How do you approach the refurbishment of a historic property that has undergone several redesigns throughout the centuries? This was the pivotal question faced by Italian architecture practice Archiplan Studio when commissioned to renovate an apartment in a late-Renaissance building in the heart of Mantua, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Lombardy ..read more

Venice is often revered as a 'museum city,' a vivid showcase of its storied past and rich cultural heritage; yet, it also thrives as a vibrant hub for contemporary art, evident in its hosting of the Venice Biennale, which recently opened its doors for viewing. During the six month event, it’s commonplace for contemporary artists to showcase their work in heritage settings such as palazzos and churches in satellite exhibitions. What is rarer however, is the opportunity to display their work alongside priceless art treasures ..read more

We have always been fascinated by creatives working at the crossroads between art and design, especially those with imaginative, convention-defying concepts. One such example is Studio Élémentaires, whose latest series of kinetic light objects had us at hello when we came across them during our annual pilgrimage to Milan ..read more

Commissioned by creative agency Mother to reconfigure the ground floor and mezzanine areas of their London headquarters in Shoreditch into a multipurpose social space, London-based interior and product design studio Holloway Li used a vibrant design language of bold colours and forms inspired by 1970s furniture design to imbue the stark, industrial building that the agency occupies with an inviting, convivial ambience ..read more

I first became acquainted with Plastique Fantastique’s work just this very year; maybe I was a bit late to the game, given that the so-called “platform for temporary architecture” has been aweing people with their immersive spatial installations since 1999, when their first pneumatic structures made their debut at a techno night club in Schillingbrücke, Berlin. Nowadays, Plastique Fantastique is an art duo, Dr. Trouble (Marco Canevacci) and Ms ..read more

Renowned for pushing the boundaries of lighting technology and design for over six decades, we always make a beeline for Italian lighting company FLOS’ exciting presentations during our annual pilgrimage to Milan Design Week as they never fail to impress ..read more

What makes a piece of furniture timeless? What are the enduring qualities that make a sofa or an armchair designed half a century ago still feel contemporary ..read more

Founded by Amélie du Chalard in 2015, when the Parisian gallery Amelie, Maison d’Art opened its doors it shook up the codes of traditional galleries, swapping their clinical nature for a more intimate, welcoming ambience akin to a collector’s home. With the opening of its first international outpost in New York, Amélie has exported her concept to the United States, brandishing its reputation as one of the most interesting galleries in the affordable luxury art market ..read more

Tapping into the pulse of contemporary youth culture is no easy task, especially if you’re objective is to transmute it into a physical space where cultural and commercial interests are given the freedom to intertwine. Shenzhen-based design studio HOPE DESIGN’s latest project, Shao Buchushu, a multi-use space in Chengdu, flawlessly showcases how this can be achieved without resorting to tired tropes ..read more

Although there is no sign advertising its location, Gaba Hair Story is one of the most popular hairdressing salons in Warsaw where you have to book months in advance, its popularity as much the product of celebrity hairstylist Gabriela Zalewska’s talent as the salon’s immaculate interior design and unique ambience ..read more