Contemporary Chandigarh house balances minimalism and warmth

The north Indian city of Chandigarh is perhaps best known for its abudnance in iconic modernist architecture, by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Jane Drew and Edward Maxwell Fry. Of course, contemporary Indian architecture thrives there too. Residence 145 by design studio Charged Voids is a case in point. This is a Chandigarh house designed to juggle openness and privacy, warmth and minimalist architecture, as well as ensuring it provides ample space to house three generations of the owners’ family.  The architecture team worked with a composition of opaque surfaces and voids to find the right balance between creating a flowing, modern home that features plenty of natural light and views, and maintaining the residents’ privacy. Given the project’s multi-generational aspect, Charged Voids crafted a plan that ticks all boxes. ‘The layout of the house is centred on the idea of connected living. A strong connection with the outdoors is established through internal courtyards, with the interior spaces framing sunny views of the landscape,’ the designers explain.  The Chandigarh house’s distinctive, and unmistakably contemporary facade is made of monolithic volumes in natural stone and white plaster. Behind these, the home is cleverly divided into distinct public and private zones, while a central open air courtyard unites everything. An open-plan, double-height living-and-dining hall is central to the former, wrapped around the central courtyard. A staircase leads to bedrooms and a kitchen on the first floor, and further accomodation as well as a roof terrace and bar for al fresco entertaining at the top level.  The interiors are kept clean and minimalist, drawing on the region’s light and the quality of the natural materials used. ‘The material palette is reserved to the bare minimum, with the same stone that is used for exterior finishes extending to the interior walls and flooring. The beige and white tones are accompanied by the warm colours of the millwork and furniture,’ the team says. §
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Documenta 15 review: social practice, controversy and food for thought

‘What did the ocean say to the beach? Nothing. It just waved.’ So said an artist sitting across from my assistant in the Fridericianum, a museum in Kassel, Germany. On the wall behind them hung a handwritten sign reading ‘Free Dad Jokes.’ After the joke, we sat down across from another artist. As she sketched us, we perused books about events organised in Indonesia by Hysteria, the collective the artist is part of. On the table between us sat additional publications and an iPad playing an Indonesian news segment. From the table hung a sign: ‘Free Portrait Sketch’s [sic].’ To the left, another collective gave away sticky rice topped with soybean powder. To the right, a stand offered toothpicks jabbed through gouda cheese cubes and green grapes. This was an event organised by educational platform Gudskul, and one of more than 35 events happening the weekend we were in town to see Documenta 15 – a quinquennial exhibition in central Germany that draws international and regional crowds and is known for curatorial positions that reflect or even predict the zeitgeist. Unlike previous editions of Documenta, the artistic director appointed for 2022 was a collective, ruangrupa, rather than an individual curator. The Jakarta-based non-profit is dedicated to promoting artistic ideas in various contexts through an interdisciplinary approach, where art meets social science, politics, technology, and more. With this ethos in mind, they built the foundations of Documenta on the core values and ideas of lumbung, the Indonesian term for a communal rice barn – first by inviting five collaborators to become the artistic team, together with whom they then recruited 14 collectives, organisations, and initiatives to become ‘Lumbung Members’. Each of the member groups subsequently engaged more collectives, many of whom then used their budgets to invite others to join their processes. The result? A sprawling web of collective artistic and social practices that activate 32 venues and public spaces in what can only be described as a 100-day-long, somewhat ad hoc festival. In other words, it’s a far cry from any kind of carefully curated, fixed exhibition. Documenta fifteen: Nhà Sàn Collective, Tuấn Mami, Vietnamese Immigrating Garden, 2022, installation view, WH22, Kassel. Photography: Nils Klinger Throughout the venues, social-practice-based projects take centre stage, with collectives presenting both documentation of previous activities as well as live programming. A particular highlight is Nhá Sàn Collective’s garden at the venue WH22. Here, the Vietnamese group is cultivating migratory plant species in a garden built with resources and contributions from Vietnamese immigrants in Germany, who can also donate or ask to receive seeds from the ‘seed library,’ housed in a wooden shed. When I visited, 16 people had helped build the garden, 36 had donated seeds or plants, and 50 had received them. At Hübner areal, a massive disused factory, the Guangzhou-based collective Boloho offers a Chinese buffet in the former cafeteria on the first floor, where they’re also filming and live-streaming a sitcom. Meanwhile, in one room on the ground floor, three dancers were giving an improvised performance, soundtracked by live djembes (or at least djembe-style drums), part of a programme hosted by the Mali-based Fondation Festival sur le Niger. Next to them stood a giant sphere made from and surrounded by clay bricks. This backdropped a proverbial path to an ‘office’ installed in an adjacent room. Here, a representative of the Indonesian Jatiwangi art Factory offered information about the destruction of village structures and industrialisation of agriculture, including deforestation, of land on Java. With the idea to beat developers at their own game and to help preserve disappearing Indonesian social and cultural infrastructures, visitors were invited to purchase a 4x4-metre plot of land in an effort to create the world’s first collectively owned forest (in turn, the land would no longer be available to developers). In addition to the land, stakeholders also receive their own terracotta brick and an NFT proof-of-purchase certificate. Documenta fifteen: Jatiwangi art Factory, Clay Workshop, 2022, Hübner-Areal, Kassel, June 13, 2022. Photography: Frank Sperling Documenta fifteen: Fondation Festival sur le Niger: Amaichata Salamata & Mama Koné & Djoulaye Samuel Coulibaly & Tieble Traoré, Activation of the Maaya Bulon: Storytelling and Dancing, Live Playing/ Storytelling, Hübner areal, Kassel, June 3, 2022. Photogaphy: Nicolas Wefers As is often the case at Documenta, a number of noteworthy projects are also located in Karlsaue, a state park. This year, finding the Argentine group La Intermundial Holobiente’s project – at the site of a compost heap – is a task in and of itself, so when we finally rounded the correct corner, walked through some trees and into a clearing, the scene was stunning and the journey proved worth it: a semi-transparent banner painted with trees wafted in the breeze among the trees themselves, supported by two giant white helium-filled balloons. Beyond this, a small wooden trailer housed a book written and edited polyphonically among the collective, an additional 14 artists and writers, and non-human collaborators. Nearby, in a greenhouse, we walked around the stacked trunks of beetle-infested trees, while soundscapes from Colombian rainforests echoed throughout – an installation part of a larger programme hosted by the Latin American group Más Arte Más Acción. Documenta fifteen: La Intermundial Holobiente, Theaterschlag, 2022, The Holobiente Trail, 2022, installation view, Compost heap (Karlsaue), Kassel, June 14, 2022. Photography: Nils Klinger Elsewhere in the park is Nest Collective’s Return to Sender (2021/2022), an installation made of trash: e-waste has been sorted by colour to create monochromatic freestanding cubes, while discarded textiles have been tightly bound, bundled, and stacked to create an enclosure. Inside plays Return to Sender – Delivery Details (2022), a documentary-style video about the lack of dignity felt when wearing – and other social and economic roles of – second-hand clothing in Nairobi, Kenya, where the collective is based. These three pieces, together, speak loudly about countries in the Global North literally shipping off problems to the Global South and the ramifications of such destructive practices.  Documenta fifteen: The Nest Collective, Return To Sender, 2022, installation view (detail), Karlswiese (Karlsaue), Kassel, June 14 2022. Photography: Nils Klinger Nest Collective’s installation is an outstanding example of the few aesthetic, static, and object-based works that exist in what is primarily a living, constantly evolving affair. Another notable work was Inland and Hito Steyerl’s collaborative immersive installation titled Animal Spirits and staged in the metaverse. However, due to the ongoing antisemitism scandal, which can be read about here (and has since prompted the resignation of Documenta’s director general Sabine Schormann), Steyerl requested her work to be removed. Elsewhere, Port-au-Prince-based group Atis Rezistans | Ghetto Biennial created site-specific sculptures and installations that turn St Kunigundis, an early-20th-century Roman Catholic Church into a site of reflection – on global class politics within the art world, Haitian histories and folklore, and the lumbung spirit of collaboration. Along with their accompanying programme of performances, screenings, and discussions, this intervention felt like a curated exhibition in and of itself.  Top and above: Documenta fifteen: Atis Rezistans | Ghetto Biennale, Studio Verve Architects, Vivian Chan, Martina Vanin, The Floating Ghetto, 2022, installation view, St. Kunigundis, Kassel, June 14, 2022. Photography Frank Sperling While certain projects, such as the Atis Rezistans | Ghetto Biennial presentation and those in the park, felt thoughtfully placed and well understood, other aspects of this edition of Documenta admittedly sounded better in theory than in practice. Back in the free marketplace at the Fridericianum, I couldn’t help but notice that those who sat for sketches before and after us did not engage with the artist nor the books she offered; rather, they chatted amongst themselves, waiting for their free portrait. Without even looking at what they were about to eat, let alone speak to the artist manning the stand, I watched people take a portion of soybean-flavoured sticky rice, put it in their mouth, make a face, and find the nearest napkin. It was a free market in which artists from the Global South laboured for a predominantly white, European audience and received, literally, nothing in return.  It’s significant that these collective practices have been given such autonomy and ample space in a place where they’ve hardly been represented or worked. But when cross-cultural exchange and collaboration is supposedly the point and no one is talking across the tables, such efforts risk being turned on their heads, thereby reinforcing problematic power structures. The 100-day festival indeed has a lively, encouraging spirit and invites viewers to reposition their perception of what art is and can be, but to do so, visitors must not only accept the invitation but also participate fully. From my perspective, understanding and engaging in lumbung requires visiting for far more than a weekend, conversing and lingering with no regard for time. § Documenta fifteen: Atis Rezistans | Ghetto Biennale, Studio Verve Architects, Vivian Chan, Martina Vanin, The Floating Ghetto, 2022, installation view, St. Kunigundis, Kassel, June 14, 2022. Photography Frank Sperling  
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Playing it cool: pearls are having a moment

Over the last decade, a host of contemporary jewellers, both new and established, have been drawn to the possibilities of a pearl, removing it from its traditional home in high jewellery and reinventing it for a new generation. Now, driven by undercurrents of sustainability and a mood for rebellion, these more affordable and playful pieces feel more timely than ever. Drilled or recycled, with every imperfection celebrated, today’s pearl jewellery captures the irreverent mood of a post-pandemic world. Suzanne Kalan Suzanne Kalan builds on last year’s pearl collection with new pieces in a joyous riot of colour. Perfectly round pearls teeter on bands of coloured gemstones, including vivid pink and blue sapphires, in a bold take on a classic trend. suzannekalan.com Sarah Madeleine Bru Sarah Madeleine Bru brings a background in furniture and ceramic design to her eponymous jewellery brand. Her new collection unites sustainably-sourced pearls with sensual curves of recycled gold in a very modern play on pearl earrings. sarahmadeleinebru.com Pearl Octopuss.y The Diamond Snake earrings from Oslo-based jewellery brand Pearl Octopuss.y at Koibird lace oversized acrylic pearls over silver plated squardelle beads for a fun, fashion jewellery take on the trend.  koibird.com Mara Paris Mara Paris celebrates the irregularity and offbeat beauty of pearls in the new Haven collection. The new pieces, which encompass an ear cuff, earrings and a ring, pair freshwater pearls with gold vermeil in a modern rethink of traditional styles. mara.paris Carolina Wong Carolina Wong utilises an intricate lace making technique in her Buoyant 20 collection, bringing a surprising fluidity to gold-filled metal wire. The oversized proportions of the blooming design bring a delicious sculptural sensibility to the uneven silhouette of the organic freshwater pearl at the ring’s heart. carolinawong.co.uk Mindi Mond New York Traditional cuts take centre stage in the dazzling Freshwater Diamond Claws from Mindi Mond New York. Freshwater pearls, when embraced by brilliant-cut diamonds and set in silver, are lent an Art Deco edge made modern by an asymmetrical silhouette and offbeat design cues. mindimondny.com Sandralexandra Sandra Alexandra crafts her pieces in her London studio, playing on a fascination with natural materials such as cultured pearls or lamp work glass for fun and relaxed forms. In the Froot Loop and Pearl necklace, glass beads made by Barcelona artisans are paired with freshwater pearls in a contemporary take on the trend. sandralexandra.com Pyrrha Sustainable jewellery brand Pyrrah combine freshwater pearls with talismans for contemporary pieces inspired by the Victorian period. The symbols, cast using wax seals, add a sentimentality to the warm luniscience of the pearls. pyrrha.com Deborah Blyth We love the traditional codes embedded in classic pearl earrings, but they take on a whole new meaning when intertwined with contemporary references. Deborah Blyth is adept at bringing a fluid sensuality to textured gold which appears to come to life in her hands - when paired with the gorgeously asymmetric silhouettes of white baroque pearls, tradition is wholly rethought. Pearl studs, worn oversized and cradled in gold, are the new classic for your collection. deborahblyth.com Rachel Quinn Rachel Quinn combines surrealist influences with playful motifs for jewellery joyful to wear. These Petite Stormy Day earrings tease hand-carved mother-of-pearl into clouds which rain white topaz, for adornments which will keep you smiling whatever the weather. objetdemotion.com Vermeer Studio Australia-based Vermeer Studio create simple, sustainable pieces from beautiful materials including smokey quartz, jade, lapis and orange calcite. In this simple pair of earrings, a freshwater pearl absorbs the warmth of a rich orb of tiger-eye - dangling from an elegant golden thread, they bring a sedutive earthiness to pearl’s natural milky light. vermeerstudio.com Hannah Martin Hannah Martin typically subverts traditional jewellery codes for an alternative take on fine jewellery - when translated to pearls, it brings an edge to their warm luminescence. Here, Tahitian black pearls are spiked with rose gold for earrings both delicate and disruptive. hannahmartinlondon.com Mikimoto Mikimoto’s M Code collection incorporates a more modern silhouette for pearl jewellery which is fresh and fun. The new additions to it string Akoya cultured pearls on to yellow or white gold chains for chic necklaces, bracelets and earrings which banish pearls’ occasionaly stuffy repuation once and for all.  mikimoto.co.uk Freya Rose   Freya Rose has been incorporating pearls into her shoe designs for the last decade, and has now launched a jewellery collection which utilises the same skilled techniques. The 19 pairs of earrings which make up the new collection include delicate seed pearls, mother-of-pearl and freshwater pearls in warm hues. These hand-carved mother-of-pearl rose gold hoop earrings are our pick for pearl jewellery which is both intricate and contemporary. freyarose.com Mondo Mondo Natasha Ghosn was inspired by a family collection of Mexican artefacts for jewellery which cuts playful silhouettes. Boldly coloured gems and imperfect forms may be her calling card, but here it is the pinky hues of dangling pearls which bring a warmth to a mischievious pair of earrings. mondo-mondo.com Mikimoto Comme des Garçons Comme des Garçons and Mikimoto have unveiled their second collection of subversive and elegant pearl jewellery. Collection Two is composed of seven styles from Rei Kawakubo, who has toughened up white Akoya Mikimoto pearls with sterling silver fangs, studs and safety pins. It is a reworking of last year’s pieces which married tradition, creativity and crafstmanship to breathe new life into a classic piece. mikimoto.co.uk comme-des-garcons.com Mariko Tsuchiyama at Objet d’Emotion Mariko Tsuchiyama crafts her contemporary fine jewellery by the sea in Brighton, England. Inspired by organic textures – shells, seeds, stems – Tsuchiyama celebrates the smooth tacility of pearls by keeping design elements to a minimum. Suspended on an 18 carat gold fine wire stem, the pink hues of this freshwater pearl are the star here. objetdemotion.com Wilfredo Rosado Wilfredo Rosado is fresh from the excitement of the inaugaration, which saw Kamala Harris sport his elegant pearl necklace. She has good taste – Rosado’s pearl designs add a chic edge to traditional pieces, such as in this pearl brooch which adds a mischevious touch to a classic. ‘For my Hello brooch, I wanted to design a luxe version of the traditional name tag sticker,’ he says. ‘There is an inherent cheekiness to it, considering my approach features exceptional, Australian South Sea Pearls, black and white diamonds and 18K white gold. The curvature of the pin adds an additional playful element.’ wrosado.com State Property State Property weave functionality into their design with the Anaphora choker, with each link acting as a clasp for perfect simplicity when putting it on. Interspersed on links of gold, the pearls bring a softness to a classic chain necklace. thisisstateproperty.com Anni Lu The new collection from Danish jewellery brand, Anni Lu, is just the thing needed to brighten dark January days. In Wave Dancer, golden detailing and clashing silhouettes add a fun irreverence to pearls. Here, mismatching beads make an effortless in to the trend which looks set to stay for 2021.  Nancy Newberg Nancy Newberg handcrafts her jewellery in Los Angeles, imbuing her pieces with surprising design ticks for a fresh and modern result. Here, the traditional rows of pearls form a perfectly imperfect rainbow of hues, all the warmer when juxtaposed against dark diamond rings.  Katkim Pearl earrings, when worn in new ways, leave their traditional fusty reputation far in the past. The Pearl Crescendo earring from Los Angeles-based fine jeweller Katkim is a chic example - designed to curve around the earlobe, a floating pearl studded with a diamond appears to rest on the jawline for a cool play on the trend.  Polite Worldwide ’’Pearls are such a delicate accessory, we wanted to be able to integrate them in a way that could be universal for males and females, dressed up or dressed casually, and made to last,’ say the duo behind LA-based Polite Worldwide, designer Christian Azzinaro and entrepreneur Tavia Azzinaro. The pair combined their fashion experience and drive for socially responsible business to launch their ready-to-wear, accessories and jewellery brand with the circular economy at its core. ’We are inspired by the opulence of nature, the treasures that the natural world represents, the meaning of the pearl offering protection and positivity to its wearer,’ they say, sourcing their pearls in small quantities from ethical, traceable sources to create chokers, wallet chains and charm brackets. ’Our pearls are hand-knotted as traditional pearls are assembled in Japan, preserving this technique to bring in the quality in craftsmanship and styling.’’ Tilly Macalister-Smith Jessie Thomas London-based jeweller and goldsmith Jessie Thomas brings out the rosy warmth of pearls by marrying them with textured gold and opulent gems. Here, five round pearls nestle in contempary golden links, for a precious update on the classic chain. Maviada Maviada breathe new life into mother-of-pearl with these diamond drop earrings which can be worn three ways. The diamond hoops can be fully removed for a more understated aesthetic, and the slices of mother-of-pearl flipped – on one side, milky white pearl, and on the other deeper hues of brown and cream. Sophie Bille Brahe Sophie Bille Brahe’s capsule collection for Net-a-Porter is inspired by modernist Dutch painter Piet Mondarin, the gentle rosy hues and edged silhouettes he favoured reflected here in square freshwater baroque pearls. The collection is composed of five pairs of earrings and one pendant, from long statement pieces to elegant drop-shaped pearl dangles. The irregularities inherent in baroque pearls become a chic statement in their own right, celebrated in hues of white and palest pink. sophiebillebrahe.com Anita Berisha Anita Berisha’s pearl jewellery may use classic symbols as a starting point - she has referenced flowers, simple shapes and bold architectural lines in the past - but by adding surprising elements into the mix her pieces are anything but outdated. Whether paired with glass stones or resembling globular bunches of grapes, jewellery is always firmly playful. The historical inspiration behind these Victorian Pearl Earrings is clear, but their chic mismatch and a pop of colour ensure they are wholly modern. Pacharee Thai-Swiss designer Pacharee-Sophie Rogers works mainly with baroque and keshi pearls, framing their raw edges in plated gold for accessible and easy-to-wear results. This pair plays with birch-shaped pearls, celebrating their curved silhouettes and tapping into the hoops trend with sculpted gold.  pacharee.com Motley Motley’s collaboration with jeweller Frances Wadsworth Jones quite literally skewers traditional concepts of fine pearl jewellery by taking a drill to sustainably sourced freshwater pearls. Silver or gold vermeil screws appear to go straight through the pearls, all high quality but with minor irregularities. ‘The screws are a clever optical illusion,’ Motley explains. ‘The pearls are drilled string pearls – each part of the screw is made and cast in bits and then the piece is assembled with the pearl at the centre. Interestingly, the challenge was more the precision of the screw itself – getting the ridges to be sharp, consistent and clean on a bend took our makers a few attempts.’ The rebellious nature of the pieces speaks to the times: ‘Amidst a world pandemic, climate change, leaders we cannot trust and so many ‘givens’ that serve only a few, we need as much rebellion as possible, even from a pair of earrings,’ adds Jones. ‘Taking something classically conservative and feminine like a pearl and combining it with a piece of hardware is a way of playfully challenging those gender stereotypes and reflecting more complexity. I love creating narrative in my designs and to screw through a pearl seemed like a suitably irreverent gesture for right now.’ motley-london.com Olivia & Pearl By putting an emphasis on using cultivated pearls only – pearls in which man has intervened in the process by implanting the original pearl nucleus in the mollusc, rather than leaving it to chance – British jewellery brand Olivia & Pearl are able to offer pearl jewellery which is both modern and affordable. The new Keshi collection celebrates the irregularity and imperfections of individual pearls, looping asymmetrical silhouettes together into necklaces, or pairing larger uneven pieces as earrings. In subtle undertones of pink and blue, the final results shimmer in an irregular rainbow. oliviaandpearl.com Presley Oldham Artist Presley Oldham sources his freshwater pearls from Los Angeles and New York’s flea markets, and in a purposeful move against fast fashion, creates new pieces from the old. ‘I embrace their natural irregularities in the pearl,’ says Oldham. ‘I’ve had to let go of any ideas of perfection, and have learned to work with my materials and not force anything. Each pearl is a little different from the next and these variations heavily influence the design and have their own beauty.’ During the pandemic, Oldham has focused on sourcing all materials more locally: ‘All of the 925 sterling silver wire I use is made and sourced in Albuquerque, and most of the pearls are from small shops in Santa Fe or ones I had leftover from my first collection. I try to work in tandem with my environment, and then let the materials inspire me to create from there.’ The results are charmingly off-kilter, adding a raw edge to the historically filtered beauty of pearls. presleyoldham.com §
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Lavender and Truffles: plant-based ice cream with Asian-inspired flavours

Entrepreneur Alicia Liu started her career in fashion, working at the likes of Prada Group and Dolce & Gabbana, and eventually spending seven years as vice president of fashion and e-commerce at New York City retail institution Century 21. But in 2019, she decided to chase her lifelong dream, relocating to Los Angeles in pursuit of a career in the culinary industry. The Covid-19 lockdown came shortly after her move, giving her plenty of time to figure out her passion play. She would go on to revolutionise organic plant-based ice cream with a collection of Asian-inspired flavours that surprise and delight, all hand-packed into exquisite packaging that she designed herself. ‘First, I had to learn how to make ice cream, then the science behind it. Where I landed was a product closer to gelato, with about half the fat of ice cream, and even less when I turned to plant-based ingredients,’ said Liu. Pots of Lavender and Truffles non-dairy Ice Cream There were some interesting experiments along the way, from Beet Cayenne to White Pepper – a culinary staple in her ancestral home of Taiwan – to Garam Masala, derived from a family spice recipe given to her by a friend. Liu clearly covered a lot of ground before landing on the  eight flavours available at launch: Black Tahini; Dalgona Coffee; Ginger Turmeric; Lychee Rose; Matcha Stracciatella; Mint Strawberry; Salted Chocolate; and Vanilla Classic. It’s an elegant and innovative collection of products that Liu makes by hand in her own commercial kitchen, a labour of love that has quickly become difficult to keep up with. Her ice cream is flying off the shelves at her first retail outlet, Erewhon Market – Southern California’s chain of upscale vegan grocery stores – where Black Tahini is the top seller. The ground sesame gives it a rich, nutty flavour and an earthy balance to the sweetness. The second most popular ice cream, Dolgana Coffee, uses freeze dried coffee whipped into a creamy consistency together with cacao nibs, which have a stronger, more solid presence than chocolate chips, creating a delicious, contrasting mouth feel that adds to the experience. Matcha Stracciatella dairy-free Ice Cream These flavours also lead in on-line sales, shipping in dry-ice directly to customers across the continental United States. With ambitious plans to expand in both retail and online channels, Liu is already looking to increase production, but remains committed to handmade product with only all-organic, plant-based ingredients. But even with her early success and limited personal bandwidth, Liu can’t stop experimenting. This February she collaborated with Opening Ceremony founder Humberto Leon on an exclusive flavour for his Los Angeles restaurant Chifa, an Almond Jelly ice cream to celebrate Lunar New Year. There are more collabs to come, and no doubt more good things for the Lavender and Truffles brand and Alicia Liu – an inspiring story and a reminder to pursue one’s dreams. §
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No time for waste: Oris’ collaboration with a leather manufacturer recycles deer skins

Deer skins are given a new lease of life by Zurich-based leather manufacturer Cervo Volante, who have partnered with Swiss mechanical watch brand Oris on straps for the Big Crown Pointer Date timepieces. Cervo Volante’s founders, biotechnology engineer Kadri Vunder Fontana and biologist Conny Thiel-Egenter, were keen to find a use for the natural by-products of the 15,000 wild red deer annually culled in Switzerland, part of a legal and regulated process to manage its deer population and protect the Swiss countryside. In the past, most of these skins have been wasted; the company now transforms them into leather products that do not involve animal breeding or factory farming. The watch straps for Oris are vegetable-tanned by Switzerland’s two remaining tanneries, and celebrate natural imperfections rather than pursuing flawless finishes. ‘Leather from wild red deer is not a mass product, and every leather is unique and tells its own story,’ says Thiel-Egenter. ‘Scratches, scrapes, stitches and bumps in the leather give our products this exciting imperfection. It’s also one of the most sustainable leathers on the market: there’s no animal breeding, no factory farming, no climate impact, and no over-fertilisation of meadows. All our leather is 100 per cent vegetable tanned by the two last remaining tanneries in Switzerland, without chrome and without synthetic pre- tanning agents. And if we didn’t use these skins, they’d be burned – a terrible waste.’ ‘Cervo Volante refines hunting waste from red deer and transforms it into beautiful, long-lasting and ecological shoes and accessories,’ Fontana adds. ‘Our vision is inspired by our love of nature and wanting our children to be able to experience nature as we do. We want to inspire our customers to approach luxury with an appetite for sustainability, and to become role models for the fashion industry, encouraging them to see waste from other industries as raw material, and to take responsibility for the value chain from beginning to end, as if it were their own backyard.’ Three watches in new colours, each with a gradient dial inspired by Alpine landscapes, mark the beginning of what promises to be a long-term partnership. §
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A multi-functional event space by Wutopia Lab celebrates daily life in the city

Designed as a showcase for Vanke Cloud Valley (a mixed use scheme currently under construction nearby) for developer Xuzhou Vanke, this sculptural structure is an exhibition, meeting and multi-functional event space called A Living Theatre Mount and was created by Shanghai based architecture studio Wutopia Lab. Located in Xuzhou City and spanning over 1000 sq m, the building was conceived to celebrate daily life in the city, its architects explain.  ‘When I received the call inviting me to design, I was in the mountains on a land grant,’ recalls Wutopia Lab’s chief architect Yu Ting. ‘The project’s plot was on the border between the old and new city in the northwest of the province of Jiangsu. The client hoped that we could create a different kind of demonstration centre for them on the city junction near the Vanke building site. We wanted to create a set of stages with ordinary people as the main characters. The performance is about their own life in all aspects. The client said yes.’ Composed as a stack of white boxes, the structure features open and closed volumes, some opaque, some transparent, some covered in white plaster, and some wrapped in perforated aluminium sheets that lend a sense of lightness to the whole. The design’s overall perimeter and shape were dictated largely by local building regulations, which stipulated buildings do not exceed three levels above ground. The stepped ‘mountain’ look ensures the building makes the most of its allowed buildable space, while creating an interesting facade.  Inside, the structure contains areas for an audio-visual hall, office, model room, tearoom, meeting spaces, VIP reception, indoor garden and a couple of multi-functional spaces.  ‘It’s like a mountain, and it’s like a cloud,’ the architects say, and continue: ‘After accepting the proposal, the client said that the design reminded people of the cloud of data. As such, the prototype also reflects the city’s positioning as a "City of High Technology". The design is communicative through multiple interpretations. [It is] everyday and monumental, a "mountain of ideal life" for ordinary people who celebrate the present as well as every day of the future.’ §
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Revisit Celine Homme S/S 2023 in this Hedi Slimane-directed short film

Released today, a new short film by Hedi Slimane revisits the designer’s S/S 2023 Celine Homme collection, held this past June at Palais de Tokyo in Paris. Titled ‘Dysfunctional Bauhaus’, the much-anticipated show marked Slimane’s return to the physical runway and closed out men’s fashion month for the season.  The location, first constructed in 1937 for the Paris International Exhibition, was one of particular resonance for Slimane. 20 years prior, while the space was still being transformed into the contemporary art gallery it is today, the French designer showed his A/W 2002 collection for Dior Homme among the unfinished space (Slimane was the house’s menswear creative director at the time; attendees, including the late Karl Lagerfeld and Pierre Bergé, watched on in rooms mid-construction). As such, Slimane’s return last month also coincided with 20 years of the Palais de Toyko, which was completed not long afterwards. ‘Hedi always had a fascination for its art deco monumental architecture,’ read the collection’s accompanying notes. ‘Hedi wanted to pay tribute to the institution and remember this moment in his menswear reform.’ Celine Homme S/S 2023 campaign. Photography by Hedi Slimane The short film provides an alternative look at the S/S 2023 menswear show, which took place in one of the wings which run alongside the gallery’s main forecourt. On the evening, a large crowd had gathered outside the venue, hoping to catch a glimpse of some of the show’s many high-profile attendees – notably Lisa from South Korean pop group Blackpink (who has previously starred one of Slimane’s collection films) and fellow K-pop star V of BTS, who were joined by actors Eddie Redmayne, Park B-gum and Thomas Brodie Sangster at the show. In flickering black and white footage, Slimane captures the frenzied reaction to each star’s arrival, the crowd’s screams interspersed with the short’s soundtrack by upcoming New York band Gustaf (the same original composition which accompanied the show itself). Other footage captures the show’s golden set, designed by Slimane himself and reminiscent of a blown-up Alexander Calder sculpture, as well as the S/S 2023 Celine Homme collection both on the runway and in a series of moving portraits of the various models. ‘An unrelenting aesthetic vision that is defined by the fusion of the high-luxury of the Celine atelier and a rebellious, rock and roll sensibility,’ we said of the collection at the time. ‘A defiant return to Slimane’s roots… [riffing] on his house signatures while opening up new pathways of vision’.  Watch the S/S 2023 menswear film below. §  
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Robert McKinley’s furniture and lighting collection is inspired by Italian craft

The interior designer Robert McKinley has certainly had a hand in defining the look of contemporary New York. Well known for his playfully creative approach to hotel, restaurant and residential clients, including multiple Sant Ambroeus locations, Hotel Kinsley in Kingston, The Surf Lodge and his own McKinley Bungalows in Montauk, McKinley’s flair for creating stylish and welcoming interiors is now being translated into the designer’s first product collection, which spans both furniture and lighting. Inspired by his maternal Italian heritage, McKinley’s debut collection has been named Monea, in tribute to his mother’s family name. This ode to Italy is not just personal, it also nods to where the designer first became acquainted with quality materials, Italian craftsmanship and understated elegance.   ‘Building Blocks’ linen sofa with ‘Sphere of Influence’ coffee table in marble and wood ‘My Italian heritage has always been a distinct part of my identity and inspiration for my work. When designing this collection, I wanted to work with the incredible age-old techniques that I discovered in Europe, while also ensuring that the product felt comfortable and liveable,’ he says. ‘I’ve used custom designed furniture and lighting pieces. When I started getting recognition from clients and their customers, it made me think about designing a full collection. Monea is deeply personal for me, and is meant to be timeless while also representing my distinct taste.’ Spanning three categories, each design exemplifies McKinley’s charismatic mix of past and present. For seating, the ‘Building Blocks’ linen sofa cuts a classic figure while featuring clips and straps that allow it to be assembled in different shapes and sizes. The ‘Etna’ sofa, in contrast, takes a more minimalist, geometrically-lead form, with cushions in a variety of shapes that stack on top of each other without sacrificing its clean lines. Three coffee tables, each pairing statuesque slabs of marble with either a wooden or lacquered brass base, offer a point of difference with their refined, yet unadulterated silhouette.   ‘Marella’ lamp, combining Murano glass with handmade rattan The lighting pieces may be the most exciting. Featuring hand-blown Murano glass elements and handmade rattan, the ‘Marella’ offers a casual elegance with handcrafted credo behind it. Similarly, the ‘Camino’ table lamps reference Venetian chimney tops while uniquely pairing Italian linen, reclaimed wood from Venetian boat docks and cast bronze finials made by McKinley. The range is completed by the ‘Ingrid’ ceiling fixture, a classic shape that has been elevated with the unusual use of textured Murano glass alongside caning. The materiality and the craftsmanship is what characterizes this collection best. ‘I am using ancient art techniques that would otherwise have been completely lost if it wasn’t for a few artisans who had passed down these skills through generations,’ says McKinley ‘The bamboo caning technique that we’ve used in some of the lighting dates to World War II, and is only perfected by a few artisans across the globe, which made it so special and intriguing for me. Each piece from Monea is meant to be unique and individual, standing out in a room but serving a functional purpose in the home.’  § ‘Etna’ sofa ‘Camino II’ lamp ‘Ingrid’ lamp on the wall Detail of ‘Mitre’ coffee table
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At home with Manolo Blahnik

The most lauded shoe designer of our time, Manolo Blahnik is as much beloved in the rarefied circles of high fashion as he is a household name. He is also in the pantheon of legendary figures who need only their forename for recognition; colloquially, his exquisitely crafted shoes are known simply as ‘Manolos’. And, such is his staying power that this year marks 50 years of his eponymous label – down to both an innate understanding of changing sartorial desires and a singular, uncompromising vision, which always returns to an aesthete’s search for beauty.  Born on the Canary Islands in 1942, where as a child he would famously craft miniature shoes for local reptiles (a 2017 film was aptly titled Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards), it was not until 1969 – after a chance meeting with American Vogue editor Diana Vreeland – that he returned to this childhood fixation and the medium which would define his career. Blahnik was introduced to Vreeland by friend Paloma Picasso while he was studying art and set design in Paris; Vreeland, on a glimpse of Blahnik’s sketches for an upcoming production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, was particularly taken with the cherry and ivy-covered heels he had drawn for the character of Hippolyta. ‘Young man, stick to the extremities and make shoes,’ she declared. He obeyed; from then on, Blahnik would describe his life as a feted shoemaker as an ‘accident’.  At home with Manolo Blahnik Manolo Blahnik at home. Courtesy of Manolo Blahnik Alongside the Canary Islands – where the designer still lives – London became a second home, Blahnik founding his first store on Old Church Street, Chelsea, in 1970 (something of an Anglophile, he admits that bread and butter pudding remains his favourite dish, particularly the one served at Wiltons restaurant on London’s Jermyn Street). Holding court at the store, he would entertain many of the women who would go on to be lifelong devotees – from Bianca Jagger to Anna Wintour, the latter still rarely seen without a pair of his shoes on her feet. Through the 1980s, he designed shoes for the runway – Isaac Mizrahi, Oscar de la Renta and Calvin Klein among his clients – continuing this dynamic spirit of collaboration into our current century, uniting with musician Rihanna on a series of collections beginning in 2016, as well as rebellious then-Paris-based label Vetements on a memorable (and much re-posted) pair of waist-high satin boots for its S/S 2017 collection. Most recently, he collaborated with Birkenstock, beloved by the designer and purportedly the only shoes he wears himself at home.  Speaking to Wallpaper* from the Canary Islands – landline at times blurry from damage caused by a recent volcanic eruption – Blahnik speaks with an effervescent train of thought that shifts between past and present. One anecdote runs into another, the original question often lost in the excitement of recounting something new (it makes the title of a survey of his work, Fleeting Gestures and Obsessions, feel entirely apt). It is not unlike his own approach to design, where a season might be almost entirely sketched out before being discarded in the pursuit of the absolute perfection that has long defined Manolo Blahnik the label.  Here, as part of our ‘At home with’ interview series, Blahnik shares a glimpse into his creative process, accompanied by original sketches of his Autumn 2022 collection – arriving in the coming months.  Wallpaper*: Where are you at the moment?  Manolo Blahnik: I’m in a wonderful place with palm trees [on the Canary Islands], which was my grandmother’s house – I was born there. So that’s where I am now. I can see the mountains and the sea. What else could you want? W*: Where do you call home?  MB: This is where I was born, and grew up, and I love it. I have another home up in the mountains, which I like very much because it’s totally mine. I’ve repaired these 18th-century shepherd’s homes, and I’ve done the gardens [and] planted a lot of trees. So these are the two places I call home.  Manolo Blahnik Autumn 2022. Illustration by Manolo Blahnik W*: Do you have neighbours?  MB: No, I don’t have neighbours – thank god! I can scream as much as I want. W*: Where or when are you most productive?  MB: At night – no phones, no people trying to bother me. I read and I create at night. Sometimes I watch a film until late. Nighttime is my moment.  W*: What are you working on at the moment?  MB: I work in advance – I change the original idea 100 million times for a collection. Then I choose things [I like], and also other people choose for me, unfortunately. That’s just the way it works nowadays. But I’m working now, and it’s going well actually – if I stay with this idea! Manolo Blahnik at home. Courtesy of Manolo Blahnik W*: Is there a place that you go for inspiration?  MB: I go up to the mountains, and see the wonderful sea. This summer, though, it has been rain, rain, rain. Usually, June is wonderful here. Today it’s cold – I’m wearing my jumper right now, it’s not good. But that’s where I would go, up to the mountains, if I needed inspiration.  W*: Where is your favourite place in the world to visit?  MB: I adore Basque [in north-west Spain]; I have a house there, and I work very well when I’m there. It’s very quiet. I think in another life I might have been Georgian, so possibly that’s a reason why I love it. I also love Ronda, in the south of Spain, which is where my mother’s family is from. I like so many places [around the world], but these are my two favourites at the moment. W*: If Wallpaper* was to come for dinner, what would you serve? Is there a dish you cook?  MB: It would be a disaster! I don’t cook at all. I used to do a fruitcake, things like that, but I don’t anymore. Maybe my housekeeper – who is not very good either – could do something English. She does quite a good steak and kidney pie.  Manolo Blahnik Autumn 2022. Illustration by Manolo Blahnik W*: What are you reading at the moment? MB: Henry James. Oh my god, but how wonderful is Henry James? Have you ever read Travels with Henry James? It’s from the end of the 19th century, but it’s so captivating – almost like you are under a spell. All of his books are wonderful, but this is the most incredible and sharp – it’s divine. I wish I was around at that time; the last two years have been so disappointing for anybody who loves travel, and beauty. But Henry James – you must read this book immediately! I also love Colm Tóibín – he’s an incredible writer. The Magician is all about the family of Thomas Mann. It’s almost like a biography. I’ve been reading like crazy these days – I’ve also gone back to read Thomas Mann’s Confessions of Felix Krull, which is about this poor boy whose father was a Champagne maker in the Rhine. It is complicated to explain, but it is wonderful. I’ve been reading every book by Thomas Mann, apart from The Magic Mountain, which is a bore. Though I wouldn’t mind being sick in a wonderful sanatorium like that [laughs].  Finally, I’ve been reading James Baldwin’s short stories, including Sonny’s Blues, about a jazz musician struggling to survive. Everybody’s read Giovanni’s Room, but these are something different. I love that period. American writers nowadays don’t interest me – the last interesting one was Tom Wolfe.  W*: Do you read more than one book at once?  MB: I’ll pick up one book, and then I just go into another room and read another. Some books I read in seconds. Last night, I was reading and talking to my dogs. With my dogs, I don’t need anything else. When you have dogs, and books, and wonderful images, and you travel, you don’t need anything else.  Manolo Blahnik at home. Courtesy of Manolo Blahnik W*: Do you have an indulgence?  MB: Oh gosh, it used to be sweets. But I’ve had to stop. I used to have three boxes of Elvas Plums from Fortnum & Mason each Christmas time. This year – none. I don’t have many of my indulgences now, but I do have dreams sometimes. I’m burdened by dreams of puddings! Pudding and Wiltons [restaurant, London]. I haven’t been to Wiltons for over two and a half years. Dreams of bread and butter pudding from Wiltons – can you imagine? England is the only place in the world that does bread and butter pudding properly. I’m going to go straight to Wiltons when we get out of this mess.  W*: How have you found life over the pandemic?  MB: The pandemic times have been in a way absolutely wonderful, because you can do the things that you want to do, and you don’t have the pressures here and there. But I’m starting to enjoy talking to people again – if they understand what I’m talking about because I talk so fast! W*: Is there anything particularly inspiring to you right now?  MB: Frankly, there are too many things. When you have too many ideas you have to really do a selection and edit yourself. At the moment I’m thinking about southern Spain, the architecture and churches from Cádiz, which is very different to anywhere else. But maybe it will all change, but that’s what I’m thinking about right now.  Manolo Blahnik Autumn 2022. Illustration by Manolo Blahnik W*: What are some of your favourite shoes from the Autumn 2022 collection?  There is one with a buckle, the Arre – that is my most loved shoe. It is kind of fetishistic. You see that type of shoe a lot in French cinema, like Louis Malle, Le Feu Follet. You used to see that shoe in so many films, but I hadn’t seen it for a while. They were black, and shiny, and had a buckle – not as big as mine. I tried to remind myself of them. There is also a boot I enjoy, it’s called the Gurzuf, it has decorations inspired by Prussian [livery], but also Art Nouveau windows. There are the tartan shoes, too – tartan is one of my old things which I tried to recover. The thought of Grace Coddington, Linda Evangelista, and all of these Scottish girls that I love. I wanted to get that feeling again – I don’t know if I achieved it, but I love it.  W*: If you weren’t a designer, what would you be doing?  MB: I’d be a stonemason. But now it’s too late. I’d love to do things with stone, or marble, or anything. That’s what I regret – not being a stonemason, or sculptor, whatever you call it. W*: What advice would you give someone from a younger generation?  MB: The only thing you need is passion – a complete passion for what you do, or what you are trying to do. § Manolo Blahnik Autumn 2022. Illustrations by Manolo Blahnik  
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Tequila’s reputational makeover is driven by design

Gone are the days when an order of tequila meant the night was about to take a different (potentially debaucherous) turn. A new breed of tequila and mezcal brands are investing in sleek packaging and quality agave, transforming the liquors’ reputation from the drink of the decadent to the drink of the debonaire. Savour, don’t shot, what they have to offer here.  Mijenta Reposado Mijenta Reposado is a small batch tequila brand with a sustainable mindset. By working with Climate Partner, Mijenta has managed to run a completely carbon neutral operation since 2021 with every aspect of its highly aromatic tequila produced within within the Altos Planos Collective in Mexico.  Available in two varieties, Mijenta Blanco tequila is characterised by warm notes of vanilla and caramel, alongside bright hints of peach, melon, and pineapple that make it perfect for cocktails, while the richer Mijenta Reposado tequila is best served neat.  shopmijenta.com Agua Mágica Agua Mágica mezcal is made from agave farmed in San Juan del Río, a mythical village said to be blessed by the gods with its fertile land.  The agave is made in partnership with a local farm run by a father and son team, who use traditional methods- cooking the agave with banana leaves, using a stone tahona to mash the piñas, and fermentating with water from the river- to create an agave with a stronger sugar concentration and richer depth of flavor. aguamagica.com VIVIR Lovers of espresso martinis will be smitten with the latest release from VIVIR Tequila. The VIVIR Café VS is made using the brand’s signature Tequila Blanco and is flavoured with coffee beans sourced from the distillery in Jalisco, Mexico. The result is a liquor that blends the richness of coffee with the kick of tequila for an eye-opening drinking experience. vivirtequila.com Tepozan All of Tepozan’s tequilas are hand-crafted, estate-grown, and made in small batches to create a remarkably smooth and easy to sip liquor.  The brand offers three different flavours: Blanco, a straight from the field blend best suited to those who prefer a clean agave taste; Reposado, a honeyed tequila that has been aged in bourbon barrels and finished with pineapple sage; and an even richer Anejo blend, which has been aged in bourbon barrels for 14 months and toped off with notes of butterscotch and  pepper.  tequilatepozan.com Maestro Dobel    Luxury tequila brand Maestro Dobel has just elevate their premium tequila blend to a new level with their new ultra-premium Dobel 50 tequila. This Extra Añejo tequila is matured casks selected from the private cellar of eleventh generation Master Blender, Juan Domingo Beckmann Legorreta. The result is a complex and warm tequila that finishes off with an intense flavour.  maestrodobel.com OAX Original mezcal Photography by Neil Godwin at Future Studios for Wallpaper*; Interiors by Olly Mason; Styling by Melina Keays. As originally featured in the June 2021 issue of Wallpaper*, available to download OAX’s sculptural mezcal bottles are sure to be the standouts of any drinks table. The ceramic bottles are designed by Brooklyn-based Bardo Industries, who were inspired by monolithic architecture of pre-Hispanic Mexico and the Modernist style of later innovators like Luis Barragán. The mezcal itself is made from  wild, single-origin foraged agave ranging from 12 to 25-years-old. All of the mezcal’s three flavours, Arroqueño (woody with hints of sweet coffee), Tobalá (with floral and herbal hints), and Tepeztate (an intense, smoky citrus) are created in limited quantities of about 900 bottles each. oaxoriginal.com Solento tequila Solento is a new tequila designed to sipped and savoured, rather than mixed or taken as a shot. The brand offers three distinct flavours: Solento Añejo, with rich maple and toasted hazelnut undertones, Solento Reposado, with sweet caramel and ginger, and Solento Blanco, a light vanilla and lemon blossom flavor. The bottle’s elegant design is inspired by men’s cologne bottles and features curved ribbed glass meant to refract rays of the sun. Even better, the glass is 100 per cent recycled and labelled using FSC certified recycled paper with 100 per cent recycled cardboard for shipping. solentotequila.com Volcan de mi Tierra tequila A volcano named Tequila erupted in the Jalisco region of Mexico 200,000 years ago, creating the ideal conditions for the growth of blue agave. For its first foray into tequila, luxury liquor distributor Clos19 is returning to the origins of agave and harvesting the plant that still grows at the base of Tequila Volcano. The result is Volcan de mi Tierra tequila, a unique blend of the liquor that contains herbal, citrus, spicy and floral notes for a one-of-a-kind taste. Unlike many other brands which use industrial factor methods, Volcan de mi Tierra’s small Mexico-Based team use traditional extraction methods to get an unrivalled quality of tequila.  clos19.com
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AI generated texture wallpapers for iPhone

Enjoy our first set of AI generated, iPhone wallpapers with textured designs!
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Torus House floats over Chiba prefecture’s natural landscape

Its challenging, steeply angled plot helped define the identity of this new Japanese house in Chiba prefecture. Torus House, designed by Tomi City, Nagano-based Noriaki Hanaoka Architecture, is perched boldly on its hillside site, gazing towards north-facing views of buildings and nature, and the sea beyond. Made largely out of concrete, the house feels sturdy and solid, yet sits lightly on the slope, wrapped in swathes of glazing and glistening in the summer sun.  Dramatic on the inside, as it is on the outside, Torus House is composed internally of one, big flowing space. This open plan arrangement contains living, kitchen, dining and bedroom areas. The openness and the lightness rendered from the glass walls and expansive views, combined with the plot’s incline, make the interior feel like it’s floating above the landscape. At the same time, the strong concrete pillars, braces and slabs anchor it firmly to the ground.  Underneath this piano nobile, as the house is lifted above ground to negotiate the slope, an in between space emerges - sheltered yet open air. Meanwhile, a central void cut through the building’s volume, connects the different levels and ensures light enters every corner of the space inside, aided by sliding doors which provide some privacy if needed but ensure the whole feels like one single room.  ‘As opposed to, as is frequently expected, placing ‘man’ or ‘machine’ at the core of architectural design, we are placing a hole that allows ‘nature’ to permeate the heart of the home. A hole invites wind, rain, and direct sunlight from top to the base of the building. This way, it breathes together with its environment,’ says studio director, architect Noriaki Hanaoka. ‘[Additionally, the] hole in the centre of the space is covered by perforated steel plates to create a sense of continuity between inside and outside, acting like a floating inner garden. The house coexists with infinite nature.’ §
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Bold block colours give Longines’ classic watch lines a summery boost

Longines is imbuing two of its most popular models with a bright shot of colour in a vivid reimagining of classic watch design codes. Models in five different hues make summery new additions to the Longines DolceVita and La Grande Classique de Longines lines in a celebration of bold block colour. For Longines CEO Matthias Breschan, the time was right to grow the core collections. ‘La Grande Classique de Longines and the Longines DolceVita watch lines represent two important parts in Longines’ heritage. With the five new monochromatic models in each collection, Longines will add spice, vitality and, of course, attitude to wrists – and wardrobes – all over the world.’ The watches – in green, red, black, orange and blue – stay faithful to the neat dimensions of the original, with the distinctive geometry of the cases also remaining. Here, the rectangular silhouettes of the Longines DolceVita, measuring 23mm x 37mm, are enhanced with a colourful rhodium-plated rim. A diamond-studded bezel makes a glittering foil for the lacquered dials of the La Grande Classique de Longines models, elegantly proportioned at 29mm. ‘The La Grande Classique de Longines and the Longines DolceVita watch lines are bestsellers,’ Breschan adds. ‘They’re timeless, traditional and elegant for both women and men. These new monochromatic Longines watches enhance the classic elegance of the line – they are stylish and fresh. Each colour is a statement – my favourite changes depending on the season.’ §  
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London’s most refreshing summer cocktail destinations

London’s hottest summer calls for a drink. To help you get some relief from the sweltering heat, we share the city’s best summer cocktail destinations and our recommendations on the best their menus have to offer. Summer cocktail destinations in London The Kola 75 at Booking Office 1869 Booking Office 1869 has crafted a refreshing summer cocktail inspired by the flavours of Coke-a-Cola. The Kola 75 is a reinvention of a classic French 75 that combines champagne with lime-infused gin, champagne cordial, Palette (a ginger and clove non-alcoholic spirit) and sparkling cola bitters, and is finished off with a dollop of falernum foam. It is a grown-up take on traditional soda that can be enjoyed inside the Booking Office’s Wallpaper* Design Award-winning interiors or its newly opened outdoor terrace.   booking-office.com  The Clavé at Claridge’s The Clavé from The Painter’s Room at Claridge’s is a fresh, light-tasting cocktail that packs a kick. Melon vodka is paired with the French spirits Amontillado and Marc de Bourgogne and served with a single, hand-cut chunk of ice. Sit back and enjoy while you take in the space’s art deco interiors and wall murals by British artist Annie Morris.  claridges.com The Blossom at The Dorchester London’s grande dame hotel, The Dorchester, has just launched a cocktail menu that is as exuberantly decadent as its famous interiors. Our favourite from the list is The Blossom, a floral drink of Courvoisier VSOP, St Germain elderflower liqueur, Lillet Blanc, bergamot honey, lemon, and absinthe spray. Described as ‘joie de vivre’ in a glass, it is certainly delicious, and potent enough to bloom new life into anyone. Enjoy it on The Dorchester rooftop with the restaurant’s Mediterranean snacks, like cantaloupe melon stuffed with prosciutto or humous foam with tapioca crisps and lemon.  dorchestercollection.com The Bellini at Harry’s Bar It wouldn’t be a summer cocktail round-up without a Bellini, and where better to get one than Harry’s Bar, the London outlet of the Bellini’s Cipriani birthplace. The original Bellini was created in Venice in 1948 by Giuseppe Cipriani as a blend of champagne, white peach nectar and a dash of raspberry purée. The cocktail’s shade of pink reminded Cipriani of the colour of a saint’s Roman toga in a painting by Giovanni Bellini (hence the name) and its zingy, fruity flavour was certainly a renaissance in the world of aperitifs. Harry’s Bar’s take on the classic drink mixes white peaches, lemon juice, and prosecco for an ultra-refreshing summertime nectar.  harrys-bar.com The Chrome Yellow at Fitz’s Fitz’s, the luxurious drinking den at the Grade-II listed Kimpton Fitzroy Hotel, has just debuted a unique drinking experience inspired by colour psychology. ’The Theory of Colour’ is a menu of 14 cocktails that explores how colours impact our emotions and sense of taste, with warm colours like red, yellow and orange evoking stronger emotions such as love and happiness, and cool colours like blue, green and purple linked to calmness and serenity.  For those in the full swing of summertime joy, we recommend the Chrome Yellow cocktail, which mixes clarified banana, Mount Gay Xo Rum, Rémy Martin 1738 Cognac, pimento bitter, and passion fruit float. Or go all-out with the Bodice Ripper, an explosive blend of Brugal 1888 Rum, passion fruit, kumquat liqueur, tomato wine, and pomegranate.  fitzs.com The Margarita at Rita’s  What better way to celebrate the summer than a really good margarita? One of London’s best can be found at Soho restaurant Rita’s. Specially mixed by the restaurant’s founder Missy Flynn, this pink interpretation of the summertime classic blends Tapatio Blanco tequila with lime juice, Campari, Hackney-made Victory Bitter, agave syrup and blood orange.  ritasdining.com §
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Lungiswa Gqunta’s dreamscapes address tangled colonial legacies at Henry Moore Institute

The ‘dreamscapes’ of South African artist Lungiswa Gqunta take over three rooms of the Henry Moore Institute in Leeds, for her UK solo exhibition ‘Sleep in Witness’, and incite conversations about knowledge systems, spirituality and collective experiences in a society impacted by colonial legacies. Gqunta appears enlightened by dreams, she records them as a spiritual practice and connects with them to envision her work (the team around her were left to trust the artist’s intuition while she created the exhibition’s landscapes, following her intuition to mould a clay floor and hang tangled ‘waves’ from the ceiling). It is through dreams, and conversations with mothers in her family and with friends, that the artist gains an understanding of her experiences as a Black woman, establishing a platform for a form of knowledge that isn’t commonly accepted in western academia. Curator Laurence Sillars explains that ‘systems of apartheid have discredited so many different ways of knowing and of passing on knowledge’. Gqunta ‘brings personal identities and journeys back to the fore; this exhibition presents other ways of knowing and gathering information.’ Lungiswa Gqunta, Zinodaka, 2022 at Henry Moore Institute Zinodaka, 2022, fills the first room of the exhibition; a layer of dried clay covers the entirety of the floor, manipulated by Gqunta’s bare feet, to create ridges and hills that form a landscape envisioned in her sleep. Aptly named ‘water rocks’ are sprinkled across the scene – hollow and crystal blue. They were moulded by the pressing of rocks into their blown-glass surface, leaving behind an imprint of the natural environment. The clay floor has cracked on drying, and walking around the space makes the crevices bigger. Each step or shift of weight produces a crunch, reminding us of our unexpected impact. There is much to intrigue in Gqunta’s work and its engagement with our senses widens the potential audience. It’s easy to imagine the room filled with children, delighting in the crunching under their feet and staring into misshapen spheres of ‘water’.  Lungiswa Gqunta, Zinodaka, 2022 at Henry Moore Institute Zinodaka gives a sense of contributing to the breaking of something, which is simultaneously blatant in the landscape of lingering colonialism in South Africa, and subtle sitting in an art gallery in Leeds. Gqunta says that she ‘likes the idea of a collision of two different parts, whether it’s peacefully or violently’. The layered experience of dreams is a fundamental concept to bring to ‘Sleep in Witness’ to understand its construction. Gqunta wanted the show to feel like moving through different dreams; it jumps from the cracked, water-dotted landscape of Zinodaka into the tangle of two crashing waves in Ntabamanzi, 2022. Lungiswa Gqunta, Ntabamanzi, 2022 at Henry Moore Institute Harnessing a technique used previously in Tending to the Harvest of Dreams, 2021, Gqunta and her team spent seven months wrapping barbed wire in strips of blue fabric and allowed the wire to retain its curled structure. The tangles start on the floor at opposite sides of the room and rise up, meeting in the middle and leaving an arch to walk under. The room triggers images of parting seas and crashing waves, small spikes of wire stick out from under the blue wrapping, again, ensuring we take note of our bodies – this time as a result of the potential danger surrounding us. Metal coins are tangled in the waves – a detail alluding to the hope and wisdom of the ocean. Lungiswa Gqunta, Gathering, 2019 at Henry Moore Institute Room three contains a 15-minute video, which Gqunta describes as ‘a place of rest’. The original name for the work – now called Gathering, 2019 – was Riotous Assembly, referring to the Riotous Assemblies act established in South Africa in 1956 that made it illegal for a certain number of Black people to gather in one place. ‘I thought [that coming together] was really beautiful because it’s the communal spaces in which a lot of rejuvenation and a lot of refusal, and denying oppressive systems happen,’ says Gqunta.  The black and white video is projected onto a brown wall, echoing the brown of the clay floor in Zinodaka, 2022, and shows Gqunta and a friend, singing ‘yakhal’inkomo’ (the cry of the bull in Nguni languages, which historically refers to the unspeakable pain of domination for Black people in South Africa under aparthied), ritualistically, comfortingly, while folding sheets. It seems to acknowledge and reframe an historical and deeply rooted struggle felt by Black people living under oppressive systems.  They spend the 15 minutes pausing for breaks and coming together, sheets appearing to flow in a continuation of the show’s water theme. One major thing, says Sillars, is that ‘this piece stands back-to-back with the photograph of Gqunta’s family on the outside of the building’. It brings a continuity to the structure of the show and, falling perfectly in thematic line with the disordered and associative nature of dreams, gives us one last detail of thought: where there are dreams, there are ongoing stories and a continuous collision of worlds. §
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Reimagined Lexi Cinema by Rise Design Studio opens

 Kensal Rise’s Lexi Cinema has reopened to a design by Rise Design Studio. The much-loved north London community hub and local landmark was in need of a refresh to increase capacity and refine its offering, when the locally based architecture studio led by co-directors Sean Ronnie Hill and Imran Jahn stepped in.  ‘We got involved about six years ago, as this is our local cinema,’ Hill explains. ‘We were approached by the Lexi and first they asked if we could help with odd jobs around the cinema. We were initially asked to make a beer garden out of a little car park at the back. We managed to get the local head of planning here and while the beer garden didn’t happen, we decided to start planning a second screen, to expand the existing cinema.’ At the same time, an electrical fire during the pandemic, was ‘a make or break moment’, the team recalls. While luckily nobody was hurt, the building suffered a lot of smoke damage so everything (including technical fabrics, projector, seats etc) had to be replaced. Viewing this as an opportunity, rather than a challenge, the design team together with Lexi founder Sally Wilton, embarked on a delicate and compact transformation that saw part of the rear car park built and turned into a second screen, while the interiors were tidied, reorganised and given a new lease of life by the creation of bonus areas such as a new bar for guests (which includes an original Tracey Emin artwork). At the same time, several features from the original structure (the Lexi occupies the building of an Edwardian gabled brick theatre) were retained and incorporated into the design.  Each of the venue’s two screens now has its own identity (one is deep blue, and one is lilac), while graphic designer Joan Zalacain worked pro bono on the Lexi’s smart new wayfinding and signage. This, along with architectural gestures such as the consistently dark rubber tiles and pink walls in the corridors and entry hall, brings everything neatly together, visually linking circulation all across the cinema.  Sustainability was also a key part of the brief, as the architects used passive cooling techniques throughout, while incorporating a mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) system and designing the building to be airtightly sealed to minimise heat loss. A planted roof in the new section of the building not only adds greenery to the neighbourhood and the neighbours’ views, but also helps support biodioversity in this very urban part of London. ‘The Lexi Cinema holds a special position in the Kensal Rise community, so we approached the project as an opportunity to contribute to both the built environment and social lifeblood of the area. An exercise in community partnership, The Lexi Hub has been designed to respect its neighbours while providing them with invaluable space to gather, learn, contribute, connect, and relax,’ says Hill. §
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The iconic BMW HQ in Munich celebrates its half century

Few auto HQs have the levels of architectural aplomb and visual brand synthesis as BMW’s. It’s half a century since the Austrian architect Karl Schwanzer’s meticulously constructed aluminium-clad BMW HQ building opened in Munich, giving the Bavarian brand a towering symbol of technical sophistication and forward-thinking design. Over the decades, the campus has been added to and enhanced, but the central components – the four-cylinder tower and rotunda – have stayed remarkably consistent.  BMW HQ, photographed by Myrzik and Jarisch, with the Olympic Tower in the background Schwanzer won the 1968 competition for the tower with his cloverleaf-shaped design, said to reference the cylinders of an engine. Up until this point, the architect was best known for his work building exhibition pavilions – he designed the Austrian Pavilions for the 1958 Brussels World Fair and the 1967 Montreal Expo. The former structure was demounted and repurposed as Vienna’s Museum of the 20th Century.  BMW HQ, Munich, under construction The complex was built between 1970 and 1972, a swift process for such a substantial building. Schwanzer’s design incorporated 3,000 aluminium façade elements, pre-cast using a special Japanese process that hadn’t been used in Europe before. The construction process was also novel; the central reinforced concrete tower was built first, with ready-clad floors jacked into place from the top downwards.  BMW Museum, Munich, under construction When completed, the curving aluminium façades towered over Munich’s ring road, just across from the city’s Olympic Park, built for the 1972 games and designed by Behnisch & Partner along with the celebrated structural engineer Frei Otto. The 101m tower formed a striking backdrop for the Olympic coverage, instantly giving the skyscraper a global audience (even though the Olympic Committee demanded BMW remove its distinctive badges from the top floor).  BMW HQ and Museum, Munich The tower is accompanied by the ‘bowl’ of the BMW Museum, an inverted dome that houses an ever-changing display of the company’s extensive collection, with the famous BMW roundel painted on the roof. The buildings have since appeared in numerous films, starting with 1975’s Rollerball, when they became the sinister HQ of the Energy Corporation. They also serve as an impressive location for photoshoots – seen here behind the BMW 530e in a shot by Koto Bolofo for Wallpaper* in April 2019. Executive party: BMW HQ shortly after completion BMW has continued its commitment to high-quality corporate architecture. In 2005, the BMW Central Building in Leipzig was designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, while two years later the BMW Welt opened alongside the Munich HQ, a dramatic piece of deconstructivist design by Coop Himmelb(l)au that serves as an event space and customer centre for the brand. This year, the company announced a collaboration with OMA and 3XN to explore future development of its main Munich factory. § BMW HQ, photographed by Myrzik and Jarisch BMW HQ, photographed by Myrzik and Jarisch BMW HQ seen from the factory, photographed by Myrzik and Jarisch An illustration by Christoph Niemann, commissioned by BMW to celebrate the HQ’s 50th anniversary     
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Hæckels 2.0 is revolutionising sustainable skincare

Operating out of a betting parlour-turned-skincare laboratory in the English seaside town of Margate, Hæckels is behind some of the most innovative beauty launches in recent years, including biocontributing mycelium packaging, prebiotic face masks, and odour-eating mushroom and kelp deodorant. Now the brand is preparing for its most radical launch yet. Hæckels 2.0 will roll out in three phases, with Hæckels Skin and Hæckels Home coming first. Skin will see the brand’s signature skincare formulations, made from seaweed harvested on Margate’s beaches, repackaged in compostable containers, alongside two new offerings – a Prebiotic Cleansing Balm and a lighter version of its Eco Marine Cream. Photography by Laura Jane Coulson. Courtesy of Hæckels The balm is a gentle, hydrating cleanser, rich in sterols, ceramides and adaptive prebiotics that allow it to adjust to the specific needs of your skin microbiota. Meanwhile, the new Eco Marine Cream, a lighter version of its best-selling original, is designed to work for all skin types – packed with the brand’s antioxidant seaweed extracts, it can be used as needed throughout the day. And although the packaging of these new products looks and feels exactly like petroleum-derived plastic, the Hæckels Skin containers are made by microbes that are abundant in soil and marine environments. This revolutionary material, called Vivomer, can be thrown away like ordinary food waste and will decompose without leaving behind any microplastics. The most significant pillar of Hæckels 2.0 will debut in September. Hæckels Lab will introduce a range of laboratory-grown skincare products that challenge preconceived and inaccurate notions of what effective and sustainable beauty entails. Hæckels hopes to upend the misconception that 100 per cent natural ingredients are always better than lab-grown ones, as in reality, lab-grown ingredients tend to be less water- and labour-intensive. Photography by Laura Jane Coulson. Courtesy of Hæckels ‘I think what makes Hæckels so amazing is that we’re always self-evaluating,’ says the brand’s managing director Charlie Vickery. ‘It’s all about honouring the past, but we can’t pay such respect to the past that we’re unafraid to tear it up.’ Estée Lauder’s recent investment in Hæckels has made this reinvigoration possible and, according to Vickery, it will dramatically increase the impact of Hæckels’ groundbreaking work. ‘Everyone loves what is inside the box,’ says Vickery. ‘But before Estée, we weren’t quite sure how to get that out to more people. If we expand as we are, then it becomes impossibly complicated. Having to manually apply all the labels on the bottles, having to create packaging with lower carbon emissions – all of that becomes difficult on a larger scale. Now that we have the fiscal support to expand, the production time for making Hæckels Skin can be 50 per cent less than our previous production times.’ Photography by Laura Jane Coulson. Courtesy of Hæckels It remains to be seen how any beauty brand can conduct itself in a way that is truly sustainable, especially when there is much debate over what being a truly sustainable brand really means. Brands can either pack it in, hide their failings behind misleading marketing and vague buzz words like ‘clean’ and ‘eco-friendly’, or they can keep questioning, probing and pushing, admitting they need to do better and continually working towards a solution. ‘We need to present a viable alternative that’s scalable and that’s in stock, so we can succeed against our competitors when it comes to sustainable practices,’ says Vickery. After seeing what it has in store, we’re certainly betting on it for a win. §
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Marina Abramović’s debut NFT drop celebrates heroes of the Web3 era

The NFT hype may have dampened since its stratospheric rise in 2021, but Serbian artist Marina Abramović, ever the forward thinker, is looking beyond with the release of her first performance in the Web3 space. Launching Monday 25 July at 2pm UTC on the energy-efficient Tezos blockchain, The Hero 25FPS is a digital reworking of one of the artist’s most personal and autobiographical works, featuring her stoically clad in black, astride a white horse and holding a large white flag.  ‘The Hero was filmed in 2001, around the time of the death of my father Vojo,’ Abramović explains. ‘He was a national hero from the Second World War and I wanted to create an homage to him.’ Marina Abramović, The Hero at Piazzale Cadorna, Milan. Image © CIRCA Abramović’s debut NFT drop is a collaboration with the Cultural Institute of Radical Contemporary Art (Circa), which describes itself as ‘a digital art and culture platform with purpose’. It coincides with the broadcast of The Hero on an international network of screens, spanning London, Seoul, Milan, Berlin, Japan and New York, at 20:22 local time every evening for three months.  ‘When [Circa artistic director and founder] Josef O’Connor invited me to participate in Circa 2022, I immediately thought of The Hero because right now, we are facing a Third World War. We never set out to create an NFT – it came as a surprise,’ the artist says.  Marina Abramović, The Hero 25FPS, 2022 (still). Image courtesy the artist Originally filmed in PAL (4:3 aspect ratio), the video work required several months of post-production, each individual frame edited to adapt it for widescreen. ‘I really wanted the image to envelop the audience,’ says the artist. ‘As with all my work, the audience completes the work. My first performance on the blockchain will invite people to collect either a single frame (.jpg) or a sequence of frames (.gif) to acquire time. They decide how much of the movement and experience they can have with the work.’ So why has the artist chosen to revisit a two-decade-old work – and what relevance does it have today? ‘Right now, we are in such a strange moment in our world. We are destroying our planet where we live, our real home, the Earth, and there are all the wars that are going on in the world. We need heroes,’ she asserts, naming Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and climate activist Txai Suruí, the only Indigenous woman to speak at the COP26 climate conference, among her ‘new heroes’.  The term Web3 (originally Web3.0) was coined in 2014 by computer scientist Gavin Wood, founder of blockchain infrastructure company Parity Technologies and a co-founder of Ethereum, to describe his vision for a decentralised and more democratic Internet. ‘For me, the entire world has always been divided into two categories: originals and the ones who follow,’ reflects Abramović. ‘The originals are visionary – they’re always thinking out of the box. And often in the time they are alive, they’re not understood at all. Sometimes it takes years after they are dead, even hundreds of years, for them to be properly understood. Today, we need people with this vision to create new ways of learning and forms of art.’ Marina Abramović, Art Must be Beautiful: Artist Must be Beautiful, 1975. Courtesy of Marina Abramović Archives Abramović has previously been vocal about her skepticism of NFTs, but draws parallels to the acceptance of video and performance art as new artistic mediums, which both faced similar criticisms and resistance in their early days. ‘When we started to work in the immaterial [in the 1970s], galleries and museums couldn’t sell anything because there was nothing [physical] to sell,’ she says. ‘Likewise, video was a mess when it was invented. Then came Nam June Paik and video art was born. Paik once said, “I think the best technology, information, has to do with our education – our thinking.”’ Nam June Paik For Abramović, the potential of Web3 extends beyond NFTs. ‘In many ways, we are beginning to see how this new tool can make a difference in the world,’ says the artist, citing Bail Bloc as an example. The app, developed by The New Inquiry magazine, allows anyone to volunteer computing power to mine cryptocurrency that is used to pay for Americans without bail funds to get out of jail. ‘The work [Pussy Riot co-founder and social activist] Nadya Tolokonnikova is doing with UnicornDAO is also very inspiring to me,’ Abramović adds. The cryptocurrency investment fund raised $6.7m for Ukraine earlier this year and recently launched legalabortion.eth, where people can donate crypto to be fully distributed to reproductive rights organisations following the US Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v Wade. Similarly, Abramović is donating a percentage of the proceeds of her NFTs towards ‘Hero Grants’, inviting people working within Web3 to submit ideas ‘that make the world a better, more beautiful place’ via the Circa website. She says: ‘I want to see what other ideas people have in this Web3 space to help save our planet. People who demonstrate heroic vision will then receive a grant in the coming months. The grants we shall award from The Hero 25FPS is my small way of contributing to this future.’ Ultimately, the artist is seeking to empower the next generation. ‘The future of performance art sits within the hearts and minds of this new generation who are working with these new technologies. They are experimenting with this new Web3 space and testing its potential. They are taking risks and building new worlds,’ says Abramović. ‘We have to guide and nurture the future. I am not an expert [on Web3] but I am learning, and what I fundamentally understand is that blockchain technology provides artists with sovereignty over themselves and their work – this is very important to me. This is a very challenging time for young people, especially artists. Art is always going to exist. And in 2022, the white flag I held all those years ago stands for peace.’ §
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Natuzzi is on a mission to help save Puglia’s olive trees

Italian furniture brand Natuzzi has deep roots in the southern region of Puglia: since the 1930s, the company has been based in the region, growing from a small upholstery workshop to a furniture giant. Alongside collections from world-renown designers, the company has been particularly attentive to the culture surrounding it, partly thanks to the efforts of company chief creative officer and third-generation member of the founding family, Pasquale Junior Natuzzi.  ‘Puglia is our home, our muse: every new Natuzzi project starts here and reaches the whole world thanks to our stores, where customers can enjoy a brand experience that transmits hospitality, warmth and the beauty of the Mediterranean,’ explains Pasquale Junior.  Xylella-hit olive trees Today, Puglia and the entire Mediterranean suffer from the advancement of Xylella, a bacterial plant pathogen that is slowly destroying local olive trees, some of which have been around for centuries. Since 2013, the bacterium has destroyed more than 21 million olive trees in Puglia, changing the local landscape: once rich and green, and now slowly drying out with a strong risk of desertification. ‘Olive trees are not just trees: they represent a symbol where Apulian and Mediterranean cultures merge,’ observes Pasquale Junior. ‘In this area, there is the highest density of olive trees in the world, and many of them date back to Roman times.’ Aerial view of olive trees in Puglia Because of his family and his company’s links to Puglia, he felt compelled to help his land, teaming up with local NGO Save the Olives, whose mission is to research the disease, safeguard the monumental trees and to help reforest the area.  Natuzzi’s latest collection, ‘The Circle of Harmony – Second Life’, pays particular attention to the relationship between nature, local territory and society. ‘The goal is to give life to a more conscious design and production,’ explains Pasquale Junior. ‘A collection of targeted pieces, designed to last a lifetime, with the clean idea of reducing pollution, creating materials that live a precious second life: recycled, reused, rethought.’ Part of the collection is the ‘Terra’ pouffe by long-term Natuzzi collaborator Marcantonio. Described as ‘a zero-impact statement piece designed by the earth and for the earth’, the pouffe is made of recycled polystyrene and upholstered with a sustainable textile by Byborre (see more on Natuzzi and Byborre’s textile collaboration here). Apulian olive tree by Giampaolo Sgura Concurrently, Pasquale Junior invited photographer Giampaolo Sgura to interpret the richness of ancient Apulian olive trees through a series of images that capture their energy. A special edition of the pouffe, and the photographic prints are sold from Save The Olives’ e-commerce, with proceeds donated to the organisation.  ‘My hope is to finally turn the spotlight on such a serious and delicate issue,’ says Pasquale Junior. ‘Save the Olives needs not only the Apulians, but all those who feel the moral imperative to do something to save a territory in grave danger. I hope to be able to stir the spirits of the many people who want to defend Puglia and the Mediterranean. It is a difficult undertaking, but it does not scare us.’ Francesco Winspeare, president of Save the Olives, says: ‘Olive trees are our history, they represent an irreplaceable piece of our territory, and the time has come to unite us all, without any doubts or restraints, in this difficult struggle.’ §  
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TOG at Borough Yards: trainspotting, bricks, and flexible working

London’s Borough Yards area recently got an extensive makeover by SPPARC, and within it, a wealth of retail, hospitality and public spaces were revealed to the public in late 2021. Among them was the promise of a new flexible workspace by field specialist The Office Group (TOG). Fast forward a few months and TOG at Borough Yards has just opened, set among popular south-bank tourist haunts and local landmarks, such as Southwark Cathedral and the Shard.  The new workspace offering from TOG, designed by Copenhagen-based firm Studio David Thulstrup, weaves together old and new, spanning two buildings – a former warehouse and a new teardrop-shaped structure. The two are conceived to work together seamlessly as a coherent whole, placed right next to the railway lines, offering not only majestic views of the London skyline, but also fascinating vistas of the trains going in and out of nearby London Bridge station. In this dynamic context of present and past, brick textures, urban infrastructure and contemporary leisure, the architecture team led by David Thulstrup drew on the area’s industrial tones to compose a space that mixes the shell’s textured glass, glass bricks and floor-to-ceiling Crittall windows, with interiors using brushed metal surfaces, tactile fabrics, abundant wooden accents, and natural earth tones.  ‘I really enjoy when I get to connect myself to somewhere that has a sense of a place, and that has a history that I can tap into, and then extract those essences into the project. To me, the brand DNA of TOG is that they allow architects to incorporate their own design philosophy into a project. I think that’s what I’ve succeeded with here,’ says Thulstrup.  ‘I like the idea of working with custom-made objects, my own productions, others’ designs, even sometimes vintage pieces – melting these different levels together creates a really beautiful atmosphere. I want to make sure that when people come back to this place after five years, they still feel it is relevant. It’s about creating an inviting, inclusive, quality-driven atmosphere, and also a place where people want to stay.’ The studio brings its Scandinavian influences into central London, with furniture including chairs, sofas and lamps designed by David Thulstrup, and soft furnishings featuring Raf Simons for Kvadrat textiles. A colour palette of brown, amber and black tones wraps all areas – from compact booths to co-working stations, private offices and meeting rooms. Meanwhile, outdoor terraces, a variety of communal spaces, and a dedicated Peloton studio contribute towards users’ wellbeing – something TOG is committed to supporting – making TOG at Borough Yards a very enticing workspace proposition. §
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Layer Design’s Pendler urban e-bike concept makes a virtue of practicality

Although new e-bike start-ups are springing up on a monthly basis, the sector has already settled into a relatively consistent aesthetic, a bit smoother and chunkier than a conventional bike, with inspiration more likely to be drawn from mountain bikes than any other genre.  Layer, Benjamin Hubert’s London-based creative agency, has watched the market evolve with interest and frustration. As a riposte to the status quo, the studio has created Pendler, a conceptual urban e-bike pitched at commuters, meticulously designed and carefully shaped to be safer, more practical, and better performing that its rivals.  Pendler is named after the Danish word for commuting (pendling) and is an obvious acknowledgment of that country’s broad and inclusive cycling culture (according to Layer, nine out of ten Danes are bike owners).  The concept design is based around a U-shaped frame, a thick structural element that gives the bike an instantly recognisable silhouette, as well as being very practical for the on-off nature of urban riding. The studio notes that it’s also a ‘challenge to the conventional performance-driven language of e-bikes’. The frame includes integral lights, front and rear, while indicator lights are mounted on the handlebars.  Although Pendler’s steel frame doesn’t fold, it is still compact – with modest 20in wheels and folding pedals and handlebars to make apartment storage much more practical – as well as being easy to manoeuvre onto public transport where allowed.  Layer has emphasised practicality above all else, suggesting a collection of detachable accessories to improve Pendler’s day-to-day usability. These include front and rear basket attachments made from wire and timber, as well as a mobile phone dock for navigation.  Power comes from a compact 45Nm rear hub motor integrated into the frame, coupled to a removable 250Wh battery. Top speed is around 25km/h, as per current guidelines, and one charge should be good for around 70km.    ‘Our aim with Pendler was to envisage a safer, more convenient and effortless mode of personal transport to enable independence for commuting in the city,’ says Hubert. ‘The result is an intelligently designed e-bike that is inclusive, easy to store in compact urban spaces, and balances high performance with a desirable, crafted aesthetic.’ §
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