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      Għallis exhibition suggests alternative to Malta’s “unstoppable trajectory of hyper-development”

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      Valentino Architects and curator Ann Dingli have presented a proposal to retrofit a historic fortification at the Venice Architecture Biennale to suggest alternative methods of conservation in the face of Malta’s rapid development.

      Curated by Dingli, the small-scale exhibition was part of the Time Space Existence showcase and featured an abstracted plan to retrofit the 17th-century watchtower on the north-eastern shore of Malta.
      The Għallis exhibition was presented at the Venice Architecture Biennale. Photo by Luca Zarb”The Għallis watchtower in isolation is not remarkably significant – it’s been vacant for years,” Dingli told Dezeen. “But it belongs to a network of micro-fortifications that were built along the edge of the islands in the 17th century and tell a part of the islands’ wider military story.”
      “Today the tower is a marker along the coast and not much more,” she continued. “The point of the exhibition is to re-charge its significance by introducing new usability and graduating it from just a visual landmark to a habitable space.”
      It focused on an abstracted plan to retrofit the 17th-century watchtowerWith its proposal, the team suggests changing the use of the building to create a multi-use structure that can be utilised in numerous ways.

      “The design reverses the exclusive nature of the tower – conceived as a fortress designed to keep people out – to an inclusive building that invites people in,” explained Valentino Architects.
      “Its programme is flexible, adapting to three permutations that allow for varying degrees of private use and public access.”
      The team proposed renovating the towerThe tower was showcased at the biennale to draw attention to a wider issue facing Malta – the commercialisation of its historic buildings.
      The team aimed to demonstrate that historic buildings could be converted into useable structures rather than being restored as empty monuments.
      The Għallis tower was the focus of the exhibition. Photo by Alex Attard”Heritage architecture in Malta has a strong focus on preservation of building fabric and less so on functional innovation,” said Dingli.
      “This means heritage buildings very often serve one programme – usually as museums of themselves or as institutional buildings – and as a result become inaccessible or redundant to everyday use,” she continued.
      “This design moves away from heritage as a product and towards heritage as useful space.”

      Álvaro Siza creates wooden figures for Holy See pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale

      The team hopes that the exhibition will draw attention to the rapid development of Malta, which it says is happening at the expense of the country’s existing buildings.
      “The islands are on a seemingly unstoppable trajectory of hyper-development,” explained Dingli. “Malta is the most densely populated country in the EU, and one of the most densely populated countries in the world.”
      “Its built environment hasn’t met this intensity with the right blend of retrofit and newbuild development – the former exists in extreme scarcity, despite a huge stock of existing building fabric crying out to be re-used in smarter ways,” she continued.
      The team proposed turning into a multi-use spaceAlthough the exhibition focuses on a historic fortification, the team believes that prioritising reuse over rebuilding should be implemented across the country.
      “The argument for conservation needs to be extended to any form of building stock, not just heritage buildings,” explained Valentino Architects.
      “Demolishing existing buildings to make way for new ones is almost never sustainable,” they continued. “When there is no alternative but to remove a building, we need to advocate for dismantling as opposed to demolishing.”
      “Materials such as Malta’s local yellow limestone – which has traditionally carved out the architectural identity of our island – is a finite resource that needs to be both protected and used,” they added.
      Alongside the Għallis exhibition, the Time Space Existence show presented work by architects, designers and artists from 52 different countries in venues across the city. These included a tea house made from food waste and a concrete emergency housing prototype developed by the Norman Foster Foundation and Holcim.
      The photography is by Federico Vespignani.
      Time Space Existence takes place from 20 May to 26 November 2023 at various locations across Venice, Italy. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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

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      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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      Ludwig Godefroy prioritises garden for “timeless” family home in Mexico

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      Mexico-based architect Ludwig Godefroy has completed the renovation of a”simple” house and studio in Mexico for himself and his family that is integrated with an adjacent garden.

      Godefroy and his partner renovated a former residence, focusing on the home’s orientation towards the site’s pre-existing greenspace.
      Ludwig Godefroy has completed a house and studio for himself and his family in Mexico”Casa SanJe is a very simple project,” said Godefroy. “The main idea behind the project was to reconnect the house with its garden, opening large windows everywhere on the ground floor. In and out are always connected in this house.”
      Almost half of the square site is dedicated to the garden, while the other half contains the architect’s residence.
      It is organized around the site’s substantial garden”Casa SanJe was an ordinary Mexican house from the ’80s, without any style, a simple house with tiles on the floor and texturized plaster finishing on the walls,” said Godefroy.

      The architect replaced the former materials with concrete, wood and tezontle – a red volcanic stone – to “calm down the atmosphere of the house”.
      Godefroy renovated a house originally built in the 80sThe ground level of the home contains two entrances protected by iron doors.
      A car park sits adjacent to the building’s first entrance, which is accessed through a patio populated with stone, planting beds and a concrete and brick sculpture.
      The ground floor contains large windows and doors that open directly into the gardenA second entrance is located further into the garden and leads to a vestibule space at the centre of the ground-level plan.
      The interior program circulates around the vestibule, with the kitchen, dining area and living room located opposite the architect’s studio and library.
      It is made of concrete with wood and stone elementsThe kitchen and studio spaces were pushed along the back wall of the house, with slim windows placed periodically among cabinets and shelves.
      On the side opposite, Godefroy installed large doors and windows that open the living room directly into the garden.
      Furniture like a dining table and shelving was also made of concreteMuch of the interior furniture was made of caste concrete, like the living room sofa, the dining table, side tables, kitchen shelving and an island. And some are built directly into the floor.
      Godefroy’s studio also contains concrete shelving and a concrete desk that runs along the wall.
      A wall clad in volcanic stone rungs along the back of the houseIn the same space, a wall was clad in warm wood panels, while a vaulted ceiling sits above the architect’s desk. A chimney sits adjacent.
      Like some of Godefroy’s previous projects, geometric openings were cut into interior walls.

      Ludwig Godefroy creates “habitable gardens” using massive skylights in Mexico

      An exposed wall made of red volcanic stone runs along the back wall of the house.
      Located between the kitchen and living room, a wooden staircase leads to the second floor, which contains bedrooms and a primary bath.
      The architect’s studio opens onto the entrance patioThe primary bath contains a sunken, circular cutout in the floor, with multiple shower heads for bathing.
      In one corner, a spigot drops water onto a stepped feature.
      An upstairs bathroom features a circular, sunken floorConcrete was used for the ceiling, walls and floor.
      Native plants were placed throughout the house, with a large semi-circle planter made of concrete placed above the house’s entrance.
      “We wanted the space to become timeless, out of any trend or decoration, just made out of simple material, able to get old instead of getting damaged under the action of time,” said the architect.
      Godefroy recently completed a number of projects in and around Mexico City, including a brutalist cube-shaped home and a hotel that recalls the design of an Oaxacan temple.
      The photography is by Edmund Sumner.

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      Traditional Korean pavilions inform open-sided Aesop store in Seoul

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      Skincare brand Aesop has collaborated with designer Samuso Hyojadong to create a store in Seochon, Seoul, that features an open facade and an oversized stone plinth.

      Positioned in one of the oldest neighbourhoods of Seoul’s Jongno-gu district, the Seochon outlet was created to “fit harmoniously within its local context”, according to Aesop’s design team.
      Aesop designed the Seochon store with Samuso HyojadongWhen designing the store, Aesop and Hyojadong took cues from the architecture of jeongjas – traditional Korean pavilions with no walls, which serve as spaces for resting and taking in the surrounding views.
      The street-facing facade was created with mesh metal screens that can open out entirely to create a storefront with no walls. Once closed, the woven metal backing creates translucent windows through which passersby observe the softly lit silhouettes of uniform rows of bottles.
      Reclaimed timber features on the interior”Samuso extended the floorplate outwards to create a threshold that conveys a generous sense of hospitality,” the Aesop design team told Dezeen.

      “One [jeongja] in particular that inspired us was the Soswaewon in the Damyang region, which was built in the sixteenth century and is surrounded by a verdant garden.”
      An oversized stone plinth displays Aesop productsFor the store’s material palette, the designers referenced the timber and stone that are typically used to build traditional Korean houses known as hanoks.
      A large, rough-edged stone plinth displaying clusters of products was positioned at the entrance while various wooden accents were created with timber reclaimed from salvage yards and an abandoned house.
      Copper was used to create geometric cabinetsThe store was also built on a raised stone platform, which nods to the traditional architecture.
      Hanji paper created from mulberry tree bark sourced from South Korea’s Gyeongnam province features on the store’s walls, which frame central geometric cabinetry and sleek taps made of locally produced aged copper.

      Aesop store in south Seoul is a cosy red-brick retreat

      The designers were restrained in their use of sanding, sealants and coatings when treating the materials, opting to embrace their “natural imperfections”.
      “Sensitivity to texture in this store is superlative,” reflected the design team. “Samuso wanted each material to express itself directly, without too much human intervention,” it continued, referencing the roughness of the stone and the reclaimed timber’s undulating texture.
      The metal was also used to design sleek tapsRosewood was used to create the store’s signature fragrance armoire, which is hidden from view until opened out and was conceived as a traditional Korean jewellery box, according to the design team.
      “Throughout the store, we were compelled by a desire to dissolve the boundaries between inside and outside, between the naturally occurring and the human-made,” concluded the designers.
      The store’s signature fragrance armoire was informed by Korean jewellery boxesKnown for stores that pay homage to their varied locations, Aesop has an outlet in Cambridge defined by handwoven bulrush shelves that nod to the nearby River Cam and a Sydney store furnished with domestic items to evoke 1960s Australian homes.
      The photography is courtesy of Aesop.

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      Last chance to be listed on Dezeen’s digital guide for London Design Festival 2023

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      This is the last opportunity to be featured in the Dezeen Events Guide for London Design Festival 2023, which highlights the key events taking place in the UK’s capital city in September.

      The guide includes a range of exhibitions, installations, talks, workshops, open showrooms, product launches, pop-up shops and design fairs taking place across London.
      This year’s edition of London Design Festival takes place from 16 to 24 September 2023, with the 21st edition spanning across 13 districts in the city.
      Dezeen Events Guide’s live digital guide showcases events that explore a variety of design mediums, including architecture, biodesign, furniture, lighting, interior accessories, fashion and materials and textiles design.
      Last chance to get listed in Dezeen’s digital guide to London Design Festival

      Get in touch with the Dezeen Events Guide team at [email protected] to book in your listing or to discuss a wider partnership with Dezeen. There are three types of listings:
      Standard listing: for only £100, we can include the event name, date and location details plus a website link. These listings will also feature up to 50 words of text about the event. Standard listings are included at the discretion of the Dezeen Events Guide team.
      Enhanced listing: for £150, you will receive all of the above plus an image at the top of the listing’s page and an image in the listing preview on the London Design Festival festival guide page. These listings will also feature up to 100 words of text about the event.
      Featured listing: for £300, your listing will feature everything as part of an enhanced listing plus inclusion in the featured events carousel and social media posts on our @dezeenguide channels. This includes one post per channel: Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and up to 150 words of text about the event. This text can include commercial information such as ticket prices and offers, and can feature additional links to website pages such as ticket sales, newsletter signups etc.
      About Dezeen Events Guide
      Dezeen Events Guide is our guide to the best architecture and design events taking place across the world each year. The guide is updated weekly and includes virtual events, conferences, trade fairs, major exhibitions and design weeks.
      Inclusion in the guide is free for basic listings, with events selected at Dezeen’s discretion. Organisers can get standard, enhanced or featured listings for their events, including images, additional text and links, by paying a modest fee.
      In addition, events can ensure inclusion by partnering with Dezeen. For more details on inclusion in Dezeen Events Guide and media partnerships with Dezeen, email [email protected].
      The illustration is by Justyna Green.

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      Giulio Cappellini and Sabine Marcelis among judges to decide Dezeen Awards 2023 winners

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      Twenty-three leading architects and designers from more than 10 countries met last week in a final round of judging to decide the winners of the Dezeen Awards 2023.

      The Dezeen Awards master jury took place at hotel One Hundred Shoreditch in London and included architect Sanjay Puri and designers Giulio Cappellini and Sabine Marcelis, among others.
      Interior designers Colin King and Tola Ojuolape, designer Patrizia Moroso and architect Andrea Cesarman also joined to finalise the 50 award winners.
      They include the winners of the inaugural Bentley Lighthouse Award, a special award supported by Bentley Motors that rewards an individual whose work has had an overwhelmingly beneficial impact on social and environmental sustainability.
      Winners will be announced in November

      Winners will be announced at the end of November at the winners’ party in London. Longlist announcements will be revealed next week, followed by the shortlist in October.
      Dezeen Awards 2023 architecture master jury (L-R): Andrea Cesarman, Sanjay Puri, Sumele Adelana, Lara Lesmes, Cristóbal Palma, Kevin CarmodyThe master jury discussed 235 shortlisted entries selected from 4,800 projects from over 90 countries around the globe.
      Judges also included Kevin Carmody and Titi Ogufere
      Joining Cesarman and Puri on the architecture master jury panel were Lara Lesmes, co-founder of architecture and art studio Space Popular, Chilean-based photographer Cristóbal Palma, SketchUp architectural designer Sumele Adelana and Kevin Carmody, co-founder of London-based studio Carmody Groarke.
      Dezeen Awards 2023 interiors master jury (L-R): Eny Lee Parker, Philippe Brocart, Patrizia Moroso, Tola Ojuolape, Colin KingEny Lee Parker and managing director and head of Material Bank Europe Philippe Brocart joined King and Moroso on the interiors master jury.
      Dezeen Awards 2023 design master jury (L-R): Sabine Marcelis, Giulio Cappellini, Erwan Bouroullec, Titi Ogufere, Chris Cooke, Rossana OrlandiThe design master jury panel included the founder of Design Week Lagos Titi Ogufere, Spazio Rossana Orlandi founder and curator Rossana Orlandi, Paris-based designer Erwan Bouroullec and head of design collaborations at Bentley Motors Chris Cooke.
      They joined art director and founder Cappellini and artist and designer Marcelis.
      Dezeen Awards 2023 sustainability master jury (L-R): Pragya Adukia, Piet Hein Eek, Siân Sutherland, Kate Goldsworthy, Kelly Alvarez Doran, Maurizio MontaltiDesigner Piet Hein Eek, MASS Design Group senior director Kelly Alvarez Doran and A Plastic Planet co-founder Siân Sutherland were on the sustainability panel.
      They were joined by professor of circular design and innovation Kate Goldsworthy, founder and creative director of Officina Corpuscoli Maurizio Montalti and director of design at Brookfield Properties Pragya Adukia.
      An exclusive judges’ dinner took place on the night of the master jury day in the One Hundred Room at One Hundred Shoreditch, where the master jury was joined by other Dezeen Awards 2023 judges.
      These included Jayden Ali, co-curator of the British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2023, CEO of the Design Council Minnie Moll and Raw Edges co-founders Yael Mer and Shay Alkalay. The dinner featured glassware by Nude Glass.
      Dezeen Awards winners’ party
      Following the longlist and shortlist announcements, the next big date in the Dezeen Awards calendar is the culmination of this year’s programme – the Dezeen Awards winners’ party, which will take place on Tuesday 28 November in London.
      Dezeen Awards winners will be able to collect their unique trophy at the event and it is a chance for everyone who was shortlisted for Dezeen Awards, or who judged the entries, to celebrate and network.
      Tickets will be available to purchase later this year. Subscribe to the Dezeen Awards newsletter to keep up to date with the latest announcements.
      The photography is by Mark Cocksedge.
      Dezeen Awards 2023
      Dezeen Awards celebrates the world’s best architecture, interiors and design. Now in its sixth year, it has become the ultimate accolade for architects and designers across the globe. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent. More

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      Graduate Hotels spotlights its diverse interiors with new book

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      Promotion: Nashville-based hospitality brand Graduate Hotels has launched a self-titled book spotlighting its hotels in university towns and cities across the world.

      Titled Graduate Hotels, the publication covers the company’s more than 35 hotels throughout the US and UK, each individually designed to reflect its location’s history, culture and university campus.
      Graduate Hotels has more than 30 hotels across the US and UK. Photo and photo above is by Steve FreihonThe hotels span from the East to West coast – from Charlottesville, Virginia, to Seattle, Washington, and across the Atlantic to Oxford and Cambridge in the UK.
      The book presents how Graduate Hotels’ design team sources decorative pieces by local artists and brings “the stories of the dynamic local communities to life” through hand-crafted interiors.
      Graduate Hotels was founded by Benjamin Weprin in 2014. Photo is by Steve FreihonWritten by the company’s founder and CEO, Benjamin Weprin, the 272-page book outlines how the brand’s interior design styles vary from retro-futurism at Graduate Hotels’ Cincinnati, Ohio, to neo-classical in Evanston, Illinois.

      Each hotel aims to incorporate the charm of its local university and town. The brand’s newest hotel – Graduate Palo Alto in California – is a historic renovation of Palo Alto’s iconic Hotel President. The new design blends the original 1929 design details with new elements informed by Stanford University and the Bay Area.
      The 272-page book explores traditional and modern interior design. Photo is by Steve FreihonFollowing the brand’s motto “we are all students”, Graduate Hotels aims to evoke nostalgia for alumni and travellers alike, providing an insight into student life and incorporating the local university’s ethos.
      Alongside the book, Graduate Hotels has launched its Generation G campaign, which aims to not only unite students and graduates but people from all generations.
      “Generation G is emblematic of Graduate’s motto, embracing the idea that there is always more to learn and discover,” said Graduate Hotels. “Whether you are a foodie, adventurer, current college student or parent, we’re all Generation G.”
      The hotels span from the East to the West coast of the USA and the UK. Photo is by Digital Love StudioTo celebrate Generation G, Graduate Hotels partnered with producer DJ White Shadow to create a playlist to play across its hotels and has organised a number of fringe events, including live storytelling events with New York’s The Moth.
      As part of the campaign, Graduate Hotels has launched a competition to win free hotel stays for a year and is offering up to 30 per cent off its bookings.
      Graduate Hotels was founded in 2014 by Benjamin Weprin and has since grown to 31 hotels in the US, two in the UK, and an additional four in development in Princeton, Auburn, Austin and Dallas, Texas.
      To view more about Graduate Hotels’ book, visit its website.
      Partnership content
      This competition is a partnership between Dezeen and Graduate Hotels. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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      “Space that is exclusionary does not live up to its full potential”

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      It’s time for equitable design to become a priority rather than an afterthought, writes Google’s Annie-Jean Baptiste.

      When you think about equitable design, what does it look like? In my mind, it means everyone being able to move seamlessly throughout spaces without having to think about how their identity might change their approach or reception. This includes a person’s age, race, socioeconomic status, whether they have a disability, and more.
      Equitable design is about creating a world where products, services and experiences are made for everyone and are helpful to everyone, with a particular focus on groups that have been historically marginalized. It’s about creating a world where everyone belongs.
      It’s not enough to create for one type of person
      Equitable design isn’t an afterthought. It’s imperative to ensure environments work for as many people as possible. When we do that, we create spaces that not only reflect the world around us, but create the space for innovation to blossom. When spaces are inequitable, they stunt ideation, growth and change. Non-inclusive spaces can at the least be alienating, and at most, be harmful and dangerous (hospitals come to mind).

      There are many factors that can contribute to making someone feel like they don’t belong in a space. For instance, have you ever walked into a store and felt like you were being followed or that you were unwelcome because of your race? Have you ever gone to a restaurant and found that there wasn’t enough space for your wheelchair? Have you ever gone to a movie and realized that there weren’t subtitles in your language? All of these are examples of experiences that can leave people feeling uncomfortable or unwanted.
      It’s important to be intentional about designing inclusively and being considerate of every person’s identity. All of us have bias, but we must move from intent to impact. It’s not enough to create for one type of person. We must build to reflect that world and commit to learning about experiences unlike ours in order to do so.

      DAF launches to “ensure Deaf people have a stake in architecture”

      There are several approaches to creating inclusive and accessible spaces, including being thoughtful about how a space is designed. One of my favorite examples of this is by the Magical Bridge Foundation. Their organization designs and creates playgrounds that center around inclusion across several dimensions, including ability and age. This ensures that people with a variety of identities are able to equitably enjoy the space.
      Another aspect of inclusive design in physical spaces could be the presence of adjustable lighting, which can be highly beneficial in a multitude of environments, including workspaces. Adjustable lighting could include dimmable lights or blinds/curtains to regulate the amount of natural light. This type of lighting allows individuals to modify their environment to best suit their visual needs, enhancing comfort and productivity. It can also help all skin tones show up beautifully and accurately by ensuring people have the ability to adjust to what works best for them, whereas non-adjustable lighting can fail to account for darker shades and hues.
      Spaces can also be used to celebrate identity. For many historically marginalized groups, having environments to authentically connect to is extremely important, because there’s nothing quite like being in a place that was designed with your experience in mind. For the LGBTQ+ community, these types of affinity spaces can cultivate a feeling of belonging. Another example, Black Girl Green House in Oakland, creates spaces for Black women to come together in community.
      There are many benefits to having inclusive spaces
      While progress is being made, there is so much work that needs to be done.
      Consider what a person’s experience would be in a space from end-to-end. The physical components are just one aspect of that. When they enter a space, they should be greeted warmly. There should be someone who speaks their language available to help with questions. Signage should be clear and easy to understand, agnostic of reading level. Hallways should be wide enough for wheelchairs. It’s worth co-creating with communities that may be most at the margins to ensure that you are creating an inclusive experience for as many people as possible.
      There are many benefits to having inclusive spaces. They can not only help to create a more just and equitable society, but, at an individual level, they can also help to improve well-being both physically and mentally, by reducing stress and anxiety. These spaces are able to provide people with a sense of community, belonging, and support.

      “Despite the media buzz, ‘Femtech’ is still struggling to find equality”

      Creating inclusive spaces allows everyone to thrive and tap into their creativity no matter where they are: in the workplace or in the world. Creating inclusive spaces means developing an environment where everyone feels welcome and respected, regardless of their background, identity, or beliefs. There are many parallels between creating inclusive products and inclusive spaces. Space, in fact, is a physical product that people will interact with, utilize and connect with.
      Space that is exclusionary does not live up to its full potential. Better decisions and ideas come from dissent, friction and multiple perspectives getting to a solution that is nuanced and multifaceted. The outcomes are better for everyone when you create spaces where groups that have historically been at the margins feel like they have agency to speak their truth.
      When creating inclusive spaces, products or experiences, you must always ask: who else? Who else should be involved? Whose voice needs to be a part of the process? As designers, developers, marketers, and creators, we have an opportunity to create products and services that make people feel seen.
      We must admit that we don’t know everything, and ensure that we include diverse perspectives
      In order to do that, we must admit that we don’t know everything, and ensure that we include diverse perspectives, particularly from people who have been historically marginalized, at key points in the process — ideation, research, design, testing, and marketing. This means being humble, asking questions, and letting those with the lived experiences guide the way. Center the experiences of historically marginalized communities, and build with them, not just for them.
      It’s not enough to build something you would like, because you don’t represent the world. When we broaden our perspective and bring in other perspectives, we design, create and innovate for everyone.
      The photo is by Red John via Unsplash.
      Annie Jean-Baptiste is head of product inclusion and equity at Google and founder of the Equity Army network. Her first book, Building for Everyone, is published by Wiley.
      Dezeen In Depth
      If you enjoy reading Dezeen’s interviews, opinions and features, subscribe to Dezeen In Depth. Sent on the last Friday of each month, this newsletter provides a single place to read about the design and architecture stories behind the headlines.

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