The understood role of North Atlantic Viking women is often domestic, placing them second to men. However, new studies reveal these assumptions were made with present-day bias and that women were integral to the evolution of Medieval societies. At the forefront of this research is Michèle Hayeur Smith, an anthropological archaeologist at Brown University who analyzed textiles from the era to unearth the lives of Viking women. For years, she counted each weave and weft thread, realizing that colorful and diverse Viking cloths started to became similar, indicating that there was a legal, standardized cloth (called vaðmál) that women made and traded to earn a major income. Not only did these women create a product that greatly contributed to Viking economies, they also adapted their weaving techniques due to climate change when temperatures dropped greatly and warmer clothes were life-saving. Examining cast-aside textiles, Hayeur Smith has revealed the power women had in Viking communities while upholding the importance of the craft. Learn more about this at Scientific American.
Dezeen Showroom: graphic designer and illustrator Clara von Zweigbergk has created the Crochet rugs for Gan, combining the inherent warmth of the knitting technique with a playful approach to shape and colour.
The Crochet collection was born of von Zweigbergk’s love for the knitting style and is inspired by traditional crochet rugs, shawls and oval mandala-style rugs.
The Crochet rug collection is available in three colourways
Hand-sewn in India from virgin wool, the rugs explore unusual chromatic combinations and the innovative side of crochet through their two variants — an oval version with sections in five colours, and a triadic version that combines three of the oval rugs into one long row.
There are three colour options for the Crochet Mono rug — blue, pink or beige — and all three feature in the Crochet Trio. Both the Mono and Trio come in two sizes.
The rugs are made from virgin wool
“A rug can really bring a room to life and make it more personal,” said Zweigbergk. “My goal is for the Crochet collection, with its soft wool, to bring warmth and comfort.”
“With its many colours, some quieter and others more intense, and the different sizes, it manages to make us feel at home in any space.”
Dezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen’s huge global audience. For more details email showroom@dezeen.com.
Dezeen Showroom is an example of partnership content on Dezeen. Find out more about partnership content here.
Design Declares is finally here to unite communication, digital, industrial and service designers who are ready to act on the defining issue of our time: climate change. So why now? And what does it mean to declare a climate emergency?
In 2019, amid mounting pressure from Extinction Rebellion, the UK Government became the first to declare a climate emergency. It triggered ripples of industry declaration movements, starting with Culture Declares and Music Declares, and quickly followed by architects, business, engineers, fashion, health, heritage and tourism.
How do you support designers facing the “designer’s dilemma”?
Around the same time, over coffee with Sophie Thomas, we at URGE Collective bought the Design Declares web domain name. We started to define what the campaign’s elements could look like: a set of principles to sign up to; access to guidance from leading designers; signposts to industry leadership – and we came up against some unanswered questions: whose responsibility is Design Declares? How do we fund it? How do you support designers facing the “designer’s dilemma”?
“Design Declares is finally here to unite designers who are ready to act”
As a service economy, designers are dependent on clients. Hence the designer’s dilemma: how do those designers who are emotionally engaged and ready to take action on the climate emergency navigate their businesses if the majority, or even just some of their revenue comes from ‘climate conflicting’ clients such as oil companies, large supermarket chains or pollutive industries? Do you refuse the work? Do you continue working with these clients to try and effect change from the inside? Do you look for better clients? These are all much easier said than done.
We set up a survey, ‘How can design businesses respond to the climate emergency?’, to gather feedback from fellow designers to inform Design Declares and asked the Design Council to circulate it. They didn’t. Although at the time, the Design Council was going through an internal shake-up, with a new chief executive and a realigned strategy to ‘Design For Planet’ – a huge step in the right direction.
Fantastic intention and hope was overshadowed by a lack of industry engagement
At URGE Collective we decided to focus our energy on the first Design For Planet festival that took place in November 2021 whilst COP26 was unfolding in Glasgow. The fantastic intention and hope for the event was overshadowed by a lack of industry engagement. Things continued as usual, as climate scientists shouted ever-louder.
Cut to April 2022, and the Design Council’s chief design officer Cat Drew convened a conversation between myself and Jo Barnard, founder of design innovation consultancy Morrama, after Jo had proposed ‘Designers Declare’ to a room full of industrial designers at a Design Truth event in London.
Finally, Design Declares truly got underway. We spoke to both Architects Declare and Structural Engineers Declare to learn what we could. Key advice: don’t take on more than you can chew; foster a movement that isn’t about pointing fingers, but rather celebrating and learning from those leading the way; collaborate with industry leadership where you can and encourage self-driven change by providing resources to help designers get straight to action. And thus, the Design Declares Toolkit was born.
Taking a step back, it’s important to understand what declaring a climate emergency means. It seems like a simple thing: saying out loud “there is a climate emergency”. However, what it means for a business can be a big deal. Firstly, there is the way you run your business – such as how you power your office and conserve energy, how you travel, or how much waste you generate and what do you do with it.
It’s important to understand what declaring a climate emergency means
Secondly, and more importantly, it’s what you do as a business: who you choose to work for, what projects you take on, what those projects’ outcomes are and who they impact. The European Commission statistic that more than 80 per cent of all product-related environmental impacts are determined during the design phase clearly shines the light on the opportunity and responsibility we have as designers.
The campaign is based on the Eight Acts of Emergency listed below, starting with the simplest – “Sound the alarm”, through to possibly the most challenging – “Design for Justice”. It urges designers to publicly acknowledge the climate and ecological emergency and offers the Eight Acts as starting points to make change.
“The campaign is based on the Eight Acts of Emergency”
There is no requirement to already have policies and action plans in place, but there is an understanding that by signing you are committing towards improving your knowledge of sustainable and regenerative design and reducing your climate impact. This is where the toolkit comes in, by proposing useful actions, tools, and insights for each of the acts to help designers start shifting their practice straight away. Each signatory will receive an access link to the toolkit.
Design Declares aims to bring together the design industry’s voice
The design industry can inform public opinion. Design Declares aims to bring together the design industry’s voice, support self-driven industry change, signpost to design industry guidance and show government the weight of industry concern. We’re aiming for 1,000 signatories ahead of the Design for Planet Festival in November, where we will present industry asks to government. If you’re ready to get involved, then declare on the Design Declares website, spread the word via Instagram and LinkedIn and, most importantly, start change-making.
As a team we’re well aware that this is a global problem that needs global solutions, activated locally. While this project has begun in the UK, we are actively seeking partnerships to expand the campaign around the world. If you’re interested, please get in touch.
Alexie Sommer is a designer and communication expert who focuses on business sustainability. She is a founding member of URGE Collective, a mentor for Fashion for Good, a consultant strategist with Pentagram, a sustainable human at Group of Humans and was previously creative director at Thomas Matthews and design director for creative at The Guardian newspaper group.
Industrial designer Jacques Averna, one half of Paris-based design firm Canel-Averna, which specializes in signage, created this sign that uses no electricity. Instead, it uses dots made of polymethyl methacrylate, a transparent thermoplastic that, here, is used to reflect nearby streetlights:
I could find no more information on this, and at press time Canel-Averna’s website appears to be down.
Dezeen Showroom: Italian brand Marazzi has designed a range of tiles that mimic traditional wallpaper in geometric and natural-motif patterns.
When designing Momenti, the tile manufacturer aimed to design a range that allowed “colour and decoration to regain their central role within spaces”.
Momenti tiles have the same visual presence as wallpaper
The tiles can be applied in alternating strips or in large sections to cover entire walls, and users can choose from a versatile range of plain, floral, botanical, Art Nouveau and Art Deco prints.
Unlike traditional wallpaper, they are suitable for use in a variety of spaces including bathrooms and other damp areas.
Tiles are suitable for use in bathrooms and kitchens
Momenti tiles are available in a variety of decorative styles including structured, decorative and mosaic tiles, and plain colour options including Blu, Bianco, Avorio, Salvia, Terracotta, Ocra and Tabacco.
Tiles come in a six-millimetre thick, 40 x 120 format and have a matt, non-reflective finish with three dimensional detailing.
Dezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen’s huge global audience. For more details email showroom@dezeen.com.
Dezeen Showroom is an example of partnership content on Dezeen. Find out more about partnership content here.
Following four years of research, Swiss sneaker brand On has announced the Cloudprime, a running shoe made using carbon emissions. By collaborating with chemical manufacturer LanzaTech, energy company Technip Energies and plastics manufacturer Borealis, On has produced the EVA foam for the Cloudprime’s midsole from an unlikely source: Industrial pollution.
Here’s how it works. LanzaTech captures carbon monoxide from steel mills, landfill sites and other industrial-scale polluters. They then combine those emissions with bacteria first identified in rabbit droppings (not kidding), which ferments the mixture into liquid ethanol. The company says the process is similar to what happens at a brewery, with sugar and yeast swapped out for carbon monoxide and the rabbit-poopy bacteria.
The ethanol is then handed over to Technip Energies, who have the technology to dehydrate the ethanol into ethylene. That ethylene is then given to Borealis, who polymerizes it into EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate) foam, which On dubs CleanCloud™.
For brevity’s sake, I’ve grossly condensed the development story of the material; if you’re into chemistry and the challenges of setting up a supply chain from scratch, I highly recommend you read the full CleanCloud development backstory here.
The Cloudprime is currently being tested by elite Swiss and German athletes, who are evaluating it for performance. On hasn’t mentioned a specific release date, and will only say “Our ambition is to bring the CleanCloud™ technology to as many consumers as possible in the near future.”
Located in Vale Flor, Portugal, the Chestnut House is a minimal home designed by local architect João Mendes Ribeiro, centered around a chestnut tree. The glass walls of the home provide close-up views of the majestic tree, making it seem as if the tree is a part of the house. The home is clad in black-painted timber, and covered in plywood panels as well. It has also been lined with oriented strand board and cork panels for thermal insulation. The secular chestnut tree functioned as the motto for the development of the home.
“The reference to ‘genius loci’ summarises the design starting point: the place and the large century-old chestnut tree. The main idea of the project was to shift interest from the architectural object to the place and site so that the context is the starting point of the project,” said Ribeiro.
Defined as an “elegant shelter”, the home occupies 25-square-meter and includes a kitchen, a living area, and a sleeping section – all placed within one room. A central fireplace is placed in the middle of the room. The walls of this room are positioned in such a manner, so as to subtly envelope and hug the chestnut tree. Impressive windows provide views of the tree’s massive trunk, further highlighting the home’s close proximity to the tree.
A cute wooden ladder placed at the southern side of the home provides access to a mezzanine level, which is small in size but has sufficient space for an extra bed. At the northern end of the home, a bathroom has been placed. The mezzanine section also provides stunning views of the peaceful surrounding landscape.
The interiors of the home – the walls, ceiling, and furniture have all been equipped with a plywood finishing, creating a warm and minimal vibe within the home. The interiors perfectly complement, and in fact, accentuate the minimal exterior of the house.
“The geometry (of the home) is broken and tensioned by the tree trunk and its branches, opening the building towards the tree canopy. The house reveals throughout the year the changes in the seasons and weather. It is the changing game of nature that determines the life of the inhabitant,” said Ribeiro. The home allows the residents to always feel at one with nature, and experience the changes in nature as closely as possible.
By incorporating and making room for an existing tree in the design of the home, Ribeiro has managed to minimize the disturbance caused to the site, and protect a beautiful mature tree.
Discussing the tactile elements of our recent stay with Marriott International’s VP of Design, Aliya Khan
Along the bustling waterfront of Halifax—the capital city of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia—the Muir, Autograph Collection welcomes guests into a nuanced hospitality experience. From its unique architecture and soothing design to the impeccable service and exciting food and beverage outlets, the hotel exceeds expectation. Nova Scotian practice MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects worked with Canadian designer Alessandro Munge of Studio Munge, both in collaboration with Marriott International’s Global Design teams, to imagine an utterly unique property born from (and inspired by) local materials, with references to the maritime city’s shipbuilding heritage throughout.
There’s a consistent tonal and textural feel that extends from the lobby into the ground-floor restaurant and up through the luxuriant pool facility, all the way to the minimal yet sophisticated guest rooms. Although plush emerald-colored chairs and design accents glow in the hotel’s speakeasy (even in low light), these items are enveloped by a muted natural palette that aligns with the destination’s overall aesthetic. Further, much of the furniture populating these rooms is made in Canada, and artistic pieces hail from local artists. To learn more about the role of design and materiality in the Muir, Autograph Collection’s magnificent spaces we spoke with Aliya Khan, VP of Design, Global Design Strategies, Marriott International. Khan was able to ground our comfortable, sensory experience in the tactile decisions of the designers.
What makes the Muir, Autograph Collection distinctly Nova Scotian? And how does it embody the overall design ethos of the Autograph Collection?
Everything about Muir, Autograph Collection is distinctly Nova Scotian, and because of that it is perfectly aligned with Autograph Collection Hotels’ values—inspired by a clear vision, soul and story, and meticulously designed to evoke a strong sense of place. Simply put, this hotel just could not exist anywhere else.
The designers were inspired by the natural hues, tones, textures and landscape of this city and surroundings. Nova Scotian sandstone, distinctive in olive and tan colors, is complemented by the iconic salt-and-pepper provincial granite. Muntz metal, which accents the building, represents a modern interpretation of ship hulls, further reinforcing the significance and influence of marine culture. Their approach to architecture and design connects guests to the destination and allows visitors to discover why Nova Scotia and Halifax, in particular, is a place like no other.
How did the Muir, Autograph Collection’s unexpected architecture and prime waterfront position impact the design?
Muir, which is Scots Gaelic for “sea,” juts out dramatically over the Atlantic Ocean, so the distinct location of the hotel and the materials of the region are woven into the hotel’s art, architecture and design. The hotel goes beyond embracing its natural environment, and frames specific views of the landscape surrounding it with nearly all of the 109 rooms and suites and its public spaces offering sweeping sea views. In addition to the views, the way natural light plays with and reflects from the surrounding ocean shapes the way guests experience the hotel’s design—different by time of day and season—warm, inviting and magical.
With the hotel’s prime location in the vibrant Halifax waterfront, in the heart of the Queen’s Marque district, the hotel pays respect to this notable location and poetic architecture. Appropriately, the hotel’s architectural story symbolizes marine forms of grand vessels docking on the waterfront, accurately representing Halifax’s shipbuilding past while defining the city’s future.
You mentioned the word warm. During our stay, we were impressed by the warm design inside the Muir, Autograph Collection and the way that is tied to materials. Can you talk about the process behind selecting the property’s materials?
The warmth of the design is another superb example of the interplay between architecture and interior design. The rugged yet refined architecture portrays a contemporary marine, wharf-like design anchored by the materiality from that local salt-and-pepper granite and sandstone to the Muntz metal. These elements read as cool and minimalist, but when they are paired with interiors and furnishings that are textured, layered and inviting, you create an enveloping design experience with a deep sense of place.
Throughout the property, accents of reimagined Nova Scotian art and craftsmanship are introduced to create a tailored and unique environment. Staterooms and suites are internally programmed to maximize the Atlantic Ocean harbor-front views. The living room design was inspired by Nova Scotia’s natural textures and muted colors along with a local craft influence, bringing a sense of residential atmosphere.
We’d love to know more about the process behind selecting the furnishings, as well.
Throughout Muir, Alessandro curated custom furniture, textiles and lighting—designed and created in Canada—that work together to reflect a modern Nova Scotian aesthetic. Guest rooms and suites feature curved white oak walls and plank flooring, while the warmth and tradition of Nova Scotia is felt through the textiles, including a custom-designed tartan throw featured in every room. A collection of bespoke furniture includes a walnut floating worktable, walnut-framed beds and a full-size bar paying homage to luminous ship portholes. And each spa-like bathroom is lined with granite and features a separate wet room surrounded by frosted glass suggesting the subtle haze of Halifax’s morning fog.
Public spaces are intimate and inviting with softly lit cove lighting warmed by lively fireplaces. Statement pieces from local artists appear throughout, including a handwoven tapestry depicting a spectacular Nova Scotia landscape by Allison Pinsent-Baker, which is proudly hung behind the reception desk.
Muir’s design extends to all of the hotel’s public spaces, including its signature restaurant, Drift, which celebrated Canadian chef Anthony Walsh and chef de cuisine Jamie MacAulay calls “a culinary love letter to Nova Scotia’s land, people and history.” It’s a restaurant you truly experience with all senses. From a design perspective, the dining room offers stunning waterfront views with floor-to-ceiling marble fluted fireplaces and leather-wrapped walls. This spectacular sense of ‘reveal’ also extends to BKS, Muir’s speakeasy, an enclave of curved wooden walls, muted marble and luxurious banquettes.
Partners at design consultancy Pentagram have created a collection of contemporary tiles and objects for Mallorcan tile brand Huguet, which is on show at London Design Festival and includes glow-in-the-dark tiles.
The project was conceived by designer and former Pentagram partner Astrid Stavro, who helped coordinate the involvement of seven partners from Pentagram‘s London and New York studios.
The designers were briefed to experiment with materiality and craft, taking advantage of Huguet‘s capabilities as a manufacturer of artisan tiles, cement and terrazzo.
Sascha Lobe created a typographic design
The seven designers who participated in the project all joined global design consultancy Pentagram as partners in the last seven years.
Their work is predominantly focused on the digital realm, so this project provided an opportunity for a deeper engagement with craftsmanship and local, sustainable materials.
“It was an open brief: there was no limitation or restriction as long as Huguet was capable of manufacturing and developing each concept,” explained Stavro, who initiated the project three years ago before leaving Pentagram in 2021 to set up her own studio.
“The underlying concept was to bridge Mediterranean tradition with international contemporary design, blending different cultures and practices with unique points of view,” the designer added.
The project was conceived by Astrid Stavro, who created tiles with sustainable materials
Huguet was established in 1933 and is now run by Biel Huguet, the third generation of his family to oversee the company. Its hand-crafted products are made in small batches and are the result of an approach that combines traditional production methods with contemporary design.
The brand’s identity is deeply rooted in Mediterranean culture and takes inspiration from the region’s architecture, materials and light.
A playful coffee table was designed by Matt Willey
“This is an extraordinary project for Huguet,” said Biel Huguet. “Putting together contemporaneity with tradition, global with local, and international designers with Mediterranean artisans has always been essential for us, and this collaboration is one of the best ways we could have done it.”
“We have shared views to blend cultures, to foster diversity and, at the end, to contribute (with a lot of humility), to make a world a little bit richer, a little bit more human, a little bit better, ” he added.
Jody Hudson-Powell’s innovative tile glows in the dark
The collection includes the Day/Night_Cycle_01 tiles by designer Jody Hudson-Powell, which feature simple surfaces punctuated by a grid of embossed circles.
Flakes of a photoluminescent material incorporated into the cement glow in the dark, adding a surprising element to the design.
“The intention was to create a tile that wasn’t inanimate, something which had a consistent form but with materiality that allowed it to change,” Hudson-Powell explained.
“The tile bridges the night/day cycle, handing over its role when the shade comes and allowing someone to move through space without the need for electric lighting.”
Le Corbusier informed Lobe’s tile design
Designer Sascha Lobe‘s tile design is called Universally Le Corbusier and was inspired by the Swiss architect’s study of modules and his use of colour and materials.
The modular system comprises 18 tiles featuring elements that can be combined to form typography or abstract mosaics.
Information designer Giorgia Lupi designed a collection of tiles that represent the 24 Preludes created by Polish composer Frédéric Chopin while living in Mallorca from 1838-39. Each tile features shapes and colours that embody attributes of the compositions, such as the key, tempo and length.
Graphic designer Luke Powell‘s Streno design is informed by the geological process of stratification. Layers of the normally unseen tile substrate are revealed by grinding away sections of the surfaces.
The swirling layered surfaces contrast with sections of classic white tile that form either a raised or recessed layer. The tiles can be combined in any number of ways to create different patterns.
Giorgia Lupi created graphically patterned tiles
Stavro herself developed a collection called RE Tiles that focuses on raising awareness of sustainability and climate change. The tiles incorporate recyclable materials endemic to the region, including Posidonia seagrass, which is a vital part of the local ecosystem.
Some designers chose to work in three dimensions, challenging the production skills and capabilities of Huguet’s technicians. Sound designer Yuri Suzuki’s playful Totem project consists of tactile pieces that can be assembled in different ways to create doll-like figures.
Yuri Suzuki’s tiles are three-dimensional
Industrial designer Jon Marshall created a series of three-dimensional planters and garden accessories including rings, cones and discs that can be used to create plant pots, pools, bird baths and seating.
Graphic designer Matt Willey proposed a pair of furniture designs that takes advantage of Huguet’s experience working with cast cement. The coffee table features a tray-like top containing 16 handmade Huguet tiles that can be rotated and swapped around to create an ever-changing design.
Three-dimensional planters by Jon Marshall were among the designs
Willey’s writing desk has a wooden base supporting a cement top that folds over to form a shelf and pinboard area. Thirty-nine iron circles incorporated into the tinted cement can be used to attach items with magnets.
When looking for a sofa to buy for your place or to find one to sit on, comfort is probably the top priority. The design also adds to the appeal but sometimes, the unique or artsy-looking ones don’t seem all that comfortable. So if you find something that’s both, you probably should get on that, literally. When it uses a different kind of material than the usual sofas that you see around, that’s another pleasant bonus. This sofa collection from Swedish brand Offecct may be the real deal.
Designer: Jean-Marie Massaud for Offecct
The Airberg sofa collection gets that comfy-looking feels for a sofa down pat. At first glance, it looks like the material is vacuum-filled but it’s actually made from flexible padding material. The inspiration for the design though is an “iceberg” filled with vacuum and also comfortable seating furniture. The asymmetrical design looks like the pieces belong in a museum so it will be an interesting conversation piece when you have one (or several) in your house or space.
The various sofas in the collection are made from a flexible padding material with a structural case. The base is made from metal while the seat frame is a combination of metal and wood with a special integrated suspension system. The comfortable part of the sofa is made from textile and foam with the seat and the back made from cold foam. The upholstery is colored gray while the “legs” which are mostly hidden, are in chrome.
If you are into the Scandinavian aesthetic for your home, this will be a perfect addition to your living space. It’s also a bonus that they use materials and methods that are socially sustainable and environmentally friendly.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
