Athens-born artist and self-taught designer Harry Rigalo works at the edge between design and sculpture, where objects hover between furniture, relic, and offering. His practice approaches materials as active systems rather than tools. ‘I stopped seeing materials as isolated objects and started understanding them as parts of a system that activates space and the body,’ he tells designboom.  

This approach is currently reflected in Forms Without Briefs, Rigalo’s exhibition at The Great Design Disaster in Milan, on view until December 30th. In recent months, clay has become central to his practice. Raw, unstable, and time-bound, it collapses drawing and building into a single gesture, forcing the maker into constant dialogue with the material. ‘Clay never gives itself completely. You don’t decide. You negotiate,’ he says. The openness of the material, until the final, irreversible moment of firing, reinforces a way of working grounded in uncertainty, correction, and presence. designboom discusses with the designer his early years on Olympic-scale construction sites, his recent immersion in clay, and his commitment to process over outcome.

all images by Luigi Fiano, unless stated otherwise

from construction sites to process-led practice

Harry Rigalo’s relationship with making was formed early and physically. At fourteen, he began working on Olympic-scale construction sites in Athens, handling concrete and steel and learning through fatigue, repetition, and failure. That ‘unglamorous’ education instilled an instinctive understanding of weight, tension, and structure that continues to guide his work today. The knowledge never became a set of rules; instead, it remained something felt. ‘The result isn’t meant only to be explained, but to be felt,’ the artist notes.

His early practice was marked by structure and composition, drawing from collage and music, where materials operated like notes within a score. Over time, however, that score loosened and process began to outweigh outcome. ‘Process is a space where participation matters more than control,’ Rigalo explains during our conversation. 

Across his work, function remains present but unsettled. Some objects behave as chairs, vessels, or holders, while others resist typology altogether. Function, for Rigalo, can clarify but also constrain. ‘Function can make an object easier to read. Removing that obligation opens a different kind of relationship,’ he reflects. Read on for our full discussion with the Greek designer.

Harry Rigalo works at the edge between design and sculpture

interview with harry rigalo

Designboom (DB): You found your first training ground at olympic-scale construction sites at the age of fourteen. How do those physical lessons, weight, tension, fatigue, failure, still shape the way you design and build today?

Harry Rigalo (HR): I didn’t start from a desire to design objects. I started from a desire to step outside the world I already knew. At fourteen, through a family connection, I found myself on construction sites preparing for the 2004 Olympic Games, a strictly structured environment based on studies, drawings, and constructional precision. It was a large-scale undertaking where theory and practice coexisted, but without room for personal narrative or expression. I worked with concrete, steel, wood, plastic, and brick.

At the time, I didn’t know what this experience would become. It was physically demanding and eventually not something I wanted to pursue professionally, but it gave me a deeply embodied understanding of materials. I learned how weight is transferred and how it translates differently depending on function, how structures behave, how materials react, how they are worked, and how different elements are combined so that something individual becomes functional within a much larger system and scale.

Years later, when I began placing materials myself, that knowledge resurfaced almost instinctively, not as technical rules, but as a physical sense. I stopped seeing materials as isolated objects and started understanding them as parts of a system that activates space and the body. Even today, whether I’m making something functional or something that resists use, I still work through these questions. How weight moves, how a form stands, how material operates in relation to scale. The result isn’t meant only to be explained, but to be felt.

objects hover between furniture, relic, and offering

DB: You found your first training ground at olympic-scale construction sites at the age of fourteen. How do those physical lessons, weight, tension, fatigue, failure, still shape the way you design and build today?

HR: I don’t think we choose materials in a neutral way. There’s always a form of attraction involved, a desire to meet a material and allow it to respond. Clay entered my practice at a moment when I was looking for immediacy, for a way to move from thought to making without filters. In my earlier work, the process was more structured. I was composing different materials through a kind of material collage, and even then the objects were never meant to be entirely comfortable. They still answered to structure. I could say, this is a chair. But the chair itself carried a question. It asked whether a chair always needs to behave like a chair, or whether discomfort could be part of its meaning.

With clay, drawing and building collapse into the same action. What you imagine begins to exist almost immediately in your hands. That directness allows instinct and improvisation to lead rather than follow. Working at larger scales intensified this relationship. As the clay body grows, difficulty and risk increase, and the dialogue between body and material becomes sharper. Clay offers freedom, but it also has limits, and those limits are learned physically. The shift wasn’t a rejection of structure, but a desire to reduce mediation. I wanted to move from inspiration to realization more directly and to build an atmosphere rather than just an object.

Forms Without Briefs, Rigalo’s exhibition at The Great Design Disaster gallery

DB: You’ve been immersed in clay these past months. What did this material teach you that other materials never managed to?

HR: In many ways, clay became synonymous with the philosophy of this body of work. At first, I approached it as a tool. Very quickly, however, it revealed something else, the quiet nature of movement and becoming. Clay never gives itself completely. It’s always in transition. It carries a dual character, addition and subtraction, building and erasing, and through that, balance emerges through form, tension, and symbolism. You don’t decide. You negotiate.

What fascinated me most was its relationship to time. Until the very last moment before firing, everything remains open. A form can always return to something softer, more uncertain. Once it enters the kiln, that openness disappears. Clay becomes ceramic, a different material altogether, and a specific moment is fixed. In that sense, firing feels almost like a photograph. A single state is captured, removed from its previous flow, and carried forward. Not as an ending, but as a moment that continues to participate in movement from another position.

That relationship was intensely physical and compressed in time. My first encounter with clay, from early tests to the final exhibition, unfolded within seven to eight months of daily contact. Long hours, mistakes, repetitions. During that period, I worked through nearly 800 kilos of clay. Not as a way of mastering the material, but as a way of meeting it, while understanding how much I was still at the beginning. Those months were marked by silence and an almost ascetic rhythm. Days of repetition and concentration created a calm intensity that left a quiet afterimage. It was refreshing, and it set a tone. One I hope to return to in future work, finding that same quality of focus again.

Thili

DB: You’ve said the process matters more than the final result. What does process mean to you now?

HR: For me, a work always emerges from a process, and the process begins with desire. At its core, desire starts with attraction, the pull toward a body. Sometimes that participation becomes the act of making a body, an object, a form, a work. Process is how that impulse takes shape. It’s a space where participation matters more than control, and where intention is formed through engagement rather than imposed. What matters to me is not simply to be seen critically, but to be seen through the process itself.

Process reflects movement, flow, truth, and offering. I’m sensitive to the movement of the world around me, and my work is simply a way of taking part in that movement. Not stopping it, but standing within it. For me, flow is very close to truth. Nothing in flow is fixed, just as nothing in truth is fixed. Perhaps the greatest challenge is accepting a non fixed understanding of ourselves and allowing who we are to remain open and in motion.

Elksi

DB: While some of your works remain functional, others resist typology altogether. How do you decide when a piece should behave like furniture and when it should resist that expectation?

HR: When I work on a collection, I think of it as a scenographic condition, a spatial composition. Some pieces function as abstract forms within that landscape, while others act more like offerings. Furniture, and functionality in general, is already a form of offering, allowing a body to sit, rest, or engage. That sense of offering remains important to me. I still belong to the functional side of design, and it continues to inspire me. At the same time, I don’t feel the need to bind every object to use. For me, whatever is produced deserves space, whether it functions or simply exists.

This collection is also the first time I allowed myself to create purely non-functional works, pieces that exist solely through their sculptural presence. That came from another need, the desire not to always be understood. Function can make an object easier to read. Removing that obligation opens a different kind of relationship, one that asks less to be explained and more to be experienced.

Monk

DB: There’s a recurring description of a feminine energy in the forms, not gendered, but intuitive and insistent. Is that something you consciously guide, or something that simply happens when you work instinctively?

HR: It’s not something I consciously guide. It’s something I notice afterward. In my relationship with process, there’s always a quiet pull, a form of attraction that creates a relationship with the material and remains mostly silent.

What is often described as feminine energy, I experience more as a quality of presence. A softness that doesn’t weaken the form, but allows it to exist without imposing itself. A receptivity that holds space rather than demands attention.

I’m interested in creating forms and atmospheres that can be encountered rather than explained. Something you can stand in front of, or within, without being instructed how to feel. If there is femininity in that, it’s not symbolic. It’s experiential.

Aiwaitress

DB: Your work sits between object, relic, vessel, and offering. Do you feel closer to designers, sculptors, or neither, and why?

HR: I don’t feel a strong need to position myself strictly as one or the other. What matters to me more is existing within the act of making rather than within a definition. I’m deeply interested in the multiple sides of human expression, the structured and the abstract, the logical and the instinctive. Both continue to inspire me, and I feel active in both territories. Logic, for me, doesn’t cancel emotion. Sometimes it carries a purer one. And instinct, when observed carefully, has its own intelligence.

At the end of the day, everything is form. What feels essential is remaining open, playful, and free. I’m not interested in chasing trends. Movement exists around trends, not inside them. What I aim for instead is a language that carries motion while remaining grounded in classical foundations.

Isofagus

DB: What’s the next material, rhythm, or question calling you?

HR: My relationship with clay is definitely not finished. What’s emerging now is a new phase, one that respects the material’s qualities while opening it to new encounters. I’m interested in bringing other materials into dialogue with clay, not to overpower it, but to explore new relationships and a different kind of scenography. Working with clay has also pushed me strongly toward thinking about scale. Larger, more architectural forms feel increasingly important to me, and this interest in large scale work is something I know will continue to grow. Alongside this, I continue to design digitally, developing ideas and models that can evolve through collaborations within functional design, which remains an essential part of my practice.

I also know I will return to materials from earlier phases of my work. Marble, in particular, feels unfinished, ideas that were paused rather than completed. At the same time, I’m beginning to explore glazes and color in clay, opening it toward a more playful direction. This naturally connects to my interest in recycling, industrial elements, and even smaller scale objects, including jewelry.

Looking ahead, what matters most is continuity. Forms Without Briefs marked the beginning of a longer trajectory that will continue through my collaboration with The Great Design Disaster gallery. The trust and support of Joy Herro and Gregory Gatserelia encouraged me to move more freely toward non-functional and large-scale work, while keeping space open for functional design to evolve alongside it. The next step isn’t a single material or answer, but an expanded field where scale, materials, and collaborations continue to move together.

clay has become central to the artist’s practice

function remains present but unsettled | image by Antonis Agrido

clay collapses drawing and building into a single gesture | image by Antonis Agrido

some objects behave as chairs, vessels, or holders, while others resist typology altogether | image by Antonis Agrido

Harry Rigalo in his studio | image by Antonis Agrido

project info:

designer: Harry Rigalo | @harryrigalo

gallery: The Great Design Disaster | @thegreatdesigndisaster

location: Via della Moscova 15, Milan, Italy

dates: November 3rd – December 30th, 2025

The post harry rigalo discusses material, process, and presence between design and sculpture appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

For the first time in its eight editions, Tanween (Ithra) introduced creative partners as part of its program, marking a significant step in the platform’s evolution. In this edition, Isola Design Group and Dubai Design Week joined as creative partners, expanding the event’s reach across the Gulf region and beyond. Through exhibitions, dialogue, and shared expertise, both platforms amplified Tanween’s international outlook while reinforcing its community-driven foundation. In conversation with designboom, Isola Design Group’s Creative Director Elif Resitoglu and Dubai Design Week Director Natasha Carella reflect on how this collaboration signals a maturing regional design ecosystem built on cooperation rather than isolation.

Ithra partners with Isola Design Group and Dubai Design Week for Tanween’s 8th edition | all images courtesy of Ithra

the collaborations nurture the country’s creative landscape

For both partners, collaborating with Tanween means tapping into one of Saudi Arabia’s most influential cultural institutions, one that nurtures the country’s rapidly expanding creative landscape and serves as a gateway for regional dialogue. Elif Resitoglu describes the partnership as a meaningful continuation of work that began three years ago and has grown into a deeper cultural exchange, while Natasha Carella views it as recognition of a shared mission across Gulf design platforms: expanding representation and elevating nuanced design voices from the region.

‘Collaborating with Tanween means a lot for us. We first worked with Ithra three years ago in Milan with a small participation, and seeing it grow into something larger is very meaningful. Ithra is opening the door for a real exchange between international designers and the Gulf community, and this collaboration becomes a bridge where both sides learn from each other,’ says Elif Resitoglu, Isola Design Group’s Creative Director.

‘It’s a cornerstone cultural institution in Saudi Arabia, and being invited as Dubai Design Week as a creative partner is such meaningful recognition. We operate at the intersection of design, community, and public engagement, and this collaboration reflects a maturing Gulf ecosystem,’ mentions Dubai Design Week Director Natasha Carella.

expanding representation and elevating nuanced design voices from the region

two partnerships that explore underrepresented stories

Aligned with Tanween’s theme, Design the Unspoken, both partners explore hidden needs and underrepresented stories through their participation. Isola’s exhibition Shared Oasis highlights coexistence between humans, nature, and culture through works that reflect global concerns while rooting solutions in local contexts. Meanwhile, Dubai Design Week’s involvement centers on amplifying underrepresented design languages across the Arab world, ensuring that diverse voices are not flattened or generalized.

‘This year’s theme is interesting because it speaks about design that hasn’t been articulated yet. With Shared Oasis, we wanted to show our relationship with people and nature — pieces that relate to animals, surroundings, and everyday life. Design does not need to be showy; it should also improve quality of life and reflect how different cultures experience the world,‘ says Elif. 

‘I love that the theme speaks about the unspoken because it aligns with our mission. Across the Arab world, design is often flattened into one narrative. These programs let the voices here speak for themselves. It’s essential for a platform like Tanween to exist, because it creates a key moment where makers, designers, and institutions come together to show what’s truly happening in the design scene,’ adds Natasha.

both partners explore hidden needs and underrepresented stories through their participation

Both collaborators emphasize that placing international and regional designers side-by-side at Ithra creates new learning conditions. For Isola, the exhibition allows global designers to discover Saudi culture firsthand, while giving Gulf designers access to diverse design perspectives they don’t often encounter locally. Dubai Design Week sees this exchange as crucial for representing the many nationalities shaping today creative identity.

‘Bringing designers from all over the world to the Gulf region gives local designers a chance to see what’s happening globally and adapt it to their own context. At the same time, international designers discover a culture they don’t yet know. They come here and find new perspectives, new behaviors, and new ways to approach design problems unique to this region,’ continues Elif. 

‘Representing underrepresented voices is central to our work — not only local voices, but also the many nationalities that shape the fabric of Saudi Arabia and the UAE,’ mentions Natasha. ‘Tanween creates a moment where these communities come together to exchange, debate, and learn. I really respect the platform and the team because you can see the thought and passion behind everything they do.’

these partnerships allow global designers to discover Saudi culture firsthand

Isola’s curatorial approach emphasizes shared learning and cultural insight, offering a multilayered exhibition supported by a booklet encouraging visitors to exchange thoughts and spark future collaboration. Dubai Design Week contributes conversations and programming that highlight the collective strength of regional platforms working side-by-side. Both partners see the collaboration as the beginning of broader regional links, from shared exhibitions to traveling installations, knowledge exchange, joint residencies, and co-developed design programs. Their vision aligns with Ithra’s long-term strategy to develop Tanween’s platform into a regional anchor that fosters creativity, innovation, and cross-cultural understanding.

With Tanween evolving into Ithra Design Week in 2026, creative partnerships will become a central pillar of the platform’s growth, enabling shared exhibitions, knowledge exchange, capacity building, and cross-border programming. This evolution preserves Tanween’s core while expanding its scale and reach across the region and internationally.

‘These collaborations bring so much to the Gulf region while also bringing the Gulf outward. As Isola, we aim to introduce communities to one another and create collaborations between emerging, young, and established designers. Doing this at Tanween is exciting, and I believe it will grow into something even larger,’ expresses Elif.

‘This partnership is just the beginning. There is so much we can do together — from capacity building to joint exhibitions and shared knowledge. We want to ensure the region is represented internationally through strong, meaningful work. Tanween creates the platform for that, and I’m excited for what comes next,’ concludes Natasha.

both collaborators expressed that such partnerships signal a maturing design ecosystem where institutions increasingly work together rather than in isolation

aligned with Tanween’s theme, Design the Unspoken, both partners explore hidden needs and underrepresented stories

event info:

name: Tanween | @ithra

dates: 17-22 November, 2025

location: 8386 Ring Rd, Gharb Al Dhahran, Dhahran 34461

The post tanween collaborates with dubai design week & isola design group enriching gulf ecosystem appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

From November 17–22, 2025, the 8th edition of Tanween transformed Ithra into a multidisciplinary laboratory for design, empathy, and experimentation. Across exhibitions, Majlis talks, the Tanween Challenges, and the hands-on Day with an Expert programs, the event examined how design can reveal hidden needs and generate meaningful societal impact. This edition also marked a pivotal moment for the platform: from 2026, Tanween will evolve into Ithra Design Week, expanding its scale while preserving the community-driven core that has shaped the event over eight years. designboom interviews Shahad Alwazani, Tanween Lead, about the philosophy behind the platform and how this transition positions Ithra as a growing anchor for regional and global design exchange. 

‘This year (2025), Tanween designs the unspoken. It could be environmental, social, cultural, or educational — but it always returns design to humanity. We focus on the actual needs of people across many disciplines. That is the real role of Tanween: to experiment, to inspire each other, to support each other, and to develop ideas with ambition. Each edition builds a thematic path in the design process, allowing designers to explore what truly matters,’ says Shahad Alwazani Tanween Lead.

Shahad Alwazani, Tanween Lead | all images courtesy of Ithra

‘we want to highlight empathy in design’

At the heart of Tanween was a deliberate shift toward empathy as a design method. Rather than centering aesthetics alone, the program invited designers to step into the lived realities of users and communities, translating overlooked needs into tangible outcomes. This approach reframed design as a practice of listening, one that responds to social, cultural, and emotional dimensions often absent from conventional briefs, and one that resonates strongly within the region’s rapidly evolving creative landscape.

‘For the 8th edition we wanted to highlight empathy in design: how designers should place themselves in the user’s or community’s position to understand, to empathize, and to feel real needs. Tanween opens this window for designers so their voices can be heard, and so they can tell the stories and challenges of their own people. It is both a showcasing platform and a learning experience for everyone to understand the importance of design,’ continues Shahad.

the program called on designers to inhabit the perspectives of users and communities

a full day with a design expert goes beyond a typical workshop

As Tanween continues to grow, collaboration remains its central engine. Signature formats such as Day with an Expert reflect this ethos by replacing traditional masterclasses with immersive, human-centered learning experiences. Designers spend extended time with global practitioners, engaging in dialogue, observation, and shared exploration. This cross-disciplinary structure mirrors contemporary design practice, where architecture, fashion, interiors, graphics, and research increasingly intersect.

‘One of Tanween’s signature offerings is Day with an Expert. It goes beyond a typical workshop and function as a full experience where designers spend the day with the expert, learning in a more interactive, human way. Designers speak many languages; an architect can be a fashion designer or a graphic designer. Tanween encourages this openness, allowing creators to explore all fields,’ she adds.

as the platform continues to expand its reach, collaboration remains its driving force

The evolution into Ithra Design Week builds directly on foundations laid during this edition. Strategic collaborations with Dubai Design Week and Isola Design Group as creative partners, alongside exhibition partners such as Iwan Maktabi, Bricklab, Rizomasr, and Mujassam Watan, signaled a shift toward a broader, interconnected design ecosystem. Beyond the campus, guided tours developed with the Municipality of Khobar extended Tanween into public space, while outcomes from the Tanween Challenges, including permanent pavilion installations, demonstrated how design can translate into lasting community impact.

With its transition towards Ithra Design Week, its core remains intact: a platform rooted in experimentation, empathy, and community; what changes is scale and reach. Design will be further integrated across Ithra’s museum, library, cinema, publishing programs, and IdeaLab, while expanding beyond its walls to activate public spaces across the Eastern Province. In this next phase, Ithra Design Week aims to strengthen regional dialogue, elevate designers’ visibility, and position Saudi Arabia as an active participant in the global design conversation, without losing the human-centered ethos that has defined Tanween from the start.

‘Tanween is making a shift into something more global and more aligned with the design industry. We are collaborating with platforms like Dubai Design Week and Isola to expand our reach and amplify our message. Tanween is designed for the community and by the community. It responds to their questions and needs, transforming them into something tangible. As long as the community is with us, Tanween will keep evolving,’ concludes Shahad.

Tanween aims to strengthen dialogue across the Gulf region and beyond

Tanween’s cross-disciplinary structure mirrors the fluid nature of contemporary design

‘Tanween is designed for the community and by the community’

event info:

name: Tanween | @ithra

dates: 17-22 November, 2025

location: 8386 Ring Rd, Gharb Al Dhahran, Dhahran 34461

The post tanween impacts regional dialogue by being ‘designed for the community, by the community’ appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Spanish bathroom brand, Roca, turned to the Barcelona-based studio Altherr Désile Park (ADP) for a contemporary update of its Meridian collection, seeking a studio that could demonstrate a sensitivity to an existing design, be respectful of its legacy, yet capable of bringing a new, fresh perspective. The updated Meridian collection successfully merges these requirements, offering a system of basins, furniture, and WCs characterized by fine materials and soft geometry. In this exclusive interview with designboom, designer Jannette Altherr shares insights into how the studio approached the sensitive task of evolving a classic bathroom design for the modern age, transforming its functional pieces with an architectonic quality.

‘We believe that everything is related – the user and their emotions, cultural context, the build and the natural environment, the materials, colors, production and resources. Every element is a matter of context. Meridian already has a powerful name that represents one of its important aspects: the arch as a symbol of Mediterranean architectural culture. This was crucial to preserve,’ begins Jannette Altherr.

Roca’s Meridian collection gets a contemporary update | all images courtesy of Roca

ROCA’S MERIDIAN CULTIVATES A SENSITIVE, ARCHITECTURAL APPROACH

Altherr Désile Park’s sensitivity to context was vital when approaching Roca’s Meridian line. The original collection’s crucial DNA was the arch, a powerful symbol of Mediterranean architectural culture. ADP translated this spirit by drawing inspiration from the austere, vernacular expressions found in the Spanish, Portuguese, or Greek countryside. This design choice reflects a commitment to reduced, elemental shapes, the interplay of strong light and shadow, and the use of noble materials like ceramic, wood, and metal. While ADP also works in the luxury sector, this project offered a unique opportunity to translate the quality, care, and attention typical of luxury design into products that are accessible to a broader audience — a core value shared with the Spanish brand. Rejecting the idea of constant invention, their approach favors an evolution that is subtle and deeply sensed.

‘There is this hype around the idea of breaking things and starting completely anew. I think that is, to a large degree, a myth. Sometimes it’s more important to keep, to care, and to delicately evolve things instead of throwing away and starting again,’ explains Altherr. ‘We spent hours defining a concept together with Roca, and “timeless balance” really captures the essence of the collection. When I think about timelessness, it relates to what we call collective memory. We preferred designing something that doesn’t seek to provoke or be aggressive. We looked for the opposite: something that makes you feel at ease and adds quality to your space. Something that speaks to all the senses including sound and touch — the subtle elements that create atmosphere, rather than just what is captured in a photograph.’

Barcelona-based studio Altherr Désile Park created the refreshed design

CONTEMPORARY UPDATES FOR A LIGHTWEIGHT AND DELICATE COLLECTION

ADP studio’s update focused on refining and lightening the Meridian collection. The original washbasin felt  too heavy in its appearance to fit the modern aesthetic of bathroom design. The solution was to utilize Roca’s Fineceramic® material, which permitted the use of super thin and delicate dimensions that were previously unachievable. This aesthetic reduction was paired with an increased function, adding a subtle frame and a dry zone. The soft, curving shape of the basin was inspired by the cultural importance of water, specifically referencing a drop falling onto a water surface, creating a gentle ripple.

‘If you have a small room and use thick, solid furniture, it can look out of proportion. To create something that feels refined and carefully done in a small dimension requires delicate detail. We had to translate the original pieces into a design way more contemporary and easy to use in real life. This meant adding storage, using the ceramic in a more up-to-date way, and utilizing Roca’s capacity with fine ceramic to do something more lightweight and delicate instead of a thick block. The pieces needed to become more practical, but also more refined and a bit more luxurious,’ states the designer.

Roca’s Fineceramic® material permitted the use of super thin and delicate dimensions

To create a richer ambiance, the material selection went beyond pure hygiene to enhance a sensuous quality. The furniture units use FSC-certified wood with a textured surface, and the metal elements feature a slightly rough lacquer finish that resembles cast metal. The color palette — white, black, and gold — is inspired by the Spanish light, which is characterized by strong white light and deep black shadows, balanced by the golden light of the early morning.

‘We wanted to think about materials as something that enhances a rich perception, rather than being driven only by hygiene. The aim was to create a “nice to touch” sensation. The surface of the wood is always textured and not finished with a lacquer. The metal is a bit rough, like cast metal. It has little pigments on the surface that break the light in a more complex way than a flat lacquer. This avoids the feeling of industrial dryness and adds more complexity to the surface,’ she shares.

made from FSC-certified wood, the furniture units respect the collection’s low-impact environmental footprint

A key technical and aesthetic victory was the redesign of the often-neglected backpack toilet where the water tank is sitting behind the toilet. While the in-wall flush is often preferred in high-quality projects, the backpack version is essential for older buildings lacking space to construct a double wall, or for hospitality and public settings requiring quick, inexpensive repairs.  ADP worked with Roca’s expertise to achieve a much straighter, more architectural language for this highly needed version, shifting the object’s perception from a bowl saddled with a backpack to a column that supports the bowl. This change brings a sense of solidity, fulfilling the studio’s ethos of providing quality design to a broad audience. Furthermore, the toilets utilize innovative flushing technologies such as the Rimless® Vortex System and dual-flushing systems to improve hygiene and optimize water consumption. 

‘We realized there is a real need for this backpack version. With Roca’s excellent development team and expertise, we managed to create a much straighter shape. We wanted to relax the gesture and make a connection to the architecture. Instead of the bowl carrying the water container, the water tank serves as a column supporting the bowl,’ adds Altherr to describe the design details that bring character to the collection.

ADP worked with Roca’s expertise to achieve a clean architectural language

The Meridian collection has already received important recognition, including a Red Dot Award in 2025. Functioning as an ‘alphabet of simple elements’ in multiple sizes, it allows for a wide range of configurations across diverse project needs. The system includes several washbasin options, from compact wall-hung versions to models designed to pair with furniture. These are complemented by two furniture lines: a wall-mounted wood container and a floor-standing metal structure that combines with wood drawers. By providing these flexible components, Altherr Désile Park has created a robust system that adapts easily to diverse spatial, aesthetic, and functional requirements, ensuring the collection can continue to evolve with the user and remain part of the home for many years.

the Meridian collection functions as an ‘alphabet of simple elements’ in multiple sizes

a standout feature is the construction of the asymmetric basins

Altherr Désile Park has created a robust system that adapts to diverse requirements

innovative flushing technologies improve hygiene and optimises water consumption

project info: 

name: Meridian

brand: Roca | @roca_global

design studio: Altherr Désile Park | @altherrdesilepark

material: Fineceramic®, FSC-certified wood, metal

recognition: Red Dot Award 2025

The post altherr désile park on updating roca’s meridian bath collection with human-centered luxury appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

At Custom Lane in Edinburgh, Doyenne Studio presents Feminine Literacy, an exhibition that repositions the word feminine as a design methodology with real systemic weight. Rather than associating it with style or softness, the curators describe it as ‘an approach that is collaborative, decentralized, non-linear, fluid, empathetic, and holistic,’ a definition that threads through the work of the 28 women and non-binary international designers featured across fashion, product, material innovation, and system design.

Running until December 7th, 2025, the showcase positions feminine literacy as a critical, future-oriented lens for working with materials, ecosystems, and communities, bringing together a wide range of works that translate these ideas into material and systemic experimentation, from ceramics made of industrial waste and endlessly recyclable biotextiles, to garments activated by bioactive organisms, regenerative British fibres, and chitosan-based biomaterials rooted in Galician craft. The exhibition spans mouth-blown Palestinian glass, acoustic tiles grown from plant roots, oyster-shell-based concrete alternatives, and clay structures shaped by natural geometries. It also highlights projects that address social inequities and care, whether through inclusive glassware, sensory garments for neurodivergent children, feminist welding spaces, adaptive uniforms, or speculative tools for intimate self-care. 

In conversation with designboom, Doyenne Studio co-founders Giulia Angelucci and Mara Bragagnolo reflect on why this shift feels urgent now. ‘Design has detached itself from interconnection,’ they tell us, ‘so now more than ever a life-giving approach is needed.’  We sat down with the curators to unpack the theoretical backbone of the exhibition, its regenerative ambitions, and the challenges and freedoms of gathering multiple perspectives under one conceptual horizon.

all installation images by Abbie Green

outlining a new design paradigm at Custom Lane, Edinburgh

For the founders of the women-run research and design practice, Giulia and Mara, the show is the culmination of years spent researching fashion futures, material methodologies, and inclusive design frameworks. Their backgrounds, spanning spatial design, art direction, olfactory environments, and systemic research, come together here to form a curatorial voice that is both rigorous and intuitive. One of the clearest provocations emerging from the exhibition is their assertion that ‘waste, extraction, pollution and exclusion are by design,’ and therefore design also holds the tools for reconfiguring the systems that produced them.

Curated in partnership with Common Practice, the exhibition unfolds through four thematic strands, Holistic Systems, Interspecies Collaboration, A Culture of Care, and Future Craft, each offering a different angle on how design can operate beyond extraction and efficiency. As the curators put it, the selected works ‘dare to imagine and design otherwise,’ proposing alternatives to linear production, extractive material cultures, and the myths of efficiency that have shaped dominant design narratives. The setting of Custom Lane, a collaborative center for design and making developed by GRAS, reinforces the ethos of shared space, practice, and futures.

What follows is a deeper look into these ideas through our conversation with Doyenne Studio, touching on eco-feminist theory, craft as ancestral knowledge, interdependence as method, and the generative challenges of working with many voices under one conceptual horizon. Read on for our full discussion below. 

Ignorance is Bliss by Agne Kucerenkaite

interview with doyenne studio

designboom (DB): You frame ‘feminine’ as a design methodology rather than a gendered aesthetic. How did you arrive at this interpretation, and why is it important now?

Doyenne Studio (DS): Within the context of the exhibition, feminine refers to an approach that is collaborative, decentralised, non-linear, fluid, empathetic, and holistic. The curation is the result of many years of research in the field of fashion futures and design innovation, specifically looking at color, product, and material methodologies with ecological and inclusive thinking at their heart. 
We all have a feminine and masculine side, women and queer designers naturally gravitate towards the regenerative approach simply because they are allowed to explore it more than men on a societal level. Design has detached itself from the idea of interconnection with the environmental, societal, and political implications of choices that are by design. So now more than ever, a life-giving approach is needed. Ultimately, we design for living beings, and the consequences of exclusion, pollution, and overproduction can be tackled by the industry if we allow ourselves to explore alternatives.


Hair Cycle by Sanne Visser | image by Rocio Chacon

DB: How does ecofeminist theory inform the selection and curation of the works in this exhibition?


DS: The exhibition challenges the dominance of the masculine in our approach to design and life in general. By a masculine approach, we mean a linear, competitive, logical, productivity-oriented approach. Our current systems are out of balance because this methodology needs its feminine counterpart. There is a connection between this approach, which is encouraged by capitalist and patriarchal ideologies, and the increasing extraction, oppression, and destruction of species, communities, landscapes, and resources. Eco-feminist theory illustrates these dynamics, and it is about time we weave this perspective into our design conversations. Waste, extraction, pollution, and exclusion are by design, so design holds an enormous potential in tackling these issues. The works we have selected in Feminine Literacy deal with these topics, and they dare to imagine and design otherwise.

wasted human hair becomes sustainable materials

DB: Can you give a specific example of a design in the exhibition that embodies interdependence, care, or systemic thinking?

DS: Every project we have selected embodies these themes, but if we had to pick a handful, they would be: Resting Reef by Aura Murillo and Louise Skajem, a death care service that allows you to turn your loved one’s ashes into life-giving marine sculptures that restore coral reefs, creating rituals of death that center life. Co-Obradoiro Galego by Paula Camiña Eiras, which celebrates Galician cultural identity by combining traditional basketry techniques with innovative biomaterials made from by-products of the fishing industry, ultimately demonstrating how heritage crafts can evolve for a regenerative future. Ignorance is Bliss by Agne Kucerenkaite, an ongoing research-based design project that transforms industrial waste and secondary materials into high-value ceramic surfaces for interior and exterior use, replacing factory-made components and reducing the need for virgin resources. Ignorance is Bliss is giving a new identity to waste and to the built environment, with empathy for planetary health.

bringing together works by 28 women and non-binary international designers

DB: What challenges arose in bringing together 28 international designers with diverse perspectives under a single conceptual vision?

DS: For us, it’s more challenging not to have diverse perspectives in our projects, so this felt quite natural. The main challenge has been postage. The works naturally belonged to and created the themes we have illustrated within the exhibition, so the curatorial process felt very organic and authentic.

Clò An Tìr by Alis Le May

DB: How do narrative and storytelling function within the exhibition to communicate complex ideas about interconnection and care?

DS: Narrative and accessibility are central to our curation. The exhibition explores interconnection, care, collaboration, and heritage across different categories. We have broken down the concept into four main concepts: Holistic Systems, Interspecies Collaboration, Culture of Care and Future Craft. Each section illustrates a feminine attribute applied to design, thinking in a systemic and decentralized way, creating through collaboration, designing with empathy, and mastering intuitive wisdom through craft. Narrative is important because it contextualizes the works and amplifies the message of both the exhibition and the projects. We decided to use a clear visual and sensorial language with color coding to guide visitors intuitively through each section, avoiding overwhelm and making the space design more accessible. The identity and design of the exhibition reflect the feminine approach at its core. Even the table supports are made from recycled bricks by Kenoteq, an award-winning innovation company that has collaborated with us in the space design.

Ornamental By, Lameice Abu Aker

DB: The exhibition highlights heritage, craft, and land-based knowledge. How do you see these practices influencing future design frameworks?

DS: Craft practices carry ancestral wisdom that is deeply tied to materiality, artistry, and emotion. Each creation becomes an expression of time, skill, and devotion. Traditions remind us that design can be more than a purely intellectual or efficiency-driven act, it can be an embodied, soulful practice, deeply connected to land, knowledge, and legacy. As we look toward the future, integrating these principles can lead to design frameworks that are slower, more intentional, and rooted in respect for both cultural and ecological systems. What are the folklore and rituals of the future? What culture are we crafting?

blending ancient Canaanite craftsmanship with contemporary design

DB: In what ways do you hope Feminine Literacy will influence broader design practice, beyond the exhibition itself?

DS: We hope that the exhibition will inspire and serve as a catalyst for other designers to rethink the role they play within the industry. A design approach that uses nature and coexistence as a starting point will always lead to innovation and relevance. We also hope this exhibition will be equally grounding and imaginative, expanding our sense of possibility, connection, and agency in the broader systems we belong to.

Minimal Matter by Rameshwari Jonnalagadda

an exhibition that repositions the word feminine as a design methodology with real systemic weight

Resting Reef transforms cremation ashes into living memorial reefs

Aurore Brard, Moving Memories

designed to ground users in the present and support meaningful interaction for people with dementia

Co-Obradoiro Galego by Paula Camina

project info:

exhibition: Feminine Literacy

curators: Doyenne Studio | @doyenne.studio

designers: Agne Kucerenkaite | @makewastematter, Alis Le May | @alis_le_may, ALMA Futura | @_almafutura_, Anna Zimmermann | @annazimmermann.eu, Resting Reef | @restingreef, Aurore Brard | @aurore_brard, Cancellato UNIFORM | @cancellatouniform, Eve Eunson | @eveeunson, Jessica Redgrave | @jess_redgrave, Lameice Abu Aker | @ornamental_by, Lena Bernasconi | @lenaberna, Linda Ammann | @li.maaaaa, Mathilde Wittock | @mwo_design, Mireille Steinhage | @mireillesteinhage, Monika Dolbniak | @monikadbn, Trisha Gow | @stuckwithaname, Paula Camiña Eiras | @paula.camina, Rameshwari Jonnalagedda | @_se.rame, Rosie Broadhead | @rosiebroadhead_, Sanne Visser | @studiosannevisser, Scottish Fungi Dye Group, Studio Sarmīte | @studio_sarmite, Silke Hofmann | @silk_hofmann, Veronica Collins
in partnership with: Common Practice | @common___practice

location: Custom Lane Gallery, 1 Customs Wharf, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 6AL

dates: November 8th – December 7th 2025

poster design & identity: Giulia Saporito | @giulia.saporito

The post ‘a life-giving approach is needed’: doyenne studio on how feminine literacy rewires design appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Adam Pendleton presents Who Owns Geometry Anyway? at Friedman Benda in New York, where a series of sculptural furniture forms reorients the gallery into a measured field of geometries. Polished stone tables, carved volumes, and sharply defined wall interventions create a spatial environment tuned to material presence. designboom attended the opening to speak with the artist — read the full interview below!

Pendleton frames each piece as a form that activates space, describing the works as creating ‘a very specific feeling and temperature, and sense of both time, space, and material.’ The installation’s low-slung rounds, punctured surfaces, and triangular wall planes make this sensitivity immediately legible.

Visitors encounter shifts between matte and gloss, heavy mass and visual levity, all contributing to what Pendleton characterizes as a heightened awareness of surface, texture, and the experience of moving through a room.

image courtesy Friedman Benda and Adam Pendleton | photography © Izzy Leung

hyper-specific geometries occupy the stripped-back gallery

The exhibition at Friedman Benda evolved through what artist Adam Pendleton calls a dialogic process, shaped by intuition and precise adjustments. A square became two opposing triangles, while ceramic works planned as singular elements are assembled into grids during installation. Pendleton describes this approach as a ‘confluence of being hyper specific and intuitive,’ a method that allows the objects to shape one another as they settle into place.

Across these forms, material choice governs tempo. Pendleton speaks of the stone pieces as ‘slow’ with a palpable weight, even as they appear almost weightless. This dynamic shows his ongoing interest in forms that resist fixed categorization — objects that hover between sculpture, design, and something still in the process of becoming. Within the stripped-back gallery space of Friedman Benda, Who Owns Geometry Anyway? opens another chapter in Adam Pendleton’s ever-changing dialogue with form and space.

image courtesy Friedman Benda and Adam Pendleton | photography © Izzy Leung

a dialogue with adam pendleton

designboom (DB): Could you speak about the scope of the collection? What pieces are involved, and what materials did you use?

Adam Pendleton (AP): In the show, there are seven forms, and I think about them as forms that activate space and can be used in relationship to it. They’re exhibited alongside a light fixture called Drawn, which is, for me, a drawing with light, and then two wall works — the glossy white triangle and the matte black triangle — and four ceramic paintings. All of these works, in relationship to each other, create a very specific feeling and a sense of time, space, and material.

DB: What kind of feelings are you hoping to evoke?

AP: I like to create works that heighten people’s attention to space, form, light, surface texture, and weight. We encounter all of those elements all the time, but we aren’t always aware of them. I want to make things that slow us down and encourage awareness. That’s what happens in the exhibition because of how it’s been executed — how the works are placed, and the different surfaces and materials.

image courtesy Friedman Benda and Adam Pendleton | photography © Izzy Leung

DB: Could you speak about the process for creating the wall pieces? I’m interested in how you altered the materials to create these effects.

AP: A lot of it was dialogic — an ongoing conversation with the space. I worked with a model and made very slight changes. What became the glossy white triangle was originally a square. You look at it, study it, and realize it should be two triangles going in opposing directions. The ceramic elements were going to be hung individually, but when I began installing them, they became grids. It’s about how you map and read something visual.

DB: So it’s intuitive for you?

AP: It is intuitive, but also hyper specific. It’s a confluence of being hyper specific and intuitive, finding the space where those modes operate in a poetically efficient way.

DB: How do these works differ from your past work? Are there new strategies for creating or exploring?

AP: They involve completely different material realities, and material realities are temporal realities. Every material has a tempo or speed. A drawing has a different speed than a painting, and a painting has a different tempo than a sculpture. I like working in all of those registers.

DB: Would you say these pieces evoke more slowness?

AP: They’re slow, yes. They have a kind of weight, but even though they’re heavy, they also feel weightless, which also fascinates me.

image courtesy Friedman Benda and Adam Pendleton | photography © Izzy Leung

DB: Earlier you mentioned temperature. What temperature is being conveyed?

AP: Optics and ideas radiate sensations. Heat and cold are sensations we’re extremely aware of. I’m fascinated by how we always want to touch things when we see them, even when we shouldn’t. We want to feel our body in relationship to things on an intimate level. I’m interested in ideas and objects that propel those visceral thoughts, feelings, and desires.

DB: Are there cultural or historical references you’re inspired by currently?

AP: I’ve been reading Deleuze, Maggie Nelson, and thinking through Noguchi, but also someone like Gaetano Pesce — how playful and experimental he is with material and color. These works are also experimental in how they relate to space and create space. They do things improperly — if you think of something as a table, these objects do things tables shouldn’t do. Some objects make you wonder, what is it? I like that in-betweenness, that theoretical space of something perpetually becoming and evolving.

DB: Are you more inclined toward messiness or order?

AP: I’m inclined toward balance. I like ideas that don’t make sense and are improbable, which is a kind of chaos. I like taking what is improbable or unlikely and creating a sense around it — creating space for things, ideas, and volumes that are improper or improbable. I want those things to exist in the world. I want to put ideas into the world that are articulate but speak a language that’s unfamiliar.

image courtesy Friedman Benda and Adam Pendleton | photography by William Jess Laird

project info:

name: Who Owns Geometry Anyway?

artist: Adam Pendleton | @pendleton.adam

gallery: Friedman Benda | @friedman_benda

location: 515 W 26th Street, New York, NY

dates: November 7th — December 19th, 2025

photography: © Izzy Leung | @izzyleung

The post who owns geometry anyway? adam pendleton debuts furniture typologies at friedman benda appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Uniting Japanese craftsmanship with the technical precision of European production, Pedrali presents Kawara, a modular lighting collection designed by Yusuke Kawai. The collection’s aesthetic refinement and technical sophistication is defined by Kawai’s deep rooted appreciation for sacred architecture and a foundational experience in high-tech engineering. Launched at the 63rd edition of Salone del Mobile, the lighting system successfully merges these influences with the 100% Made in Italy production of Pedrali. In an exclusive interview with designboom, the designer shares insights into how the ancient design of the Kawara roof tile was transformed into versatile lighting that prioritizes environmental responsibility.

‘When developing creative ideas, I consider technological aspects in parallel, though sometimes I also start from technology itself. In either case, I aim not just to create concepts, but to translate them into tangible products that can reach people. Kawara’s design explores the tile’s modularity, enabling aesthetic harmony whether used alone or in combination. The form was further inspired by the elegant triangular roofs typical of Japanese temples and shrines,’ begins Yusuke Kawai.

Pedrali launches Kawara lighting collection by Yusuke Kawai | all images © Omar Sartor, set design & styling Studio Milo, courtesy of Pedrali

A SHARED VISION FOR LIGHTING

Pedrali is an Italian company renowned for producing contemporary, functional, and versatile furniture for contract and residential environments. The brand’s collections are developed entirely in Italy, emphasizing internal production, high quality, and a commitment to environmental respect. This ethical, high-precision manufacturing base created the perfect environment for Yusuke Kawai to apply the technical mastery honed during his career in high-tech engineering for major global brands, including Miele, B-Braun, LG, Huawei, and Toshiba. This background drives his focus on structural simplicity and component efficiency. Aligning with Pedrali’s focus on material integrity and product longevity, the two entities found common ground in a shared commitment to sustainable design and uncompromising quality. 

‘My design philosophy centers on simplicity. I strive for designs that are simple, yet innovative, unseen, and possess a unique beauty and strength. I aim for simplicity both structurally and in terms of components, which has naturally led to a sustainable approach, such as fewer parts, easy assembly, and disassembly, reflecting Pedrali’s approach,’ explains Kawai.

Kawara translates the spirit of the Japanese roof tiles into an industrial form

KAWARA BRIDGES JAPANESE CRAFTSMANSHIP WITH INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

The integration of the refined methodology of Japanese design into a large-scale, standardized production process became a key narrative of the project. This required an intense focus on how the meticulous detail and philosophical depth of craftsmanship could harmoniously coexist with the demands of industrial material execution.

‘Even with standardized, high-volume extrusion, I wanted to maintain the spirit of Japanese craftsmanship by focusing on every detail. For Kawara, we repeatedly refined the grooves, ridges, and joint elements down to 0.1-millimeter increments, and collaborated closely with engineers to ensure precise assembly. This way, the attention to detail and quality associated with Japanese craft could coexist with mass production,’ explains Kawai.

the collections is available in various versions, including pendant, horizontal, vertical, and floor models

The design of Kawara directly translates the spirit of the Japanese tile into an industrial form. Made of extruded aluminium, the system is designed to be extremely modular and customizable, available in various finishes and versions, including pendant, horizontal, vertical, and floor models. Designers can choose between a single continuous element for a technical, clean, and essential appearance, or adjustable modules connected by small joining rings for precise light direction and a more playful effect. These combinations allow light to be directed towards the table, ceiling, or angled at 45 degrees, offering tailor-made solutions for any setting.

‘At the heart of my concept is the interesting interplay of rationality, surprise, and variety that comes from combining modules. The single continuous element actually emerged as a byproduct of the adjustable modules. The form created through this process turned out to be very beautiful,’ he shares.

made of extruded aluminium, the lighting is designed to be extremely modular and customizable

A significant detail is the grooves running along the rounded back of the modules. This ensures that when different modules are combined, the grooves connect regardless of the angles, turning the design’s versatility into visual harmony. The collection is further enhanced by the integration of a LED strip with a dimmer, which allows brightness to be adjusted, creating the right atmosphere in any space.

‘I believe the modularity and versatility of Kawara not only allow for creative combinations, but also greatly contribute to the long-term value of the product. Even if a room’s layout or atmosphere changes in the future, the modules can be reconfigured to create lighting with a new personality, making it a product that can be enjoyed for a lifetime.’ adds Kawai to describe the principle of creating a design that lasts and adapts.

adjustable modules offer precise light direction and a playful effect

conversely, the single continuous element offers a technical, clean, and essential appearance

Kawara is defined by structural simplicity and component efficiency, aligning with Pedrali’s manufacturing philosophy

the collection is further enhanced by LED strips with a dimmer, which allows brightness to be adjusted

project info: 

name: Kawara

brand: Pedrali | @pedralispa

designer: Yusuke Kawai | | @yusukekawai_kmfy

material: extruded aluminium

The post yusuke kawai on transforming japanese roof tiles into modular ‘kawara’ lighting for pedrali appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

MINI and Sir Paul Smith unbox production-ready cars at the Japan Mobility Show 2025 in Tokyo. Following the minimalist MINI STRIP (2021) and the electrified MINI Recharged (2022), the MINI Paul Smith Edition infuses the celebrated British designer’s world-famous aesthetic – ‘classic with a twist’ – into the new MINI family. Available for all MINI Cooper 3-door, 5-door, and convertible models, the new edition masterfully blends shared heritage with a playful, optimistic, and independent spirit.

designboom interviews Sir Paul Smith and Holger Hampf, Head of MINI Design, to delve into the history, shared philosophies, and latest design that drive the two British brands’ enduring, long-term relationship.

MINI and Sir Paul Smith unbox production-ready cars at the Japan Mobility Show 2025

MINI X PAUL SMITH HIStory

With the MINI Paul Smith Edition debuting at the Japan Mobility Show 2025, the partnership between the two British brands already holds particular significance in the country. Sir Paul Smith’s dedication to the Japanese market is evident in his respectful, committed approach, continuous visits since the 1980s, and near 140-strong shops in the country. Holger Hampf echoes MINI’s loyalty, emphasizing the Japanese influence in keeping the brand afloat in 1980s and 90s when all other global production had been halted. This mutual respect forms the bedrock of a long-term collaboration that started in 1998 with a uniquely blue Classic MINI and, over the past few years, also introduced the STRIP and Recharged.

‘Discussions about near-future collaborations started right after we finished the STRIP,‘ explains Holger Hampf, Head of MINI Design, to designboom. ‘It is my favorite show car. I love the honesty in the concept. And from there on, our conversation continued with the Recharged and now Paul Smith Edition.‘

Nottingham Green paintwork accents the side mirrors, octagonal radiator grille, and one of the two roof variants

BRITISH CLASSIC WITH A TWIST

Discussing the collaborative design process in the latest edition, Holger Hampf describes a methodology centered on provoking ideas and fostering confidence in every design decision. Sir Paul Smith’s input brings an element of irreverence and an artistic view, most notably through the use of vibrant, colorful elements – a key feature that defines his aesthetic.

‘I use the word irreverence quite a lot when I’m styling for my shows,‘ admits Sir Paul Smith. ‘In the early days, when I first started in this 1970s, men were dressing in a very classical way. It was considered really risque to wear a colorful sweater or anything. I learnt to nudge against these rules. For instance, a denim shirt with a cashmere suit is exactly wrong but that is what makes it right. The choice shows your personal confidence, artistic view or something. That is why I give the customer the ability to have a bit more fun in a quite classic outfit. Now, this irreverence is shown in production MINIs.‘

the special design adds british classic with a twist

The design philosophy shared by both the fashion and automotive icons converge on minimalist and sustainable design elements. Sir Paul Smith’s long-standing use of natural materials like bamboo in his fashion designs and shop interiors is a testament to his commitment to sustainability. This is reflected throughout his MINI collaborations, starting with the STRIP and now the 100% recyclable Vescin-textile interior of the Paul Smith Edition.

‘Sustainability should be automatically considered these days,‘ clarifies Sir Paul. ‘Anyway, we do it in everything I design: we make shirting from bamboo, our in-house-designed shops include nature, and we made sure the Edition cars considered its materials too.‘

the ‘signature stripe’ – a central Paul Smith design feature – colorfully adorns the roof on the driver’s side

This overlap of design philosophies is crucial in realizing a new collaboration between the two brands. Sir Paul Smith  and Holger Hampf explain that three color choices are inspired by a careful observation of architecture as well as natural elements. A standout feature, however, is the specially created Nottingham Green paintwork – a deliberate tribute to Sir Paul’s hometown – which adds sophisticated accents to the side mirrors, the octagonal radiator grille, the wheel hub covers with Paul Smith lettering, and as the paintwork for one of the two roof variants. Further exterior detailing includes the ‘signature stripe’, a central Paul Smith design feature, that colorfully adorns the roof on the driver’s side.

‘I look everywhere for inspiration about color. This is not just through very obvious artists like Matisse, but also through the Renaissance who had an amazing use of color combinations. Sunsets, shooting stars, and even my hometown lend imagination for different tones in my work,‘ notes Sir Paul.

Holger then adds: ‘Take a look at some of the details on the car. There are certain corners where materials and colors come together, such as the Nottingham Green, for example. This precision is very typical for automotive design. When different colors are applied, it creates very interesting discoveries, which we now see on the new models.‘

the dashboard and door panels are made of black knitted surfaces

The British ‘classic with a twist’ character extends into the interior with a modern, elegant look. The dashboard and door panels feature black knitted surfaces, while the nightshade blue sports seats are made of Vescin with knitted textile in the shoulder and headrest areas. The steering wheel’s textile band features decorative stitching in bright colors drawn from the same signature stripe on the exterior  – quintessentially Paul Smith.

the steering wheel’s textile band features the signature stripe stitching in bright colors as on the exterior

The fashion designer’s playful spirit is evident in the small, hidden details that bring an element of joy and discovery to the car: a graphic of a stylized, hand-drawn ‘rabbit’ on the floor mat, and upon opening the door, the driver and passenger are greeted with a handwritten ‘hello’ as a light projection on the floor. Sir Paul Smith’s positive motto, ‘everyday is a new beginning,’ is inscribed on the door sill. This thoughtful integration achieves the desired balance between classic and artistic elements that matches so well with the bold, playfulness of MINI.

‘The features give a very MINI welcome,‘ confirms Holger. ‘Paul Smith is positive and friendly, and so the car greets drivers and passengers in a very personal way. I love the handwritten signatures throughout the interior. It is very casual – and that’s also what MINI is all about.‘

the nightshade blue sports seats are made of Vescin with knitted textile in the shoulder and headrest areas

This enduring collaboration, which began back in 1998, has consistently resulted in unique styling. From the fashion designer’s limited edition classic MINI in a specially created blue, to the 1999 one-off celebrating the classic’s 40th birthday with 86 stripes in 26 colors, the partnership is centered on friendship, fun, and creative synergy. As Holger Hampf looks forward to the next steps, Sir Paul Smith assures that the collaboration is not just creatively rewarding but grounded in a practical and sustainable long-term vision. The MINI Paul Smith Edition is thus more than just a car; it is a shared mindset that ‘everyday is a new beginning’.

inside includes hand-drawn lucky ‘rabbit’ on the floor mat, ‘hello’ as a light projection, and Sir Paul Smith’s positive motto – ‘everyday is a new beginning’ – inscribed on the door sill

the MINI Paul Smith Edition is available across the MINI Cooper 3-door, 5-door, and convertible models

colors include Statement Grey (pictured), Inspired White or Midnight Black

MINI and Sir Paul Smith’s collaboration started in 1998 with classic MINI in blue (pictured left)

the MINI Paul Smith Edition debuts in Tokyo for Japan Mobility Show 2025

project info:

brands: MINI and Paul Smith

design: MINI Paul Smith Edition

model: MINI Cooper 3-door, 5-door, and convertible

debut location: Japan Mobility Show

debut date: 29 October 2025

The post interview: paul smith classically twists production-ready MINI edition appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Mercedes-Benz introduces Vision Iconic, a car with Art Deco designs and a reinterpreted radiator grille featuring lighting animations. Unveiled in Shanghai on October 14th, 2025, the automobile draws design cues from the Mercedes-Benz Typ 540K Autobahn-Kurier, the company’s 1938 roadster with an elongated front, ballooned wheel arches, large round headlights, and a sloping-down roof to the rear. For the recent Vision Iconic, Mercedes-Benz brings over the style of Art Deco.

In an interview with designboom in Shanghai, Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, tells us that Art Deco has always been an inspiration to him. ‘Even when I started being the Chief Designer in 2008, the generation of cars we produced carried that kind of dropping shapes and lines, which is an Art Deco signature. We always referred back to that because for me, it is classic luxury and it is part of the company’s DNA. Now, it is part of the Vision Iconic car,’ he says. At the premiere of the vehicle, MAD’s Ma Yansong was present and took the stage with the Chief Design Officer when the red veil was lifted off. After the event, the two visited the nearby design exhibition that showcases MAD’s works on the Lucas Museum and the Shenzen Bay.

all images courtesy of Mercedes-Benz, unless stated otherwise

Art deco designs and marquetry decorate the interiors

Stepping inside the car, the centerpiece is the instrument panel shaped as a floating glass, named Zeppelin. Its design evokes the carefully placed lines and geometric shapes that define the decorative, artistic style. As soon as the door opens, the instrument clutter comes to life with an analog animation inspired by chronographs. There’s a pillar-to-pillar screen on view, and at the center of it lies a clock shaped like the company’s iconic star logo, acting as an AI companion. Behind the Zeppelin, a decorative surface unfolds with a pearl look.

This marquetry shows up around the door panels, encircling the polished brass door handles in silver and gold tones before reaching the star patterns that frame the rear seat. The seats at the front come through as a single bench in deep blue velvet. In front of the driver, the four-spoke steering wheel carries the Mercedes-Benz logo for the Vision Iconic, floating inside a glass sphere and clasped by the spokes as if it were a piece of jewelry. The interior floors are designed with straw marquetry, a decorative technique dating back to the 17th century and revived in the 1920s. The design team handcrafts the finish in a fan-shaped Art Deco motif, a continuation of the artistic style.

the car draws design cues from the Mercedes-Benz 1938 roadster with an elongated front

Reimagined Animated radiator grille with smoked-glass design

For the Vision Iconic car, Mercedes-Benz pays homage to the upright grilles of the company’s iconic models, such as the W 108, the W 111 and the Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman. For the recent model, the grille, which was first introduced in the all-new electric GLC vehicle in September 2025, comes with an animated system, a wide chromed frame, a smoked-glass lattice structure and integrated contour lighting. The deep black high-gloss paint finish of the vehicle underlines the sculptural exterior design of the show car, more so the illuminating upright star on top of the reinterpreted radiator grille, shining brightly as a signal to the upcoming new generation of Mercedes-Benz cars.

With designboom, Gorden Wagener shares that the company constantly searches for what can make its design iconic ‘to let us stand out from the sea of sameness of other cars and to make us a leading iconic brand. When you see the radiator grille, it’s almost like a piece of art with 100 years of tradition. We didn’t just take an old grille and put it in a new car. We made it into a high-tech piece, an LED wall that you can animate with pixels that used to be square intakes for air. Now it’s square LEDs, and with that, we bring it into a new generation and we put it into an aluminum plate that gives that richness and appearance when we see it outside in the sunlight,’ he says.

Mercedes-Benz pays homage to the upright grilles of its iconic models, such as the W 108 and the W 111

The group’s Chief Design Officer guides us through the design elements within the Mercedes-Benz Vision Iconic car. He reveals that all of the company’s new generation of vehicles have a complete virtual instrument panel. ‘We replaced the hardware design now with software design with our new MBX system. This car here, the Vision Iconic, is actually a kind of antithesis of that, saying, “With increasing digitalization, people want more analog solutions again.” In the probably not far distant future, given the use of large language models, I think voice operation will become predominant at one point, so you touch less and you speak more, like we do as humans,’ he shares.

In the recent car, Gorden Wagener explains that the team puts emphasis on haptics and was inspired by the instrument panels of the automotive designs in the 1930s, ‘being that glass kind of thing with the two beautiful pieces inside. Then, there’s also the Art Deco-inspired seat, which feels like a sofa in a living room. We say the car of the future is not the smartphone on wheels, but it’s maybe the smart home on wheels, and the cozy sofa is where you can snuggle in while the car is driving autonomously. This is the idea behind that. Other than that, we of course take materials like mother-of-pearl and gold to make it look opulent,’ he adds.

the grille comes with a wide chromed frame, a smoked-glass lattice structure and integrated contour lighting

A slew of other innovations defines the recent Mercedes-Benz Vision Iconic, including its solar coating, which is a paint similar to a paste that turns the surface of any electric vehicle into a photovoltaic-active exterior. This means that the entire outside of the vehicle can harness solar power, depending on the location and local conditions, and recharge itself to add additional driving range. The company says that the solar cells in the coating have a high efficiency of 20 percent and generate energy continuously, even when the vehicle is switched off and that the paint doesn’t have any rare earths or silicone and can be recycled easily. 

Together with the show car, Mercedes-Benz also presents a capsule collection consisting of six outfits. Here, the Art Deco approach in the Vision Iconic continues, with dark blue nuances and silver-gold accents highlighting the clothing designs. Each piece comes from fabrics that were typically used between the 1920s and 1930s, and the collection is an homage to Shanghai Fashion Week, which takes place at the same time as the unveiling of the Vision Iconic car. Before our interview with Gorden Wagener wraps up, he explores the future of Mercedes-Benz’s automotive designs following the Vision Iconic car. ‘This car here gives a glimpse into the future. For me as a designer, the most important part is to create an identity that has iconic potential because that differentiates good design from mainstream design and lets you stick out of the sea of sameness. This brand has all the potential for that. This car embodies that. In whatever we do, we follow that path,’ he concludes.

rear view of the show car

the centerpiece is the instrument panel shaped as a floating glass

marquetry and designs inspired by Art Deco appear throughout the cabin

detailed view of the velvet seats, still inspired by the Art Deco era

MAD’s Ma Yansong present at the world premiere of the show car in Shanghai

at the moment, the Vision Iconic is a show car

project info:

name: Vision Iconic

company: Mercedes-Benz | @mercedesbenz

The post mercedes-benz reveals art deco-inspired vision iconic car with animated radiator grille appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

the Reception Salon | all images © Jean Allard

THREE UNIQUE SALON CONCEPTS BY STUDIO GGSV IN PARIS

Founded in 2011 by Gaëlle Gabillet and Stéphane Villard, Studio GGSV takes a multidisciplinary approach that spans design, installation, exhibition curation, and interior architecture. The duo, known for their experimental use of illusion and trompe-l’œil, were residents at the Villa Medici in 2018 for a research project exploring the application of painting to objects and architecture. Their works are part of the collections of the Centre Pompidou, the CNAP, and the Mobilier National, and they have been commissioned by institutions and brands including the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris, Fondation Rothschild, Hermès, Chanel, and Galeries Lafayette. In 2023, they won the call for proposals Re-enchanting the Villa Medici with their project Camera Fantasia, and are currently presenting the monumental installation Grand Feu to mark the 200th anniversary of the Musée de la Céramique in Sèvres.

In this commission, the Paris-based design duo blurs the boundaries between architecture, décor, and furniture. Patterns, materials, and forms echo and extend one another to create a unified yet unconventional whole. The result is three environments: the Reception Salon, the Conversation Salon, and the Reading Salon. 

the Conversation Salon

The Reception Salon

‘Working with Mobilier National’s carpenters, we created a modular furniture system with an architectural scale — flexible enough to generate multiple pieces from the same structure. Its form references the curves of Louis XIII furniture, but reimagined with alternating black and white laminated layers that transform the surfaces depending on the angle,’ Studio GGSV explains. ‘The result is a contemporary ensemble that honors tradition while pointing toward new possibilities.’

hypnotic black-and-white rhythms recall the twisted columns of Louis XIII style

The Conversation Salon

the Conversation Salon is organized around a large hexagonal sofa

The Reading Salon

the Reading Salon

rocks, mountains, and vegetation intertwine to create a dreamlike landscape

romantic landscapes cover the walls, floor, and ceiling

overhead, a luminous ceiling disc evokes a shifting sky

‘the second room takes inspiration from the garden,’ shares Studio GGSV

the Reception Salon explores the dialogue between architectural structure and applied décor

classical and baroque references merge with art deco geometry, forming a layered composition

Gaëlle Gabillet and Stéphane Villard of Studio GGSV

project info:

name: Les Salons de l’imaginaire (The Salons of Imagination)

designer: Studio GGSV | @studio_ggsv

location: Manufactures nationales 

The post studio GGSV transforms historic parisian apartment into salons for the imagination appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.