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      “Emerging talents require nurture” says Jan Hendzel

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

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

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      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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      Frederik Molenschot presents debut solo sculpture show at Carpenters Workshop Gallery

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      Sculptures crafted from recycled BMW airbags and oak railway sleepers feature in artist Frederik Molenschot’s Atlas 2000 exhibition, which is on display at Carpenters Workshop Gallery in Paris.

      Marking the Dutch artist’s first solo exhibition, Atlas 2000 features hand-sculpted works that are directly influenced by natural landscapes, Molenschot said.
      The show’s title refers to the visual diary the artist has created since his studies at Design Academy Eindhoven in 2000.
      Buoy Airbag is a sculpture made from recycled BMW airbagsSpread across the minimalist ground floor at the Paris branch of Carpenters Workshop Gallery, the sculptures were crafted from various materials and range from functional to abstract.
      Buoy Airbag is an amorphous, pale blue-hued hanging sculpture created from recycled airbags sourced from BMW vehicles.

      Frederik Molenschot’s debut solo show is on display at Carpenters Workshop Gallery”The piece delves into the intricate connection between cargo transport and climate change, with recycled airbags symbolising a melting arctic ice rock floating in the sea,” the artist told Dezeen.
      “I want to explore how luxury materials are used and how they become what they are,” he added. “[So] I processed the used airbags in a ‘couture’ way, to get a very high-quality finish.”
      Gingerblimp is a bronze LED light sculptureMolenschot also designed Gingerblimp, a bulbous bronze LED light sculpture characterised by a silver patina and a gold-brushed interior.
      The artist explained that the sculpture is a playful take on ginger root from the natural world and also nods to the manmade blimps that form part of New York City’s annual Thanksgiving Day Parade.
      Recycled oak railway sleepers were salvaged to create furnitureRecycled oak railway sleepers were salvaged to create a chunky dining table and chair, which were named Bridge Beat to “pay homage to the captivating structure of bridges”.
      Also part of this series is a black bronze desk and chairs formed from gridded lines arranged in triangular formations.

      Carpenters Workshop Gallery presents design exhibition on heritage, place and identity

      “Each material was selected purposefully, offering unique properties and textures that complement the conceptual aspects of the artworks,” explained Molenschot.
      “Every piece is hand-sculpted in our studio.”
      Molenschot also created oversized clothingAccording to Molenschot, the pieces’ forms vary as much as their material palettes. In one corner of the gallery, a bobbly bronze glove was positioned underneath a branch-shaped textured lamp while oversized clothing also features in the exhibition.
      “This solo show holds a special place in my heart, as it represents my entire artistic journey since my time at the Academy,” reflected Molenschot.
      “It’s an invitation to explore my vision of our world. My ‘atlas’ is a compendium of research, pictures, designs, and sketches that have shaped me as an artist.”
      The exhibition runs until mid-SeptemberKnown for his large-scale bronze sculptures, Molenschot has been represented by Carpenters Workshop Gallery since 2008. The galley, which also has locations in London and the US, previously exhibited an all-denim furniture show by designer Harry Nuriev.
      The late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld also debuted his first sculpture exhibition at the Paris branch.
      Atlas 2000 is on display at Carpenters Workshop Gallery from 1 June to 16 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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      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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