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    Home Studios utilises reclaimed timber for Montauk restaurant renovation

    Brooklyn-based Home Studios has renovated a bar and restaurant in Montauk, using materials like white-washed plaster, glazed tiles and reclaimed timber for a “deliberately minimal approach”.

    Formerly known as Bird on the Roof, the establishment reopened as The Bird earlier this year with refreshed interiors by Home Studios.
    The bar and restaurant areas at The Bird are connected through a cased openingThe space is run by the team behind the Daunt’s Albatross motel, located across the street, which Home Studios overhauled the previous year. The menu was created by chef Marcos Martinez Perez and a beverage programme by Sophia Depasquale.
    “[The clients’] intent was to celebrate the legacy of a 40-year-old adored Montauk establishment, imbuing a familial sense of warmth and hospitality threaded throughout the experience and the design,” said the team.
    Reclaimed timber clads the back bar, while white tiles cover the front of the counter”The aim of the space is to capture the spirit of old Montauk, providing a welcoming home-away-from-home for both visitors and locals to gather at any hour and any season.”

    Located in the town centre, the A-frame building that houses the restaurant has a white bird painted on the side of its roof – hence the original name.
    Red brick flooring is laid in a basketweave bond in the barThe interior is divided in two, with the bar area on one side and the restaurant on the other, connected through a cased opening.
    A muted colour palette across the spaces echoes that used at Daunt’s Albatross and is based on the natural coastal surroundings.
    A similar muted palette continues into the dining roomHome Studios describes it as “a spectrum of whites, warm grays, browns, faded yellows, rusts and ocean blues”.
    In the bar area, red bricks are laid in a basketweave pattern across the floor, and the russet hue is continued by the leather that covers the built-in seating and stool tops.
    Blue tapestries hang above wooden tables and chairsFlooring shifts to reclaimed timber in the dining area, where banquette cushions are upholstered in yellow fabric and the accompanying vintage chairs are all slightly different designs.
    “The restaurant includes a deliberately minimal approach to furniture, lighting and decor, which allows the materiality to shine on its own,” said Home Studios.
    Blue-grey glazed ceramic tiles surround the window and door framesBlue-grey glazed ceramic tiles surround the window and door frames, while thin white tiles wrap the front of the bar counter.
    The same white tiling is found in the bathroom, accessed via a powder-blue door, but with red grouting for a more contemporary twist.

    Home Studios refreshes Daunt’s Albatross motel in Montauk

    Both The Bird and Daunt’s Albatross are run by third-generation proprietor Leo Daunt and his sister Zoe, who grew up in the town and wanted to return both properties to their former glory while retaining their neighbourhood feel.
    “Open year round and transforming with the seasons, [The Bird] will proudly continue its legacy as a community staple – and true Montauk landmark,” said the team.
    Wooden dining chairs that accompany the two-top tables are all slightly different designsSituated at the eastern tip of Long Island, Montauk is a popular summer getaway for New Yorkers that offers a more affordable alternative to the Hamptons nearby.
    However, it’s not without its fair share of expansive beach houses, with a grey wood-clad home by Desciencelab and a residence topped with a swimming pool by Bates Masi as examples.
    Accessed via a powder-blue door, the bathroom features white tiles and red groutingHome Studios was founded by Oliver Haslegrave in 2009 and has since completed a variety of hospitality projects across the US.
    Most recently, it has carried out a revamp of a Nantucket bar and restaurant using maritime references and an Italian restaurant close to Harvard University filled with plush booths and banquettes.
    The photography is by Brian W Ferry.

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    “Emerging talents require nurture” says Jan Hendzel

    More can be done to support emerging designers in London says Jan Hendzel, who curated an exhibition focused on emerging talent at this year’s London Design Festival.

    Jan Hendzel Studio curated the 11:11 exhibition, which paired 11 established designers with 11 emerging designers, to draw attention to interesting south London designers.
    The 11:11 exhibition (top) was curated by Jan Hendzel (above)”Our emphasis was on creating a platform to support the grassroots and emerging creators of south London,” Hendzel told Dezeen.
    “By forging new relationships and connecting the established design industry with up-and-coming makers, 11:11 aims to create a more inclusive and diverse future in design.”
    Bowater drawers by Jan Hendzel Studio with Column I by Alison Crowther and Argentus by Dominic McHenry and Untitled Ceramic tiles by Carl Koch on wallFor the exhibition, 11 established designers – A Rum Fellow, Alison Crowther, Charlotte Kingsnorth, Daniel Schofield, Grain & Knot, Jan Hendzel Studio, Martino Gamper, Novocastrian, Sedilia, Simone Brewster, Raw Edges – each displayed their work alongside an emerging designer selected from an open call.

    The emerging designers showcased were Alice Adler, Carl Koch, Dominic McHenry, Jacob Marks, Mariangel Talamas Leal, Moss, Silje Loa, Söder Studio, Unu Sohn, William Waterhouse and Woojin Joo.
    The Wrong Tree Picture Frame and Mirror by Charlotte Kingsnorth behind Thoroughly Odd by Woojin JooHendzel believes that events like LDF can create space for emerging talents to showcase their work, but often focuses on university-educated designers.
    “The importance of offering a platform to emerging talent, especially that of grassroots and local level creatives, is to offer empowerment and to demonstrate that design is a profession that can offer meaningful and exciting careers,” he said.
    Lupita Lounge Chair by Mariangel Talamas Leal alongside Periscope Rug by A Rum Fellow and BUTW Floor Lamp by Charlotte Kingsnorth”When the design festival rolls into town, yes, I believe we do have platforms for emerging creatives; however, one big issue is that design shows can be cost-prohibitive and often focus on university-educated people, which by default puts the profession at the more elitist end of things,” he continued.
    “If you don’t have cash or a degree then finding a platform to celebrate your ideas can be difficult.”
    A Martino Gamper chair alongside with F2 Dice and F2 Line by Moss on plinth by Jan Hendzel Studio.He believes that LDF and others can do more to support emerging talents, and suggests that providing free space for exhibitions and installations would be a way of doing this.
    “Emerging talents require nurture, they require safe places to practise their respective disciplines and they require opportunities for growth through connections and collaborations with established practitioners to elevate their craft,” he explained.
    “A great opportunity would be to find and offer more free spaces to emerging groups, alongside bursaries and support packages in how to promote your event and develop your respective craft within a design district.”
    Sculptural wall hangings by Grain & Knot with Pina Lamps by Jacob MarksThe exhibition, which is taking place at Staffordshire St gallery in Peckham, includes numerous pieces of furniture with chairs designed by Gamper and Leal, as well as drawers by Jan Hendzel Studio and Crowther.
    Sedilia’s contribution was a Roll Top Chair and Roll Top Ottoman.

    IKEA and H&M’s design incubator unveils products by 22 emerging London studios

    The exhibition also include mirrors designed by Jan Hendzel Studio, Novocastrian and Kingsnorth, and clothing by Soeder.
    Also on display were lights by Schofield and by Marks.
    The Port Free Mirror by Novocastrian alongside the Roll Top Chair and Roll Top Ottoman by Sedilia with Song 1 Awe-to Series by William Waterhouse hanging from ceiling and Draped in Wood by Silje Loa on a plinthAnother exhibition showcasing the work of emerging designers at LDF was Drop02, which contained work from IKEA and H&M’s Atelier100 design incubator.
    Other projects currently on display as part of the festival include a prototype modular furniture system by Zaha Hadid Design and furniture by Andu Masebo crafted from a scrapped car.
    Smock 01 by Addison Soeder behind Landmark Coffee Table and Side Table with Ray Lamp by Daniel SchofieldThe photography is by BJ Deakin Photography.
    The 11:11 exhibition takes place 16-24 September at the Staffordshire St gallery as part of London Design Festival 2023. See our London Design Festival 2023 guide on Dezeen Events Guide for information about the many other exhibitions, installations and talks taking place throughout the week.

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    Mesura furnishes Casa Vasto apartment and gallery with “constellation of objects”

    Local studio Mesura has designed a live-work home for a gallery owner that combines exhibition space with living quarters in a former factory in Barcelona.

    Casa Vasto is situated in the city’s seaside neighbourhood El Poblenou, characterised by its 18th-century industrial buildings that were deindustrialised in the 1960s and 70s.
    Unfurnished areas serve as exhibition spaceThe apartment is located in one of these former factories and comprises two spaces – the public living and kitchen area that also houses gallery exhibitions, and the private bedroom and bathroom that are reserved solely for the owner’s use.
    A service core made from birch wood divides the space without being attached to the walls or to the ceiling, which has an unusual vaulted design characteristic of factories built in Barcelona in the 19th century. This channels services to the kitchen and bathroom components and contains a toilet, shower and storage.
    Bespoke furniture sits alongside design classicsOn one side of the core is the living and gallery space. This has plenty of space to hold exhibitions and is filled with monolithic furnishings that create functional zones, including a long dining table with cylindrical legs and a blocky stainless-steel kitchen island.

    A low, sprawling sofa defines the lounge area, which centres around a coffee table fashioned from waste material created during the apartment’s construction by designer Sara Regal.
    Low-lying furnishings underline the height of the space and the unique ceilingArtworks and furniture have been arranged throughout the space, which was curated in collaboration between the owners and Mesura.
    “The project’s interior design is reinterpreted as a constellation of unique objects detached from the apartment’s limits,” said Mesura.
    “These elements contrast with the white-washed walls and light-wood furnishings to emerge as accents of colour and form, weaving a cohesive and contemporary identity throughout the project, drawing focus to the pieces and artwork.”
    The minimalistic kitchen unit shares the central core’s oblong profileBespoke pieces custom-made for Casa Vasto are flanked by iconic design classics, such as architect Mies van der Rohe’s MR10 Chair and architect Mario Botta’s Seconda Chai.
    “Some of the interior pieces were specifically designed for the space – kitchen, dining table, service core, bathtub – and the others – sofas, chairs, lighting – were more of a process with the clients, who had their own preferences and interests,” Mesura told Dezeen.

    Auba Studio converts 1980s bakery in Spain into industrial NZ10 Apartment

    Frames are hung on the walls in the bedroom, which also contains two sinks and a bathtub encased in blocky concrete volumes.
    As in the rest of the space, rectangular windows extend from floor level to let natural light into the space.
    The bed, bath and sink unit are all custom-made for the project”We think the pieces selected for the interiors create a comfortable and unique atmosphere when in touch with the bespoke furniture we designed for the project,” the studio told Dezeen.
    Other adaptive reuse apartment projects on Dezeen include an apartment in a converted bank office by Puntofilipino and a flat in a former chocolate factory by SSdH.
    The photography is by Salva López.

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    Kustaa Saksi creates vivid oversized tapestries to explore “reality and illusion”

    Multidisciplinary designer Kustaa Saksi has unveiled In the Borderlands, an exhibition of jacquard textiles at the Helsinki Design Museum, which includes pieces featuring scenery generated by AI software.

    Conceived as objects that straddle both art and design, Saksi’s large-scale textiles were hung from the ceilings and arranged across various rooms within a gallery at Helsinki’s Design Museum.
    Ideal Fall is a duo of tapestries featuring AI-generated imageryTo create his pieces, the designer uses jacquard weaving – a technique invented in 1804 where patterns are woven with yarn using a loom to create a textile, rather than printed, embroidered or stamped onto fabric.
    Ideal Fall is a series of two oversized tapestries featuring bright and abstract forms depicting waterfall- and plant-style forms.
    Kustaa Saksi also created a series exploring migrainesSaksi created the colourful duo of textiles using AI software, which he instructed to generate images that would depict “ideal” scenes of nature. The designer then picked his favourite suggestions and used the imagery as a stimulus for the tapestries’ patterns.

    “The exhibition explores moments between reality and illusion, which are the starting point for many of Saksi’s works,” said the Design Museum.
    The tapestries were suspended from the ceiling at the Design MuseumMigraine Metamorphoses is another series of textiles featuring similarly bold designs, which Saksi created to refer to the various phases of migraines – intense headaches that the designer has suffered since the age of seven.
    According to the museum, the soft texture of the textiles intends to “mitigate the painful subject matter”.
    Monsters and Dreams is a series informed by stories about hallucinationsOften influenced by the boundaries between dreams and imagination, Saksi’s first-ever tapestry series was also on show at the Design Museum.
    Called Monsters and Dreams, it is characterised by striking patterns that take cues from hallucinations experienced by one of the designer’s family members. These textiles were draped across or hung from the ceiling of a single room with dark blue walls, which had been painted to enhance the pieces’ dramatic theme.

    Stockholm Furniture Fair installation by Gert Wingårdh and Kustaa Saksi

    Saksi has created his pieces in collaboration with Dutch studio TextileLab since 2013.
    “The jacquard technique can be referred to as one of the early precursors to the computer,” said the Design Museum.
    “It was the first mechanised technique which enabled the transfer of information about a particular pattern to a weaving machine with the help of a punched cylinder, to eventually become a piece of textile.”
    The exhibition is on display in Helsinki until mid-OctoberThroughout the gallery, the textiles were illuminated with controlled levels of lighting in order to preserve their appearance, according to the museum.
    In the Borderlands is on display until 15 October as part of the museum’s 150th-anniversary programme. Elsewhere at Helsinki Design Week, designer Didi NG Wing Yin presented a series of amorphous timber furniture while last year’s edition of the event featured projects including plant-based textiles.
    The photography is by Paavo Lehtonen.
    Helsinki Design Week takes place from 8 to 17 September 2023 in Helsinki, Finland. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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    Light and Air opens up Z House in Brooklyn to the outdoors

    Local studio Light and Air has introduced a light-filled void at the centre of a Brooklyn townhouse as part of a major reconfiguration and extension project.

    The home in the leafy Clinton Hill neighbourhood was bought by a family of four with roots in India and required a complete gut renovation to open up the spaces to the outside.
    The overhaul of Z House involved a significant rear extension, comprising cube volumes clad in pale brick”They wanted a house that exhibited a strong connection to nature, featuring a more seamless integration between inside and out,” said Light and Air.
    The project involved extending the building one level vertically, bringing its total number of storeys to four, as well as pushing it out significantly at the back.
    The brick continues into the kitchen and dining area on the lower floorWhile the historic front facade was carefully restored, the rear elevation now presents as a contemporary stack of pale-brick cube volumes.

    The interior was completely reorganized to allow sightlines between the original spaces, the new extensions and the outdoors.
    Oak millwork in the kitchen continues through the minimal interiorsThe most dramatic change involved swapping the stacked staircase with a switchback configuration – a similar approach taken by the studio at another Brooklyn townhouse in 2018.
    This arrangement allows for improved visual connections between the levels and gave the project its name, Z House.
    Reconfiguring the house involved swapping the stacked staircase for a switchback arrangement from the parlour level to the top floorIn addition, an angled skylight was added above the staircase void, bringing in light all the way down to the parlour 40 feet (12 metres) below.
    “Filled by light and air, the stair’s drama is heightened by the placement of large windows punctuating the rear facade, allowing the vertical space to open to the exterior,” said the studio.
    A skylight over the staircase void brings light down into the homeOf the home’s four storeys, the lower levels are occupied by the public spaces including the kitchen, dining, living and media rooms.
    The top two levels are reserved for the children’s rooms and the primary suite respectively. The uppermost floor also accommodates a home office and provides access to a roof terrace created by the rear extension.

    Light and Air Architecture transforms Brooklyn row house with “switchback” staircase

    “This private, elevated, exterior space offers a unique domestic experience not typically found in most Brooklyn rowhouses,” Light and Air said.
    Interiors throughout are clean and minimal, with white walls and custom oak millwork, built-ins and furniture.
    The primary bedroom on the top floor features a custom oak bed and built-insThe pale brick of the rear facade is also expressed inside the double-height kitchen and dining area, which is open to the back patio.
    “Located above the garden level addition is a green roof that buffers sightlines from the parlor floor, creating the effect of a floating garden beyond,” said Light and Air.
    The historic street facade of the Clinton Hill townhouse was also restored as part of the renovationFounded by Anne Diebel in 2018, the studio has completed many staging and interior design projects across New York City.
    These include a Brooklyn apartment retrofitted with ample custom cabinetry and a spiral staircase and a Financial District loft where partitions were removed to create an open, inviting space.
    The photography is by Kevin Kunstadt.

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    Ten living rooms decorated with textural cowhide rugs

    From a ranch in Colorado to a treehouse in Australia, the living spaces in this lookbook are united by the grounding presence of cowhide rugs.

    Animal skins have been used in dwellings for warmth and decoration for thousands of years. More recently, cowhide rugs – which were popularised in America – have become a common sight in interiors around the world, thanks to their recognisable pattern, outline and durability.
    Each hide has unique colourations and patterning, with variations in texture depending on the breed of the animal. One side features the hair, while the reverse is plain leather – the result of the tanning process.
    Cowhides imbue a cosy cabin-like feel, and can both blend into rustic homes and add timeless contrast in more minimalist interior schemes.
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring underground bedrooms, kitchens that combine stone with wood and interiors with bright yellow accents.

    Photo by Brad FeinknopfBully Hill House, USA, by Studio MM
    A tan and white cowskin rug adds warmth to this lofty living space in a rural house in upstate New York.
    The skewbald floor covering lends a rustic edge to the living space, and is bolstered by the saloon-style bar stools and a fire surround clad in Corten steel with a niche for storing chopped firewood.
    Find out more about Bully Hill House ›
    Photo by Fernando Marroquín, Jaime Navarro and Beto LanzMexican house, Mexico, by Amezcua
    A dappled cowskin rug adorns the volcanic stone floor of the living room in this modular holiday house in Mexico.
    The brown and white rug zones the seating area, which comprises two chairs and a side table made from wood and leather and is flanked by a simple bookshelf in matching hues.
    Find out more about the Mexican house ›
    Photo by Christopher StarkSonoma farm house, USA, by Tyreus Design Studio
    Nature is ever-present in this house in California, thanks to its expansive sliding doors as well as the earthy elements of the interior scheme, including a pale cowskin rug.
    The lightly dappled coat appears to glow in the sunlight and echoes the striated white marble kitchen counter on the other side of the interior.
    Find out more about Sonoma farm house ›
    Photo by Matthew MillmanPaintbrush Residence, USA, by CLB Architects
    A vast picture window and a cylindrical log burner flank the cowhide floor covering in this contemplative seating area in a house in Wyoming.
    The curving outline of the grey and white hide provides a textural contrast to the regular linear shapes in the timber wall and ceiling cladding that encloses the area.
    Find out more about Paintbrush Residence ›
    Photo by BoysPlayNiceCzech house, Czech Republic, by Atelier SAD and Iveta Zachariášová
    This gabled living space in the ceiling of a house in the Czech Republic is dominated by a large brindle cowhide.
    The rug’s naturally irregular patterning is offset by the geometric floor lamp and a ribbed seat covered in black-and-white zigzag upholstery.
    Find out more about the Czech house ›
    Photo by Barton TaylorPepper Tree Passive House, Australia, by Alexander Symes
    A cream cowhide with a pronounced brown stripe running down its centre straddles two types of flooring in this unique house in New South Wales, Australia.
    Built around a 60-year-old pepper tree, the interior has a fundamentally neutral colour palette punctuated by plants.
    Find out more about Pepper Tree Passive House ›
    Photo by Cristóbal PalmaLBS house, Chile, by Umberto Bonomo and Felipe Alarcón
    Overlooking a V-shaped wall made from cinder blocks, the industrial-style living space in this Chilean house is softened by the presence of a glossy brown cowhide.
    The use of concrete and metal throughout the interior is offset by the rug’s organic feel.
    Find out more about LBS house ›
    Photo by Leo MendezReforma Alas, Paraguay, by OMCM Arquitectos
    A classic black-and-white spotted cowhide lines the floor in the airy open-plan living room of this house in Paraguay.
    The rug provides a focal point in the otherwise minimally decorated space, which is defined by the use of grey and white hues on the walls and floors.
    Find out more about Reforma Alas ›
    Photo courtesy of Studio FuseRockham House, UK, by Studio Fuse
    The laid-back living room in this house in Devon centres around a pale cowskin that sprawls across the concrete floor.
    The room’s broad picture windows frame views of the countryside, with the hide retaining the space’s cosiness with help from a suspended fireplace.
    Find out more about Rockham House ›
    Photo by David LauerGoatbarn Lane, USA, by  Renée del Gaudio Architecture
    An orange leather sofa, a side table made from gnarled wood and a light-coloured brindle cowskin rug huddle around a fireplace in the corner of the living room in this house in the Rocky Mountains.
    Despite the rugged setting, warmth and comfort are instilled in the interior through the use of soft furnishings and warm-toned wooden floors.
    Find out more about Goatbarn Lane ›
    This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring underground bedrooms, kitchens that combine stone with wood and interiors with bright yellow accents.

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    Mestiz celebrates artisan collaborations at colourful Mexico studio

    Mexican design studio Mestiz has opened a showroom and workshop within a historic building in San Miguel de Allende, where its brightly hued collaborations with local craftspeople take pride of place.

    The studio space is located on Pasaje Allende in the heart of the central Mexican city, renowned for its colonial-era architecture and arts scene.
    Mestiz opened its new studio as a space to present its colourful furniture and homewareMestiz founder Daniel Valero collaborates with a variety of skilled local artisans to create furniture and homeware using ancestral crafts.
    “In our studio, partnerships aren’t short-lived; they’re built to last,” he said. “We’ve nurtured long-term relationships with artisans, where learning and creating are an ongoing process.”
    Rough plaster walls of the remodelled space provide a neutral backdrop for the brightly hued designsPieces from Mestiz’s collection fill the interior of the studio, which occupies a remodelled stone building designed as a “wild habitat” brimming with personality.

    “It was once a kitchen,” Valero explained, “and now it’s a space that respects the idea of Mexican cuisine, infusing it into our creative sanctuary.”
    Ledges covered in glossy tiles provide places to display smaller items the in the showroomThe studio comprises three principal spaces. In the showroom, the original wooden beams and the brick ceiling are exposed, and rough buttery plaster covers the walls.
    Ledges and podiums clad in glossy tiles provide places for small items like spiky vessels and framed pictures to be displayed.
    In the workshop, red benches are used for assembling the designsLarger furniture pieces like a triangular table and chairs with tufty backrests are arranged across the floor.
    Meanwhile, textile artworks decorate the walls and huge, fibrous pink light fixtures hang overhead.

    Colourful tiles and Mexican craft feature in Casa Hoyos hotel by AG Studio

    “Our creations aren’t just pieces; they’re stories,” said Valero.
    “We believe in crafting designs that engage in profound dialogues with the context and history of each community we work with.”
    A pink-toned storage room is also filled with products, which are all made from natural materialsThe workshop is situated in a lean-to at the side of the building, where the rough stone walls are visible on two sides and other surfaces are left untreated.
    Red-painted benches for assembling items and storing natural materials – palm, wood, wool, wicker and ceramic – are surrounded by partially completed designs.
    Mestiz partners with artisans across Mexico to preserve and celebrate craft traditionsA pink-hued storage room is also packed with products, from wicker lights suspended from the ceiling to tall totems in blue, pink and purple stood in the corners.
    “Our practice is a living testament to the merging of traditions,” Valero said. “Our pieces are the embodiment of cultural syncretism, where diverse influences converge to create something entirely new.”
    The studio is located in a historic stone building in San Miguel de AllendeThe rich creative spirit of San Miguel de Allende is also presented at the city’s Casa Hoyos hotel, where colourful tiles and local craft fill a former Spanish colonial manor.
    Other Mexican designers continuing local traditions through their work include Fernando Laposse, who uses corn waste to create a marquetry material, and Christian Vivanco, who launched a rattan furniture collection with Balsa.
    The photography is by Pepe Molina.

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    Gallery Fumi marks 15th anniversary with design exhibition informed by biology

    To celebrate 15 years of Gallery Fumi, the London gallery is hosting the Growth + Form exhibition of “functional art”, featuring sculptural furniture and lighting with organic forms.

    The Growth + Form exhibition includes new works by 16 of the 28 past Gallery Fumi exhibitors, responding to themes of transformation, regeneration and biological growth patterns.
    The Growth + Form exhibition celebrates Gallery Fumi’s 15th anniversaryIt was designed by architectural designer Leendert De Vos and curated by design historian Libby Sellers, who invited former exhibitors back to showcase new pieces in a group display.
    The exhibition title and theme were informed by the On Form and Growth book by Scottish biologist D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson, which analyses the mathematical harmony of growing shapes in biology.
    Pieces in the exhibition were informed by biologyResponding to this biological starting point, furniture and lighting with organic shapes and natural materials can be seen throughout the exhibition.

    Danish artist Stine Bidstrup created a sculptural chandelier titled Light Entanglements, made up of twisting clusters of hand-blown glass.
    Light Entanglements is a chandelier made from hand-blown glassDifferent lengths of painted sticks were combined to create Marmaros Metamorphosis II, a circular decorative wall piece with a textured, tufted-like surface by sculptor Rowan Mersh.
    “Revisiting the very beginning of his career when Mersh used cheap materials to experiment with techniques, in this work using lacquered coloured sticks, he creates forms with the details and skill level he currently attains when using precious materials,” said Gallery Fumi.
    Seating crafted from a single yew log is featured in the exhibitionAs the gallery celebrates its 15th anniversary, Sellers likened its growth to the formation of crystals – the material traditionally associated with 15-year anniversaries.
    “Grown from small particles into a solid form of geometric beauty, crystal is both a poetic metaphor for Gallery Fumi’s own development over the last 15 years and an opportunity to explore the creative affinity between science, art, and the intricate nature of constructions,” said Sellers.

    Lara Bohinc designs Jesmonite lighting collection to look like unearthed relics

    “After all, is this not a definition of design? The meeting of knowledge, form-making, material exploration and beauty?” Sellers added.
    “The works are vibrant and active – sprouting, swirling, twisting, turning – transferring material and form into objects of beauty.”
    Wegworth created a crystal salt vase for the exhibitionAlso on show was a wooden cabinet covered in hand-painted shingles by Berlin-based designer Lukas Wegwerth, who also created a crystal salt vase titled Crystallization 183.
    “Crystallization 183 was identified by Sellers as most significant for the exhibition, as not only is the 15-year anniversary traditionally celebrated with crystal, but the process of growing the crystals is a poetic metaphor for Fumi’s growth as a gallery,” Gallery Fumi said.
    The wall sculpture Marmaros Metamorphosis II has a tufted textureOther pieces on display include a sculptural copper floor lamp with a stone base by London design studio JamesPlumb and a chair by British designer Max Lamb crafted from a single yew log.
    “Tapping into the creative affinity between science and art, the pieces created for the show will display fluid organic forms, natural materials and geometric structures,” said Gallery Fumi.
    The exhibition is on display from 7 to 30 SeptemberOther designers showing work include US sculptor Casey McCafferty, Italian designer Francesco Perini, design studio Glithero, Chinese material designer Jie Wu, German ceramic artist Johannes Nagel, Finnish artist Kustaa Saksi, British artist Leora Honeyman, Spanish artist Saelia Aparicio, British artist Sam Orlando Miller, design studio Study O Portable and furniture design studio Voukenas Petrides.
    Gallery Fumi was founded in 2008 by Valerio Capo and Sam Pratt. It has previously showcased work including a Jesmonite lighting collection by British designer Lara Bohinc and a limited-edition bench by JamesPlumb made using medieval dying techniques.
    The photography is courtesy of Gallery Fumi.
    The Growth + Form exhibition is on display at the Gallery Fumi in London, UK, from 7 to 30 September 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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