An open book

LWK + Partners has designed a new luxury residential development in Hong Kong that reflects its academic environment

A gentle touch

Utharaa Zacharias and Palaash Chaudhary are the duo behind soft-geometry, a design studio based between California and Kochi, India. The duo is creating artful furniture and home objects that are full of quirks and humour, driven by traditional Indian craftsmanship that’s reminiscent of their childhoods.

A centre for learning

Foster + Partners’ House of Wisdom library and cultural centre in Sharjah is officially open to the public

Books

This month’s selection highlights Nike’s design legacy and a survey of the best in contemporary drawings from artists the world over

Inhabitable fabrics: A tribute to Elke Walter

The late Elke Walter was famed for her iconic amorphic garments. Working across fashion, photography and sculpture, Walker was perhaps best known for dressing the enigmatic Zaha Hadid.

THE BIRTH OF A RENAISSANCE

Identity speaks to Sir David Adjaye about his new proposal for the Edo Museum of West African Art and what it means for the continent at large

Respite & Reflection

Roar’s recently completed Sensasia Stories spa references pan-Asian architectural typologies with a contemporary twist

Willo Perron and the cultural zeitgeist

Canadian-born Willo Perron is difficult to define – and he seems to like it that way. One of the most prolific and versatile designers of his generation, Perron is the mastermind behind some of the most recognisable moments in contemporary pop culture. Whether it is floating a life-size inflatable yellow Ferrari over a crowd at a Drake concert, or designing the Yeezy stores for Kanye West, Perron has had a hand in it all. His LA-based design practice, W P & A, works across various disciplines, including interior design and furniture. We catch up with Perron over Zoom to learn more about design’s grey areas.

Poetic landscapes

Aurelien Chen’s solitary pavilion recreates an ethereal and abstracted ‘painting’ of a traditional Chinese landscape

STATEMENT LIVING

Hakwood and Kelly Hoppen join forces for a collection of innovative and dynamic tiles.

Phygital reality

Carmelo Zappulla, the designer behind the latest Presented by retail store in Dubai, talks about blurring the lines between digital and physical space

Future faces

Tosin Oshinowo and Chrissa Amuah’s conceptual design for Lexus explores the face mask through a universal language of protection, while reflecting on the freedom of movement through craftsmanship, culture, technology and global history

Design Nomads

Montroi is the brainchild of Enrique Hormingo and Samir Aghera. The Dubai-based brand promotes ‘Nomadism’ – creating items for travel, crafted across various locations on the ancient Silk Route. From soft leather bags, accessories and travel guides covering Tunis to the AmalfiCoast, to handcrafted furniture, the brand has filled a gap in the market for items that combine a sense of spirit with craftsmanship and style. We catch up with Enrique Hormingo to find out more.

Ahead of the curve

The long-awaited ME Dubai by Melia, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, reopens its doors

Handcrafted gems

Finance professional-turned-designer Shima Samaei is behind the heritage-inspired brand Chapter-101, whose pieces bring together the evocative beauty of the Middle East region

Uniting design

Founded by London-based interior designers Sophie Ashby of Studio Ashby and Alex Dauley of Dauley Design, United in Design is a charitable organisation set up to address the lack of diversity within the design field. Aidan Imanova speaks to the founders to find out more.

All around the world

NextSpace, founded by Laurence Dehlen, aims to introduce the Middle East market to a myriad of brands from across the globe

Exploring identity

Three Kuwait-based designers investigate the potential of a local design identity by merging existing regional and borrowed elements in an exhibition showcased at 1971 - Design Space in Sharjah

Dubai Design Week

While many of the world’s design events went virtual this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fifth iteration of Dubai Design Week – a festival that has quickly become one of the most sought-after events on the arts calendar in the Emirates – presented a combination of physical exhibitions and outdoor installations, bringing together international works and regional talent in addition to an online showcase of brands and talks, making the event accessible to a global audience.

Products

This month’s products include wish list items that will make perfect gifts this festive season. From beautifully sculptural storage pieces to home fragrances, there is something here for everyone.

Preserving the past

‘A Thobe Story’ features 10 unique garments embroidered by Palestinian refugee women that recall missing memories

MONUMENTAL MASS

Sahel Al Hiyari’s Barghouti House softly integrates into the landscape while remaining impressively monolithic

DESIGN FOCUS: OUTDOOR FURNITURE

DESIGN FOCUS: OUTDOOR FURNITURE

A Sharjah icon

The recent restoration of Sharjah’s iconic Flying Saucer returns the Brutalist landmark to its former glory – and investigates its past in the process

Stop And Smell The Roses

Van Cleef & Arpels is collaborating with French artist Alexandre Benjamin Navet to design the window displays of the maison’s boutiques worldwide, including those in the Middle East.

Reflections of time

CEBRA Architecture has completed the masterplan for Qasr Al Hosn, a historically significant site for the UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi. The various components of the masterplan include the Fort, the Cultural Foundation, a public park and a prayer hall. identity speaks to partner Mikkel Schlesinger and head of CEBRA Abu Dhabi, Arthi Balasubramanian about how the project blurs the line between architecture and public space while remaining sensitive to tradition and community needs.

Modern living

studio bruno guelaff has created a modern beachside home in Dubai that allows the surrounding seascape to take centre stage

LIGHTING: AN EVOLUTION

American painter Mark Rothko took immense satisfaction in the distinction between night and day. His innate love of contrasts is clear in his art, but also in his vision of the Rothko Chapel, located in Houston, Texas. In today’s pandemic-driven era, we can relate to Rothko’s positivity, and his tireless insistence that where there is darkness, there will always be light.

identity Design Awards 2020

Announcing the winners of the identity Design Awards 2020

INDUSTRIAL FUSION

L.S.Design’s minimalist Train Beach Club in Dubai merges four separate spaces that come together under a common industrial design language