Now that drone light shows are stealing fireworks’ thunder, pioneering firm Sky Elements is upping their game. The Texas-based company has figured out a way to attach fireworks to drones. They’re calling these Pyro Drones, and say that “Sky Elements is the first US-based drone light show company to receive FAA approval to attach fireworks to drones. Drone light shows, as we know them, will never be the same!”
Tomorrow the company is providing some three dozen public drone shows across the U.S. Here’s an example of their repertoire (from before the Pyro Drones were developed):
You can click here to see if they’re putting on a show near you tomorrow.
Polish architect Robert Konieczny and his firm, KWK Promes, were presented with an interesting challenge by a client:
“[The client] wanted to live in a quiet area, on the outskirts of a German village near Bremen. The plot is located in the vicinity of a forest, which became its great asset; however, due to cyclical sports events in the area, the secluded location turns into a place full of random people.”
A privacy fence would spoil the view of the forest; not having a privacy fence would spoil the privacy. Konieczny’s solution was to provide both:
“The movable, two-part structure on rails with a circular plan has the ability to close and open according to the needs of the residents, independently of each other and in different configurations.”
“This solution can be used for many purposes: it will create an intimate and private zone during increased traffic in the area during sporting events, and will additionally enable the space in front of the house to be protected from wild inhabitants of the nearby forest who visit nearby farms.”
And if you’re wondering about that funky roof:
“The building’s reed roof and whitewashed walls relate to the traditional architecture of the area. The roof structure, fitted with special slots at the top of the roof, makes the whole house act as a chimney, supporting gravity ventilation. The electricity needed to power the house and the sliding wall mechanism will come from photovoltaic panels, further emphasising the energy independence and eco-friendliness of the investment.”
The Open House, as it’s called, is currently under construction.
Laptops have come a long way from the earliest days when they were pretty much the size of attache cases, trying to cram hardware meant for desktops inside a more portable form. Even gaming laptops have started to become less burdensome, thanks to advancements in technology, and more notebooks are embracing increasingly thin designs for the sake of convenience and portability. Long ago, LG launched a line of laptops that boasted weights of less than a kilogram, hence the “Gram” branding, but it sort of lost that meaning in later models. It seems, however, that LG is back in business with its latest Gram SuperSlim design which finally hits that sub-kilogram mark yet again.
To be fair, it’s not that hard to design a lightweight laptop, but making one that is both lightweight and powerful requires some juggling and compromises. Battery life is one of the first to suffer if you need to squeeze out both weight and thickness, with cooling solutions next in line due to the size of decent fans. But with components now getting thinner and smaller even as they get more powerful, manufacturers need to make fewer sacrifices for the sake of a sleek and slim design that still delivers the power that users need from a portable computer.
The newest LG Gram SuperSlim is a testament to that achievement, weighing only 2.18 lbs, barely hitting the kilogram mark, and is less than half an inch thick. That makes it thinner than an AA battery, not that such batteries are used as a standard for thinness. When opened, the 15.6-inch FHD screen looks incredibly and precariously thin, almost as if it could easily snap in half at the slightest force. Fortunately, the laptop does pass the MIL-STD-810H test for durability despite its fragile-looking body.
The laptop also packs quite the hardware, starting with an Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processor and 16GB of RAM. It also has a 60Wh battery rated for around 20 hours of video playback, though mileage will definitely vary. Sadly, it does rely solely on Intel’s integrated GPU, so graphics capabilities won’t be as expansive as having an NVIDIA or AMD chip. Of course, there is plenty of AI to go around, even if Windows Copilot wasn’t explicitly named.
The 2024 LG Gram SuperSlim does make one compromise that Apple also made back in 2016, which earned it a lot of flak. The laptop only has three USB-C type ports and a headphone jack, ditching the full-sized USB and HDMI ports you’d typically find on most laptops. This is a necessary design decision to keep the laptop’s extra slim profile, but it won’t sit well with everyone. Another pain point might be the $1,399.99 price tag, though it’s currently on a $600 discount at the moment.
Dezeen Jobs features the most exciting architecture and design job opportunities around the world. New job postings are added each day by top companies including David Chipperfield, Aesop and Fritz Hansen.
The pitcher was designed by Henning Koppel
Designed in the 1950s by Danish artist and designer Henning Koppel, the sculptural pitcher is widely considered to be an icon of mid-century Danish design. Originally produced in silver, this reissued version is made from mirror-polished stainless steel.
Competition closes on 31 July 2024. Terms and conditions apply. Three winners will be selected and be notified by email. Please note that winners outside the UK mainland may be responsible for customs fees.
While decorating our homes, we always focus on the furniture we place in them or on the interior decor style we prefer, but focusing on home decor accents is equally important. These little decorative items can truly uplift the aesthetic appeal of a space, adding a personalized touch that will resonate with you and your visitors. A well-selected set of home decor accents can truly set the perfect tone for your home, and if they’re minimal and super-functional, well they tick all the boxes then! We’ve put together a collection of functional, nifty, and visually pleasing home decor accents that you need to check out!
1. Pop-up Book Vase Edition 4
Called the Pop-up Book Vase, this pretty vase holds and displays your flowers in a lovely, fairytale-ish style. As you open the cover, a 3D cutout of the vase is revealed, and it beautifully displays your elegant floral arrangement. You can even flip the age to unveil a different vase design, so you can have a fresh presentation whenever you want.
The book can be turned upside down to get lovely views from another angle. The book vase is quite simple but still, an interesting way to make your everyday flowers truly stand out, bringing a pop of personality to your living space. Start your home decor adventure with this ingenious pop-up book vase.
What we like
Amped with three pretty pop-up vase designs
It is made from 100% natural pulp with a water-resistant coating
What we dislike
The vase seems a bit tough to clean, and there seem to be no clear instructions on how to do so
2. CD Jacket Player
Meet the CD Jacket Player – a unique design that allows you to relive priceless moments with CDs, while also appreciating the album art that comes along with it. The CD Jacket Player stores your classic audio CDS, while also enhancing their aesthetic appeal by seamlessly including their accompanying jackets.
The CD Jakcet Player showcases the CD jacket art, and it can be wall-mounted as well, serving as a decorative element in your home. You can proudly show off your favorite album art, while also adding an interesting and visually appealing decorative item to your living space.
What we like
Perfect design for music lovers, allows them to add an aesthetically pleasing musical element to their home
What we dislike
It can be a bit redundant for people who prefer using digital music streaming platforms
3. IKEA JETSTRÖM
Designed by IKEA, the new JESTRÖM is a single-piece lighting panel in the form of a 30cm x 30cm square. However, it is not a simple square but features rounded corners and curved edges, which softens the harshness you may perceive from straight edges and inorganic forms. The lamp design has plenty of smart lighting features, and the white light can be shifted to warmer to set the mood.
Why is it noteworthy?
You can even set different colors to complement a particular theme. You can control these settings from the IKEA Home mobile app, and sync the lamp with other IKEA smart lights via the DIRIGERA hub, allowing you to create your own unique concert of lighting designs.
What we like
Economically priced for a large smart LED panel
What we dislike
Only one color is available for the diffuser cover
There is a dedicated remote for it, but you need to purchase it separately, which increases costs
4. Invisible Shoehorn
Dubbed the Invisible Shoehorn, this innovative product will save your back and your socks as it harmoniously vanishes into the background once you’re done using it. It has a long stainless steel body that will prevent tears and snags in socks and stockings. It has a transparent and minimal form which is easy on the eye and on the interior style of your home.
The Invisible Shoehorn is pretty unique as it artfully disappears into the background when it is not being utilized. It is equipped with a transparent stand, and the two elements partner up to form an interesting and visually appealing decoration for your home. The Invisible Shoehorn has both practical use, as well as decorative value.
What we like
Functional design with decorative appeal
Easily disappears into the background when not being used
What we dislike
Hefty price tag which may be beyond someone’s price range
5. Oakywood MagSafe Collection
This is the Oakwood MagSafe collection, and it uses Apple MagSafe charges to support actual charging function, while also offering visually appealing aesthetics. The collection includes products with solid and multi-functional bases which keep your iPhone and Apple Watch in place, while also adding some minimalist design ethos to your desk.
Why is it noteworthy?
With a mix of wood and matte aluminum materials, these stands and mounts look handsome on any motif you might have going for your desk, providing eye-catching ornaments without being distracting.
What we like
The charger they accommodate can be removed and used separately
Reduces e-waste in the long run
What we dislike
The accessories do not come with an Apple MagSafe charger
7. Moon Rock Clock
If you share a love for the Moon and outer space, then you can welcome them both into your home with the Moon Rock Clock! The Moon Rock Clock is minimalist, yet quite striking, allowing you to embark on space travel fantasies within your own home. The clock is built from specially polished stainless steel and has. circular shape which perfectly represents the moon.
The various numbers wane and wax about much like the moon, and the clock serves as a reminder to you, urging you to live life with an adventurous spirit, like the rocket ship moving around the moon. It features a moon travel-inspired aesthetic which is a gentle nudge to follow your dreams.
What we like
The printed numbers seem to float and vanish around the moon
What we dislike
A large and bulky product that will occupy substantial space on your desk or table
8. Gramophone Lamp
Named the Gramophone Lamp, this pretty and subtle home decoration design utilizes vinyl as material, featuring a retro and minimalistic aesthetic. It features a curved base that reminds you of the stands for an Apple monitor and is amped with a single aluminum stand that slopes at the back. The vinyl serves as the main light source.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Gramophone lamp also has a trackpad-like surface that holds the controls, and you can use it to switch the ambient lighting on and off, to increase and reduce the brightness. It has a polycarbonate diffuser disk which is considered the “star”, and it magnifies the light owing to its translucent quality.
What we like
Amped with a 4000 mAh lithium-ion rechargeable battery that you can use for up to 24 hours even when not plugged in
What we dislike
Seems like a desk lamp, but not really well-suited to be used as one
9. Modular Flower Tubes
Dubbed the Modular Flower Tubes, these pretty little tubes are an incredible alternative to the typical old vases we all tend to use. The container is made from metal and wood, delivering flexible creativity to the users, and allowing them to build their own flower arrangements according to their own tastes and requirements.
The Modular Flower Tubes are equipped with thin copper pipes that can be arranged in different positions and patterns, in turn creating lovely floral displays. Users can develop different patinas with time, elevating the aesthetic sense and value to the vase. The base is wooden, and hence quite sturdy, offering stability and durability to the product.
What we like
Offers users creative liberation, letting them create their own personalized arrangements
What we dislike
The unique patinas that develop over the tube need to be maintained well, and not everyone may like them
10. Tray & Incense Holder
Designed by Songpa-gu in collaboration with the Seoul Design Foundation, this beautiful tray and incense holder represents the beauty of the Hangseong period of the Baekje Dynasty’s cultural legacy, as well as the aroma of tradition. The tray and holder perfectly complement all kinds of interior decor styles, while displaying the Baekjeasty’s beautiful art and cultural elements.
Why is it noteworthy?
The white finishes of the product create a zen and minimal aesthetic, which is pleasing to the eye, and also calming to the mind. The neutral colors elevate one’s mood, while also helping you to focus better, and complete tasks with more concentration and precision.
What we like
Create a cozy, calming and soothing ambiance at home
What we dislike
It features a wavy design which limits the type of items it can hold, hence impacting usability
It goes without saying that Le Sirenuse is a icon in Positano; its cherry-red façade stands out against the azure Mediterranean, surrounded by great swathes of terraced gardens, lemon groves and the rugged backdrop of the Lattari mountains. It’s been an astonishing example of family-led hospitality since its opening in 1951 when Anna, Aldo, Paolo and Franco Sersale opened their seaside family residence to guests for the first time. Today, three generations later, Aldo and Francesco Sersale look after the property following in the footstops of their parents, Antonio and Carla, and grandparents. They exude the same warm and authentic spirit that has been present for over seventy years.
Photography by Brechenmacher & Baumann
Since its opening, art has been intertwined throughout the property, which showcases beautiful, artisanal finds collected by the four siblings. Franco, who was a skilled photographer and avid art collector, assembled a collection of 17th and 18th century Neapolitan and southern Italian pieces as well as neo-Moorish and central-Asian furnishings from his travels. Then, of course, the property has been adorned with examples of local Italian craftsmanship, with the family commissioning individual artisans to create most of the fittings and furnishings. Examples include the glazed ceramic floor tiles across the hotel by local craftsmen at Fornace De Martino, the beautiful rattan furnishings on the terrace of Aldo’s Cocktail Bar & Seafood Grill, designed by Mario Bonacina, as well as the tableware by Laboratorio Paravicini and ceramic decorations by Lucio Liguori.
While maintaining the importance of working with artisans, Franco’s son Antonio and his wife, Carla, introduced contemporary art through the “Artists at Le Sirenuse” program launched in collaboration with British art advisor and curator Silka Rittson-Thomas. This consists of inviting leading international artists once a year to create site-specific installations. These are then displayed throughout the space, bringing a creative twist on the timeless, classic design of the hotel. For example, the program in 2016 was kickstarted by Scottish artist Martin Creed who produced a neon “Don’t Worry” installation that hangs from the ceiling of Le Sirenuse’s original indoor bar. This was the first of many, with Stanley Whitney, Alex Israel, Matt Connors, Rita Ackermann and Caragh Thuring to follow—until the latest released this year by Swiss artist Nicolas Party.
Photography by Brechenmacher & Baumann
The eleventh edition of “Artists at Le Sirenuse” is perhaps the most ambitious and groundbreaking commission to date, in which Party has given a makeover to the hotel’s iconic pool with an exuberant play of overlapping and interlocking organic forms. He has drawn inspiration from the sweeping, colorful Positano landscapes and composed a vibrant tableau of abstract forms using Bisazza glass tiles to create a wonderful mosaic. Bisazza is a premium, historical mosaic brand based in Vicenza, northern Italy, with a rich portfolio of previous works with leading designers and artists, from Piero Fornasetti to Patricia Urquiola, Sandro Chia and Hiroshi Sugimoto. As the little colored glass tiles reached Positano in January 2024, the Fabrizi brothers, known as “expert mosaicisti” began to lay them and finished just in time for the hotel’s opening in spring.
Photography by Brechenmacher & Baumann
This contemporary statement alludes to Antonio’s father Franco’s vision from the mid-’70s. He was the first to transform Le Sirenuse’s pool—requesting Positano-based designer Raimonda Gaetani add a mermaid mosaic to the small pergola at the eastern end and, later, he had the pool entirely relaid in mosaic tiles reproducing the border of a Greek-style floor mosaic that had impressed him in Berlin’s Pergamon Museum. “When we asked Nicolas to create a mosaic for the pool, we were really just carrying forward a tradition inaugurated by my father almost forty years ago,” says Antonio.
Photography by Brechenmacher & Baumann
While you swim in the pool, you feel as though you’re suspended between sea and sky; with this kaleidoscope of blue hues, you enter a new realm in which you seem to float in another dimension. At the center of this monochromatic medley, the artist has placed a disc made of golden mosaic tiles that, he says, “people will think of as the sun, because it’s gold and a circle… so when you jump into the pool, you’re jumping into the sky.” Inspired by ancient Chinese landscape painting, Party provokes this thought through metaphorical interpretations of nature encouraging a deeper appreciation of the beauty and complexity of the surrounding environment.
It’s always fun to see public art things that people can actually touch and interact with. Where I live that is a rarity for a lot of reasons so I envy places that have an abundance of public art exhibits. If you’re in London, particularly the Chelsea area this summer, you can check out this interesting part of the art trail where something seems like one thing but is actually another thing.
Love Continuum is a large piece of typographic art that inspires its viewers (kids and kids at heart) to actually climb on it and play on it (safely of course). It is located on the Duke of York Square in Kings Road as part of the Kensington + Chelsea Art Week celebration which runs until August. At first it just looks like a huge red spring or swirly thing that may be a random piece of art in the city.
But if you actually look at it from a certain angle, it spells the word “love” in cursive. When viewed in other angles, it’s hard to see the word as it’s just a red worm that you can climb on, sit on (maybe not so comfortably), or just look at. But when you finally see the word it spells out, it’s a “eureka” moment that you’ll enjoy. You can also invite other people to discover this not so secret secret.
The “red squiggly worm” is 7.5 meters in length and is the latest in Alter’s continuing work of colorful concepts that invite people to play with it and enjoy his art. And with the “secret” word that is part of the sculpture, it adds another dimension.
Unlike in most parts of the world, Iceland‘s design scene is overwhelmingly female. Nat Barker explores what makes the tiny Nordic nation different.
This year, Iceland’s annual design festival, DesignMarch, began just three days after Milan design week, which is still the biggest event in the industry calendar.
For anyone attending both, the stark contrast in the visibility of women was impossible to miss.
DesignMarch managing director Halla Helgadóttir argues that Iceland’s tradition of strong female leaders and creative voices has encouraged designers.
“We have very strong women role models in Iceland, and have had for a long time,” she told Dezeen.
“Björk is the most famous of some strong creative role models that broke through internationally, which has had a huge influence on the belief in Iceland that we can go further with what we do,” she added.
“So women in Iceland are quite experimental and innovative.”
The youthfulness of Iceland’s design field has also been significant, she suggests.
In the late 1980s, a young Tinna Gunnarsdóttir travelled from her native Iceland to study 3D design in the UK.
This year’s DesignMarch festival was dominated by women. Photo courtesy of DesignMarch
Although she didn’t really consider it at the time, Gunnarsdóttir was pioneering her country’s design scene.
“When I came back to Iceland, I literally didn’t have anybody to talk to about my field because the field didn’t exist in Iceland,” she recalled. “I came back to this cold little island and I was an island on an island.”
Gunnarsdóttir has run her product-design studio for 30 years and has been exhibiting solo in Milan and beyond since the mid-1990s.
Design in Iceland really started to take off around the turn of the millennium thanks to the establishment of the Iceland University of the Arts – where Gunnarsdóttir has educated many of the country’s younger designers.
“I did notice a long time ago how many women were in design in Iceland,” she told Dezeen.
Gunnarsdóttir studied in England with Sigríður Sigurjónsdóttir, who is now director of Iceland’s Museum of Design and Applied Art. Like Helgadóttir at DesignMarch, she leads an all-female staff.
“We focus very little on role models of men”
Hrefna Sigurðardóttir, co-founder of waste-focused studio Flétta – one of Iceland’s buzziest young design names – agrees that the newness of the scene is a factor.
“It’s a rather young profession in Iceland, so we don’t have a long heritage like many other countries have where you have role models that are often men that you have to live up to,” she told Dezeen.
“And I think the freedom we have in Iceland is kind of amazing in that perspective – there’s no rules on how it should be or how a designer looks. I think that has been great for us in Flétta.”
Íris Indriðadóttir, one half of design and farming duo Erindrekar (pictured top), adds that this idea is engendered during design education in Iceland.
“It’s very much about the materials, the conceptual side of it, and very little about genres of design or themes or history – as we don’t have a lot of design history in Iceland,” she said. “So we focus very little on role models of men.”
It’s not that Iceland is completely immune to sexism. Indriðadóttir remembers patronising interactions when purchasing materials as a graduate designer.
“But I feel today, if you know what you’re talking about, the men in the hardware stores are looking at you as an equal,” she told Dezeen. “I think it’s a huge turn in the last five years.”
However, Iceland’s more well-established design-related disciplines – architecture and graphic design, which have been available as degrees for longer – are nowhere near as women-led as product design.
Flétta’s Hrefna Sigurðardóttir also works as a consultant in the material innovation team at architecture firm Lendagar.
“It was super interesting to step into the architecture world, it is definitely more man-driven,” she said. “It’s a huge difference, I would say.”
“It is always a struggle”
Here too things are changing, in the eyes of Alma Sigurðardóttir – an architecture historian and conservationist based at the National Museum of Iceland.
“There is definitely a shift,” she said. “Most of my colleagues now are women, whereas our predecessors were predominantly older men.”
She points out that while 58 per cent of Architects Association of Iceland members are men, 70 per cent of students in the Iceland University of the Arts architecture department are women. Globally, the architecture profession is reportedly around 70 per cent male.
But the discrepancy between the more commercially established disciplines of architecture and graphic design and emerging design fields touches on a crucial issue.
“As soon as an industry becomes a money machine then all the men come,” joked Indriðadóttir. “Maybe that’s what’s happening in Milan.”
Iceland may have a lively and growing young design scene led by women, but there’s a major drawback: barely any product designers in the country are able to earn a living directly from their practice.
Sigurðardóttir (left) is a co-founder of Flétta, one of Iceland’s multiple women-run design studios. Photo courtesy of DesignMarch
That is largely down to Iceland’s small number of inhabitants. With around 380,000 people, if it were one of London’s 32 boroughs it would only rank third for population size.
In such a small market it is very difficult to attract enough commissions or sales to get by – and the challenges are compounded by the fact that nearly all materials must be imported at significant cost.
“We get very bad salaries,” said Signý Jónsdóttir, the other half of Erindrekar. “We are trying our very best right now and hopefully making that grow to become a sustainable financial situation.”
“After graduation I would have liked to have a job at a product design firm to get some experience in the field,” said Flétta’s Hrefna Sigurðardóttir.
“But to my knowledge there are no positions for a product designer in Iceland, so you are pushed to either do something else or to do it for yourself – you have to found your own business,” she added.
“And it’s hard in a small society like Iceland to sustain yourself with a product design company. We have been very lucky, although it is always a struggle.”
“We need more balance”
Studios must get imaginative to generate income, with Flétta designing events and Erindrekar running farm tours.
Even still, to make ends meet they are reliant on a government grant scheme for designers launched in 2013.
These grants are a financial lifeline, but designers say more funding is badly needed.
“They are way smaller grants that you receive as a designer than as a tech startup company, where lots of the men are,” said Jónsdóttir.
DesignMarch is currently working on research into possible improvements to the system, with Helgadóttir interested in how the Norwegian government has used a similar scheme to facilitate co-operation between designers and public bodies or private companies.
“We want to get people to understand that design is such an important tool to businesses,” she said. “It’s strangely difficult to get that message across, but it’s gradually getting there.”
Hrefna Sigurðardóttir agrees that helping designers to land more commissions from businesses would make a huge difference.
“If more people would know what a designer can bring to a company it would help a lot,” she said.
Iceland’s designers are also eager to encourage more young men to enter the field rather than to see women continue to dominate.
“I don’t want to have it like that, to be totally honest,” said Helgadóttir. “I sometimes worry about it – I mean, where are the guys? That’s a whole other discussion about what young men are doing today in Iceland.”
“I would like to see it more equal than it is right now,” echoed Jónsdóttir. “I think it’s way off in Iceland – we need more balance, for sure.”
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Thirteen designers practising in New York City have been selected as part of our North American Design 2024 series, which highlights an array of independent design studios in cities across the continent.
From studios working in plastics and metals to handmade pieces informed by Congolese design, these design studios are representative of the boundless talent in furniture and object design that New York has to offer.
Long an industrial hub, the United States’ most populous city features some of the best design schools in the world, from Parsons School of Design in Manhattan to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.
“The thing about design in New York City is that everyone is here,” writer and curator Glenn Adamson told Dezeen.
“With so many strong schools in the area – not just the city itself, but along a corridor from Philadelphia up to RISD, in Providence – there is a constant arrival of new talent. Responding to that constant flow is the world’s most impressive gallery infrastructure for design.”
Adamson noted the profusion of design galleries and dealers in the city, and the truly international characteristic of the work on show.
“It all adds up to a city with a global view of design,” said Adamson.
The below designers are united by their differences, working in a variety of materials and forms – at different stages in their careers.
While many of the designers working in the city do so because of the proximity to the global design market, others are drawn to New York for the overall legacy of art and creative industries, often supported by the industrial spaces that open as studios as industries move to other locales.
This was typified by the early 2000s “maker” culture, which saw designers struggling for work in the larger American and European firms start out on their own, creating small-batch works – a trend that continues, through the original studios and newcomers.
“Does the city have a design personality of its own, though?” asked Adamson.
“If there is a specific design aesthetic in New York City, it derives from the hustling, rapid-fire way of working that prevails. The defining qualities are speed and ingenuity, rather than patient resolution. You won’t find more sheer design excitement anywhere.”
“Just when you think you’ve seen it all, a week passes, and it’s changed.”
Read on for thirteen independent furniture and object designers standing out in 2024.
Nicholas Baker
Brooklyn-based designer Nicholas Baker has created a wide variety of industrial designs from chairs to lighting, often working in minimal, modern forms, exploring new technologies in the tradition of Charles and Ray Eames.
“My studio mission is to design objects that embrace a delightful future. Humans are innately afraid of the future, and as designers I think we have a special knack for making new innovations beautiful and thoughtful,” Baker told Dezeen.
“One of the greatest things we can do as designers is to embrace new innovations and turn them into beautiful products that improve our lives.”
Born in North Carolina, Baker was trained at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) before working designing products for pets in Texas. He moved to New York in 2017.
Madeline Isakson
Californian designer Madeline Isakson creates 3D printed and digitally milled objects from a variety of materials including wood and metal, usually based on found found objects with interesting forms, including aluminium made to look like sytrofoam.
“Casting and replicating objects as they are or distorting objects and then remaking them in a new material is a big aspect of my practice,” Isakson told Dezeen.
“The inspiration material is often things I find that have been discarded or donated that usually carry some sense of nostalgia or cultural memory.”
Trained at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, Isakson is based in Brooklyn.
Kim Mupangilai
Interior architect and designer Kim Mupangilai works with a small team of craftspeople to bring to life works that blend aspects of her Congolese and Belgian heritage. The sculptural pieces feature materials such as teak wood, banana fibre paper, rattan, and volcanic rock.
Creating furniture since 2020, Mupangilai utilises a made-to-order, small-scale production system and aims to source ethical materials.
“My work addresses several important issues, including bridging the gap between cultural appropriation and appreciation,” the designer told Dezeen.
“By highlighting and celebrating cultural narratives that are often overlooked, I strive to create designs that respect and honor their origins. My work serves as a bridge between different cultural narratives, promoting ethical practices and sustainability in contemporary design.”
Kouros Maghsoudi
Having moved to New York in 2021, Korous Maghsoudi‘s designs are a direct result of the pressures of New York – as he began by designing furniture for his own “shoebox” apartment. He designs for what he calls “unapologetic human behaviors” such as sex and drug use.
“I’m bringing sex and fantasy back to design” Masghoudi told Dezeen. “The design world used to push the cultural envelope – unapologetic, fun, risky, and forward-thinking”
“Now, it feels like the design world has flipped and has become a mirror of culture rather than a driving force,” he continued. “Whether it’s a party tray, a bed perfect for an orgy, a giant penis mirror, or a coffee table with a built-in ice bucket, my work aims to revive the bold, provocative spirit in design we saw in the 20th century. I strive to be the antithesis of the stale ethos we see in furniture today and to drive the cultural zeitgeist forward.”
Self-taught in furniture design, Maghsoudi has held an “eclectic” array of jobs from working at Bjarke Ingels Group and urban design nonprofits.
Wentrcek Zebulon
Founded by Kristen Wentrcek and Andrew Zebulon in 2013, Wentrcek Zebulon‘s practice is driven by material exploration and the pair’s tendency to get “easily bored”.
The studio has worked in a vast array of materials, from pine wood to rubber and vinyl-coated foam, with Wentrcek Zebulon producing much of the work by hand.
“Our design process often starts with a material as the jumping-off point: how could we use this or that material?” the studio told Dezeen.
“In that way, the materials are often the driver of the design, which molds to fit the restraints of the material,” it continued.
“At the same time, sometimes a material is out of reach (it’s too expensive, or comes in too large a quantity, etc), and the search for a similar or replacement material will lead us to something entirely new and exciting.”
Chen & Kai
Both students at the Pratt Institute in the early 2000s, Chen Chen and Kai Williams began working together in 2011 in a time when there “were no jobs” joining a cadre of other studios that constituted the explosion of independent design in Brooklyn.
Working in both small-batch and manufactured items, the pair has consistently pushed against the boundaries of industrial design, inventing new processes using materials as far flung as concrete and spandex.
“If we invent the material and the process, then there’s no ‘wrong’ way to do it,” the duo told Dezeen.
“Our practice is a vehicle for our personal discovery of interesting things. If that research arrives at a new way to recycle plastic bags, then that’s great and we would love to show the world how to do that. However, if that research arrives at an incredibly labor-intensive way to make a beautiful luxury object, that’s ok too.”
Daniel Michalik
Daniel Michalik began his career by making studio furniture for legendary recording engineer Steve Albini, before “discovering cork” and pursuing his interest in the material at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in the early 2000s and currently teaches at Parsons.
He works with cork sourced from Portugal, most of which is leftover from the production of bottle stoppers.
“I am trying to replace and offset more common materials that are not regenerative,” Michalik told Dezeen.
“I hope I am demonstrating that we can create furniture, interiors and buildings that are comfortable, delightful and luxurious and still made from materials that are in line with the principles of regenerative design,” he continued.
“Cork is an example of a material that, when used in a design application, creates value from human, economic and ecological perspectives.”
Mark Grattan
Mark Grattan started in furniture design over a decade ago, mostly working in wood – however his practice has grown to include metals, glass and resin. His design practice goes beyond furniture design; he works as an interior designer and consultant.
“The material palette is diverse,” he told Dezeen. “As I have grown the work is a dialogue of material contradictions and color.”
“My work responds to a black perspective,” he continued. “That perspective advocates for more diversity and inclusivity in an industry accustomed to the opposite landscape of gatekeepers and professionals.”
Grattan works alone to design the furniture, creating some by hand, but says that he is currently working on the balance of bringing in more people to help in the process.
Minjae Kim
Trained as an architect, Korean designer Minjae Kim works in his New York studio to create “quirky” objects that often feature figurative forms made from wood. Some of his designs feature quilted-fiberglass blankets as upholstery.
“I’m very happy being scrappy with my sourcing,” Kim told Dezeen.
“I try to use materials that are affordable and easy to get. I see the value in my craft not in the material itself.”
He has worked in furniture design for the past 12 years.
Studio Guapo
Run by designer Matt Pecina, Studio Guapo puts out designs that affect Pecina’s “mixed-media” and “DIY” approach, featuring reclaimed materials and 3D printing. Many of the designs feature the studio’s signature G form, from large slats of wood to spray-painted insignias.
“I always say I am more concerned with design culture than design itself – often my designs are more about the project than the product,” Pecina told Dezeen.
“I use design to tell stories and intersect ideas to rethink design culture by building a space that feels more like your local skate shop than a design studio.”
Pecina got his start in window displays and set design and said that he relies on a “network of friends” when carrying out projects.
Bowen Liu Studio
Trained in the United States and China, Bowen Liu creates furniture designs with elegant, minimal forms, often created from solid wood or glass.
“My core objective has always been elevating and improving the living environment,” Liu told Dezeen. “My design tends to be tangible and thoughtful in any way possible.”
Liu founded her studio in 2017, and draws influence both from Beijing, where she grew up, to the furniture-making techniques of Denmark and the United States.
“Each piece is handmade mostly by me, but I also work with very high-quality manufactures in the East Coast and other extraordinary artisans and masters to produce my work to ensure the quality,” said Liu
Kiki Goti Studio
Kiki Goti creates playful objects, utilising metal and glass, drawing influence from her architectural background and her studies in Greece and Germany.
“My work is very personal and conceptual,” Goti told Dezeen.
“I am working with materials that inspire me and through the process of making and experimenting with them, I develop stories and narratives. These stories are transformed intuitively and organically into collections of furniture.”
Goti has taught in multiple institutions in the United States and began her furniture practice in earnest during the Covid-19 pandemic, launching the studio in 2021.
Arcana Metals
Arcana Metals is a studio based around designers Jack Erikkson and Dustin John, who work to create “bespoke” furniture and lighting pieces.
“As fabricators, we see the world as an assemblage of materials and parts,” Arcana told Dezeen. “Navigating the world with this understanding creates opportunities for recontextualizing the often unseen potential in all materials.”
“Material sourcing lies at the heart of our practice,” the studio continued. “As fabricators, we draw inspiration from the limitations and potentials of the materials that we work with every day.”
The studio began handcrafting its furniture in Brooklyn in 2017.
<a style="color: #000000;text-decoration: none;cursor: url('../img/circle-with-plus.svg'), auto;position: relative" href="https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2024/04/North-American-Design-2024-template.jpg" data-lightbox="dz-slideshow" data-title="Illustration by Alex Mellon” data-orientation=”square”>Illustration by Alex Mellon
North American Design 2024
This article is part of Dezeen’s North American Design 2024 series selecting independent furniture and product design studios from cities across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The first edition of this series is created in partnership with Universal Design Studio and Map Project Office, award-winning design studios based in London and now in New York. Their expansion into the US is part of The New Standard, a collective formed with Made Thought.
The four-storey office building has been extended sideways and upwards and wrapped in glazed bricks, arranged to draw attention to the circular window of the neighbouring Grade II-listed church.
Corstorphine & Wright designed The Scoop office extension in London
“The church’s circular window is its principal architectural feature, so this was an obvious focus point for our proposal,” Corstorphine & Wright associate Henry Jones told Dezeen.
“The design is a site-specific response to ensure this heritage asset is celebrated rather than further hidden by new development.”
The office extension has a gouged form
The side extension has been built out to meet the corner of the existing office, which juts out further into the street than the church, located in the Union Street conservation area in Southwark.
Its white-brick facade contrasts with the red brickwork of the office and creates a pixellated effect as it steps back to frame the church window from street level.
White glazed bricks were used to contrast the existing office’s red brick facade
“The building sits in a relatively quiet area of Southwark, mainly used as a thoroughfare for pedestrians and cyclists on their way to work,” said Jones.
“The Scoop provides a moment of unexpected delight and surprise, knitting together this small part of the city.”
Jones explained that the extension has a plasma-cut stainless steel “rib” structure, infilled with stainless steel cassettes supporting the individual bricks. The structure was powder coated where it became visible.
Most of the internal walls are made from timber stud work and curved areas are made from CNC-cut laminated plywood.
Stainless steel cassettes support the bricks
Each individual brick on the extension’s facade was modelled to create the scooped shape, ready for assembly on site.
“The scoop was established and further refined using accurate 3D parametric modelling to define a tight viewing corridor to the church window from a chosen vantage point at eye level on Union Street,” Jones explained.
The Scoop’s curved shape was designed with 3D parametric modelling
“A series of brick ‘types’ were then defined according to how exposed each brick was in its position on the facade, and therefore its size and how many of its faces needed to be glazed,” Jones continued.
“This level of modelling allowed us to be able to schedule the bricks and to produce bricklaying drawings course by course for the bricklayers to follow on site.”
The photography is by Daniel Shearing courtesy of Corstorphine & Wright.
Project credits:
Architects: Corstorphine & Wright Brickwork: Grafton Facade support system fabricator: Winthill Engineering Facade engineer: WBD Group Structural engineer: Conisbee Mechanical and electrical engineer: We Design For Project manager and quantity surveyor: LXA
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