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Collector Rajan Bijlani has opened up his London residence for an exhibition featuring highlights from his 500-piece collection of furniture made for Le Corbusier’s master plan of Chandigarh in the 1950s and 60s. More
Swedish designer Gustaf Westman displayed existing and new objects including a colourful “puzzle” shelf during a three-day pop-up event in New York City.
Named Gustaf Westman in New York, the show was located in an industrial storefront in Williamsburg and displayed the designer’s colourful objects and furniture on a meandering pink and orange pathway.
Swedish designer Gustaf Westman held a New York City pop-up that gave nod to a museum experienceSmall descriptions were placed on the ground in front of the objects, as “a nod to a museum experience”, while printed pamphlets similar to museum guides were available to visitors.
“The decision was very organic,” Westman told Dezeen. “When we came here, it was like a gallery space. It’s also a bit ironic, because I’ve only been doing this for four years and I’m not really ready to do a museum.”
A brightly coloured pathway weaved through the space, which was divided by Westman’s screens and a larger display wall towards the front.
Gustaf Westman and Swedish Stockings transform nylon tights into “terrazzo-like” tables
Among the new objects displayed was Puzzle Shelf, a shelving unit made of interlocking, stackable rectangular forms that conclude in puzzle-shaped feet. Westman noted that the shelf is 3D-printed and processed to resemble the material qualities of his other ceramic and metal objects.
“I have an obsession with trying to test all different materials and trying to make them look the same,” said Westman. “Even if I work with wood or ceramics or glass, I want to keep the same finish, so [3D printing] is the next step.”
The shelf was made in a host of bright colours such as red, pink, cream, and dark blue.
Existing and new objects from the designer were displayedThe remaining space was filled with pedestals and shelving outfitted with existing glassware and objects such as a spiralling book stand and flower-shaped mirrors, along with furniture such as a coffee table that pinches wine glasses in place.
The designer previously used nylon tights to create “terrazzo-like” tables and displayed his objects during Day Two from Stockholm Design Week 2024.
The photography is by Kate Fatseas unless otherwise stated
Gustaf Westman in New York was on show at 25 Fillmore Place, Brooklyn from 10-13 October. For more events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design visit the Dezeen Events Guide.
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New York gallery R & Company has curated collectible design work by 55 contemporary artists and designers based throughout the United States.
The exhibition Objects: USA 2024 is the second instalment in a series of triannual exhibits by the gallery surveying the current state of collectible design practices in the country.
The show touches on topics such as revived craft traditions, material experimentation, political instability, environmental degradation, and cultural re-appropriation.
R & Company has showcased 55 designers and artists from across the United States. Works by Dee Clements, Justin Favela, Luam Melake, and Coulter FussellDesigners that represent different generations and backgrounds are on show, including Minjae Kim, Chen Chen and Kai Williams, Roberto Lugo, Katie Stout, and Hugh Hayden.
“In recent years, collectible design has increasingly entered popular consciousness, in part, thanks to the diversity of individuals embracing handmade processes and propelling them in new directions,” R & Company said.
“Objects: USA offers an incisive exploration of the formal innovations and conceptual motivations that shape the distinct and varied landscape of today’s object-making.”
It was organised according to seven “archetypes”. Works by Trey Jones, Nicole McLaughlin, and Kim MupangilaïAccording to the gallery, many of the artists and designers defy easy categorisation and challenge the understood boundaries between art and design.
The show was guest-curated by writers and historians Angelik Vizcarrondo-Laboy and Kellie Riggs, who chose to present works thematically through several “archetypes.”
“After a long period of examining what we believe to be some of the most compelling work being made today, we took on the daunting but exciting task of finding the throughline between 55 unique practices,” Vizcarrondo-Laboy said.
“What emerged were seven archetypes that provide a dynamic way to explore object-making, not only within this group but also in the future.”
Designers and artists working across the United States were represented. Works at centre by Brian Oakes, Matthew Szösz, Carl D’Alvia, and Hugh HaydenThe groupings are organised under the headings Truthseekers, Codebreakers, Betatesters, Doomsdayers, Insiders, Keepers and Mediators.
Showcasing talents that uphold and find new purpose for long-established handicrafts, the Truthseekers section includes pieces by Los Angeles wood artist Nik Gelormino and New Mexico-based ceramicist Lonnie Vigil.
The exhibition was curated by Angelik Vizcarrondo-Laboy and Kellie Riggs. Works by Cammie Staros, Ryan Decker, Liam Lee, and Francesca DimattioThe Betatesters grouping presents artists and designers who experiment with these techniques and push the limits of material.
On view as part of this “archetype” is Houston designer Joyce Lin’s Wood Chair concept, which was created using MDF, epoxy, and oil paint. It shows her ongoing exploration of how the lines between what people think of as natural and artificial can be blurred.
The Doomsdayers section touches on how talents are addressing today’s political polarisation and dystopian angst.
The work under this dystopian heading includes Brooklyn-based designer Ryan Decker, who creates graphical works out of materials like fibreglass, resin, and aluminium – like Leaky Bladder – to comment on the rise of technologies like VR and the role video games play in our lives.
The groupings were chosen to showcase the wide scope of the collectible design world in the US. Works by Minjae Kim and Jolie NgoThe Insiders grouping explores how design can address domestic space and how that impacts the human experience, especially during the lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic. Designers in this category included Hugh Hayden who presents “unexpected interventions” into everyday objects such as cribs.
Brooklyn-based Congolese-Belgian designer Kim Mupangilaï’s Bina daybed was grouped under the Codebreakers section. It demonstrates how designers incorporate distinct forms from different cultural sources.
“[Mupangilaï’s] distinct body of furniture is imbued with personal narratives, embracing materials symbolic of her Congolese heritage and childhood in Europe,” R & Company said. “Her elegant, organic forms reveal historical and contemporary complexities of identity and experience as the viewer revels in the details.”
The Keepers section includes one-off designs, sculptures, and installations by artists and designers that utilise these mediums to explore how people establish cultural and interpersonal connections.
The Mediator “archetype” highlights designs used to help people negotiate with their surroundings and heritage – such as those by Chicago-based Norman Teague.
“Norman Teague’s multi-faceted practice [architecture, installation, and object design] is inspired by his Chicago South Side neighbourhood and broader African aesthetics,” R & Company said.
The works range from futuristic to traditional. Works by Misha Kahn, Venancio Aragon, and Ryan DeckerMade using ebony-finished basswood and leather as well as traditional carving and stitching techniques, the Africana Rocking Chair combines references to both his Western and African upbringings but Teague distils them in a contemporary form.
Also exhibited as part of the Mediator section, Las Vegas-based artist Justin Favela re-appropriates the piñata as an important symbol of Latinx identity in both still-life paintings and painted life-size objects such as low-rider bikes.
Bright colours were used for backdrops. Work by Nicki GreenAccording to Riggs, the idea was to use these groupings as a way of highlighting the full complexity of American collectible design and offer fresh insights on how conceptual and self-expressive objects fit in the larger cultural conversation; how these designs can be both functional and used to comment on different aspects of contemporary American society.
The photography is by Logan Jackson.
Objects: USA 2024 is on show from 6 September 2024 to 10 January 2025 in New York City. For more exhibitions, talks and fairs in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.
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Gallery Collectional, a collectible design gallery in Dubai, has presented its inaugural exhibition featuring furniture and lighting crafted by seven Asian designers.
For Urban Fabric Series 001, Gallery Collectional invited seven designers to create designs informed by the urban settings from which they hail, including Tokyo, Seoul and Hangzhou.
The Urban Fabric exhibition included recycled plastic seats by Kuo Duo. Photo by Mario Tsai StudioCurated by Yoko Choy, the collectible design exhibition features 28 pieces that showcase the diverse range of crafts honed by the designers.
It includes 3D-printed chairs, woven sculptures, metal light sculptures and furniture made from reclaimed architectural elements.
Teo Yang repurposed remnants of traditional Korean houses. Photo by Mario Tsai Studio”Since the inception of Gallery Collectional, its desire has always been to create a multicultural, cross-functional platform that fosters disruptive and worldly conversations across design and art,” the gallery said.
“The 28 artworks commissioned and created for this inaugural series epitomise the juxtaposition between industrial precision and artisanal finesse, the nuanced interplay between vulnerability and resilience, and the seamless fusion of rationality and emotion,” Gallery Collectional continued.
“They delve into the dynamic interplay of light and shadow, the relentless passage of time, and the subtle balance between ruggedness and sophistication, encapsulating the essence of contemporary urban life and inspiring our collective vision for the future.”
Cutting Lines is a collection of 3D-printed chairsKorean designer Teo Yang used remnants of traditional Korean houses known as hanoks – including glass, rubble, marble and veneer – to create a series of furniture pieces.
The collection, named Remaining Things, includes a room divider made from hanok panels and a table made from a repurposed column with a metal base and glass tabletop.
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Koren design studio Kuo Duo, founded by Hwachan Lee and Yoomin Maeng, is showcasing a pair of chairs with a matching ottoman made from recycled plastic.
The Kerf Plastic seats were designed to showcase the “untapped potential” of the material to form three-dimensional objects, according to the duo.
The Sparks pendant light moves from side to sideThe exhibition also featured the 3D-printed Cutting Lines chair by Korean designer Kwangho Lee, with textured surfaces inspired by the act of tying knots.
Sparks is a pendant light created by Chinese designer Mario Tsai, comprising brass chimes that sway and collide.
A woven sculpture by Tiffany Loy hangs from the ceiling”Within this kinetic light installation, the transformative power of collision becomes palpable,” said Gallery Collectional. “It is as if the energy from each collision is harnessed and channelled, manifesting as both visible light and audible sound.”
Also in the Urban Fabric series were tables made from white, green and pink onyx by Japanese designer Kensaku Oshiro, neon light artworks by Tokyo-based Studio Swine and a pair of woven silk and cotton sculptures by Singaporean artist Tiffany Loy.
Gallery Collectional is located in Dubai. Photo by Mario Tsai StudioOther furniture showcases that have recently been featured on Dezeen include a furniture exhibition in a converted Bogotá townhouse and StudioTwentySeven’s newly opened flagship gallery in Tribeca.
The photography is courtesy of Gallery Collectional.
Urban Fabric is on show at Gallery Collectional in Dubai from 2 to 31 March 2024. For more events, talks and exhibitions in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.
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Gallery NC Diseño has renovated a townhouse in Bogotá, commissioning 10 Colombian designers to redesign its bedrooms, kitchen and other spaces in different styles for an inaugural exhibition.
NC Diseño features five floors, two of which contain previously uninhabited apartments renovated over three months for the opening Design House Colombia exhibit. It is located down the street from sister institution NC Arte studio in Bogotá.
NC Diseño has opened an inaugural exhibit of collectible design in BogotáFor the exhibition, curator Mónica Barreneche commissioned 10 local designers and studios to select a room within the apartments to furnish with collectible design pieces, prompting each studio to design a space informed by personal experience.
“For the first edition of Design House Colombia, the ten participating design studios were invited to delve into the typological significance that represents the space in which each one intervened,” said Barreneche.
Martín Mendoza created a wood and steel studio clad informed by his father’s own officeThe brief was for the designers to connect personal experiences with the different spaces in the home.
“As a result, each of them left an emotional imprint of what it means to connect with space,” said Barreneche.
NC Diseño director Estefania Neme also added locally created art pieces to each space.
Julián Molina of Refugio Arquitectura created a minimal kitchen with a custom illusionary tiled floorArchitect Martín Mendoza outfitted an office in chocolate-coloured wooden cladding by Woodbox Colombia and steel bookshelves by Guarida, illuminating the space with lighting by Alta Estudio and La Nuit as an homage to his father’s studio.
“When I observe a studio, my mind immediately goes to the memory of my father’s studio. That space, for me, embodies the authentic meaning of intimacy and privacy. It’s a completely personal refuge,” said the designer.
Mendoza filled the space with furniture of leather, steel and wood. A metallic-legged daybed topped with a woven leather cushion by his studio MM & Co was centred, while a steel desk by designer Daniela Duarte sat in a corner.
Artwork by Julian Burgoss and charred-wood figures in the shape of books as well as stools by designer Camilo Andres Rodriguez Márquez complete the space.
Estefania Neme centred a teddy bear wrapped in the Ikea Stockholm rug for a nurseryArchitect Julián Molina of Refugio Arquitectura outfitted a kitchen for the project, which will be the one permanent space in NC Diseño.
The designer centred a large wood-and-steel island and placed an illuminated yellow shelving unit by design studio Octubre just above it.
Jotaele Arquitectura created an “infinite” dining room with original wood panelingThe floor was clad in a custom black-and-white tile pattern by artist Ramon Laserna, which creates an optical illusion.
Medellín-based designer David Del Valle created a minimal living room informed by his warm, plant-filled city, taking advantage of the views from the three arched windows in the room.
Camila Buitrago Estudio and Granada Gárces Aquitectos created a bedroom cast in greyTwo scooped metal armchairs, placed at the centre of the room face the terrace and an amoeba-shaped bronze table was placed in between them.
The El Secreto table was designed exclusively for the exhibit to pay homage to a Colombian national park.
Moblar created a therapist’s office with a daybed at its centre and steel bookshelves”This table represents Colombia’s best-kept anthropological and territorial treasure; Chibiriquete National Natural Park. From its natural form to all the meaning it holds, this table narrates the mystique of this natural gem,” said Del Valle.
Upstairs, a room curated by Neme brought together a number of designers for a nursery.
Cruz de la Pava played created a “man cave” with a light that dims when visitors sit in a central armchairA rug created by Cosí and NC Diseño and informed by tatami mats consists of off-white patches sewn together with a colourful crocheted web.
A crib by artists Colectivo Mangle was made of wooden slats that fan out from connection points on either end with geometric, yellow chairs by Jimena Londoño y José David del Portillo placed beside it.
Basalto Studio filled a room with interchangeable totems and concentric chandeliersA giant teddy bear wrapped and emerging from Ikea’s popular Stockholm rug by artist Ivan Castiblanco was placed on the wall.
“When children are surrounded by a friendly, creative, imaginative and happy environment, their behaviour is undoubtedly different, and they learn to take care of their environment and value themselves,” said Neme.
Design House in Mexico City showcases local designers in mid-century home
Jotaele Arquitectura created an “infinite” dining room, which included original wood panelling and chairs by Jaime Gutiérrez Lega upholstered in wool, and Cruz de la Pava played on the idea of a “man cave” where lights dim when visitors sit in a central armchair.
Finally, Moblar created a therapist’s office, including a daybed and steel bookcases with curved profiles by the studio.
Pedro Bermudez created a courtyard with a green metal screen and clay pots informed by the layers of Colombian soilOther spaces throughout the exhibition include a bedroom cast in an all-grey hue, including the floors, by Camila Buitrago Estudio and Granada Gárces Aquitectos; a room filled with interchangeable totems and concentric chandeliers by Basalto Studio; and terraces by designers Pedro Bermudez, Terreno Paisajismo and Menguante.
Similarly, designers in Mexico City outfitted a whole house with custom interiors and furniture for Design Week Mexico.
Elsewhere in Bogotá, Lorenzo Botero and Martín Mendoza created a brick-lined restaurant and Alsar Atelier and Oscar Zamora created a translucent fog catcher.
The photography is by Monica Barreneche
Design House Colombia is on show from November to 14 March in Bogotá. For more events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design visit the Dezeen Events Guide.
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A disaster-proof chandelier from Lebanon and a towering sand dune-style stone installation feature in Arab Design Now, the main exhibition at the inaugural Design Doha biennial.
Arab Design Now was curated by Rana Beiruti to capture the spirit of contemporary design across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the curator told Dezeen ahead of the opening of the first Design Doha.
Set within the Qatari capital’s M7 building, the design biennial draws together a range of collectible design and installations.
Selected works from 74 participants paid homage to the MENA region’s “extremely harsh and unique geography” and investigated the “use of materials as a guiding principle,” explained Beiruti.
Here are 10 of Dezeen’s highlights from Arab Design Now, which is on display in Doha until early August.
Sites – New Sites by Studio Anne Holtrop
Bahrain- and Amsterdam-based architect Anne Holtrop has designed a cluster of large-scale mobiles made from vast slabs of lumpy resin.
Holtrop took casts of a series of manmade and natural sites that he found across Qatar to create the textured pieces, which hang from bearing mechanisms and can be manually rotated by visitors to produce continuously moving formations.
Constellations 2.0: Object. Light. Consciousness by Abeer Seikaly
Over 5,000 pieces of Murano glass were woven together by Jordanian-Palestinian designer Abeer Seikaly to create this chandelier, which combines Bedouin weaving practices from Jordan with traditional Venetian glassmaking techniques.
Brass and stainless steel were also integrated into the lighting, made flexible by the glass mesh.
Once illuminated, the sculptural piece creates dramatic light patterns that nod to a starry night sky seen from the Badia desert, according to Seikaly.
House Between a Jujube Tree and a Palm Tree by Civil Architecture
Kuwait and Bahrain-based office Civil Architecture has designed a looming fibreglass roof proposal for a majlis – the traditional term for an Arabic gathering space.
“It’s a 1:1 model of a roof of an actual house that we designed in Bahrain,” studio co-founder Hamed Bukhamseen told Deezen.
Supported by steel and suspended from tension cables, the majlis features openings designed to accommodate tall trees and was created to explore the “symbiotic but blurred” relationship between indoor and outdoor settings.
Photo courtesy of Design DohaNubia, Hathor and Gros Guillaume Stool by Omar Chakil
French-Egyptian-Lebanese designer Omar Chakil was informed by his father’s homeland of Egypt when he chose alabaster onyx to create this monolithic shelving, a bulbous coffee table and a stool that glides across the floor on wheels.
Taking cues from ancient practices, Chakil carved the rounded furniture from raw blocks of the material, which was sanded down over time using water rather than covered in varnish – something that the designer said had became common in Egypt, especially when making “cheap” souvenirs.
“The whole idea of the collection was to use Egyptian alabaster, which was a healing stone,” Chakil told Dezeen.
“The pharaohs used [the material], then it transformed it over time. It lost its soul. So I tried to put it in the contemporary context by using the shapes that healing emotions would take – so they are round and soft, even though they are very heavy,” he added.
“I see that people are afraid to, but I want them to touch the furniture.”
Tiamat by AAU Anastas
Palestinian architecture office AAU Anastas is presenting Tiamat, a dune-shaped installation that forms part of the studio’s ongoing project, Stone Matters, which explores the potential of combining historical stone building techniques with modern technologies to encourage the use of structural stone.
Positioned for visitors to walk through, the installation is a towering structure made of stone sourced from Bethlehem and informed by the Gothic-style architecture found across Palestine, Syria and Lebanon.
According to AAU Anastas, the light, sound reverberations and climate control within Tiamat’s internal space is unique to stone construction.
Clay in Context by Sama El Saket
Jordan-born architect and ceramicist Sama El Saket took cues from her native landscape when creating this “taxonomy of Jordanian clays”.
The result is a set of spindle bottle-style vessels, each made of a different natural clay found across Jordan. This gives the pieces their distinctive colours, textures and character.
“These are all natural clays with no pigments added,” El Saket told Dezeen. “The colours are attributed to the different minerals that are found within the region. Some are sandier, some are rockier.”
The designer noted that while Jordan features an abundance of clay deposits and a rich history of ceramic production, today most Jordanian clay is imported.
Photo by Sabine SaadehLight Impact by Fabraca Studios
Lebanese industrial design brand Fabraca Studios has created Light Impact, a solid aluminium lighting fixture that was designed as an alternative chandelier, resembling durable ropes.
The piece was made to replace a glass chandelier that shattered in the aftermath of the 2020 Beiruit explosion, which destroyed a large part of Lebanon’s capital city.
Light Impact is defined by “flexible characteristics designed to withstand another disaster,” studio founder Samer Saadeh told Dezeen. He added that the piece, which includes internal brass components, was designed as an ode to Beirut’s adaptability and resilience.
Eleven by Sahel Alhiyari
Eleven is a cluster of tall fluted terracotta columns by Jordanian architect Sahel Alhiyari that were made through moulding and forming rather than traditional cutting and carving.
The architect handcrafted the segments, which are vertically stacked, using a similar technique to pottery-making,
“As you twist and turn the material, it creates all of this stuff,” Alhiyari told Dezeen. The designer explained that the columns were deliberately created to celebrate imperfections, despite referencing classical architecture.
Sediments by Talin Hazbar
UAE-based Syrian designer Talin Hazbar is featuring her Sediments project, which previously gained recognition at Dubai Design Week.
The work consists of blocky seating made from fishing ropes and fishing cage ropes extracted from the Persian Gulf with the assistance of the Dubai Voluntary Diving Team.
Also made up of recycled rubber grains, the heavily textured seating was created to serve as a reminder of how we might attempt to clean up damaged coastlines, according to Hazbar.
Whispers from the Deep by T Sakhi
Lebanese-Polish sisters Tessa and Tara El Sakhi of the studio T Sakhi combined discarded metal salvaged from factories in Veneto, Italy, with Murano glass to create amorphous glassware that takes cues from underwater sea creatures.
These pieces were arranged atop dramatic shelving inside the elevator connecting the first and second floors of the Arab Design Now exhibition.
The result is a playful installation that draws together the Venetian lagoon and Lebanese glassblowing traditions.
The photography is by Edmund Sumner unless stated otherwise.
Arab Design Now takes place at Design Doha from 24 to 5 August 2024 in Doha, Qatar. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
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Contemporary German furniture designs are displayed alongside vintage pieces at this travelling gallery that multidisciplinary designer Vanessa Heepen has launched in Berlin.
Rather than having a permanent home, Forma will take over different locations across the German capital.
Forma’s first exhibition was held in a building next to the Spree riverThe gallery’s inaugural exhibition, titled The Room I Walk the Line, was recently on show on the ground floor of a mixed-use building in Friedrichshain, nestled in between fragments of the Berlin Wall on the banks of the river Spree.
“To be honest, the area is not where I would typically choose to open a gallery,” Heepen told Dezeen. “But when I first saw a picture of it on a real estate website, I was deeply touched by its huge windows, red columns and by the water, of course.”
It featured German designers including Nazara Lázaro (left) and Studio Kuhlmann (top right)A trained interior designer, Heepen largely left the space in its found state but worked with her team to create a simple mahogany bar counter and storage unit for the gallery.
She also asked “soft architecture” studio Curetain to create a white latex screen for the corner of the gallery.
As part of the exhibition, this served as the backdrop for a tall white spectator shelf by Stuttgart-based Freia Achenbach, along with a graphic white stool by local designer Nazara Lázaro.
This wiggly coat stand was mong the vintage pieces featuredOther pieces in the exhibition included a pigmented concrete chair by Carsten in der Elst and hanging metallic stars by Studio Kuhlmann, both from Cologne, as well as a translucent shelf by Berlin’s Lotto Studio.
Forma also sourced a number of vintage pieces from Moho – a 20th-century furniture showroom in Prenzlauer Berg – among them an embossed metal cabinet and a wriggly coat stand.
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One of Heepen’s main motivations for founding the gallery was to carve out a space for showcasing design-led furnishings in Berlin, which she says is something of a rarity in the German capital.
“It is a discursive topic, and people have always been unsure about the success of it,” she explained. “After Forma’s first edition, I am glad to say it was hugely successful”.
Contemporary design pieces included a translucent shelf by Lotto StudioThe designer is currently on the hunt for Forma’s next location and will let the new setting inform her selection of furnishings.
“I’m always open to something new that occurs within the process,” she said. “I hold on to my vision, but I am also open to taking a detour.”
Also featured was a pigmented concrete chair by Carsten in der ElsElsewhere in Berlin, Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron is currently constructing a major new museum for modern art.
The building’s design came under fire at the end of last year, when it was discovered its complex air conditioning system would result in the venue using four times as much energy as a nearby museum from the 1800s.
The photography is by Matthias Leidinger.
The Room I Walk the Line was on show at Mühlenstrasse 63 in Berlin from 15 June to 15 July 2023. For more exhibitions, events and talk in architecture and design, visit Dezeen Events Guide.
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Designers including Bethan Laura Wood and Maarten Baas have contributed a range of “sometimes jarring” chairs and lighting to an exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Called Conversation Pieces: Contemporary Furniture in Dialogue, the exposition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) features 45 pieces of furniture and decor “that prioritise meaning and material choice over function and practicality”.
Jay Sae Jung Oh presented an otherworldly chair”The works on view are sometimes jarring, often bold and always conversation starters,” said the museum.
Drawn entirely from the SFMOMA collection, some of the pieces were chosen purely for their alternative appearance, such as an otherworldly leather and plastic armchair by South Korean designer Jay Sae Jung Oh.
Uneasy Lies the Head that Wears the Crown was designed by Germane BarnesOther pieces of furniture were selected for their commentary on social issues. For example, a piece by American architect Germane Barnes is a porch chair topped with an oversized backrest shaped like a milled wood comb.
Called Uneasy Lies the Head that Wears the Crown, the piece was described by Barnes as a representation of Black hair, meant to highlight how Black hair “is often policed and frowned upon instead of celebrated as it should [be]”.
Maarten Baas’ contribution features a bright blue clay chairDutch designer Baas and Italian architect Gaetano Pesce were also included in the exhibition.
Baas created a bright blue chair covered with clay while Pesce contributed an organic-looking fabric and resin chair called Seaweed, which resembles clumps of tangled algae.
A series of lighting designs accompanied the furniture. British designer Bethan Laura Wood created a spindly glass and metal chandelier called Criss Cross Kite.
Gaetano Pesce contributed a fabric and resin chair called Seaweed”A chandelier is normally a very fancy-pantsy centre light,” said Wood, reflecting on her work.
“I definitely want to play with this idea of fantasy within the thing.”
Unique Girl is a playful lamp by Katie StoutAmerican designer Katie Stout’s ceramic lamp Unique Girl was also on display. The lighting piece is characterised by an abstract figure that the designer said is meant as a commentary on domesticity and femininity.
All of the furniture in the exhibition was arranged across a deep red carpet interspersed with amorphously shaped plots of floor space to form a meandering pathway.
Mixed Seats aims to show “what a chair could be”
“Sparking dialogue throughout the gallery, Conversation Pieces presents chairs and lamps that surprise and garner attention unapologetically,” said SFMOMA.
Last year, the San Francisco museum showcased an exhibition of work by architect Neri Oxman, while it recently became the first museum to acquire a module from the Japanese Nakagin Capsule Tower.
The exhibition was curated within a winding spaceConversation Pieces: Contemporary Furniture in Dialogue was on display at the SFMOMA from 20 August 2022 to 25 June 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
The images are courtesy of SFMOMA.
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An iconic 1960s office block in Brussels has become a hotel, featuring an interior designed by architect Lionel Jadot using only custom-made furniture and objects.
Set to open today, Mix Brussels takes over the listed former headquarters of La Royale Belge, the insurance company now known as AXA.
Lionel Jadot designed a sculptural fireplace for the lobby of Mix BrusselsThe conversion of the 25,000-square-metre building was overseen by a team of architects made up of London-based Caruso St John, Antwerp-based Bovenbouw Architectuur and Brussels studios DDS+ and MA2.
Brussels-based Jadot assembled a team of 52 designers and makers (including himself) to kit out the interior with furniture, installations and sculptures that were all designed specifically.
The hotel has 180 rooms, all filled with custom-made objectsAlmost everything, from the chairs to the doorknobs, is the work of an independent artist or designer.
“We wanted to create something different so that when you enter, nothing is normal,” Jadot told Dezeen.
“Nothing is from a catalogue, nothing is seen on Instagram,” he said. “Everything is custom-made in Belgium specifically for this project, by a big family of designers working together.”
The hotel is located in the listed former headquarters of La Royale Belge. Photo is by Serge BrisonThe four-star hotel includes 180 rooms and suites, three restaurants, a food market, a co-working space, an auditorium and a health club.
To win such a large commission, Jadot enlisted all of the designers from Zaventem Ateliers, a creative hub he founded in 2018 in a former paper factory on the outskirts of the city.
Maison Armand Jonckers created a brass reception desk, which is topped by Lionel Jadot’s Disco Fan Light. Photo is by Mireille RoobaertZaventem Ateliers brings together 25 creatives in a collaborative environment that supports the creation of limited-edition and collectable art and design.
When a design competition for the project was announced, Jadot convinced them that the hotel could become a celebration of the city’s craft culture.
Arthur Vandergucht’s aluminium RB Tables furnish the hotel lobby. Photo is by Louis Vielle”This building is really iconic for Brussels and I have been in love with it since the age of 10,” he said.
“Every Friday, my mum would drive us past it on the way to my grandmother’s house. I thought there was something about it that was really special,” he recalled.
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“I told the team that we needed to be the ones to do this project,” Jadot added.
As well as the existing members of Zaventem Ateliers, he also enlisted 27 other creatives to collaborate with them on the fit-out.
The hotel includes a health club. Photo is by Louis VielleThe overriding concept, Jadot explained, was to create interiors that complemented the sculptural qualities of the building’s distinctive concrete-framed interior.
“The idea was always to have a horizontality in the creation,” he said. “It was not for me to tell them how to work; the point was for them to feel free to pitch something.”
Bedrooms feature curtains by KRJST Studio and tables by Pierre-Emmanuel Vandeputte. Photo is by Amber VanbosselThe contributing designers from Zaventem Ateliers include Maison Armand Jonckers, which produced the engraved brass reception desk, and Arno Declercq, who built a monumental blackened-wood sculpture.
Artist Thomas Serruys created wooden stools that can be found throughout, while designer Adeline Halot produced lampshades for the hotel lobby and sculptural mirrors for the bedrooms.
Other additions include mirrors by Jonas Moënne, nightlights by Studio Elementaires and a lamp by a lamp by Pascale Risbourg and Atelier Haute Cuisine. Photo is by Amber VanbosselAmong the lighting designs, eco-materials specialist Roxane Lahidji produced pendant lamps from salt, while Studio Elementaires created stylish nightlights.
Textile works include printed curtains and weavings by KRJST Studio, who teamed up with designer Emma Cognée, and tapestries by La Gadoue Atelier.
Jadot’s own contributions include a fireplace installation and various chairs, while other notable additions include a papier-mâché artwork by Papier Boulette, tables by designer Pierre Coddens and foam seats by artist duo Touche-Touche.
Roxane Lahidji produced pendant lamps from salt. Photo is by Mireille RoobaertThe opening of MIX Brussels aims to help cement the city’s reputation as a hotspot for collectable art and design.
As well as hosting annual fair Collectible, the city recently saw design gallery Maniera and contemporary art gallery Xavier Hufkens both expand their presences.
Lionel Jadot and Woit Foundry created the custom knobs in the bathrooms. Photo is by Mireille RoobaertJadot hopes the project will defy expectations of hospitality design, showing that it is possible for this industry to support local creative talent on a large scale.
“A lot of hotels opening today just order poor quality furniture from other countries, then after a few years, everything is destroyed,” he said. “It’s not a good way to do it.”
Key to the alternative approach, Jadot said, was that the investors trusted him to project-manage the process.
A papier-mâché artwork by Papier Boulette covers a wall in one of the meeting rooms. Photo is by Mireille RoobaertHe is proud that, unlike most new hotels, the completed interior is difficult to put a date on. He sees this as a sign that it will last a long time.
“You don’t know really if this project was born today or yesterday,” he said.
“We have created this combination, even though we totally avoided vintage. We only have collectable contemporary design, but it’s a really special mix.”
The photography is courtesy of Lionel Jadot.
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