the first published timetable in Japan
5 October, 2015

One of the seemingly obscure commemorative Doodles – the 121st anniversary of the publication of the first Japanese railway timetable – is actually more all-encompassing than it looks. It represents, says Google, ‘the advent of time consciousness, and the beginning of efficient and reliable mass transit’. That told us. Google continues: ‘To celebrate this achievement, we decided to create our own, unique schedule with invented names, destinations and times in homage to the humble train timetable. We wanted to reference as many traditional design elements, symbols and typographic styles as possible. To help out, we gathered as many "timetable geeks" as we could find in our Tokyo office. Our team of experts had many brainstorming sessions and came up with more ideas than we could possibly include in the final artwork.’

Yps Magazine’s 40th anniversary
13 October, 2015

Germany’s Yps Magazine published its first comic in 1985. Filled with tales of mystery, peril, and adventure, many would agree that the most irresistible aspect of the slim publication was the toy that came with it, and each subsequent edition. They ranged from the simple (spinning tops) to the sophisticated (kits to build functioning radios), and often the slightly bizarre (a package of Brine Shrimp eggs that young readers were encouraged to hatch and grow themselves). Artist Nate Swinehart endeavoured to recapture this sense of anticipation and mystery with a Doodle that changes each time you see it.

The 42nd Anniversary of Rio–Niterói Bridge opening
4 March, 2016

Brazil’s Rio–Niterói Bridge exemplifies the ingenuity of the human spirit – as captured by guest Doodler Patrick Leger, who crafted a recreation of the bridge on the bay with the Brazilian coast visible in the background, and shadowy Google lettering stretching out across the water. The structure met with great international praise when it opened in 1974 as the second-longest bridge in the world, spanning the vast Guanabara Bay. Its greatest accomplishment is connection. Carrying over 100,000 passengers daily, it unites Nieterói and Rio de Janeiro, cities with populations of 487,000 and 6.5 million respectively.

Juno Reaches Jupiter
5 July, 2016

On 5 July 2016, a NASA satellite built like a tank settled into polar orbit around Jupiter, the mysterious gas giant two doors down from Earth. Juno’s five–year, 500–million–mile journey will culminate in a treasure trove of new pictures and measurements taken by its nine instruments. The latest Juno images were delivered back down to earth successfully on February 7, 2018. Google celebrated this incredible moment of human achievement the best way they new how: with Space Invadors references. The emoji-tastic GIF captures the moment mission control received news Juno had entered orbit.

80th anniversary of the opening of the Moscow Metro
May 15, 2015

Matt Cruickshank’s Doodle celebrates the railway that shaped a city. The ‘Google doodler’ drew inspiration from vintage russian posters. He started with the map in the metro’s current lines colours and distinctive radial-circle structure but decided to combine the old with the new and ended up using sepia-toned fashion of a vintage Russian poster. He also added a classic train with ‘80’ on the front to pay homage to the anniversary.

Celebrating Zaha Hadid
31 May, 2017

The Heydar Aliyev Center, depicted behind a cartoon-style portrait of the late, great Zaha Hadid, sets itself in contrast to the block-like structures that surround it in Baku, Azerbaijan. The architects’ signature fluid style is captured in the endlessly curving lines of the drawing, and the almost-unreadable Google typeface. At the same time, this cultural centre takes inspiration from historic Islamic designs found in calligraphy and geometric patterns to create something entirely new. The building takes an open form to invite the public into its space. The centre has played host to modern art by Andy Warhol and Tony Cragg, and world-class performances from Kitaro and Alessandro Safina.

Meret Oppenheim’s 104th birthday
6 October, 2017

Created by guest artist Tina Berning, this Doodle celebrates Meret Oppenheim on what would have been her 104th birthday. The Doodle nods to one of her most known works, ’Object’ – a famously fur-covered bracelet which is in the Gems and Ladders collection – and honors the surrealist tradition of combining unexpected elements to create something new.

Celebrating the Studio for Electronic Music
18 October, 2017

Google felt the beat as it celebrated the 66th anniversary of the Studio for Electronic Music with this neon Doodle, by Berlin-based illustrator Henning Wagenbreth. It celebrates the noisy diversity of thought and imagination that built this studio, which was to transform the possibilities of music. Known as the first modern music studio, it became a haven for innovative musicians and producers from its base at the West German Broadcasting facility in Cologne, to the rest of the world.

Hokiichi Hanawa’s 271st birthday
23 June, 2017

When Helen Keller visited the memorial house of Hanawa Hokiichi in 1937, she said of the revered scholar, ‘I believe that his name would pass down from generation to generation like a stream of water.’ This Doodle celebates the intergenerational legacy of the thinker. Like a river originating from humble beginnings in Tokyo in 1746, his influence has stretched through law, politics, economics, history, and medicine.

Virginia Woolf’s 136th birthday
25 January 2018

Subject of many ponderous, self-absorbed English Literature dissertations (mine included), and subject of a new exhibition at Tate St Ives, Virginia Woolf is an icon of Modernist literature, and has sparked two centuries of artistic renderings. This year, a Google Doodle was penned by London-based illustrator Louise Pomeroy. It salutes with grace and symbolism Woolf’s minimalist style. Not tonally disimilar to the bust found outside her Bloomsbury residence, the portrait is surrounded by falling autumn leaves (a frequent visual theme in her work). In Woolf’s words: ‘
The autumn trees gleam in the yellow moonlight, in the light of harvest moons, the light which mellows the energy of labor, and smooths the stubble, and brings the wave lapping blue to the shore.’

We've scoured stores and websites to bring you a selection of new home tech – whether on sale or in development – that's designed to improve your living space, keeping things clean, clear, easy, and more efficient. From cutting-edge coffee machines to portable purifiers, here are ten objects that'll supercharge your space. 

10 home tech wonders to enhance your space

Shield Compact Air Purifier

The follow-up device to the original Shield (above right) shrinks the distinctive hexagonal purifier down to desktop size (above left). Using the same proprietary filter tech as the larger device, the company describes the Compact as ‘your own personal protective bubble’ that you can transport with you from home to office. The geometric form is made from anodised aluminium – designed as before by Ramy Fischler – and is lightweight and easy to move. 

Shield Compact, available online, or exclusively via Paris’ Le Bon Marché, jvd.fr

Molekule Air Mini+ Air Purifier

The Molekule Air Mini+ is a desktop-sized air purifier designed to be moved around to the spot it’s needed most. The 30cm-tall cylinder is operated via an app and incorporates the company’s own filtering technology to break down larger particles in the air. This system is said to be capable of ‘destroying pollutants 1,000 times smaller than the standard filters must [...] to qualify as HEPA’, suggesting the compact 3kg device is the ideal home-worker companion. Available in grey, white, and beige, with a vegan leather strap, the Air Mini+ is suitable for spaces up to 23 sq m. Molekule Air Mini+, £449.99, molekule.uk 

Fold Charger Concept by Blond

Blond’s Fold is a conceptual proposal for a new kind of charger. Developed by the London creative studio in response to the mounting piles of electronic waste (EC research suggests that around 11,000 tonnes of waste are generated each year purely from redundant chargers being discarded), the device uses a multifunctional approach to earn its longevity. The studio, which developed the Fussy natural deodorant last year, wanted a device that could be repaired and upgraded. The wireless charge pads can be configured in a number of ways, with a modish transparent case design that pairs well with any device. The packaging has also been pared back to the bare minimum. Fold charger, concept only, blond.cc

Samsung Bespoke Jet Vacuum Cleaner

With battery technology improving, going cordless can be a quiet revolution for cleaning devices, traditionally bulky machines that are tethered by their cords. Samsung is following in Dyson’s footsteps with its Bespoke Jet model, which comes with an added bonus of a self-cleaning wall dock. This ‘Clean Station’ charges the cleaner and empties the dust canister, providing up to an hour of run time. There’s also the option of a spare battery that can be swapped in to extend the session, with additional attachments for hard floors. Samsung Bespoke Jet Complete, £749.99, samsung.com

Carbonator Pro Sparkling Water Maker 

Swedish design company Aarke believes that hard plastics have no place on the kitchen counter. Its new Carbonator Pro is finished in stainless steel and comes with a glass bottle, making it the most elegant and robust sparkling water maker we’ve come across. The original Carbonator was launched in 2016, and the new version has taken three years to develop. Robotically tested through 10,000 cycles, the Pro has a clever locking function that’s designed for smooth one-handed operation. 
Carbonator Pro, £250, aarke.com

Capra Press Coffee Maker

The Capra Press is a new take on the traditional French Press. The device has been successfully crowdfunded by Canadian firm Capra, and features innovative features that update the classic French design, unchanged for a century. The major change is the addition of a removable bottom that allows for easy disposal of coffee grounds, as well as a filter system that keeps the grounds separate from the brewed coffee to stop the flavour from being ruined over time. The stainless steel carafe is fully insulated so there’s no need to reheat your second cup. Capra Press, price tbc, capramade.com

LG Ultra Short Throw Projector

The plummeting price and expanding size of flat-screen televisions have kept projector systems out of the mainstream. If you’re still extremely screen-phobic, LG’s newest Ultra Short Throw (UST) laser projector system offers clarity without compromise. USTs are designed to be placed next to the wall, rather than be mounted on shelves or the ceiling, and the LG HU715Q projector can create a 100in screen image in full 4K, even when it’s placed 22cm from the wall. Kvadrat provides the fabric covering for the front panel, making this the subtlest way of sneaking the big screen experience into your home. LG HU715Q UST Projector, £3,000, lg.com

Hive Thermostat Mini 

There are myriad ways of reapproaching and reassessing your home energy usage, and right now is an excellent time to start making savings. Hive’s new Thermostat Mini is a compact device for monitoring home heating, fully app controlled for refined scheduling. The Mini’s main claim to fame is its ability to detect whether you’ve left the house – combine this with a Hive Door Sensor and you can have the heating switch off automatically when you’re not at home. The Hive App also allows for complex personalised heating and hot water scheduling. Hive Thermostat Mini, £119 for new customers, hivehome.com

Ikea Symfonisk and Vappeby speaker lamps

The Swedish giant continues its push into personal electronics with two new sound-equipped lamps. Symfonisk (above top) is a collaboration with Sonos, a Wi-Fii enabled musical lampshade that packs a powerful speaker in its base and has a variety of shades to choose from. Another sonic innovation is in the form of the Vappeby lamp (above), this time a Bluetooth speaker which combines a light in the form of a traditional lantern. The Vappeby has built-in Spotify Tap – allowing you to pick up a podcast or piece of music from exactly where you left off. IKEA Symfonisk, £179, Vappeby, £55, ikea.com

Eufy Robovac X8 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner

Eufy makes a dizzying range of robotic vacuum cleaners, but the flagship model is the new Robovac X8. This pernickety puck can be tasked with all the day-to-day cleaning, with advanced navigation intelligence to protect your furniture. Big open spaces are always a best-case scenario for any form of domestic robot, and hard floors are also easier to sweep than swathes of shag carpet. That said, the Robovac is adept at cleaning up after shedding pets and can also be operated via Alexa or Google Assistant for remote dusting. Eufy Robovac X8, £450, eufylife.com

As ever, the recently wrapped fashion month provided a plethora of dramatic and transporting runway sets – from the playful to the provoking. Spanning the world’s fashion capitals, discover the most memorable show sets and venues of the A/W 2022 womenswear season.

Best runway sets, A/W 2022 womenswear

Prada

In a continuation of the brand’s menswear presentation earlier this year, models entered the AMO-designed Prada show space at Milan’s Fondazione Prada through a stark sci-fi-like tunnel, this time illuminated pink. The space itself provided a softer contrast, clad in an expanse of olive green carpet on which cinema-style chairs were arranged to create a zig-zagging runway (notes described an opposition between the technological and the theatrical). Models were tracked through the vast space with spotlights, adding to the feeling of theatre in what was an apt backdrop for a collection that celebrated ‘the occasion of the everyday’, bringing together the women who have defined Prada, past and present, from Erin O’Connor, Liya Kebede and Hannelore Knuts to Kaia Gerber and Euphoria’s Hunter Schafer.

Gucci 

Alessandro Michele’s accompanying manifesto to his latest show, titled Exquisite Gucci, cited the ‘metaphor of the magical mirror’ as the starting point for a collection that marked a return to the Milan schedule after two years. Optical tricks, phantoms and illusions were all on Michele’s mind this season, transforming the show space at Gucci’s headquarters into a funhouse hall of mirrors, which reflected and warped the collection’s looks across its rippling surfaces. The effect was a musing on what Michele called the ‘phantasmagorical’ power of fashion – ‘clothes as optical labs that can give birth to fairy tales of metamorphosis and re-enchantment’, as he described. 

Chanel

Tweed has long been a central tenet of Chanel’s collections, its importance to the house reiterated by current creative director Virginie Viard this season with a collection that paid homage to the historic fabric. ‘We followed the footsteps of Gabrielle Chanel along the River Tweed, to imagine tweeds in the colour of this landscape,’ Viard wrote in a statement. Aptly, vast swathes of tweed also provided the collection’s backdrop at the house’s new show venue, the Grand Palais Éphémère – a temporary space on Champ-de-Mars while the original Grand Palais is renovated for the upcoming Paris Olympics – lining the walls and runway, the latter a curving blue loop, evoking the Scottish river from which the fabric takes its name. 

Balenciaga

Few shows this season provided such an impact as Georgian designer Demna’s latest for Balenciaga, which began with a statement from the designer on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. ‘The war in Ukraine has triggered the pain of a past trauma I have carried with me since 1993, when the same thing happened in my home country and I became a forever refugee,’ he wrote. It meant that the show’s mise-en-scène – a stark Perspex circle around which models battled through snow and wind, belongings in hand, which was originally meant as a comment on climate change – took on powerful new resonance. Accordingly, he also left a T-shirt in the yellow and blue of the Ukrainian flag on each seat, dedicating his collection to ‘fearlessness, to resistance, and to the victory of love and peace’.

Valentino

There was a certain simplicity to Pierpaolo Piccioli’s latest collection for Valentino, a series of monochrome looks appearing in just two colours – black and pink. The latter was central to Piccioli’s vision for the season, a vibrant shade of the colour that, post-show, will take its place on the Pantone colour chart as ‘Valentino Pink PP’. This extended to the runway set itself, whereby the walls, floor, pillars and block-like seating were all matched in the same hue for total pink immersion. 

Louis Vuitton

An elaborate runway set isn’t always necessary for an impactful show – at least not when you are Louis Vuitton, and can take over Paris’ Musée d’Orsay, the former Beaux-Arts train station that now houses a definitive collection of French Impressionist art and sculpture (the occasion marked the first time a runway show had taken place in the museum). Under the Musée d’Orsay’s famed central clock – an apt symbol for Nicolas Ghesquière’s collections at Vuitton, which ricochet through eras and time – models wandered among marble sculptures, backdropped by artworks like Thomas Couture’s mammoth Les Romains de la décadence.

Dior

Attendees at Dior’s latest show were watched over by canonical portraits of women from the 16th to 19th centuries (think: Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, Da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine), though on closer inspection, not all was what it seemed. Instead, each one had its eyes cut out and duplicated, to unsettling effect, part of a large-scale project titled The Next Era by Italian artist Mariella Bettineschi (‘their cut up, stacked eyes question the judgment that has conditioned – and still conditions – women past and present’, said the notes). Covering the red-carpeted walls of the show space, this was the latest in a long line of collaborations between Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri and feminist artists of different generations, a defining element of her tenure thus far. 

Loewe

Loewe creative director Jonathan Anderson has enjoyed a long creative partnership with the British artist Anthea Hamilton; in 2018, he created the costumes for her immersive work The Squash at Tate Britain and the pair have collaborated in various ways since (most recently, he was listed as one of the co-creators of her first survey exhibition at M HKA, Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp, which runs until 15 May 2022). For his A/W 2022 offering, a reproduction of Hamilton’s Aquarius – a towering image of an underwear-clad male model printed onto fabric and hung from scaffolding – greeted guests at the show’s entranceway, while the interior brown-carpeted space was scattered with her giant pumpkins, here recreated in collaboration with Loewe.

Acne Studios

An expansive white box, reminiscent of an art gallery, provided the setting for Acne Studios’ A/W 2022 collection, held at Paris’ Lycée Carnot. Contrasting with the space’s austerity were a number of sunken ‘living rooms’ – soft carpet-clad seating into which attendees descended, peering upwards as models walked the runway around them (the faux-fur carpet will be donated to the Parisian fashion school, Studio Berçot, post-show). Also in the space was a raised white booth, from which 1970s synth-music pioneer Suzanne Ciani provided the show’s live soundtrack.

Hermès

The Hermès show space was defined by light and shadow, models walking along pillared corridors high above their space, moving in and out of darkness – the effect akin to the chiaroscuro of film noir. Similar columns of light backdropped the runway itself, extending upwards towards the Garde Républicaine’s high ceilings. It made for a show which was at once pared back and dramatic, placing Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski’s subtly sensual collection at its centre. 

Roksanda

Roksanda Ilinčić’s work is defined by a deft use of colour, a practice often informed by her extensive knowledge of art, both historical and contemporary. This season, Ilinčić united with Ireland-born artist Eva Rothschild, situating a number of her colourful geometric sculptures along the runway at the Tate Britain space. ‘Eva’s work is always challenging preconceived notions we may have,’ Ilinčić told Wallpaper*. ‘For this collection, I wanted to explore the duality and contradictions within us of being grounded in our new reality but still wanting to dream. I think that underlying dichotomy is really mirrored and reflected back in Eva’s works.’ 

Sportmax

Femme fatales, ‘she-demons’, sex symbols – so ran the inspirations for Sportmax’s latest collection, ‘Dial S for…’ which melded Hitchcockian muses with sci-fi heroines for a collection that oozed sensuality. The runway set itself was similarly evocative – attendees lined an enigmatic all-pink corridor, lined with doors to nowhere, as if models were marching through a dream.

The American brand Lincoln celebrates its 100th anniversary this month (February 2022). Now considered one of the pillars of American luxury, alongside Cadillac, Lincoln has an impressive history of catering to those who wanted American-made statements of solidity, grace, and imposing scale. This includes the mighty Continental model, first introduced in 1939 and ultimately becoming one of the most iconic of all American cars. In 1955, the Mark II was introduced, a hand-built coupé designed to go head to head with European luxury cars. The Mark IV Continental became the ideal platform for American presidential vehicles, while subsequent generations epitomised the big, brash, boxy styling of 1970s Americana.

The name ‘Continental’ endured almost up to the present day, with the tenth-generation Continental marking the last of the line. Elegant though it was (with optional coach doors that nodded to the great Mark IV models of the 1960s), the contemporary Continental just couldn’t cope against the domination of SUVs.

Today, Lincoln builds four SUVs of slightly varying enormity, the Aviator, Navigator, Nautilus and Corsair. It still builds a sedan, the elegant Lincoln Zephyr, for the Chinese market.

The brand was also pioneering in different ways. Way back in 1976, when the idea of ‘designer’ fashion was growing in popularity and before licensing and cross-brand collaborations had really taken hold, Lincoln introduced the ‘Designer Series’. The company invited Bill Blass, Hubert de Givenchy, Emilio Pucci and Cartier’s Ralph Destino to create four unique trim levels for the Mark V Continental.

Described as comprising ‘high-fashion cars … to appeal to the style-conscious buyer’, the Designer Series was a huge hit with Lincoln’s customers, accounting for nearly a quarter of all Mark Vs sold.

Lincoln continued these designer partnerships right up into the late 1980s. In keeping with the tradition of annual model revisions, each season afforded the designer quartet opportunities to try new combinations of colour and trim. In 1978, the company boasted that each model included the designer’s signature in the Mark V’s ‘opera window’ (the small opening in the rear of the roof), as well as a ‘22-carat-gold-plated instrument-panel plaque engraved with the owner’s name’.

Inside and out, the designers dipped into the treasure trove of 1970s style. Blass gave the 1978 model a body in ‘Midnight Cordovan’, paired with a ‘Light Champagne Valino grain vinyl roof’. The interior was also finished in Cordovan. Givenchy added stripes to the bodywork, with a leather-and-vinyl interior in ‘Midnight Jade’, while the Cartier model bore the company’s crest and logo, amongst other details.

These designer specifications are utterly of their era, reflecting not just trends in clothing and colours, but also illustrating the inflexibility of 1970s and 1980s car design to accommodate anything other than superficial changes.

Along with the rest of the industry, Lincoln has evolved substantially when it comes to incorporating custom specifications. It’s also gearing up for an electrified future, marking 2030 as the date by which its fleet will be either hybrid or pure EV. Perhaps a new generation of designers will come on board to mark that new milestone.

INFORMATION

lincoln.com

Lightweight, super strong, durable and almost endlessly recyclable, aluminium is a designer’s dream material. We were particularly enamoured with Naoto Fukasawa’s ‘Za’ stools for American furniture brand Emeco. Named after the Japanese word that means ‘place to sit’, ‘Za’ is a series of simple yet timeless seats, available in three heights. Handcrafted from recycled aluminium in a range of muted colours, they can be used just about anywhere, both indoors and outdoors (as the brand exemplifies at its recently opened Venice Beach house).

Dutch design studio Joachim-Morineau took inspiration from temples and monuments in Rome’s Parco Archeologico del Colosseo and put aluminium on a pedestal. Created from sheets and tubes of industrial aluminium, ‘Tholos’, ‘Pteron’ and ‘Metope’ are columns that can serve as pedestals to display your favourite objects or plants.

Elsewhere, Scottish-Swedish designer Nick Ross turned to the post-and-lintel system used in ancient Greek, Indian and Egyptian architecture for his aluminium candleholders; CP-RV created some highly versatile aluminium stackable storage boxes, for Lisbon-based design brand Util, inspired by the crates traditionally used for the transport of fruit and vegetables; while Paris-based design studio Waiting for Ideas was motivated by the motor industry to create its unique aluminium ‘No Seat Belt Required’ chair sporting harmonious curves and sharp angles, much like the body of a modern automobile.

Designers also love working with sleek, versatile, corrosion-resistant stainless steel. Bahraini outfit Shepherd Studio’s deliciously tactile and shiny ‘Tila’ chair (which made its debut at the Dubai Expo's Bahrain Pavilion) is composed of 210 stainless steel spheres, and borrowed its conceptual and aesthetic language from a traditional Arabic folk game, using the communal nature of the game and its components as a metaphor for density.

Meanwhile, at the end of 2021, to celebrate the centenary of its founding, Alessi president Alberto Alessi launched a year-long project to pay tribute to the design masters he has worked with over the years, unveiling every month either a never-before-released design or a novel version of an Alessi classic. Among these creations is the previously unreleased ‘Bulbul’ kettle, designed in 1995 by Achille Castiglioni, who, inspired by curling stones, moulded stainless steel into a playfully bulbous object. All are metal winners in our book.

INFORMATION

The Wallpaper* Design Awards 2022 feature in the February 2022 issue of Wallpaper*. Subscribe today!

Reusing and recycling have become an essential part of preserving our planet. One man’s trash can become another man’s treasure, and many designers are rising to this challenge, transforming unwanted household clutter into fresh new creations. We surveyed some of the best independent recycled designs, winners of the Best Material Innovation in the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2022.

Danish design studio Better Weather works with materials sourced from factory bi-products or industrial and urban waste to create objects for life. Its colourful ‘Patina’ series, which features a chair, table and bookcase, is created using discarded melamine particle boards to echo the strokes of a Van Gogh painting.

Meanwhile, Canadian-born, London-based designer Philippe Malouin’s ‘Steel Works’ chair, presented as part of a solo exhibition at The Breeder gallery in Athens at the end of 2021, was fashioned from waste material found in scrapyards with the intention of creating something with new meaning and value.

Lucas Faber’s shoe rack bench, made from powder-coated sheet steel, is fitted with water-resistant inserts made from recycled rubber, while Tom Robinson’s minimalist flatpack ‘Evolve’ chair is constructed from 100 per cent recycled plastic sheets made from discarded consumer electronics, using material supplied by The Good Plastic Company. Robust metal domino joints have been discreetly integrated into each of the chair’s components, meaning the end user can infinitely assemble and disassemble the chair using one simple Allen key.

Design students are also addressing this important issue. Lauren Goodman, a recent graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, featured among Wallpaper’s 22 Rising Stars in the January 2022 issue (W*273). As part of her MA graduation show in furniture design, she wrote a thesis pointing out that there were ‘undervalued items everywhere. Pure potential tossed in the ditch while thinking this trash is someone else’s problem. Maybe it could be my problem. I could create second chances and see value all around me.’ This thinking became central to her ‘Providence Project’, a series of experimental furniture designs made from things Goodman salvaged from skips around Providence, Rhode Island. ‘I aim to draw from my surroundings a narrative of what Providence looks like as furniture,’ she says. 

INFORMATION

The Wallpaper* Design Awards 2022 feature in the February 2022 issue of Wallpaper*. Subscribe today!

In the past couple of years, we’ve all realised the importance of a quiet place, where you can rest and recuperate with the door safely shut on the world. And it was with this in mind that we selected this round-up of blissful bedroom furniture.

Your peaceful haven must have a bed, of course, and we’re particularly fond of Marcio Kogan’s ‘Brasilia’ bed, which comes with an enveloping Canaletto walnut headboard and tiny legs supporting a large, wide base that seems to magically float away from reality.

Further cushioning from the outside world is provided by the ‘Wave’ acoustic panels, a collaboration between fabric experts Rubelli and Milanese acoustic-panel specialist Slalom. Thanks to its lightweight foam structure (made for the most part of recycled material), the soundproofing system’s undulating elements can be easily installed using Velcro. 

Another essential piece is the nautically inspired ‘Keel’ chair, a linear metal and solid ash wood design by M+V for Friuli-based furniture manufacturer Potocco. It’s part of a collection exploring the relationship between geometric rigour and organic sinuosity.

The equally slender ‘Bassa’ side table by Claudia Surrage and Christian Cowper for Bernhardt Design is supported by a trio of thin metal legs, while its top comes in stainless steel, brass, or solid ash.

Carlo Colombo’s ‘Shirley’ mirror for Giorgetti is another worthy winner among our pick of the best bedroom furniture. Its defining feature is a leather-clad metal frame that recalls an elegant ribbon running along the rectangular mirror in extra-clear glass, with titanium-finish liquid metal effect.

Helping provide even more comforting curves is Emmanuel Gallina’s elliptical ‘Symphony’ sideboard for Poliform. Beautifully finished in black elm or gold oak, it is available in a variety of heights and sizes, and with either marble or wooden tops. Lighting-wise, we’ve selected Rikke Frost’s ‘Petal’ lamp for Carl Hansen & Søn, and Bocci’s ‘100’ pendant light for their soft, cosy feel. The former is based on the shape of a tree, as well as big architectural arches and columns, while the latter is a highly technical marvel of irregular, interlocking blown-glass shapes. Sleep well!

INFORMATION

The Wallpaper* Design Awards 2022 feature in the February 2022 issue of Wallpaper*. Subscribe today!

Gilded nymphs! Giant balloons! Flagpoles festooned with rippling ribbons! The show sets of the A/W 2022 menswear runways were striking, dramatic and daring in their design. From Dior to Loewe, Prada to Hermès, brands bolstered their IRL runway presence ;with sets that, variously, evoked the illuminated spaceship tunnel of 2001: A Space Odyssey,;recreated a Paris landmark, and resembled the serene, house-dotted streets of suburban America. Here we round up the runway sets that nearly stole the show...

Best show sets A/W 2022 menswear

Dior

For A/W 2022, men’s artistic director Kim Jones held Dior’s show at the Place de la Concorde in Paris, but his inspiration came from a little further across the city. Inside, Dior recreated the Pont Alexandre III bridge, an icon of the city’s skyline that stretches from the Grand Palais on the Left Bank to the Petit Palais on the Right Bank. 

Named after Tsar Alexander III, the bridge was designed by architects Joseph Cassien-Bernard and Gaston Cousin in the Art Nouveau style, and features four 17m-high pylons. Gilt bronze sculptures of winged horses flank each pylon, representing Arts, Sciences, Commerce and Industry. The centre of the arched bridge features hammered copper nymphs, which were created to memorialise the historic Franco-Russian Alliance. These elements were recreated in gilded glamour on the Dior runway.

Louis Vuitton

The Parisian maison’s poignant show featured the collection that Virgil Abloh was in the midst of designing before his death in November 2021, and which was completed posthumously by his design team. At the Le Carreau du Temple in Paris, the show set evoked a serene suburban scene; a quintessential street was lined with sky-blue ‘dream houses’, with red rooftops and inviting, warmly lit windows.

Abloh’s first show for the Parisian maison eight collections ago featured a rainbow catwalk recalling The Wizard of Oz’s Yellow Brick Road, symbolising a fairytale path about to be trodden. The emotive setting for his final, posthumous show was an emblem of a dream fulfilled, a familial location to mark a boyhood aspiration that came true. 

Prada

By now, film clips of Jeff Goldblum walking onto the Prada runway from an intergalactic tunnel resembling a spaceship in 2001: A Space Odyssey have made it into the annals of viral video history. For the label’s A/W 2022 show at its Deposito space in the Fondazione Prada, Milan, regular collaborator AMO created an illuminated mesh walkway, from which models strode onto a runway lit with a yellow zig-zag and lined with rows of retro brown cinema seating. The auditorium seating was a sublime set design detail, a nod to the host of A-list and emerging Hollywood actors that walked the runway, swapping the cinema for the catwalk, including Twin Peaks’ Kyle MacLachlan, Moonlight’s Ashton Sanders and Sex Education’s Asa Butterfield.

Kenzo

For Nigo’s debut, A/W 2022 show for Kenzo, the brand returned to the early 19th-century Parisian shopping arcade Galerie Vivienne, where its founder Kenzo Takada opened his first boutique, ‘Jungle Jap’ in 1970. Here, the runway set-up was stripped back, emphasising the mosaic-clad, corniced and gilded beauty of the location, and placing focus on Nigo’s debut designs for the house, a collection rooted in authenticity, drawing on American staples and celebrating Kenzo’s signature motifs, layering and mixing for a modern men’s and women’s wardrobe. 

Etro

Italian label Etro is synonymous with the paisley print – it even has a perfume named after the pattern and a ready-to-wear collection dedicated to its signature swirling jacquard fabric creations. For the brand’s A/W 2022 menswear show in Milan, the label blew up its paisley print into paintbox red, green and blue tones and created a carpet that snaked across its sizeable runway space at Bocconi University, which was lined with clear Perspex seating. 

Loewe

Inside the Tennis Club de Paris, models left their footprints on sand, walking amidst Flags, Paris 2022, a rippling site-specific installation by New York-based artists Joe McShea and Edgar Mosa. This was formed from 87 faceless flags, made from nearly 4,000 individually cut rainbow-hued ribbons, which were mounted on 6.5m-long aluminium flagpoles.

The installation was a new iteration of the flag-focused works that McShea and Mosa have showcased in Ibiza and locations around New York, including Fire Island Pines back in summer 2020 and 2021. Inspired by the movement captured in Baroque frescoes and hyper-geometry, they are not intended to be symbolic, but to act as a mesmerising call to reflection. Creating a draped, fabric-focused forest, each flag was arranged randomly, and formed from shades to represent the full visible colour spectrum.

Jil Sander

Lucie and Luke Meier favour purist silhouettes, so it’s serendipitous that their runway shows have taken place in religious locations, from Pitti to Paris. For A/W 2022, Sander held its show in the breathtaking American Cathedral in Paris, where stooled seating was dotted amid majestic pillars and the scene bathed in a yellow light. A giant balloon hovered about the catwalk, like a shining set above the stripped-back show set. The label’s show invitation was also inflatable.

Hermès

At the Mobilier National in Paris, time-worn tapestries woven between the 15th and 19th centuries lined the Hermès catwalk. Artistic director of the maison’s men’s universe Véronique Nichanian was taken with the symbolism of these tactile designs and their depictions of landscapes and the passage of time, and fascinated by the idea of giving them new character by assimilating models into their backdrop.

One tapestry,Tenture des Mois ou des Maisons Royales, Avril, Versailles, commenced in 1673 and completed in 1680, touches on the months of the year, while other creations focus on humbler depictions of verdure or ‘greenery’. Models became ‘part of the landscape in which the collection’s energy unfurls, and in which figures and clothing come into their own’.

Paco Rabanne

At the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, Paco Rabanne's show set was bathed in an otherworldly hue, which shifted in pink and purple tones, reminiscient of a James Turrell light projection. The brand's runway setting had a multi-sensorial, enveloping elan, reflecting the hues in the brand's A/W 2022 womenswear collection, like scarlett and bubble gum sequin dresses with voluminous ruffles.

We’ve gathered the best stone furniture of the year, including assembled compositions made of marble offcuts and curved stone designs that include lighting, seating and tables. From marble to limestone and volcanic rock, we left no stone unturned. As we surveyed natural assets for this Wallpaper* Design Awards 2022 round-up, we also encountered pieces whose manmade organic forms and puzzle-like arrangements, in wood and resin-bonded sand, for example, were the perfect complement to our celebration of materials. 

Best stone furniture: hard acts to follow 

From left, ‘Mass’ bench, £19,700, by Fred Ganim, for Agglomerati. ‘Taula’ coffee table, £8,000, by Patricia Urquiola, for Salvatori. ‘Apple’ floor lamp, price on request, by M2 Atelier, for Visionnaire. ‘Sculpture’ lamp, from €469, by Morten Bo Jensen, for Vipp. ‘Drop’ stool, €7,900, by Danielle Siggerud. ‘Lignage d’Hermès’ stone table, price on request, by Studio Mumbai, for Hermès. 

We’re collecting all the marbles this year, starting with Australian designer Fred Ganim’s modular furniture system, made entirely out of Statuario. Also made of Italian stone are M2 Atelier’s ‘Apple’ floor lamp, with a stem-like leather handle and a base available in three types of marble, and Patricia Urquiola’s ‘Taula’ table, inspired by the prehistoric structures found in the Balearic islands. Next up are two Nordic designs: Danielle Siggerud’s stool, an attempt to square the circle made out of a single piece of stone, and Vipp’s new table lamp, with a marble base incorporating the brand’s signature dimmer button, as well as an elegant reeded glass shade. Also beautifully striated is Studio Mumbai’s blue Hainaut limestone table for Hermès, engraved with radiating lines representing rays of light.

Best odes to nature: raw materials and organic textures 

From left, ‘Pele de Tigre’ stool, price on request, by Germans Ermičs. ‘Earth’ vessel, $216, by Oliver Whyte Studio. ‘Native’ round table, €14,850, by Stefano Giovannoni, for Ghidini 1961. ‘Plain Cuts Stone and Steel’ table, price on request, by Wonmin Park, for Carpenters Workshop Gallery. ‘No.20’ mirror, $7,800, by Ben and Aja Blanc, from The Future Perfect. ‘6x8’ chair, price on request, by Max Lamb, from Salon 94. 

We dug deep for this category and found buried treasure in the form of temptingly tactile pieces crafted from organic materials such as wood, marble and ore. From Max Lamb’s sculptural chair composed of interlocking blocks of Western red cedar and Oliver Whyte’s monolithic vessel made from resin-bonded sand to Stefano Giovannoni’s reassuringly robust marble table for Ghidini 1961, edged in burnished metal, and Germans Ermičs’ marble stool, whose rippled form aligns with its striations, these are objects that elevate the wild beauty of their natural materials. Meanwhile, Wonmin Park explored the relationship between natural and manmade beauty with a series of tables that juxtaposed volcanic rock bases, the surfaces of which have been smoothed to become mirror-like, emerging effortlessly from precisely cut steel tops. As for Ben and Aja Blanc’s freeform mirror, its marbled surface is, in fact, achieved by pouring layers of silver onto large glass planes, creating a dappled effect that celebrates the accidents of nature. 

Best assemblage: small fragments, big impact

From left, terrazzo carpet, €23,000, by Studio Stefan Scholten. ‘Ritagli’ coffee tables, price on request, by Studiopepe. ‘Friends’ table mirror, £2,900, by Stephen Burks, for Salvatori. Terrazzo coffee table, €11,000, by Studio Stefan Scholten. Interiors: Hannah Jordan 

Italy’s world-famous quarries have been churning out blocks of marble since Roman times, but what to do with the offcuts produced by this colossal industry? For his first solo project, Stefan Scholten, formerly of Scholten & Baijings, has used bits and pieces of stone sourced from Italian quarries to create designs such as a terrazzo carpet made of imperfect slabs assembled in a book-matched pattern, and a table practically ‘woven’ together by the experts at Laboratorio Morseletto. Meanwhile, Studiopepe has looked to Dadaism and the aesthetics of chance to produce a series of unique coffee tables using marble scraps and slabs of terrazzo. As for American designer Stephen Burks, he’s fashioned ultra-expressive table mirrors out of colourful natural stone, proving that even the smallest pieces of marble can make a big impression. 

INFORMATION

The Wallpaper* Design Awards 2022 feature in the February 2022 issue of Wallpaper*. Subscribe today!

WINNER

‘Forite’ tiles, by Studio Plastique, Snøhetta and Fornace Brioni

Having first explored the idea of recycling the silica found in kitchen appliances with their 2018 Common Sands project, the Brussels-based designers Archibald Godts and Theresa Bastek, of Studio Plastique, have created an eye-catching collection of recycled glass tiles in collaboration with leading Norwegian studio Snøhetta and Italian ceramic tile manufacturer Fornace Brioni. Working together, they have developed a process to upcycle the glass components of discarded ovens and microwaves. These architectural tiles, called ‘Forite’ and available in two different sizes, each have a unique pattern, embracing ‘the variance and complexity already embedded in the recycled material’. Their terrazzo-like quality includes both opaque and transparent elements, which means they can be used either as classic surface tiles or within partition elements. ‘The project creates new value for an abundant yet unexploited group of materials,’ says Studio Plastique. 

Key features: a range of terrazzo-like glass tiles made using recycled glass from ovens and microwaves
Materials: e-waste glass 

studioplastique.be; snohetta.com; fornacebrioni.it

SHORTLIST

‘Reflect’ kitchen, by Jean Nouvel and Reform

The playful and practical Reform kitchen is the result of a collaboration between Danish brand Reform and French architect Jean Nouvel. Adding an art deco-inspired edge to Reform’s sculptural minimalism, it comprises stainless steel units and kitchen fronts in either black or untreated metal. A series of understated vertical ridges plays on Nouvel’s ability to capture light, helping create different colours and reflections. The grooves in the metal are a gleaming foil for the stainless steel or dark Fenix laminate countertops, which become elegant and illuminated expanses. The kitchen is brought to life by intricate details that were finalised in a lengthy creative process, hampered in part by the pandemic. ‘The kitchen is minimalistic, but yet super expressionistic – I think that’s what Jean Nouvel does so well,’ says Jeppe Christensen, founder and CEO of Reform. ‘It inspires us to live a life of expression, without drowning out everything else.’

Key features: a dazzling kitchen that translates modern minimalism into a welcoming and workable space 
Materials: stainless steel, anodised aluminium, Fenix laminate

jeannouvel.com; reformcph.com

‘Beosound Emerge’ speaker, by Layer, for Bang & Olufsen

A compact yet surprisingly powerful speaker, ‘Emerge’ is designed to dovetail with your day-to-day life and sit on a shelf, perhaps alongside books or other objects. It is available in two versions, a Black Anthracite model with pleated plastic, and a Gold Tone model with Kvadrat fabric and oak panels. ‘It wasn’t designed to look like a book,’ admits Layer’s Benjamin Hubert, ‘although it was of course intended to stand on a shelf. The tapered form helps with cooling.’ Under the sleek skin is a masterfully assembled set of components, including three small drivers, carefully packaged to manage heat and sound projections, and arranged to create a full-range, 180-degree audio experience that enhances clarity, no matter the environment.

Key features: a sleek speaker system that disappears into home design
Materials: precision-cut, pearl-blasted aluminium, Kvadrat fabric; oak panels

layerdesign.com; bang-olufsen.com

‘Bespoke’ fridge, by Samsung

Customisable appliances are still a rare sight in kitchen design, but Seoul-based giant Samsung has made customisation a key feature of its premium appliances portfolio, of which the ‘Bespoke’ fridge is undoubtedly the star. The fridge is both a technically adept home appliance and an aesthetically focused design, as customisable as a piece of furniture and utterly functional. Available as one or two-door modules in various heights, it comes with foldable shelves and optional wine racks inside, while its exterior panels can be finished in 14 different colours (including Lavender, Sky Blue, Beige, Peach, Navy, White and Black), which you can mix and match, as well four finishes. ‘It’s a modular design that empowers users to separate and combine products and replace door panels, effectively extending the life cycle of the appliance,’ says Harry Choi, Samsung’s senior vice president of design.

Key features: a fridge-freezer system with modular units and and a wide variety of colourful front panels 

samsung.com 

CruxGG kitchenware collection, by Ghetto Gastro and Crux

This CruxGG collection of kitchen essentials was created by Bronx-based culinary collective of chefs and food enthusiasts Ghetto Gastro and kitchenware specialist Crux to celebrate their home borough. Its first edition in 2020 was a sell-out success, and has now been updated and expanded to include eight products, including a rotating waffle maker, touchscreen and basket air fryers, smokeless and searing grills, a toaster and a toaster oven, as well as a 14-cup programmable coffee maker. The sleek designs are available in ‘Snow’ or ‘Smoke’ colourways, with both featuring accents in signature CruxGG red. Not only do they look good, but they also do good: five per cent of proceeds from the range go directly to a collective of non-profit organisations that are working to end food insecurity in underserved communities around the Bronx.

Key features: affordable and chic kitchenware that celebrates the Bronx and gives back to its community
Materials: titanium coating, tempered glass, BPA-free plastic

ghettogastro.com; cruxgg.com

INFORMATION

The Wallpaper* Design Awards 2022 feature in the February 2022 issue of Wallpaper*. Subscribe today!

WINNER

Make-up, by Byredo

When Ben Gorham, the founder of Swedish fragrance and accessories brand Byredo, launched the first Byredo make-up line, he wanted to create a collection that defied easy categorisation.

To do that, he enlisted the help of Isamaya Ffrench, the British make-up artist who has become one of the subversive forces in the industry for her work with top luxury brands such as Burberry, Yves Saint Laurent and Tom Ford, alongside projects that explore the mutable nature of the human face through prosthetics and digital technology.

The result is a make-up line that is built around the expressive potential of colour, and includes mascara (stored in a striking curved red container), eyeliners, lipsticks and eyeshadows. Most notable are the brand’s ‘colour sticks’, which come in an array of shades that can be applied to any area of the face and layered for stronger or lighter impact. Consequently, the face instead becomes a canvas for an expressionistic application of colours, rather than a painting-by-numbers grid to be filled in. 

byredo.com

SHORTLIST

Les Mains Hermès hand care collection, by Hermès

When we presented an exclusive preview of the launch of Hermès Beauty in 2020, the line consisted of 24 lipstick shades packed in refillable, colour-block tubes designed by Pierre Hardy. The launch was a sensation and the brand’s subsequent beauty offerings have not disappointed, from the blush collection earlier this year to this latest range of hand care products and nail enamels. 

Titled Les Mains Hermès, the collection includes 24 nail polish shades, a base coat, a top coat, reparative hand cream, nourishing cuticle oil, and hands down the chicest nail files ever made. Once again, the packaging has been designed by Hardy and features a two-toned top and gold ex-libris seal. The nail polish shades are derived from the brand’s iconic enamel bracelets, and include sophisticated shades such as Rouge H red, and more eccentric colours like the sun-yellow Jaune Impérial, and Vert Égyptien, a green inspired by mirages in the Nile Valley. 

hermes.com

Microneedling kit, by Teresa Tarmey 

We’ve already declared Teresa Tarmey the ‘sleekest facialist in London’ thanks to her Notting Hill clinic (among our pick of the best London spas) that has served as an exhibition space for never-before-seen Guy Bourdin images, and her new position as one of Dior’s skincare ambassadors. 

Yet, if anything proves Tarmey’s distinctive aesthetic and innovative approach to skincare, it has to be her recently revamped line of at-home products. The microneedling kit is particularly noteworthy. It consists of a peptide treatment and a dermaroller, which allows users to refresh the look of their skin at home by lightly puncturing the skin surface to stimulate the formation of new skin cells. Best of all, it’s bold, graphic packaging makes it look unlike anything in skincare right now. 

teresatarmey.com

Air Eau de Parfum, by Air Company

Creating a perfume that smells like air might sound like a fruitless endeavour, but The Air Company has made a habit of turning outside-the-box concepts into promising projects, and its latest launch is no exception. 

Air Eau de Parfum is a genderless fragrance that is made from carbon dioxide captured at its source point. To make it, the brand produces hydrogen that is fed into its patented Carbon Conversion Reactor alongside the CO2. The resulting reaction transforms the hydrogen and CO2 into impurity-free ethanol, methanol and water, which forms the body of the fragrance. 

The concoction is then finished off with light fragrant notes, including orange peel, jasmine, violet, and tobacco. 

aircompany.com

‘Grand Hers’ combs, by Aurore Piedigrossi

‘Grand Hers’ is a new collection of sculptural horn combs that pays homage to the history of the Hers Valley in the south of France. Starting in the 14th century, the Hers region became a hotspot for comb production, with millions eventually produced each year for distribution around France and the rest of the world. The arrival of plastic in the 20th century heralded the end of comb production in the region, and now the craft has almost entirely disappeared. 

In an effort to keep that heritage alive, designer Aurore Piedigrossi has created a series of horn combs that are moulded into unexpected, sinuous shapes. The result is an everyday object that doubles as a sculptural work of art.

grandhers.com

INFORMATION

The Wallpaper* Design Awards 2022 feature in the February 2022 issue of Wallpaper*. Subscribe today!

Not only did car sales take a dive during the pandemic, but the traditional motor show faded almost to oblivion over the course of 2021. Neither of these things slowed down the inexorable switch to electric vehicles, something that has been many years in the making and will continue to blossom throughout the decade. The downturn also didn’t stop car companies from working on spectacular collaborations and concepts; we still need a little bit of future-facing escapism. Here’s our selection of the top ten transport stories that did most to stir our soul during 2021.

Top 10 transport stories of the year

01. Virgil Abloh’s take on the Mercedes-Maybach is functional, fun and future-facing

The Project Maybach show car is a collaboration between the late Virgil Abloh and Mercedes-Benz chief design officer Gorden Wagener. It was unveiled during Miami Art Week at the Rubell Museum, in homage to the creative polymath, who passed away on 28 November 2021 following a battle with cancer. As with many of Abloh’s projects, this is as much an effort to track and overtake the slippery signifiers of luxury as it is a design exercise. Like Project Geländewagen, the one-off G-Class created in a previous Abloh/Mercedes collaboration, Project Maybach, as it is tagged, plays with the trappings of luxury and luxury travel in the tricky space where they meet the quieter language of function and utility. Writer: Nick Compton

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02. Polestar Design Contest 2021 winners reimagine future living

Concept designs are a good way of exploring a company’s mindset. For the second annual Polestar Design Contest 2021, the EV company continued to push the idea of ‘progress’, inviting professionals and design students to ‘showcase innovative thinking that encourages positive change in society, including responses to the ongoing climate crisis’. Writer: Jonathan Bell

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03. Mathieu Lehanneur’s Suite N°4 Renault concept car is a ‘mobile hotel room’

The ‘room on wheels’ is a popular conceptual trope in automotive design, spurred on by the promise of autonomous driving and the sad recognition that we spend way too much time in our cars. Renault has approached the idea of cars as architecture from a slightly different tack, teaming up with French designer Mathieu Lehanneur to create new Renault concept car Suite N°4, a radical reinterpretation of one of the brand’s most iconic designs of all time, the Renault 4L, now celebrating its 60th anniversary. Writer: Jonathan Bell

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04. VanMoof’s V is a next-generation high-speed e-bike for the city

VanMoof is bringing high performance to the world of e-bikes with a new model designed for long-distance riding. The Dutch company hopes the forthcoming VanMoof V model will be swift, safe, and far-reaching enough to serve as a true car replacement, especially in countries like the Netherlands, where there’s already a substantial infrastructure in place and the only constraints on journeys are stamina and battery power. Writer: Jonathan Bell

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05. Creative campervans: innovative designs for elevating escapes

One of the many side effects of the pandemic era has been the surge in interest in camper vans, roaming homes, and off-grid living. The trend already had considerable social media momentum, in the form of the many photogenic couples and individuals dedicated to capturing the perpetually shifting utopian panorama of ‘van life’. The staid, conservative image of the traditional camper van and recreational vehicle is a world apart. However, the latter has certainly influenced the former, with contemporary campers becoming more compact and better suited to a long life on and off the road, rather than serve as vast glorified vacation cabins replete with cantilevered bedrooms, over-stuffed couches, and a flat screen on every wall. Writer: Jonathan Bell

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06. Paul Smith takes the new electric Mini for a spin

When Oliver Heilmer, head of the Mini design studio in Munich, called Paul Smith last spring to talk about working together on a new project, neither of them knew quite what they were letting themselves in for. Heilmer had loved Smith’s stripey version of the original Alec Issigonis-designed Mini, one of three commissions (Kate Moss tattooed hers with spider’s webs, while David Bowie went for an all-over mirror finish) unveiled at London’s Design Museum to celebrate the Mini’s 40th birthday in 1999. So he asked Smith to come up with something similar for the new electric Mini. Writer: Deyan Sudjic 

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07. Classic electric restomods: iconic car designs with electric power

What started out as an extremely niche business is fast becoming a firm fixture in the classic car universe. Whether it’s a simple conversion for an everyday sports car or a full-on rebuild that creates a silent super-luxury machine, here’s our selection of companies dedicated to classic electric restomods – taking old cars into the 21st century and beyond. Writer: Jonathan Bell

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08. The brilliant Honda e: (near) perfection in a small package

The new Honda e is, remarkably, one of the first modern era electric cars to be explicitly pitched at urban drivers. Electric cars have been around for around 130 years but it wasn’t until the 1960s and 1970s that entrepreneurs started to outfit microcars with rudimentary battery packs to help ride out the era’s oil crisis and the imminent demise of the internal combustion engine. Things didn’t pan out that way, leaving cars like the Zagato Zele and the Fiat X1/23 concept as intriguing design dead-ends that might have led to a very different future. Writer: Jonathan Bell

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09. Hermès hits hyperdrive with a one-off car design for McLaren

The latest project to cross the historic threshold of Hermès is this spectacular transformation of a McLaren Speedtail. There’s nothing remotely off-the-shelf about the Speedtail, the current flagship of McLaren’s Ultimate Series of hypercars. McLaren has decades of experience of handcrafting the fiendishly complex and advanced components that go into a Formula 1 car; its Ultimate Series translates that know-how into a machine for the road. Following on from the first Ultimate Series car, the Senna, the Speedtail is a limited-edition, hand-built, hybrid-powered three-seater, with just 106 units going into the garages of well-established collectors around the world. Hewn from carbon fibre and with a list price of £2.1m, the car doesn’t come with any optional extras – McLaren simply assumed that every customer would want to add their own personal touch. Writer: Jonathan Bell

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10. Hyundai and Kia charge ahead in the design stakes

What drives Hyundai? A combination of design, desire and ability. Korea’s Hyundai Motor Company stands a good chance of becoming the first truly modern mobility corporation of the post-automobile era. Over the past two decades, a combination of industrial muscle, superior design chops and a will to innovate have seen the brand become a global player. In addition to the eponymous car brand, Hyundai also owns a substantial chunk of Kia Motors, along with its luxury division Genesis, and newly announced IONIQ and HTWO sub-brands for electric and hydrogen vehicles respectively. Even with a pandemic raging, in 2020, the company sold 3.7 million Hyundai vehicles, and 2.6 million Kia vehicles, putting it high up the list of major players. Writer: Jonathan Bell

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The year 2021 was a great time for design, with some of the world’s leading furniture and design fairs (from NYCXDesign to Salone del Mobile, Design Miami and London Design Festival) returning after a year-long pause. This energy translated into new collections and launches that demonstrated a multilayered approach to creativity among the design community globally. Here, we look at some of the best furniture collections from 2021 (in no particular order).

Top 10 furniture launches of the year

01.  Ornate collection by Bethan Laura Wood

British designer Bethan Laura Wood and Milanese gallery Nilufar presented Ornate, a collection of furniture inspired by the design of the boudoir. Featuring a bedhead, lighting, cabinets, a desk and mirrors, the collection draws from diverse inspirations and features a variety of materials and techniques. The Ornate collection also marks Wood’s ten years of collaboration with Nilufar and its founder, Nina Yashar, and it was shown in the Via della Spiga gallery during September’s Salone del Mobile, next to pieces from Wood’s previous collections. The collection exemplifies the richness of Wood’s eclectic, colourful visual universe. Pieces in glass, wood veneer and CNC-milled aluminium are evidence of her passion for craft techniques old and new, and her ability to distil cultural references and inspirations from past aesthetic movements as well as from her travels. ‘Ornate represents the perfect dialogue and the best possible interpretation of the various cultures that inspired Bethan,’ observes Yashar, ‘and a very contemporary point of view that manages to push risky boundaries to extremes, while maintaining total harmony.’ 

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02. ‘Infinito’ marble table by Roberto Lazzeroni for Poltrona Frau

This limited edition table was born from Poltrona Frau CEO Nicola Coropulis’ discovery of a special green marble slab. A cave in Turkey that had long been mined for its reddish-purple Rosso Lepanto marble, in 2018 unexpectedly produced a deep sage-toned slab with shades of darker green: this ‘quirk of nature’ formed the basis of a table, designed by Roberto Lazzeroni for Italian brand Poltrona Frau. ‘As always happens, we found a treasure that we weren’t looking for,’ says Coropulis. Lazzeroni was constrained creatively by the amount of marble available, but otherwise, he had carte blanche. ‘The only limit lay in the marble slab’s measurement,’ he says, noting that the marble block itself measured 240cm, but his design spanned 340cm. ‘My solution was to bring together two ellipses, and then cut and splice them on the diagonal in order to create a single geometrical figure.’ Comparing this final form to yin and yang, or the infinity symbol, the designer chose the name ‘Infinito’.

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03. Technicolour upholstery collection by Peter Saville for Kvadrat

A familiar sight for country folks, and a colourful surprise for others, smit marks – the spray-painted patches on sheep – are commonly used by shepherds in the UK to identify animals in their herd. The chromatic custom is also the starting point for Peter Saville’s Technicolour collection of upholstery textiles, rugs and curtains created in collaboration with Kvadrat. Saville grew up visiting the countryside with his family, and developed a fascination with what he calls ‘rural graffiti’. ‘Ever since I started working with Kvadrat, I’ve begun to understand a little bit about the use of wool in textile production and about the industrial processes from the field to the furniture, and begun to think, what would happen if the colour of [the smit marks] wasn’t washed out from the wool? What would happen if this colour made it all the way through the production process?’ The answer to this somewhat provocative question comprises an upholstery fabric, two curtains and three rugs. Through a series of conversations, Saville, Stine Find Osther, vice president of design at Kvadrat, and Dienke Dekker, design manager at Kvadrat Rugs, translated his ideas onto the textiles of the Technicolour collection. 

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04. New Finnish design furniture brand Vaarnii

‘Finnish design is usually seen through the lens of modernism,’ says Vaarnii co-founder Antti Hirvonen. ‘There was Alvar Aalto and a very talented group of people that followed after him, and they very much defined what Finnish design looks like. But our inspiration predates that. So we wanted to think about what the Finnish design vernacular would look like today.’ Vaarnii makes its debuts with a collection of wooden furniture and accessories by international designers including Philippe Malouin, Mac Collins, Industrial Facility, Kwangho Lee, and Max Lamb, made of pine wood, a material that Hirvonen calls ‘the perennial underdog’ of Finnish woods.

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05. Flexform celebrates ‘Groundpiece’ sofa by Antonio Citterio

Antonio Citterio designed the ‘Groundpiece’ sofa for Flexform in 2001: 20 years on, Wallpaper* contributing editor Deyan Sudjic charts the architect’s history of collaboration with the Italian furniture company, and discovers his view on redefining domestic interiors. Citterio makes the start of a relationship with the company that has lasted almost 50 years sound remarkably casual. ‘I was 23, I had just finished in the army. I was still studying architecture at the Politecnico in Milan. One of the Galimberti children had been my friend at school, so I went to Flexform and said, let’s do something together.’ The ‘Groundpiece’ sofa embodied a new domestic spirit. The name is a reference to Donald Judd’s work, not because Citterio believes that his work is art, but because of what he learned from the way that Judd took sculpture off the plinth, to create a more direct relationship with space. Citterio took the sofa off its legs, and, apparently at least, placed it directly on the floor, like the Arab ‘suffah’, which was a raised section of floor softened by carpet or cushion.

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06. ‘Boa’ pouf by Sabine Marcelis for Hem

Sabine Marcelis and Hem unveil their ‘Boa’ pouf, two years in the making and a delightful play on the Rotterdam-based designer’s recurrent donut motif. ‘I have this fascination and love for the donut shape,’ explains Rotterdam designer Marcelis, who was named Wallpaper’s Designer of the Year in 2020 and joined the jury for the 2021 Design Awards. ‘It’s just such a perfectly complete and finite shape. Simple yet not boring. And the curve and void create a beautiful depth in almost all materials.’ The seat is available in candy-coloured hues of yellow, pink and white, upholstered to create a shape that is as perfectly smooth as possible. 

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07. Piero Lissoni’s Borea outdoor furniture for B&B Italia

For this outdoor furniture collection for B&B Italia, Piero Lissoni was inspired by the concept of lightness, an idea that has fascinated him all his life. ‘As a child, I liked the idea of building planes, but they always turned out wrong, they were too heavy,’ he recalls. For this collection, the notion of lightness was key: ‘Let’s make a light product, something between a plane and a bike.’ Lissoni created an outdoor furniture collection comprising seating and tables based on an essential design principle, featuring a slim, seamless tubular aluminium frame supporting cushioned seats and enamelled lava-stone surfaces. In the spirit of lightness, the frames are minimally designed with a gently protruding foot elevating the pieces from the ground. 

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08. Fashion designer Rich Mnisi’s furniture for Southern Guild

Rich Mnisi’s first solo show at Cape Town’s Southern Guild gallery (until 4 February 2022) encapsulates his multifaceted approach to design. ‘How humanity came about has been explored from very few perspectives,’ says Mnisi. ‘It’s often from a Christian point of view, where there is this idea of God, or from science, where it started from the Big Bang. And then I think about [Congolese deity] Bumba and this crazy loneliness, living in the universe alone and then vomiting everything that we now know. It was so beautiful because he then fathered it, and there was a weird transition from being in so much pain and so uncomfortable to having something that was so beautiful that he takes care of it.’ Mnisi translated these ideas into a collection that includes seating, lighting, a console, a rug and objects with varied materials, such as bronze, wool, beads and leather, selecting co-creators from a range of disciplines, and blending traditional craft with modernity.

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09. Artist Odile Mir’s furniture reissued through new brand LOMM Editions

Parisian designer Léonie Alma Mason launched LOMM Editions – a new brand presenting 1970s furniture designs created by her grandmother, nonagenarian artist Odile Mir. Mir had studied sculpture in Casablanca, Morocco, before moving to Paris in the 1950s. Growing up, Mason was immersed in her grandmother’s creative universe: ‘I spent a lot of time with her in her workshop in Toulouse, making clay sculptures, papier-mâché books, salt doughs, drawings,’ she recalls. ‘She was always speaking about her new ideas, creations and artistic collaborations, but she never talked about this design period in her life before 2017.’ Mir’s furniture pieces were largely produced by French manufacturer Prisunic in the 1970s, whose affordable prices and contemporary, optimistic design approach made it a popular choice for furniture at the time. Her designs featured metal structures and leather, and their simplicity offers a glimpse of Mir’s talent. She would work on early prototypes by welding together steel chrome tubes and using found leather scraps to create her chairs, later developed into sleek furniture pieces. 

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10. Daniel Arsham’s Play-doh inspired furniture

American multidisciplinary artist Daniel Arsham created ‘Objects for Living: Collection II’ with Friedman Benda, a new series of hand-sculpted furniture in a combination of wood, resin and stone. ‘Most of the design for this happened during the lockdown in New York,’ Arsham recalls. ‘I had gone out to the house in early March and I didn’t really have a lot of materials or things there with me. I started sculpting with Play-Doh, which my boys had loads of, and started modelling different types of forms. I wasn’t thinking that those would be the final forms, but I let them dry and when we came out of lockdown, I ended up just getting them 3D-scanned.’

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These are some of the design exhibitions, openings, interiors and creatives that shaped 2021, from an exploration of the boundaries of textiles by Hella Jongerius to an overview of Charlotte Perriand’s life and work, a new museum that celebrates the design history of Molteni & C and an all-seasons garden by Piet Oudolf. Here, we look at some of the best design stories and interviews from 2021 (in no particular order).

Top 10 design stories of the year

01. Tableau design mental health space in Copenhagen

Post Service is a new ‘facilitation studio addressing death and grief’ that opened in Copenhagen, led by mental health practitioner Xanthippi de Vito and designed by multidisciplinary studio Tableau. The project started in 2015, when de Vito began wondering about her experience as a practitioner, and about how mental health could be enriched through design. ‘Within health and wellness, there are certainly communities engaging with deep and meaningful connections but I never found a communal experience that really resonated with me, so I’ve been working on piecing together what that community and experience feel like,’ says de Vito. ‘It was intuitive that art and design will play major roles in the experience.’

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02. The pared-back designs of Mario Tsai

It didn’t take Hangzhou-based designer Mario Tsai long to carve out his niche. In 2015, he brought his studio’s first collection to Ambiente in Frankfurt, and the following year to Greenhouse, the emerging talents section at Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair, where he landed his first European clients. He has since worked with the likes of Shang Xia, Northern, Woud, and Cedit. His best-known work, the 2018 ‘Insert’ table for Ferm Living, comprises a slender oval top supported by intersecting geometric forms (a coffee table option launched last autumn). To date, Tsai is still one of a select few Chinese designers who receive commissions from global furniture brands. He talks to Wallpaper* China editor Yoko Choy about his experience working as a designer and entrepreneur in China, at the cusp of innovation and tradition.

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03. Molteni Museum opens in Giussano

Ron Gilad brought fresh perspective to the Molteni Museum’s Glass Cube in Giussano. Former Wallpaper* Milan editor and current Triennale Design Museum director Marco Sammicheli spoke to Gilad and Giulia Molteni to find out about the museum’s plans, from the light-filled architecture to displays of designs by Gio Ponti, Afra and Tobia Scarpa, and Aldo Rossi’s theatre seats designed in collaboration with Luca Meda, to the digital context given to the physical artefacts.

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04. Charlotte Perriand at the Design Museum

Throughout Summer 2021, London's Design Museum staged ‘Charlotte Perriand: The Modern Life’, an exhibition shining the spotlight on one of the most iconic creators of the 20th century. with an exhibition design by Assemble and graphics by A Practice for Everyday Life, the exhibition showcased the work and ideas of the French architect and designer through a series of thematic displays, the exhibition presenting her creative process with an impressive series of sketches, photographs, notebooks, as well as furniture design prototypes, final pieces and faithful reconstructions of some of her most famous interiors, in collaboration with Cassina.

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05. Piet Oudolf designs all-season garden for Vitra Campus

In June 2021, Vitra unveiled Piet Oudolf’s garden for all seasons at the campus in Weil am Rhein, Germany. ‘As we do not intend to construct new buildings in the foreseeable future, it seemed that a garden would be an interesting expansion of the campus’ concept,’ says Rolf Fehlbaum, Vitra’s chairman emeritus. Oudolf’s planting for the lush 4,000 sq m perennial garden feels characteristically accidental, but is incredibly precise and intentional. The Vitra Campus garden uses more than 30,000 plants with many species and this takes expert organisation: feathery Asclepias tuberosa; reddish Sporobolus heterolepis; giant daisy-like Echinacea pallida; raspberry-coloured brush heads of Sanguisorba menziesii; violet fuzzy baubles of Echinops ritro; candy floss clouds of Filipendula rubra. 

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06. Hella Jongerius weaves the cosmos at Gropius Bau

A new series of textile experiments and an exhibition at Berlin’s Gropius Bau held in Summer 2021, ‘Hella Jongerius: Woven Cosmos’ presented a panoramic take on her thinking, including recurrent themes such as sustainable innovation, craft, responsible production, and how we relate to objects and nature. Presented as a work in progress, ‘Woven Cosmos’ includes two new installations and more than 50 new objects created by Jongerius and her team between her Berlin studio and the neo-Renaissance halls of the museum, with some pieces developed live on site during the exhibition. Jongerius brought a multilayered and personal approach to the project, including a spiritual séance led by a local shaman in the Gropius Bau’s atrium before production started, which highlighted the vitality of the building.

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07. Formafantasma on designers thinking big

Formafantasma, as its website describes, is ‘a research-based design studio investigating the ecological, historical, political and social forces shaping the discipline of design today’. This mission statement is as ambitious as it gets. But it’s apt for a studio that, for over a decade, has constantly pushed the boundaries of design practice and evolved our understanding of the field. From its ‘Ore Streams’ project (2017 – 19), which considered the recycling of electronic waste and how design can encourage more responsible use of resources, to the ongoing ‘Cambio’, which explores the governance and ecological impact of the timber industry, Formafantasma’s work has inspired a new generation to see design not just as a styling tool, but also as a transformative force in an era of global uncertainty. The Italian design duo – and Designer of the Year in the 2021 Wallpaper* Design Awards – were among our featured visionaries in ‘5x5’, Wallpaper’s 25th anniversary project, in this interview they discuss their first year heading the GEO-Design master’s programme at Design Academy Eindhoven, educating students for a changing world, and their pick of five creative leaders of the future who are expanding the practice of design.

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08. Karl Lagerfeld’s design collection goes on sale at Sotheby’s

As the estate of Karl Lagerfeld went under the hammer at Sotheby’s in late 2021, Wallpaper* contributing editor Nick Vinson took an exclusive tour of Lagerfeld’s never seen before Paris apartment. Among the treasures for sale are the contents of various spaces belonging to the fashion designer, photographer and collector, who passed away in February 2019: his 19th-floor apartment in Monaco’s Millefiori tower; his 19th-century house in Louveciennes near Versailles, where the poet Leconte de Lisle was once a frequent guest; his apartment at 17 quai Voltaire in Paris; his office at 15 rue des Saint-Pères; and the never-before photographed apartment opposite, at 8 rue des Saint-Pères. 

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09. Nifemi Ogunro talks design and family

Nifemi Ogunro, a Nigerian-American artist and designer, marries design to the concept of family in a very literal way. In her first, very personal, collection of furniture, she reaches for inspiration within her own immediate family. Born in Lyon, France, Ogunro moved to Colorado, and then lived in North Carolina – graduating with a degree in industrial and product design from Appalachian State University in 2017 – and Georgia before settling in Brooklyn, New York. Throughout these moves, she’s had to bring her family with her in spirit, if not in the flesh. And so Ogunro’s closest relations came to inspire a series of functional objects. The collection comprises stools, for her parents, and a coffee table, for her brother. Part-sculpture, part-furniture, the prototypes were all designed during the first few months of the pandemic.

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10. Studio Shamshiri renovates a midcentury LA home

French-Tunisian entrepreneur Franck Nataf enlisted designer Pamela Shamshiri to oversee a refresh of his jewel box Hollywood Hills house. Nestled in the verdant Hollywood Hills, shaded by lush foliage and giant palms, Ledgewood is a single-storey, modestly sized 2,298 sq ft house. The 1961 building was originally designed by Robert Kennard, an associate of Richard Neutra and a leading Black architect of his generation. Not grand by Hollywood standards, this handsome property is situated in perhaps the least inconspicuous of locations – just below the Hollywood sign. Wallpaper’s US director Michael Reynolds has collaborated with Shamshiri extensively, and styled our shoot at Ledgewood. He affectionately describes her as ‘a triple threat with a magnetic, rockstar personality. Firstly, she is beautiful. Secondly, she is nurturing and compassionate, with a maternal, salt-of-the-earth vibe. On top of all of that, she is incredibly talented with exquisite taste.’

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A Brooklyn townhouse draws on contemporary design codes in a joint project between design team Hatchet NYC and Leipzig-based interior and furniture designers Studio Oink. Tranquillity was the main brief for the home situated in Greenpoint, a busy Brooklyn neighbourhood, and belonging to a young family who craved a calm space in which to grow. Hatchet's in-house design team, Overhead, put an emphasis on light and space for a harmonious interior which has provided a bolthole from the urban surroundings.

Hatchet, which comprises an in-house design team, contractors and custom fabrication studio, worked with their specialised artisans on a design that prioritised flooding the space with natural light, with the addition of skylights and glass peepholes between rooms bringing a fluidity to the layout. A light-well ensures central spaces avoid feeling dark and cramped, while the top floor benefits from oversized windows. The double-height configuration of the living area reinforces this feeling of openness.

Bringing light and fluidity to a Brooklyn townhouse

The interconnected floorplan carries through to the kitchen’s glass doors, which lead to the landscaped yard, bringing light and airiness to the interior of this previously dark, wood-framed rowhouse. The new lightness extends to the materials inside, which are crafted in European white oak, with a thoughtfully designed, bespoke system of opening wood panels that means spaces can effortlessly be made public or private.

The design is complemented by the neutral tones of the furniture and materials selected by interior designer company Studio Oink, whose muted palettes epitomise elegant simplicity. The company unites the industrial design and interior architecture backgrounds of founders Lea Korzeczek and Matthias Hiller, who focus on bespoke concepts for both residential and commercial projects. Here, the studio’s thoughtful curation makes a chic foil for Hatchet NYC’s understated aesthetic in this extensive renovation of a historic Brooklyn townhouse.

INFORMATION

hatchet.nyc

The electric guitar is undergoing one of its periodic revivals. While the instrument is regularly written off as old and embarrassing technology, beloved by Boomers and irrelevant to modern mores, interest is always sparked by revivals and returns, as well as a constant stream of innovators who are able to do new things with six strings and a chunk of wood. What rarely changes is the guitar’s form factor; musical innovation doesn’t necessarily need technological change. 

This is where Verso Musical Instruments comes in. Founded by the industrial designer Robin Stummvoll and based in Hessen, Germany, Verso Musical Instruments builds electric guitars with a difference.

Cosmo by Verso Musical Instruments

As Stummvoll himself explains, ‘the decision to design an electric guitar began from a weariness with the instrument. No other instrument is so closely linked to the development of pop culture and thus to personalities. As a result, there are strong expectations from and of the musician.

‘It is a fetishism, with the guitar as a sceptre in the hands of icons.’ 

Tasking himself with reducing the design of an electric guitar down to the bare minimum, Stummvoll developed the Cosmo. He acknowledges that his metal-bodied creations might not have the same cultural impact as the familiar chunks of wood that have been such a focal point of global popular culture since the 1950s.

‘I asked myself whether the electric guitar would reach this point of becoming something universal through maximum simplification,’ he says. ‘I don't claim to have succeeded, but that was my intention for the project.’ 

The Cosmo blends artistry with industrialisation, wearing its craftsmanship lightly while also being a strictly non-deterministic shape. ‘A traditional guitar is a fashion accessory that gives us a distinct identity,’ he says. ‘What really bothers me is that these fashions create strong expectations and social problems like sexism. You play a Gibson SG, you do rock; you play a Fender Tele, you do blues; you have a red Fender Strat, you like Knopfler.’

The Cosmo is a reaction against the idea of buying a copy of a guitar played by your idols. Although Stummvoll is quick to point out that he does ‘love the design work of Leo Fender and the music of Hendrix’, he thinks that this weird symbiosis between object and art is both unique to the guitar and culturally rather stifling. 

The form is utterly dictated by the function. ‘The simplest electric guitar basically requires only a rod on which strings are tensioned,’ Stummvoll explains. ‘I was very inspired by the guitars of Allan Gittler (held in the MoMA design collection), German luthier Ulrich Teuffel, and the one-string Solitaire model by Nobuaki Hayashi.’

The neck of the Cosmo is joined to a body made from bent sheet steel, a practical consideration that makes the guitar ergonomically playable, but also houses the electrics. ‘Steel can be produced quickly and cheaply and makes some components and work steps obsolete,’ Stummvoll notes, pointing out that he also owes a debt to Dieter Rams. ‘I love his work. With Cosmo, my focus was not just on simplicity, but also on the balance between material and form. I was very particular about making the instrument honest and understandable, and at the same time friendly and feminine, especially with such a cold and technical materiality.’

There are other subtle innovations. Because guitar pickups are magnetic, they naturally clamp themselves onto the surface of the body. ‘It was almost an accidental discovery that I turned into a unique selling proposition,’ Stummvoll says. Because the pickup can be moved around beneath the strings, the tonal characteristics of the guitar can be finely tuned. ‘Combine this with the steel plate and the instrument has a unique timbre with a lot of body resonance,’ he says.

‘However, this also results in an extreme sensitivity, which is not only advantageous in the distorted range. To a certain extent it sounds very powerful and rich in harmonics, but at a point in the high-gain range it becomes exhausting. You can hear everything with a lot of gain – every shirt button that hits the body.’

The Cosmo Plus model adds another pickup for even more experimentation, as well as two separate outputs so you can blend and mix different effect chains. There’s also Verso Musical Instruments’ new Gravis short scale bass, with a similar aesthetic and acoustic approach. 

Stummvoll took three years to develop the Cosmo, paring back the forms and materials so that practically everything can be made in his own workshop, including the body, neck, bridge and pickups. Each guitar is carefully handcrafted, from bending the powder-coated metal to finishing the neck and surface, building the circuitry and winding the pickups. Although Stummvoll studied industrial design, his luthier skills are entirely self-taught.

‘Any acoustic instrument is a blank slate,’ he says. ‘It has limitations in design, in choice of materials, and that makes it something universal. In our shared imagination, a piano is a black cabinet – an archetype without any expectation of what will be played on it or by whom.’ By being so far removed from convention, Cosmo opens up a universe of possibilities. 

INFORMATION

Cosmo Guitar, from €1,670, by Verso Musical Instruments

versoinstruments.com

A house originally conceived in 1952 by architect Schwen Wei Ma for Peter Soo Hoo (one of the founders of Los Angeles’ newer Chinatown) gets a new lease of life with an interior refresh by LA interior designer Corinne Mathern. The house’s original design was remodelled in the 1960s by Gilbert Leong, the first Chinese-American to graduate from USC with a degree in architecture, and the author of many of Chinatown’s buildings. 

Mathern’s interior renovation maintained the soul of the home with a light, practical update of finishes and amenities. ‘The property is an example of classic Los Angeles midcentury architecture and had charming, original details throughout,’ she says.

A new life for Schwen Wei Ma's LA house

Recently described as a ‘1950s time capsule’, the house’s original details guided Mathern’s design, which was focused on repurposing some of the original features to keep its character intact. 

The brief from the client (Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders, who had recently bought the house) focused on keeping the house’s original character, and offered guiding visual references that include the films of Jacques Tati and Michelangelo Antonioni, the light in William Eggleston’s photography, as well as Jean Prouve’s furniture.

Colour was a key consideration throughout the interiors, with bright bespoke elements including a blue bar, yellow legs on the dining table, and a large-scale tiled coffee table in a deep rust shade. Materials-wise, Mathern offered a palette of chrome metals and honed concrete softened by custom walnut panelling for warmth.

‘The materials and colours were all chosen to have a chalky, smoky filter on them so they felt muted and like they could have been part of the house in 1952,’ says the designer. 

An eclectic collection of vintage and bespoke furniture

Adding a new layer to the house’s interiors is a series of vintage pieces sourced from local galleries by Mathern, from Bruno Rey stools for the bar to a Friso Kramer chair and Peter Løvig desk for the home office. 

The vintage furniture is combined with custom-designed elements, such as the dining table (created in collaboration with Los Angeles-based design-build firm PSS Design Cult) referencing a Jean Prouvé design and placed alongside raw oak chairs by Robert Guillerme and Jacques Chambron, sourced from France. 

Mathern also worked with PSS Design Cult to create further bespoke elements, such as the modernist-inspired walnut screen that defines the house’s entrance, and with local woodworker Christopher Norman, who created a custom walnut piece to be placed above the bed.

The result, for this gem among Los Angeles houses, is a bright, airy space with a palette of colours and materials that feels contemporary yet authentic to the house's original design.

INFORMATION

corinnemathern.com

German designer Stefan Diez and Spanish lighting company Vibia present ‘Plusminus’, an innovative and versatile lighting collection that wants to ‘emancipate light from architecture’. In 2018, when the project first began, Diez had the idea to create ‘a few light sources and a ribbon as a connector’. After three years of extensive research and testing, this has been achieved but to a degree that neither designer nor brand had imagined. 

‘Plusminus’ lighting collection by Stefan Diez for Vibia

‘Plusminus’ is a ‘toolbox of possibilities’, and an endlessly customisable lighting collection for both private and commercial clients. The connecting force of the collection is the fabric belt, which is essentially an electrical band that can link various luminaires in one or multiple rooms. The adaptability of the one band can allow, for example, pendants to be suspended at different heights, lights to be connected on the band and looped over a metal bar to hang over a long table, or used as a vertical space divider with lamps in a way that seems to defy gravity. 

Elegant and streamlined, the belt avoids the clutter of cables and the complex installation that might require opening walls. It was also one of the most challenging pieces of the ‘Plusminus’ project. Following the initial idea of a ribbon, detailed research was undertaken by the designer and the Vibia technical team, including the seeking of hand-woven samples made by textile designers and reviewing different patterns to cover the wires and electrical threads.

The result offers an exciting new potential in lighting design. One band offers 30m of connective possibilities and comes in four colours: rust, grey, black and olive green. The luminaires – which include six different models: sphere, semisphere, cone, spotlight, linear diffuser and linear low UGR – are easily detached and reattached by simple anchors and fittings.  

‘Plusminus’ will be available in showrooms later this autumn, as well as through a website specially developed for the project that allows customers to discover the collection and configure their bespoke system. The system is designed to be accessible to individual consumers as well as larger commercial clients, and once the layout of the lighting has been determined, the shipment will include specific instructions for the particular installation.

‘Plusminus’ is an ‘endlessly open project’, says Diez. ‘You can illuminate a whole office in a day without having to consider it during construction.’

INFORMATION

vibia.com

To mark the 20th anniversary of Golden Goose, CEO Silvio Campara opened a new Milan HQ and brand home on via Ercole Marelli, adjacent to the city’s Olympic Village.

Designed in collaboration with Milan studio ML Architettura, the project was ambitious and audacious, taking on the renovation of two old foundry buildings in the formerly industrial district. Recently completed, the new headquarters, Campara explains, have been designed not just as a creative and business hub, but also as an environment for the wellbeing of Golden Goose’s employees (or its ‘Golden Family’ as the CEO likes to call them).

Golden Goose: ‘building success stories every day’

The HQ is intended as a place where everyone can feel relevant. ‘The architecture itself underlines the strength of the collective and the possibility of being able to express one’s ideas. It’s an authentic place, perfect in its imperfection, where you can build collective and individual experiences and success stories every day,’ says Campara. ‘A house that carries within it the history of the brand through refined architectural elements.’

Instead of conventional offices, a series of rooms is themed and tailored to specific requirements, the decor and details linked to important moments in the company’s two-decade history. The Dream Room, for instance, is designed in the image and likeness of the Golden Goose LABs; sneakers hang from the ceilings, and walls are lined with distressing machines. Printed on the walls is the Golden Manifesto, ‘a reminder to never lose sight of our values and what we believe in’, says Campara.

There are clear Venetian influences in the building’s design too, a celebration of the brand’s heritage, roots and the city of its original HQ. ‘At the building’s entrance, you’ll see metal carpentry characterised by V-shaped pillars, also present in our original headquarters in Marghera, Venice,’ says Campara.

‘The floor was created by setting 6,300 stars made of Carrara marble, recalling the technique used for historic Venetian terraces and for the mosaic design created by architect Carlo Scarpa in the Olivetti store in Venice. This space is illuminated by an expanse of lamps inspired by those of the Met Breuer in New York, a museum near our Madison Avenue flagship store.’

Wander the corridors to observe prominent, apparently significant numbers on the doors of workshops and meeting rooms, each digit telling its own story and demanding explanation. ‘Room 750, for example, identifies the number of employees at the time of opening of the new HQ,’ says Campara. ‘Room 193 recalls the perimeter in millimetres of the golden star applied on our sneakers.’

Other rooms? Room 0307 refers to the birth year of the Golden Goose brand’s key icons: boots and the ‘Chiodo’ jacket in 2003; Super-Star sneakers in 2007. Room 31914 is the number of kilometres that separate the Sydney store from the Hawaii one. Room 6300 – the Carrara marble stars laid by hand on the reception’s floor. And 231200 is simply the Golden Goose brand’s date of birth.

Golden Goose styles itself as a collective founded on a passion for all things that are perfectly imperfect, authentic, and unique. A combination of high-quality construction, the distinctive star logo and the famous ‘lived-in’ signature of the shoes have become the distinctive features of Golden Goose products throughout the years. The brand champions artisanal craftsmanship and Made In Italy manufacturing.

Now looking ahead to its 25th anniversary, Golden Goose is a design-led, future-facing, sustainably-minded concern. Part of the Milan building’s restaurant, for instance, is reserved for a hydroponic garden, its harvest contributing to dishes on the daily menu. An outdoor area is also dedicated to an eco-mobility park, replete with e-bikes and electric fitness machines available for the Golden Family employees.

‘Stars who have a story to tell that is relevant and empowering for their community and others.

INFORMATION

goldengoose.com

Physical fashion shows were back with a bang across New York, London, Milan and Paris. Here, we present the best runway sets and venues that stole the show for S/S 2022, from Saint Laurent's womenswear spectacular under the sparkling lights of the Eiffel Tower, to Prada’s cross-continent and time-zone spanning set up. 

Best runway sets, S/S 2022 womenswear

Dior

Adding to the roster of female artists she collaborates with, womenswear artistic director Maria Grazia Chiuri teamed up with octogenarian Italian artist Anna Paparatti on a board game-inspired show set. At the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris, a runway was formed from a circle of colourful flooring panels set at various levels, and a backdrop boasted artworks resembling dartboards and roulette wheels, recalling Paparatti's 1960s artworks, which alluded to the absurdities of life.

Givenchy

For his first physical runway show for Givenchy, Matthew M Williams took guests to the Paris La Défense Arena, the largest indoor performance venue in Europe, on the outskirts of the French capital, with a stark, art gallery-inspired show set. Here, Williams bathed his guests in the glow of a cinematic sun, by suspending a monumental oculus from the ceiling of the vast space.

Valentino

Celebrating the café culture of Paris, so enjoyed by many guests for the first time in 18 months, Valentino installed rows of wicker dining seating at its Carreau du Temple venue, alongside a vibrant flower stall. The Roman house's show also spilled inclusively onto the streets outside the expansive indoor location, where models strutted and posed in front of diners and drinkers, seated at the city's inviting bistros.

Prada

Talk about a time zone-spanning, continent-crossing runway show. As guests in Milan installed themselves into Prada's regular Deposito venue at the Fondazione Prada, a location lined with geometric blocks of seating, so another audience was getting comfy at Shanghai’s Bund One. The two shows began simultaneously, and were live-streamed onto screens at both locations, with guests taking in models, in physical or digital form, sporting satin dresses and slouchy leather outerwear that riffed on notions of sexy. (Read more about OMA/AMO and Prada’s 25 years of show sets.)

Saint Laurent

After show films set on sprawling sand dunes and icy glaciers, Saint Laurent returned to its signature Trocadéro location in Paris, illuminated by the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower. Here, models walked across a vast runway in lean and seductive silhouettes inspired by Paloma Picasso, lit up by an industrial wall of spotlights. At the show's finale, a waterfall flooded the catwalk, a stunning feat of nature slap bang in the middle of the city.

Moncler MONDOGENIUS

The label staged its latest Moncler Genius collections as part of an immersive phygital live-streamed event spanning five cities: Milan, Shanghai, Tokyo, Seoul and New York. In Milan, guests watched from a film studio location, as host Alicia Keys appeared IRL, interacting with Shanghai host Victoria Song via a huge screen, and presenting 11 collection films, which were showcased one by one. 

Loewe

Stripping back Loewe’s new show space at Paris’ La Garde Républicaine of ‘bits and bobs’, creative director Jonathan Anderson wanted his S/S 2022 Loewe venue to resemble a ‘blank piece of paper’. This concept allowed the silhouettes in the collection to take centre stage. Here, they entered the stark, pine-swathed show venue from a trapdoor in the ground, a twist on how the viewer usually takes in forms from the feet up.

Hermès

No one cemented the sense of escape served up on the S/S 2022 catwalks more than Hermès, which had a private plane land on the tarmac of its Le Bourget airport show location, an hour from Paris. Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski also worked with French artist Flora Moscovici, who created a series of 6m-high abstract panoramas, drenched in sunset tones, which moved as models navigated a circular show space, sporting easy but infinitely luxurious summer silhouettes.

Rejina Pyo

The London-based designer made a medal-worthy splash for her S/S 2022 womenswear show, transporting guests to the Zaha Hadid-designed London Aquatics Centre in Stratford. Here, the audience lined the Olympic venue's swimming pool and at the show's social media-flooded finale, members of the Team GB divers made dramatic twists and turns into the water below.

Miu Miu

For guests keen to get back to the boardroom, Miu Miu served up an office-inspired show set where swiveling Eames office chairs lined a snaking runway at regular show location Palais d'Iéna in Paris. The catwalk was neighboured by oculus-shaped screens, which featured two comedic films by Moroccan artist Meriem Bennani that were also debuted as part of the brand's accompanying live stream on social media. 

Jil Sander

In Milan, Jil Sander bathed guests in a monochromatic lilac haze, in an all-purple show set swathing circular stools, the walls and ceiling. The set design offered a tranquil, almost sophorific setting, for creative director's Lucie and Luke Meier to present a womenswear offering reveling in tactile fabrications, architectural volumes and bold patterns, from tiger print coats to fluid deck chair stripe dresses, crochet polo shirts to androgynous tailoring. 

Coperni

Coperni founders Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant emphasized escapism for S/S 2022, which a collection that reveled in beach-ready silhouettes, suited for sun drenched shores in Ibiza or Greece. To amp up that out-of-office spirit, the brand swathed its runway with sand, lining the entrance to its catwalk space in Paris with 70,000 tall hemp trees, casting a heady scent around guests sat amongst the verdant shrubbery. 

‘Ay, caramba!' Last week Balenciaga showcased its own episode of The Simpsons, complete with a star-studded (Chief Wiggum, Smithers, Patty, Selma) catwalk show in Paris, as part of its innovative S/S 2022 presentation. In celebration of the screening, we look back to some of the most recent set design extravaganzas served up by the maison, taking its guests from graffiti-topped mountains to the auditorium of the European Parliament. If they don't stimulate your show-set senses, we'll eat our shorts.

Best Balenciaga fashion show sets: S/S 2022

Balenciaga literally rolled out the red carpet for S/S 2022 with a show-cum-film premiere at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, which saw guests, from fashion journalists to A-listers, take a turn on the red carpet as they entered the venue. Taking their seats inside the ornate auditorium, they were treated to a special screening of The Simpsons, which saw its beloved characters travel to Paris and take part in a Balenciaga runway show. Cue Lisa and Maggie sporting pillar box-red peplum dresses, Marge wearing a voluminous gold gown complete with XL bow, and Homer rocking the brand's signature pufffer jacket as they strutted down the cartoon catwalk.

Balenciaga A/W 2020

Guests entered an apocalyptic, flooded landscape inside Luc Besson’s Cité du Cinema building in the suburbs of St Denis, Paris. Stadium seating was submerged in viscous water (unluckily for fashion editors, the first two rows were completely sunken). Models sloshed along the runway, while above them were projected huge images of global climate crisis – from raging flames to frantic birds in flight – and a techno soundtrack pounded. Backstage, creative director Demna Gvasalia offered a surprisingly positive take on his runway set-up, emphasising the power and beauty of fashion amidst a vision of the end of the world.

Balenciaga S/S 2020

In a show set inspired by Brussels, and the ongoing political tumult of Brexit, Gvasalia erected an in-the-round show set at Luc Besson’s Cité du Cinema building – which resembled the European Parliament. Guests sat in a spiral of office chairs in a huge curtain-lined assembly room that was swathed in bold blue, and on the ceiling, huge panels of strip lights illuminated the botched-cosmetic-surgery make-up looks sported by models on the carpeted runway.

Balenciaga S/S 2019

While, for A/W 2018, Gvasalia had taken guests to the peak of a graffiti-tagged mountain (below), for S/S 2019 he had a more immersive vision in mind. The designer created a catwalk-turned-video tunnel, lined with digital video installations devised by Canada-born video artist Jon Rafman. The psychedelic trip-like visuals surrounded guests as they watched the Paris-based show, projecting them into an uncanny alternative universe, as an eerie voice repeated ‘presence is key, now is the answer, ego is not who you are…’

Balenciaga A/W 2018

During his tenure at Balenciaga, Gvasalia has imagined show sets which evoke the everyday — like a roller blind-lined office or a tree-lined Paris park. There was a more intrepid air to the brand’s A/W 2018 show set, which featured a looming mountain within a Paris broadcasting studio. There was an urban edge to the landscape, which featured an all-white runway, evoking a snowy pathway or a blank canvas. The mountain at its centre was tagged with neon graffiti, boasting the Balenciaga brand name, celebratory slogans like ‘power of dreams’ and a smiley-faced emoji.

INFORMATION

balenciaga.com

Leave it to Europe’s oldest apothecary to create a handy sanitising formula for our health-conscious times. 

The new Cleansing Spray from Santa Maria Novella deodorises and sanitises everything from fabrics to surfaces and skin with a simple spritz. It can be sprayed on any type of fabric – from the couch to a face mask – on your desk as a quick surface cleaner, or on hands as a lightly perfumed sanitiser. 

The spray’s effectiveness is down to its unique blend of alcohol and costmary extract, a plant oil that is practically medieval medicine’s equivalent to aspirin – a remedy used to ameliorate everything from menstrual cramps to headaches, digestive discomfort, and general achiness.

Santa Maria Novella: from ancient cures to contemporary cleanses

Santa Maria Novella has been creating innovative remedies with natural ingredients such as costmary since the Santa Maria Novella monastery was established by Dominican friars in 1221. The tinctures made by these Florentine holy men experienced increased popularity during the plague years of the 14th century, when perfume, in particular, was believed to have protective qualities against the ‘bad air’ thought to transmit diseases. 

Products from that period still exist in today, including rose water, which was originally used to sanitise rooms and spaces, or mixed with wine and taken as an immunity booster.

Or take the brand’s Aceto Aromatico, a sniffable vinegar inspired by the ‘Vinegar of the Seven Thieves’ that was used in Toulouse during the local plague of the late 1620s, burned in homes to ward off infections. The name comes from a story about seven thevies who used the tincture to protect themselves from contamination as they robbed the ill. 

The Cleansing Spray is a continuation of this legacy, using traditional ingredients to create a product tailored to modern needs. We recommend keeping one in your bag to disinfect hands and sufaces throughout the day, as well as at home to easily freshen up home fabrics and clothes.

INFORMATION

uk.smnovella.com

‘Home’ is still the top destination for many holidaymakers this summer. While that may not be the dream holiday location, a new virtual reality book is offering a new way to break up days spent sunbathing in the garden or sipping a Margarita from a paddling pool. 

Kiss & Fly offers virtual vacations to nine different locations: France, Brazil, Iceland, Mexico, Italy, Jordan, Greece, India, and Israel. The images are the work of sister photography duo Lauren and Annael Tolila, known professionally as Via Tolila, and they are pure escapism – pictures of sapphire blue water, sunbathers lounging on rocky cliffs, colourful cocktails served up in beach cabanas. 

Kiss & Fly claims to be the world’s first augmented reality coffee table book, with glossy images that can be scanned with a smartphone or tablet, directing users to various online experiences. 

It is the first title produced by Studio 96, a new publishing house in New York City that aims to make ‘experiential print’ a new norm. That means books with moving images, hyperlinks to interactive forums or social media channels, codes to download playlists curated for your reading experience, and even links to tickets for exclusive in-person and online events.  

It is a familiar type of imagery that is not revolutionary in itself, but it’s made compelling by your ability to swipe your phone over it and watch it move – the sunbather goes from lounging to jumping off the cliff, the cocktail is stirred with a straw. 

It makes for an entertaining reading experience and, perhaps, even offers a hint at what is to come for print media, with physical publications using digital technology to create a multi-platform reading experience.

INFORMATION

studio96publishing.com

Tequila aficionados will know that for a truly delicious cocktail, there are only a few brands that fit the bill, and if you want to get the most out of the ingredients you are pairing it with, well then you’d best be using a molcajete and tejolote, or mortar and pestle. 

Lucky then, that one of the most respected names in the industry, Maestro Dobel, has launched a limited-edition tejolote set just in time for tequila season. 

The molcajete and tejolote

The brand commissioned the burgeoning architecture studio Pedro y Juana, winner of the 2019 MoMA and MoMA PS1 Young Architects Program, to reimagine this pair of traditional Mexican instruments. The resulting design is a ‘small sculpture’ that is an homage to ancient Mexican architecture and tequila culture. Its circular, pyramid shape visually echoes the archaeological site in Jalisco known as Los Guachimontones.

Jalisco is also the hometown of Maestro Dobel and the birthplace of tequila itself, where 200,000 years ago Tequila Volcano erupted and laid the ground for the growth of blue agave. The Maestro Dobel tejolote is made from basalt (volcanic rock) sourced from the region of the volcano and crafted by renowned local stonemason Juan Fraga. 

Only 30 editions of this particular design exist, so few people will get to try it out. Still, we recommend investing in your choice of molcajete and tejolote as a handy piece of kit for summer gatherings, for use in preparing the ingredients for sweet cocktails, like the margarita recipe below, as well as savoury dips. 

Maestro Dobel’s Peppered Berry Margarita

Ingredients: 

1 strawberry
2 blackberries
1 whole lime
½ tsp pink peppercorns
5 mint leaves
1 tsp agave nectar
1 tsp pomegranate molasses 
50ml Maestro Dobel Humito
ice
coupette (half-rimmed with pink Himalayan salt) 

Method:

• Crush fresh berries and lime in base of molcajete, then crush the peppercorns.
• Gently press mint leaves into the mixture and then add the agave nectar and pomegranate molasses
• Empty the contents into a cocktail shaker.
• Add the tequila to the shaker and fill up with ice. 
• Shake hard and fine strain into a coupette glass.
• Garnish with pomegranate pods and mint sprig. 

INFORMATION

maestrodobel.com

It is fair to say that Comme des Garçons perfumes are atypical. Past creations have cited as influences the smell of concrete, gasoline, and the velvet seats of a 19th-century theatre. So intrigue abounds when the ultimate brand for experimental perfumes decides to create something as typical as a ‘summer fragrance’. Will its idea of summer perfume smell like a burning flip-flop? A snow cone abandoned in the sand? Flat soda? 

Sunscreen, the summer perfume

In actuality, the new fragrance smells, as its name suggests, like sunscreen. It also smells like vanilla ice cream, the ocean, and coconut water all mixed together in one.

That might sound like a sensory overload, but there is a cohesion to these various elements that makes Sunscreen work. Like most Comme des Garçons creations, it is captivating because of its strangeness, not in spite of it. 

ERL x Comme des Garçons

Sunscreen has been made in collaboration with Californian fashion label ERL and marks the brand’s first foray into fragrance. ERL is the brainchild of Eli Russell Linnetz who, before he was invited to start a clothing line by Comme des Garçons president Adrian Joffe, was best known as a photographer, music video director, and set designer for some of Los Angeles’ most recognisable residents.

ERL is in many ways an homage to Linnetz’s native city, and Venice Beach in particular, with an emphasis on 1990s skatewear silhouettes rendered in a technicolour palette. 

Venice Beach is the main inspiration behind Sunscreen too, making it an addition to a growing range of perfumes inspired by the Californian coast (Louis Vuitton’s On the Beach is the most notable of this genre, along with Byredo’s Sundazed). It is not even the first California beach perfume for Comme des Garçons, following the launch of the brand’s Laguna Beach-themed collaboration with Stüssy earlier this year.  

Yet Stüssy’s Laguna Beach fragrance, with its notes of moss, Atlas cedar, and white solar flowers, is a much more aquatic, floral scent in relation to ERL’s. 

Sunscreen, rather, is a gourmand fragrance, a sweet, potent blend of lily of the valley, heliotrope (which smells like a mix of vanilla, almond and cinnamon) and peach, along with richer notes of musk and coconut accord. To put it another way, Laguna Beach is the smell of tranquil days spent by the ocean, while Sunscreen is the beach party. 

It is a welcome addition to the Comme des Garçons Parfums catalogue in our opinion, a unique type of summer fragrance that successfully walks the line between wearable and experimental.

INFORMATION

comme-des-garcons-parfum.com

Every year, Wallpaper* searches for the coolest bathroom designs from the world’s best specialist manufacturers. Here, we select the best bathroom trends for 2022, from freestanding minimalist bathtubs to modernist taps, funky sinks and exceptional surfaces. Have a splash in our 1970s-inspired bathroom.

Bathroom trends 2022: the Wallpaper* edit

Oversized colourful tiles

Add a fun splash of colour to your bathroom and define the space with bold tiles in shiny hues. Villeroy & Boch’s ‘Pro Architectura 3.0’ collection combines form, function and colour throughout, and it’s designed with architecture in mind. Available in a variety of colours covering the full rainbow, these tiles are an invitation to play. 

Minimalist freestanding bathtubs

A synthesis of organic and minimalist forms, these freestanding bathtubs are a sleek addition to a contemporary bathroom. Balancing the more colourful and decorative elements with their essential forms, these standout pieces are defined by generous volumes and practical elements. The ‘BetteEve Oval Silhouette’ bath is inspired by nature, with a two-seater capacity and enhanced comfort thanks to the oval-shaped, flowing interior. 

Frequently collaborating with the likes of Piet Boon and John Pawson, Dutch bathroom brand Cocoon creates ranges that are both contemporary and timeless. Its ‘Purist’ range of baths and basins includes this freestanding tub, with recessed drain, available in a choice of nine natural stones and marbles. Perfect for those with an eye for industrial minimalism but a love of luxurious wallowing, its pure geometric form ticks a lot of visual boxes while the smoothness of the stone makes bath time a comforting treat.

Eclectic bathroom sinks

The bold silhouettes of these bathroom sinks will enlighten any bathroom space. Designed by Mark Jankowski for Formed Concrete Basins, the ‘Arlo’ washbasin features a deep curved concrete wash area with matching base. A sculptural, eye-catching design, it is available in the company’s full range of bright colours, from Emerald Green (pictured above),to midnight blue, deep purple, apricot orange and violet. 

A more organic direction is offered by Brazilian architect Ruy Othake’s eponymous design for Roca. Featuring a sinuous edge, the architect was inspired by waves, the horizon and the purest shape in nature, the egg, to create this collection of bathroom sinks.

Dramatic stone surfaces

Natural stones are bathroom classics, and in their bolder interpretations they can make a plain surface stand out. The material is an ideal all-over surface solution, like in the case of this floor of Antolini’s ‘Explosion Blue’ quartzite slabs (top) or the sensual black Grafite from Margraf, seen on the wall. But marble can be an option for mixing and matching too, like in the case of Bisazza’s latest collection of tiles; titled ‘Marmo’, it celebrates the richness of natural stone through bold geometric compositions (like the Montalcino Noce, above, combining Avorio Perlino, Marrone Emperador and Giallo Reale marbles).

Modernist taps

Forming part of Grohe’s new ‘Spa’ collection, which launches in September, the ‘Allure’ tap range matches cylindrical bodies with square or rectangular base plates, and comes in a choice of different colours and finishes, including chrome, brushed cool sunrise, brushed warm sunset, and hard graphite. The line includes floor-mounted taps and waterfall spouts for the bath, as well as this three-hole basin mixer, which combines state-of-the-art water technology with German craftsmanship in an elegantly slim and sleek package. 

The signature piece in the comprehensive new ‘Langbourn’ bathroom collection from Perrin & Rowe is this handsome freestanding bath mixer and hand shower, which reflects the British brassware brand’s principles of proportion, balance and detail. Cast by hand at Perrin & Rowe’s Black Country foundry, it takes a skilled craftsman around five hours to polish, and is available in a choice of seven finishes, including chrome (pictured), polished brass and gold.

Hansgrohe’s ‘Pulsify’ hand and overhead showers, available in chrome, matte black and matte white, are all equipped with the brand’s innovative microfine PowderRain, Massage and IntenseRain spray modes, as well as a spray disc with an adjustable inclination of 10-30 degrees for a more comfortable showering experience. This sleek and slim range is also designed to use less water, thanks to its EcoSmart technology, and features a QuickClean function, allowing for the easy removal of lime and calcium deposits.

Harmoniously blending flat surfaces with sharp angles, this striking collection of taps, from American bathroom brand Kohler, oozes sophistication and refinement. The range can be wall- or deck-mounted, and comes with multiple body height and spout length options, allowing it to be paired with a wide range of bathroom styles and configurations to create a unique look. Available in polished chrome, brushed nickel and matte black, the range features a lasting finish that resists corrosion and tarnishing.

Every year, Wallpaper* searches for the coolest kitchens design ideas from the world's best specialist manufacturers. Here, we select the best kitchen trends for 2022, from subtle pops of colour to the most sought-after materials for kitchen cabinets, and including the latest multifunctional technology to make your kitchen ultra-smart. 

Kitchen trends 2022: the Wallpaper* edit

Wooden kitchens

German specialist Eggersmann is known for its beautifully crafted, minimalist kitchen designs, now including the new ‘Lausanne’ kitchen. Featuring fronts with vertical wooden slats in silver oiled oak, they are individually adjusted – with millimetre precision – to fit perfectly around each built-in appliance. The striking design can be combined with solid wood countertops as well as gleaming stainless steel surfaces.

eggersmann.com

In contrast with the Danish company’s first foray into kitchen design, which was an all-steel affair, Vipp’s ‘V2’ model comes with a brand new material palette centred around dark oak cabinets and including Jura limestone counters and reeded glass doors. Also featured is the brand’s trademark extruded aluminium, which appears in rounded aluminium profiles with reeded details that serve as discreet, integrated drawer and cabinet grips.

vipp.com

An expressive use of wooden surfaces is one of the defining elements of Vincent Van Duysen's latest kitchen design for Dada. The ‘Intersection’ kitchen is a testament to the brand's excellence in crafting and combining materials, and the architecture-like design was inspired by the work of Piet Mondrian and Carlo Scarpa. ‘A project that plays with proportions, thicknesses and a mix of refined materials,’ says Van Duysen, who played with geometric compositions and materials, resulting in a design that is infinitely adaptable with options including linear, corner and island compositions. 

dada-kitchens.com

First launched 25 years ago, the British designer John Pawson’s kitchen for Obumex was a worldwide success thanks to its signature minimalist lines and freestanding elements. A milestone in kitchen design, Pawson’s model was created to be long-lasting – the Porsche 911 of the kitchen world – and so it has proved to be. But now, to celebrate Obumex’s 60th anniversary, the Belgian company has decided to reissue Pawson’s kitchen. Updating what was designed to last forever requires only a light touch, and the new edition features the same refined, pared-back architectural language as its predecessor – only the material combination has changed. For this special edition, Pawson has selected an island in solid American walnut, white lacquered fronts and a limestone backsplash. Simple, but as ever, effective.

obumex.be

Expressive stone for kitchen surfaces

Having presented its first model at New York’s MoMA in 1972, the Italian brand Rossana knows a thing or two about kitchen islands. Its latest cutting-edge design, the ‘Isøla’ kitchen by architect Carlo Colombo, is a sculptural creation available in a range of stones, including Melbourne and Aria marble, and Zebrato granite. The kitchen is divided by vertical steel profiles that cut through the stone fronts to create a bold, graphic surface.

rossana.com

Sleek and functional kitchen cabinets

Sometimes with kitchens, simple is better. Flexible and functional, Arclinea’s new ‘Thea‘ handle-free kitchen is designed to work as a double offering, with a wall of contrasting cabinets separating a black marble-clad island from an all-white, functional space. It’s a design trend popular in Southeast Asia, where many new homes comprise a ‘dry’ kitchen in the living space, designed for socialising and cocktail making, and a ‘wet’ kitchen hidden at the back, where the real cooking is done.

arclinea.com

A new take on the ‘Alea’ model, the newly launched ‘Alea Pro’ focuses on details, in particular the opening grooves, which are underlined by a profile to highlight the vertical and horizontal lines. Doors come with a chamfered upper edge, while spaced side panels give a lighter look to the base units. It is available in a wide range of materials, including Super White laminate fronts, Inalco counters and panels, and anodised champagne spacers.

poliform.it

Dark minimalism

Bringing together Modulnova’s ‘Twenty’ minimalist kitchen system and monolithic ‘Frame’ cabinets, this new model (aptly named ‘Twenty Frame’) is all about large proportions and linear design. The vast horizontal central island in dark limewash comes with elongated drawers and an eye-catching cantilevered kitchen table, while tall units in Milano walnut, inspired by 1950s cupboards, add warmth and ample storage to the space.

modulnova.it

Austrian designer Martin Steininger’s award-winning ‘Fold’ kitchen, an origami-inspired creation first launched in 2019 in a shimmering gold brass alloy, is now available in a new black steel edition. It’s the perfect material to highlight the sharp angles of the sculptural design, which is made-to-measure in Steininger’s workshops using a computer-based production technique, and then finished by hand. Such precision makes the monolithic design appear to float, allows for a custom sink to be perfectly integrated, and conceals plenty of clever storage in the slanted cabinets. The minimalist look is complemented by high-tech connectivity, with an M.Pod element providing both a work surface and a smart control panel, so shopping can be ordered and recipes summoned in an instant. 

steiningerdesigners.com

Embedded handle design

Among the most discreet but functional kitchen trends for 2022 is the use of concealed handles for a smooth, streamlined design. Piero Lissoni has updated his 2010 ‘Aprile’ design with the new recessed ‘Sloane’ door handle, a rectangular cut-out carved out of the cabinet doors by Boffi’s skilled craftspeople in Brianza, northern Italy. It is available in a series of different finishes, including gunmetal or natural-stained wood, that can be designed to either complement or contrast with the fronts, and match the edges or worktop to create pleasingly subtle details.

boffi.com

Colourful kitchens

Colour returns to the kitchen for 2022 with a subtle palette of pastels and sober shades that well complement the materials of contemporary kitchen design. German manufacturer SieMatic is known for its ultra-efficient, perfectly engineered luxury kitchens, usually presented in a choice of stark whites, black and greys. But now the Löhne-based company is splashing out with a kaleidoscopic array of new colourways. Its Individual ColorSystem features 1,950 colours, from pastels such as sage green and powder pinks, to metallic hues including gold bronze and nickel, and subtles tones such as pebble grey and plum velvet. Available in both matt and glossy finishes, the dizzying choice of colours allows customers to completely customise their SieMatic kitchens to create unique designs. The company’s show kitchens still follow the monochrome look, with whole kitchens decked out in one single, sophisticated shade, but nothing’s stopping you to go for a rainbow look, if you dare.

siematic.com

Danish kitchen specialist Reform has collaborated with Aspekt Office on ‘Unit’, a new kitchen imagined as the centre a multifunctional space that can double as an office. The kitchen's dark oak fronts are contrasted with colourful cabinets available in a wide contrasting palette that includes anthracite, sand-gray, white, green, and yellow.

reformcph.com

Modernist modularity

Smallbone is known for its high-quality bespoke kitchens and cabinetry work, and it’s fair to say its ‘Iconic’ hand-painted kitchen, a bestseller since its launch 30 years ago, truly deserves its name. But now the Devizes-based brand is branching out from the heritage look with a new ‘Modernist’ line, defined by clean lines and refined materials. A modular concept inspired by the famous ‘form follows function’ dictum, it features oak veneers, Belgian stone counters and a mellow grey finish, as well as tinted glass panels and shelves in custom metal frames. We’re particularly fond of the undercut top edges which replace traditional handles and create a series of shadow lines across the cabinet fronts. If the exterior is a departure from Smallbone’s earlier offering, the interior is still fitted with the company’s infinitely customisable signature walnut drawer boxes.

smallbone.co.uk

Contemporary kitchen tools: smart extractors

One of the most technological kitchen trends for 2022, extractors have become smart. Take Gaggenau’s new ‘Vario’ unobtrusive downdraft ventilator. Installed flush between your induction and gas hobs, it draws steam, odour and vapour down directly at the source, before they’ve even had time to escape into the kitchen. Known for its professional-grade home appliances, Gaggenau is a pioneer of downdraft ventilation: the German manufacturer’s first model dates from 1976, so it has had ample time to perfect its offering. Hidden away in the counter and allowing for uninterrupted sightlines, the ‘Vario’ is ideally suited to kitchen islands, and is particularly useful when installed next to a gas wok or teppanyaki grill. It also comes with reassuringly traditional control knobs, so there’s no chance you will switch it off by mistake while trying to put the music on.

gaggenau.com

Italian company Elica has specialised in the fabrication of high-tech extractor hoods for over 50 years, and its newest model is the latest in a long series of cutting-edge creations. The ultra-thin ‘Super Plat’ is a modern, flush design that can be installed either between kitchen cabinets or as a standalone unit. It comes in two versions, either black or grey glass, both enriched with die-cast aluminium front grilles and a cast iron finish. Operating silently even at the highest speeds, the extractor hood allows you to talk and cook at the same time (if your culinary skills allow it of course). It also features Elica’s Multi-d Capture technology, which means cooking smells are removed in a jiffy, and comes with the obligatory matching app and even voice control – handy if you have tomato sauce all over your hands and the chopped garlic is burning. 

elica.com

Next generation taps

Kohler's ‘Sensate’ faucet is equipped with Kohler Konnect, resulting in a smart, voice- and app-controlled kitchen assistant. Via simple voice commands, users can turn the water on and off and dispense measured amounts of water, while the Konnect app monitors water usage and sends an alert if unusual usage is detected. Cutting-edge sensor technology allows for touchless on/off commands, and the two-function pull-down sprayhead with touch-control allows you to smoothly switch from stream to spray for superior surface cleaning. The tap can connect to any voice-controlled device, and switches off automatically after four mintues, to ensure the faucet doesn't run continuously.

A new generation of audio design puts overt technology on the back burner in favour of warm materials, simple forms and ultimate flexibility. We round up the best ways of bringing high-fidelity sound into your home with the ultimate levels of discretion and taste.

Bang & Olufsen BeoSound Level

The new Beosound Level is a portable speaker system and digital assistant that’s designed to be shifted around your space. With five speakers squeezed into a sleek flat box, the Level can be propped up, laid flat or even hung on the wall with a bespoke B&O stand. The device is also intended to be easily upgradeable in the future, from the 16-hour battery pack to the streaming module that handles the sound processing. In this respect, the Level represents a new approach for B&O, with an increased emphasis on improving the physical lifespan of its beautifully crafted objects while also acknowledging that modern devices frequently outlive the technology that drives them. Available in two colour ways, one with gold tone aluminium and European oak, the other with more conventional dark grey hues, the Level has echoes of the form factor of the classic Beolit 400 and 500 radios, both designed by Jacob Jensen. ‘We didn’t set out to create a retro product. We set out to solve a problem,’ says Richard Gavin Ivester, B&O’s Vice President of Design, ‘But we’re not sad that we ended up with a homage to earlier B&O products.’ 

Bang & Olufsen, Beosound Level, from £1,099, available from bang-olufsen.com

Bose Soundbar 300

Soundbars are also getting smarter, cramming digital assistants and multiple connection options into a fairly prosaic form factor. Bose’s Smart Soundbar 300 makes a marked difference to the audio output of even the most sophisticated flat panel TV, and makes up for the space it consumes by adding in multiple layers of function. These include Alexa voice, which can be used to control the TV itself, as well as pairing with other Bose products like headphones or Bluetooth speakers to increase the sonic footprint of your household. 

Bose Soundbar 300, £399.95, bose.co.uk

KEF KC62 subwoofer 

Regardless of the sophistication of your smart speakers, all music benefits from a bass boost. KEF’s new KC62 subwoofer will add the requisite punch to every scenario, from movies to music and games. Designed to match the discretely curved radii of KEF’s LS50 speaker range, the KC62 is available in both black and white, with an extruded aluminium case. There are also number of EQ modes to let you tune the sound according to the subwoofer placement.

KEF KC62 Uni-Core Force-Cancelling subwoofer, £1400 from uk.kef

Denon Home Soundbar 550

Another dose of sleek sound comes in the form of Denon’s new Home Soundbar 550. These lozenge-like speaker systems used to be simply for boosting the feeble sound of early flatscreen TVs, but as in-builts speakers have improved, the soundbar is fast become the method of choice for all forms of audio. The soundbar is compatible with Apple’s AirPlay 2, along with the software needed to ‘talk’ to the big names in home entertainment systems (the likes of Elan and Crestron). It’s also due to receive Alexa voice support. 

Denon Home Soundbar 550, £599, denon.co.uk

Unsurprisingly, Braun’s return to the audio market is marked by a pared-back, low-key approach. The LE01, LE02 and LE03 models offer three different sizes of smart speaker, from the large LE01 through to the LE03, a simple cube that eschews an excessively sculptural approach. All three sizes can be treated as standalones or paired up for stereo separation – there’s also a set of minimalist stands to elevate each model off the ground.  A limited edition LE03 is also available to celebrate Braun’s centenary in 2021.

Braun LE01 (£1099), LE02 (£749), LE03 (£349), braun-audio.com

Sound-Aesthetics Speakers

Taking a different tack to conventional speaker makers, Hague-based brand Sound-Aesthetics treat their devices as pieces of functional art. Their ‘frustum-shaped’ panel speaker systems are designed to be wall hung, with covers that feature interchangeable pieces of geometric art, carved from solid materials. Founded by the South Africa-born designer Albert de Graaf, Sound-Aesthetics’ minimalist products are set up for all the major streaming services and are operated via your smartphone, keeping their system as simple as possible. A new series of limited-edition architecture-inspired artworks, ‘Celebrating Sound’, have just been launched to bolster the range. 

Sound-Aesthetics, from €1690, sound-aesthetics.com

The second home collection from Virgil Abloh’s fashion label Off-White follows its ethos of ‘identity by design’; brand signatures, such as arrow patterns, hand logos and Swiss cheese-style ‘meteor’ holes, enliven everyday objects from doormats to deckchairs. With the ceramics, however, it’s a quiet irregularity that sets them apart.

‘The artisanal elements within the ceramic pieces are inspired by wabi-sabi,’ says Abloh. ‘What is perfect is questioned.’ Perfectly imperfect jugs, mugs, bowls and plates are tactile and earthy in matte black, with glossy insides, while illustrated white ‘art print’ versions bring angels to our table. It’s all just the thing for moments of coffee, calm and contemplation. As for a tablecloth, Abloh’s arrow print is the way to go.

Wallpaper* Design Awards 2021

INFORMATION

off---white.com

Expormim

Our outdoors seating selection of lounge chairs includes ‘Armadillo’, MUT Design’s new take on the classic rattan papasan armchair created for Expormim.

Vondom

Ramón Esteve’s ‘Frame Vineyard’ triangular daybed for Vondom features a pitched sunshade that provides refuge from the demands of the outside world, while making us dream of a sunny escape.

 Wallpaper* Design Awards 2021

Giorgetti

Dominic Siguang Ma and Feng Wei’s ‘Clop’ for Giorgetti isi a playful birch plywood design that can be used either as a rocking chair or a small armchair. 

B&B Italia

Naoto Fukasawa's ‘Ayana’ collection is described by its maker B&B Italia as ‘warm minimalism’. The seats feature a backrest with spindles that recall a Swedish wall bar – thankfully, you’re not expected to use it for a workout, but rather to admire its solid wooden frame from all angles.

Kettal

Another design by Fukasawa, the elegant ‘Half Dome’ lamp for Kettal, will add the perfect lighting to your new outdoor stage.

Ethimo

A dining table that becomes a ping pong table is our idea of outdoors fun: Ethimo’s ‘Play’ dining/ping-pong table is a perfect example of multifunctional garden furniture

Lego

Lego’s Colosseum – its biggest set ever at 9,036 pieces –  features mostly pieces of the same colour, so you’ll have to arm yourself with patience (rather than a gladiator’s sword) to complete it.

Poltrona Frau

Inspired by the Japanese woodworking workshops he visited in the 1970s, the Italian architect and designer Gianfranco Frattini came up with the idea of the grid-like ‘Kyoto’ table. the wooden table is made of  boards that are connected with 45 degree joints forming a square pattern, while its slide-off counterpoise legs can be positioned as desired. Combining a brilliant idea with impeccable craftsmanship, the recently reissued 1974 design lets the raw materials – solid beechwood with Canaletto walnut wood inserts – do the talking.

Carl Hansen & Søn

Another recently reborn classic with woodcraft at its heart is Danish architect Børge Mogensen’s daybed. Initially launched at the 1958 Danish Carpenter’s Exhibition, and now reintroduced by Carl Hansen & Søn, it was designed for an imaginary country house as a response to hectic modern lifestyles. Featuring elegant spigot joints, its minimalist oak base is complemented by square cushions and a cylindrical headrest.

Cassina

Best known for his glass, steel and polypropylene creations, French designer Philippe Starck has been branching out lately, exploring the possibilities of wooden furniture. His ‘Fenc-e Nature’ armchair still features a die-cast aluminium base, but it is contrasted with a pair of solid teak armrests, and a backrest in natural untreated willow or hand-woven rope, which can be set in two different positions thanks to a solid teak rod, processed to look like a branch and held in place by two wooden nails.

More from Wallpaper* Design Awards 2021

Flexform

Completing our quartet of wonderful wooden furniture designs is the ‘Ansel’ outdoor sofa by Antonio Citterio. It combines a metal base (finished in an elegant array of epoxy powder-coat colours) with wooden details. Here, the armrests and backrest are made of large iroko wood slats, with a natural finish or stained grey. 

Salvatori

Rarely can we say our furniture choices are set in stone but in this case, we can't resist Piero Lissoni’s ‘Curl’ chaise longue for Salvatori, a block of natural stone carved back into a smooth lounger using cutting-edge technology. ‘To paraphrase Michelangelo,’ says Lissoni, ‘I took away the excess, the superfluous; the chaise longue was already in the piece of stone. We worked on its sections, as if it were the bodywork of a car or the engine of a plane, making them extreme, and pushing the stone to the limit.’

salvatori.it

Baxter

With such a long marble sculpting tradition, it’s no surprise Italy is the source of award-winning stone designs. Our favourites include Studiopepe’s ‘Verre Particulier’ coffee table for Baxter, with a Bianco Gioia marble base and fused glass top.

baxter.it

Exteta

Another marble design we admire is Ludovica and Roberto Palomba’s round side table for Exteta. The sculptural design features a simple raised rim, and is available in five different marbles, including Arabescato Orobico Red, pictured above.

exteta.it

Potocco

An elegant exercise in sculptural furniture, Potocco’s ‘Anfora’ round table, by the young German designer Alexander Lorenz, is defined by a Greek amphora-inspired base in new grey resinated quartz. Its sinuous and light appearance is a delightful contrast to the heavy stone. 

potocco.it

Brut Collective

Charlotte Jonckheer of design collective Brut created the unusual ‘Opening Light, Gesture 1’ lamp. The Belgian designer's piece is a composition featuring a cylinder of Belgian bluestone lined with aluminum, which lights up when an embedded titanium stick is withdrawn.

brut-collective.be

Federicia

The soft silhouette of Space Copenhagen’s ‘Fellow’ table lamp for Federicia comprises two organic-shaped elements, making it a sculpture in its own right.

fredericia.com

Before the Covid-19 pandemic put a pause on travel, seasonal Fashion Weeks saw swathes of editors and crates of clothing freewheel across the globe. This mass movement was a concern for Issey Miyake’s designer Satoshi Kondo, who shipped numerous boxes of clothing from Japan to Paris for the label’s A/W20 womenswear show in February last year. Serious about streamlining, Kondo has now succeeded in packing the entire S/S21 collection into one wooden shipping box. 

Miyake’s clothing is famed for its functionality. Its lightweight Pleats Please pieces can be scrunched into suitcases and emerge crease-free, and dry after washing in a matter of minutes. For S/S21, Kondo has created silhouettes that can be folded, stacked, tied and rolled, ensuring they’ll need little space not just in a shipping box, but your chest of drawers too. The collection includes zigzag-pattern knitted garments that stretch out like a sponge, lightweight water- and-wrinkle-repellent coats that can be folded and transformed into bags, biker jackets that can be zipped up into smaller 3D forms, and vests that mould like shells around the body.

Kondo was also intent on bringing a new sense of joy to the activity of unpacking, where the construction of compact clothing brings design-focused delight. Boxed or worn, his cleverly constructed clothing is certainly a delight, and proof that good things come in small packages.

INFORMATION

isseymiyake.com

MDF Italia

Designers shaped up to a changing landscape last year, outlining new ways to stay at home in style, and in the dining room, geometric silhouettes were the order of the day. Pritzker Prize-winner Jean Nouvel’s elegantly monolithic ‘NVL’ dining table is the French architect’s second project for MDF Italia (following on from his ‘Super_Position’ bookcase) and is a harmonious lesson in contrasts, appearing both sleek, light and minimalist, while also very sturdy and strong.

 Wallpaper* Design Awards 2021

Artek

A synthesis of contrasts is at the heart of Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec’s ‘Rope’ dining chair for Artek, which pairs a solid frame with flexible elements, matching up steel tubes with pliable robe armrests and backrests to invite postural creativity.

Flos

Casting a seductive light over our dream dining scene is the ‘Episode 2’, Vincent Van Duysen’s update of his original ‘Infra-Structure’ lighting series for Flos. This system follows an industrial aesthetic, taking its cues from the Bauhaus and allowing for playfully twisted combinations, compositions and configurations on infinite levels.

Tom Dixon

The playfulness continues at the table with Tom Dixon’s contemporary cocktail glassware, which pairs a satisfyingly thick base reminiscent of ice hockey pucks with elegant geometric forms, such as cylinders, cones and spheres. The collection creates a stylish set of consummate companions for our cocktails – Martinez (red), featuring vermouth, maraschino liqueur, angostura bitters and orange, Gin & Tonic, and Magic Number (orange), featuring pink grapefruit juice, cardamom syrup and passion fruit pulp – all crafted using Berry Bros & Rudd’s No.3 London Dry Gin. We’ll drink to that.