Spend enough time looking at contemporary craft and a pattern begins to appear. Glassmakers, ceramicists, textile artists, paper sculptors, beadworkers, and woodcarvers often arrive at the same subject: flowers. Henri Purnell builds delicate blossoms from thousands of glass beads. Julia Oleynik shapes flowers petal by petal in clay. Lilla Tabasso recreates blooms in glass, while Ann Wood, Judith Rolfe, and Sourabh Gupta turn sheets of paper into stems, leaves, and petals. In Japan, Yoshihiro Suda carves flowers and weeds from wood with remarkable precision.

Contemporary craft is constantly evolving, embracing new technologies, materials, and processes. Yet one of its most persistent subjects remains a familiar one. Flowers continue to offer makers a problem worth solving. Unlike geometric forms, flowers rarely follow predictable rules. Petals fold, curl, overlap, and wrinkle, colors shift across a single bloom, and no two specimens are entirely alike. For makers working with rigid, manufactured materials, recreating that complexity requires a series of translations. 

Whether assembled bead by bead, stitched thread by thread, or carved from a single block of wood, flowers provide a common point of departure for makers interested in exploring what their materials can do.

PRIMAVERA detail | image by Roberto Marossi via @lilla.tabasso

translating the bloom

Flowers are deceptively difficult objects to recreate. Their forms are perplex and nothing but standard. Their petals curl unpredictably, and their stems bend in different curves. Colors shift subtly from edge to center. No two blooms are ever entirely identical. For makers working by hand, this complexity presents an irresistible challenge.

In the work of Henri Purnell, flowers emerge through dense accumulations of glass beads. Thousands of individual components come together to form blossoms that appear fragile. Seen from afar, the sculptures resemble botanical specimens. Up close, they reveal themselves as elaborate systems of repetition, each bead recording a single gesture within a much larger process.

The transformation is striking. A living flower grows through biological processes. Purnell’s flowers grow through labor. The resulting works preserve the time required to construct the complexity of the bloom.

A similar act of translation unfolds through paper. Artists such as Ann Wood, Judith Rolfe, Signe Elisabeth Scharling, and Sourabh Gupta approach botanical forms through cutting, folding, layering, and shaping. Their flowers are not imitations so much as conversations between material and subject. The stiffness of paper is pushed toward softness. Flat surfaces acquire volume. What begins as a sheet gradually becomes a stem, a leaf, or a blossom.

flowers emerge through dense accumulations of glass beads | image courtesy of Henri Purnell

preserving what was never meant to last

The relationship between flowers and craft is also tied to time. A flower is, by definition, temporary. Many makers appear drawn to this paradox, reconstructing fleeting forms through materials capable of lasting decades or even centuries.

Ceramic artist Julia Oleynik creates hyperreal flowers whose delicate petals appear almost impossibly lifelike. Yet unlike their living counterparts, these blooms remain suspended in a permanent state of flowering. Clay becomes a vehicle for preserving a moment that nature cannot hold.

The same tension appears in the work of glass artist Lilla Tabasso. Her intricate floral compositions transform one fragile material into another. Glass shares the delicacy of a flower yet possesses a vastly different relationship to time. What would ordinarily wilt within days can survive indefinitely once translated into molten silica and fire.

Makers hold onto forms that are otherwise destined to disappear by recreating flowers, a way of negotiating permanence and change.

thinly rolling out the clay enables the artist to replicate each flower | image courtesy of Julia Oleynik

the botanical archive

Not every contemporary floral work aims for realism. For some artisans, botanical forms become a means of observation. Using untreated cotton fabric, Mona Sugata builds sculptural works inspired by flowers and plants, capturing their fragility through slow, repetitive handwork. Her textile works appear to grow through repeated actions that mirror organic development. Similarly, the embroidered arrangements of Olga Prinku and the delicate botanical interventions of Hillary Waters Fayle reveal an attentiveness to natural structures that borders on archival.

These artists operate more like collectors, as their works resemble records of sustained looking. Leaves, stems, seed heads, and blossoms are isolated, studied, and translated into new material languages, creating pieces that resemble contemporary botanical archives.

Dried flowers embroidery, botanical embroidery, flowers on tulle by Olga Prinku – meadow floral pattern, 3D botanical embroidery, plant-based embroidery, cow parsley seed-heads, dried corn flowers | image via Olga Prinku’s website

small things, closely observed

Historically, flowers have often served as tools for classification. Botanical drawings, herbariums, and scientific collections sought to document the diversity of plant life. Contemporary makers continue this tradition in unexpected ways, creating archives through craft, freezing their observations in time through their creations. 

Yoshihiro Suda, working primarily in wood, creates astonishingly detailed sculptures of plants and flowers that are frequently installed in unexpected corners of museums and galleries. What makes his work particularly compelling is his choice of subject matter. Rather than focusing exclusively on rare or spectacular blooms, he often turns his attention toward weeds, wildflowers, and other overlooked plants. His sculptures encourage viewers to notice what usually escapes notice. The flower becomes a device for directing attention, a quality that connects many of the makers working with botanical forms today. Their projects ask viewers to slow down and notice certain qualities and things that become visible only when one observes them, like the intricate structure of a petal or the geometry hidden within a leaf.

Suda Yoshihiro Magnolia, 2024 painted on wood | image via Sadie Coles 

nature after the image

Images of flowers are everywhere. They fill social media feeds, advertisements, digital archives, and moodboards. A single search can return millions of results in seconds. Flowers have become one of the most familiar visual subjects of contemporary life. At the same time, many makers continue to spend days, weeks, and sometimes months constructing flowers by hand. Henri Purnell assembles blossoms from thousands of glass beads. Julia Oleynik shapes individual petals in clay. Ann Wood, Judith Rolfe, Sourabh Gupta, and Zac Buehner use paper to build stems, leaves, and blooms layer by layer. Lilla Tabasso recreates flowers in glass, while Yoshihiro Suda carves them from wood. The materials differ, the techniques vary, yet the same subject keeps resurfacing.

Part of the appeal lies in the complexity of the flower. A rose, a peony, and an orchid may all belong to the same family of forms, but each behaves differently. For makers, these characteristics offer endless possibilities. Flowers allow glass to appear delicate, paper to become sculptural, and clay to feel unexpectedly light. Each material brings its own strengths and limitations, resulting in a different interpretation of the same botanical form.

The appeal of flowers extends beyond traditional craft practices. In her immersive flower market installations, CJ Hendry transforms blooms into plush sculptures that visitors can collect and interact with. Her projects sit in a different category from beadwork, ceramics, or wood carving, yet they point to the same enduring interest in floral forms. Whether presented as a small handcrafted object or as part of a large public installation, the flower continues to attract attention.

Flowers provide a common point of departure for artists and makers working in entirely different ways. They appear in paper, glass, clay, textile, wood, and mixed-media practices, carrying centuries of artistic associations while continuing to inspire new interpretations. New tools, materials, and technologies continue to reshape craft. Even so, flowers remain a recurring point of reference. Each bloom presents a slightly different challenge, giving makers another reason to return to it again and again.

CRISANTEMI Lampworked Murano glass | image by Roberto Marossi via @lilla.tabasso

PEONIES Lampworked Murano glass | image by Roberto Marossi via @lilla.tabasso

Ann Wood draws, cuts, and assembles paper flowers by hand | image via Ann Wood

inspired by antique botanical illustrations | image via Ann Wood

crepe paper flowers by Signe Elisabeth Scharling | image via @signe.scharling

Sweet Pea by Signe Elisabeth Scharling | image via @signe.scharling

ceramic floral art bouquets look just like the real thing | image courtesy of Julia Oleynik

floral clay offers various possibilities, capturing different stages of flowering | image courtesy of Julia Oleynik

Mona Sugata works with untreated cotton, glue, and diluted pigments | image courtesy of Mona Sugata

Sugata avoids coating or overworking the surface in order to preserve the softness of the materials | image courtesy of Mona Sugata

the artist recreates blossoms that echo the organic irregularities of real flowers | image courtesy of Henri Purnell

shimmering with the luminosity of glass | image courtesy of Henri Purnell

Lotus (small), Lotus Series Paper and brass: acrylic and gum paint | image via Sourabh Gupta Studio

Auricula, Wildflower Series, Paper and brass: acrylic and gum paint| image via Sourabh Gupta Studio

Dried flowers embroidery, botanical embroidery, flowers on tulle by Olga Prinku – blossom pattern – dried pink mangles everlasting | image via Olga Prinku’s website

Turkish Tulips (2021). Made with 5 dried and preserved plant species including yarrow, broom bloom | | image via Olga Prinku’s website

Portrait of Place for Penland by Hillary Waters Fayle | image via @hillary.waters

botanicals embroidered on leaves by Hillary Waters Fayle | image via @hillary.waters

Suda Yoshihiro Poppy, 2024 painted on wood | image via Sadie Coles 

Suda Yoshihiro Poppy, 2024 painted on wood | image via Sadie Coles 

PEACH SWIRL ROSE On-edge paper on mat board 965 x 864 mm | image courtesy of JUDiTH + ROLFE  

image courtesy of JUDiTH + ROLFE  

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Continuing the Navigators of Design series, a 10-part interview initiative produced in collaboration with Most Studios, the conversation shifts from independent eyewear to the spatial foundations of interior design. For this second feature, the series profiles Liza Laserow Berglund, Co-founder and Chief Creative Director of the Stockholm-based rug and textile brand Nordic Knots, to explore how the brand consciously resists the pressures of modern, accelerated consumption. By prioritizing the slow, deeply tactile nature of traditional textile production, the studio establishes an enduring presence that transcends fleeting novelty.

‘For me, it’s never about replicating history, but about understanding what makes something feel timeless. If you work with honest materials and keep the design refined and honest, you can create an iconic piece even though it is newly produced. If those fundamentals are right, a new design can carry the same presence as something centuries old,’ explains Liza Laserow Berglund.

Nordic Knots rugs | all images courtesy of Most Studios

NORDIC KNOTS SCALES TEXTILE DESIGNS WITH ENDURING PRESENCE

Launched in 2016, Nordic Knots’ visual identity is rooted in Berglund’s early immersion in high-end antiques and historic proportions, which instilled an instinctual understanding of balance, patina, and lasting materials. The brand was born from a creative synergy between the co-founders Liza and Fabian Berglund, who have forged an identity that actively resists the accelerated pace of modern consumption. By pairing a sober color palette inspired by historical, understated tones with honest materials that grow more beautiful with age, the brand elevates the rug from a functional utility to a defining structural element of modern interiors, shaping a strict interior design language where textiles serve as the atmospheric foundation of a home.

‘We believed that rugs and textiles, designed with longevity in mind, could help people build more thoughtful and personal spaces,’ Liza adds. ‘A rug is a foundation – it sets the tone of the room and anchors everything else but it needs to complement and not take over. At the same time, when you isolate it, it should still feel like an object in its own right, with a clear design language.’

slow, deeply tactile artisanal craft embodied into enduring design

RUGS AND TEXTILES ROOTED IN SCANDINAVIAN DESIGN

Filled by this vision that rugs play a defining role when it comes to interiors, the brand anchors its creative horizon drawing from the quiet realities of everyday life, the enduring lines of architecture discovered during travel, the organic way people inhabit spaces, and a deep reverence for their own design archive. This precise design approach is manifested in rugs and textiles defined by soft hues that offer visual serenity and spatial calm. This unwavering ethos allows the brand to carve out a singular identity that now serves as the strategic framework for its high-profile design collaborations.

‘We are always looking for partners who bring a distinct point of view and can draw us into their creative universe. When those elements come together, the collaboration feels effortless and real. That’s when the best ideas emerge, and the result is something that feels meaningful to everyone involved,’ Berglund notes.

rugs that orchestrate the surrounding space and dictates its personality

After living and working in New York, the brand’s co-founder strengthened her belief that each place has a different character, bridging her references from Sweden with those from the American metropolis. This geographic intersection served as a blueprint to define how and where she would like to position Nordic Knots within the contemporary interior design landscape.

‘Living in New York gave me a new perspective on what home means. For many people, it felt like a place to pass through rather than a place to truly invest in. In contrast, Scandinavians have a deeply rooted culture of creating homes that are cared for, nurtured, and built over time,’ Liza says.

rugs and textiles by Nordic Knots offer visual serenity and spatial calm, defined by soft, understated tones

The preservation of original, evolving design relies entirely on the invisible narrative behind each piece. For Nordic Knots, resisting this mechanical homogenization means placing uncompromising value on the human hand. The brand actively demystifies this behind-the-scenes process, making the reality of traditional weaving tangible and visible, to shift the consumer mindset away from disposable novelty and toward the enduring appreciation of slow, lasting quality. 

‘We operate in a highly traditional industry, but our ambition is to build a brand that feels relevant, inspiring, and enduring. We create products designed to feel as modern and desirable ten years from now as they do today,’ Liza Laserow Berglund concludes.

designs that feel relevant, inspiring, and enduring

Nordic Knots draws from the quiet realities of everyday life and the enduring lines of architecture

project info: 

Navigators of Design Series: a collaboration with Most Studios

Design has never changed faster. These are the people navigating that change.

Navigators of Design is a 10-part interview series produced in collaboration between designboom and Most Studios. As the landscape of brand and design evolves at an unprecedented pace, we sit down with the senior leaders – CEOs, Creative Directors, and Heads of Design –shaping the world’s most influential companies.

From rethinking workflows to defining design as a core business differentiator, these conversations provide a platform for the visionaries lifting the industry to new heights.

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David Hockney, one of the most influential artists of the past century, passed away on June 11th, 2026, at the age of 88. The British painter built a career that spanned more than six decades, producing an expansive body of work that spanned painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, and digital media. From the swimming pools of Los Angeles to the changing seasons of Yorkshire and Normandy, Hockney developed a visual language defined by vivid color, close observation, and a persistent curiosity about how images are made.

Born in Bradford, England, in 1937, Hockney emerged as part of a new generation of British artists in the early 1960s after studying at the Royal College of Art in London. His early paintings combined elements of pop art with autobiographical references and experiments in representation. By the middle of the decade, repeated visits to California transformed both his palette and subject matter. Bright skies, modernist houses, and turquoise swimming pools became recurring motifs that would come to define some of the most recognizable images in contemporary art.

David Hockney portrait | image courtesy of Pace Gallery | header image: David Hockney, In the Studio, December 2017, 2017, photographic drawing printed on 7 sheets of paper, mounted on 7 sheets of Dibond, sheet size: 109-1/2″ x 42-3/4″, each 9′ 1-1/2″ × 24′ 11-1/4″ (278.1 cm × 760.1 cm), overall installation dimensions © 2019 David Hockney | image courtesy of Pace Gallery

from california pools to yorkshire landscapes

Works such as A Bigger Splash and Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) established Hockney as an international figure while demonstrating his interest in perception, perspective, and the construction of space. The artist, without pursuing a single style, continually shifted between portraiture, landscape painting, photography, and stage design, questioning how visual experience could be translated into images.

Throughout his career, David Hockney remained deeply engaged with technological change. Long before digital tools became commonplace in artistic practice, he experimented with photographic collages, fax machines, and multi-screen video installations. In the late 2000s and 2010s, he embraced the iPhone and iPad as drawing tools, creating vibrant digital works that challenged assumptions about the relationship between traditional painting and emerging technologies.

This willingness to adopt new media distinguished Hockney from many of his contemporaries, as he treated technology like another instrument for observation. His digital drawings retained the immediacy and attention to light that characterized his paintings while opening new possibilities for distribution and display.

© David Hockney, Play within a Play within a Play and Me with a Cigarette, So Up Yours, Up Yours, Up Yours 2025 | image by David Hockney and Jonathan Wilkinson via @fondationlv

redefining how contemporary art sees the world

Hockney’s influence extends beyond individual works, with his investigations into optics, perspective, and image-making leading him to explore how artists throughout history may have used optical devices. These ideas culminated in research and publications that sparked debate among art historians while reflecting his lifelong fascination with vision itself.

In the early 2000s, the artist returned to Yorkshire, where he produced large-scale landscapes that documented the changing countryside through painting, photography, and film. Later, after relocating to Normandy, France, he turned his attention to seasonal cycles, flowering trees, and shifting light conditions, continuing to work across multiple media well into his eighties.

Major retrospectives at institutions including the Centre Pompidou, Tate Britain, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and most recently the Fondation Louis Vuitton reaffirmed his position as one of the defining artists of the postwar era. While audiences often associated him with California swimming pools, his career was marked by constant reinvention and an enduring commitment to looking closely at the world around him.

Hockney leaves behind a body of work that bridges generations of artistic practice, connecting modern painting with contemporary image culture.

David Hockney, Normandy, 06 November 2022 ©️ David Hockney | image by Jean-Pierre Gonçalves de Lima via @fondationlv

David Hockney, Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures), 1972 | image via The David Hockney Foundation

David Hockney,A Bigger Splash (1967) Tate © David Hockney | image via Tate

David Hockney, iPad drawing | image via the Royal Academy of Arts

David Hockney, Self Portrait II, 14 March 2012, 2012, iPad drawing printed on paper, 37″ × 28″ (94 cm × 71.1 cm), Edition of 25 © 2019 David Hockney | image courtesy of Pace Gallery

David Hockney, The Dancers V, 27 August – 4 September, 2014, acrylic on canvas, 48″ x 72″ (121.9 cm x 182.9 cm) © 2019 David Hockney | image courtesy of Pace Gallery

David Hockney, Oranges, 2011, iPad drawing printed on paper, 37″ × 28″ (94 cm × 71.1 cm), Edition of 25 © 2019 David Hockney | image courtesy of Pace Gallery

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Gentle Monster launches its 2026 Veggie Collection with a series of immersive retail installations that bring oversized agricultural landscapes inside shopping environments.

Debuting across Los Angeles, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, and Bangkok, the pop-ups, where oversized tomatoes, broccoli-like creatures, and plush vegetable characters occupy retail floors, extend the Korean eyewear brand’s long-running strategy of pairing product releases with large-scale experiential environments.

At the center of each installation stands an oversized tomato sculpture surrounded by what Gentle Monster calls ‘Veggiemon’, a cast of playful vegetable creatures rendered at multiple scales. Broccoli-like figures, mushrooms with exaggerated mouths, eggplants, radishes, and beetroot forms populate mounded planting beds, turning the retail floor into a stylized farm. The installations employ soft textures, plush surfaces, and enlarged proportions to create an environment that feels closer to a theme park set than a conventional product launch.

all images courtesy of Gentle Monster

a giant broccoli-like character anchors the installation

While the project continues the brand’s established approach to immersive retail design, its significance lies in how contemporary fashion and accessories brands increasingly use spatial experiences to generate cultural visibility. The installations function as destinations in their own right, encouraging visitors to engage with the collection through photography and social media.

The pop-ups also include an interactive photo booth that transforms visitors into their own versions of the Veggiemon characters. This participatory component expands the project beyond visual spectacle, inviting audiences to temporarily inhabit the collection’s fictional world.

The collection Veggie Collection comprises ten folding eyewear designs that draw on the forms, colors, and stems of vegetables, translating organic silhouettes into structural details and compact frames. The eyewear serves as the conceptual starting point for the broader spatial experience, where vegetables become architectural-scale characters inhabiting a fictional farm environment.

a giant broccoli-inspired character installed outside the pop-up venue

oversized vegetable sculptures create a fictional farm landscape indoors

Gentle Monster stages the veggie collection within a large-scale experiential setting

plush textures transform produce into cartoon-like architectural figures

giant vegetables become retail-scale characters

the installation combines retail display, character design, and immersive environments

eyewear displays sit alongside oversized vegetable sculptures

monumental tomato sculptures anchor the farm-inspired installation

rows of vegetable characters occupy raised planting beds throughout the space

introducing visitors to the collection’s fictional veggiemon universe

vegetable-inspired display fixtures showcase the collection throughout the space

the installation arrives in six cities including Los Angeles, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, and Bangkok

the veggie farm installation occupies a shopping atrium with giant produce and plush characters

custom display furniture references the forms and textures of vegetables

project info:

name: 2026 Veggie Collection

designer: Gentle Monster | @gentlemonster

locations: Los Angeles, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, Bangkok

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The Vario VERSA Reversible Dual Time Watch by Vario introduces a dual-time display within a reversible case design, combining two timekeeping functions in a single mechanical layout. The concept aligns contemporary practicality with references to streamlined design language associated with earlier travel and communication eras, where clarity and efficiency in time tracking were essential.

The case mechanism allows the watch to be flipped between two independent time zones, offering an adaptable configuration for different use cases. The system is designed to accommodate both frequent travelers and users navigating multiple daily contexts, such as business and leisure settings, through a single reversible form.

all images courtesy of Vario

two visual identities structured within a single reversible watch

Unlike conventional GMT watches, the Vario VERSA is designed to support half-hour time zones, enabling time tracking across a wider range of global regions, including locations such as New York and Delhi. The watch is powered by two separate ultra-slim Swiss quartz movements, each equipped with its own crown and a six-year battery life. Each side of the watch presents a distinct visual configuration, allowing two simultaneous styles within one reversible case intended for different settings, such as sports and formal occasions.

Vario VERSA introduces a dual-time display within a reversible watch case

a reversible case allows the watch to be flipped between two time zones

two timekeeping functions are integrated into a single mechanical layout

each side of the case corresponds to an independent time setting

the system supports both travel and routine multi-zone timekeeping needs

the mechanism enables quick adaptation between different daily contexts

the watch combines dual functionality with a reversible design language

two independent ultra-slim Swiss quartz movements power the system

project info:

name: Vario VERSA Reversible Dual Time Watch
designer: Vario – Ivan Chua | @varioeveryday

case length: 40mm

case width: 26mm

case thickness: 12mm

dial: 2 Tone Sector / Enamel

crystal: flat sapphire with inner AR applied

lug width: 20mm

case material: 316L stainless steel

movement: 2 x Ronda Slimtech 1062 1 Jewel repairable Swiss quartz movement with 6 year battery life

battery: No.321 (SR616SW)

water resistance: 5 ATM

strap: Veg Tan Italian leather with deployant clasp

warranty: 2-year global warranty

award: winner of iF Design Awards 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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Far from facing concrete as a rigid industrial medium, the Athens-based studio URBI et ORBI explores the boundaries of the material’s organic nature through creative research and experimentation. By combining raw, earth-born components — ground rock, sand, and water — with specialized techniques like color-shaded stratification and unexpected material juxtapositions, the resulting objects introduce a warm, tactile plasticity to both domestic and hospitality spaces.

OIKOS tray by Sara Ricciardi with 40% recycling rate | all images courtesy of URBI et ORBI

URBI ET ORBI rethinks CONCRETE THROUGH creative experimentation

Founded in 2012, URBI et ORBI’s collections emerge from a close collaboration between artisans and designers, who use raw materials through the lens of Mediterranean culture, rich in local memories and human craftsmanship. The company’s entire workflow is guided by a strong environmental commitment, in which the concrete combination is crafted to endure yet designed to assimilate back into nature at the end of its lifecycle.

This circular approach materializes in URBI et ORBI’s Zero Waste Project. Launched in 2020,  the initiative intercepts 100% of internal industrial waste directly from the workshop floor. Heavy concrete rubble is crushed to replace traditional gravel and aggregates, while high-capacity dust collectors capture the airborne residues left behind from sawing and grinding to serve as fine fillers in new material mixes. Through this mechanical loop, the final objects incorporate between 20% and 80% recycled components, yielding an unpredictable, contemporary texture.

STRATA stool by CTRLZAK design studio, SUNDTAN concrete coffee table by Urbi et Orbi Studio and ULTIMA concrete ashtray by Valentino Marengo

DESIGN OBJECTS WITH A CIRCULAR APPROACH

Many of the studio’s most distinctive objects embody this experimental, closed-loop approach. The Saroma side table by Greek designer Sotiris Lazou physically captures the rhythmic, everyday gesture of sweeping (σάρωμα). In an unconventional material pairing, the piece embeds actual fibers from traditional straw brooms directly into the textured  concrete surface.

The cultural stratification of materials continues in the Legante table series by CTRLZAK Studio. Here, the designers collect mineral scraps and broken fragments from local marble and ceramic workshops, casting them into the fluid concrete matrix to form a raw, upcycled interpretation of classic terrazzo. Exploring Mediterranean architectural forms, Italian designer Sara Ricciardi’s Oikos side table references archetypal silhouettes. Rendered in sun-bleached earth tones, the piece utilizes zero-waste processes to form integrated terrazzo accents, translating historic forms into contemporary, circular monoliths.

SAROMA side table by Sotiris Lazou design studio, RELIA 40-45 freestanding concrete washbasin & EROSION shower tray by CTRLZAK design studio, PROKA cement wall hook-hanger by Urbi et Orbi studio

ULTIMA concrete ashtray by Valentino Marengo and OIKOS side table by Sara Ricciardi

SUPERFLY T table lamp by Urbi et Orbi Studio, STRATA cement handles by CTRLZAK design studio, SIMAN catchall concrete tray by Gian Paolo Venier and LUCERA wireless table lamps from cast concrete and semi-transparent resin by Sotiris Lazou Design Studio

KAMARA concrete table series by Sotiris Lazou design studio

TUS side table and SIMAN vase & dish in concrete by Gian Paolo Venier of OTTO Studio

STRATA stool by CTRLZAK design studio

LEGANTE table by CTRLZAK design studio

VIKA suspension lamp & TERRA INCOGNITA terrazzo side table by Sotiris Lazou design studio and SIMAN concrete candle holder by Gian Paolo Venier, Otto studio

ULTIMA concrete ashtray by Valentino Marengo, STRATA vase by CTRLZAK design studio and DJEMBE concrete coffee/side table by Urbi et Orbi Studio

project info: 

company: URBI et ORBI | @urbietorbi.gr

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Located at Bangkok City Hall Square in the Phra Nakhon district, High Line Bangkok is a temporary public installation by HAS Design and Research that reconsiders the role of urban infrastructure within the public realm. Developed by architects Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee, the project uses existing streetlight poles as its primary structural framework, transforming them into a shaded civic space that supports gathering, circulation, and public occupation.

The intervention addresses a common condition within Thailand’s urban environment, where millions of streetlights serve functional purposes but rarely contribute to broader social or spatial activity. High Line Bangkok proposes an alternative approach by integrating recyclable Thai fabrics with existing infrastructure to create a lightweight architectural canopy that combines shading, ventilation, and spatial definition without introducing permanent construction or additional foundations.

Installed at Lan Khon Mueang Town Square, opposite the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration headquarters and adjacent to Wat Suthat Thepwararam, the project responds to the climatic conditions that shape public behavior in tropical cities. Site observations identified a shift in patterns of occupation throughout the day: during periods of intense heat, activity concentrates beneath tree canopies, while in the evening, cooler temperatures draw people toward illuminated areas surrounding streetlights.

more than 100 meters of Thai fabric intentionally bent to form a pipe-like curve | all images by DOF SkyGround

Curved fabrics create a shifting canopy between day and night

The design connects these two environmental conditions by linking lighting poles and existing trees through a suspended textile structure. In doing so, HAS design and research studio establishes a continuous spatial system that brings together infrastructure, vegetation, shade, and light. Existing streetlights are repurposed as structural supports, reducing material consumption while demonstrating how everyday urban elements can be adapted for public use.

More than 100 meters of locally recyclable Thai fabric are arranged in curved, tubular forms that extend between poles and trees across the plaza. During daylight hours, the installation filters sunlight through colored surfaces, generating areas of shade and introducing changing patterns of light across the ground plane. The resulting canopy creates a semi-outdoor environment that encourages occupation throughout the day. After dark, the textile elements interact with the existing lighting infrastructure, diffusing and amplifying illumination across the square. The installation shifts from a shading device to a luminous architectural element, extending the role of the pavilion beyond daytime use and reinforcing the relationship between light, public activity, and urban space.

The geometry of the structure references architectural features of the adjacent Wat Suthat Thepwararam. Angular forms draw from the profile of the temple roof, while fish-scale patterns incorporated into the ground treatment reference traditional roof tiles. These elements introduce local cultural references within a contemporary architectural framework.

the flat concrete ground rises to connect with the urban infrastructure

High Line Bangkok functions as both a site-specific installation and a broader exploration of how existing infrastructure can support public life. By adapting streetlights into a spatial framework for shade, gathering, and environmental comfort, the project examines the relationship between tropical urban conditions, sustainability, and civic space. The intervention proposes a model through which existing infrastructural networks can be reconsidered as active components of the public realm rather than solely technical utilities.

the temporary public installation blends with Bangkok city lifestyle

the architecture has been transformed into a playground for children

new shading and gathering space under the electric light post

by blending Thai fabric, a flat-curve is created, forming a freely adaptable space

the canopy filters sunlight to create shifting patterns

the installation occupies Bangkok City Hall Square in Phra Nakhon

the canopy encourages use of the square throughout the day

project info:

name: High Line Bangkok

architect: HAS design and research | @has.design.and.research

location: Bangkok, Thailand

site area: 13,800 sqm

gross build area: 1,050 sqm

lead architects: Jenchieh Hung + Kulthida Songkittipakdee

design team: Jenchieh Hung, Kulthida Songkittipakdee, Darin Thonongtor, Vich Chinpraditsuk, Reefa Panawa, Sasitorn Sueatao

urban research consultant: Urban Ally

structure consultant: Isarapon Udomtham, Buncha Layangkoon

landscape design: Shma Company Limited, Shma SoEn

lighting consultant: LUNDI

collaborator: Masco Enterprise Thailand

furniture: Hawaii Thai

contractor: Bangkok Canvas

clients: Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Creative Economy Agency

photographer: DOF SkyGround | @dofskyground

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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Digital imaging is evolving into a seamless bridge between memory and reality, shifting the focus from technical perfection toward the deeply personal act of storytelling. During Milan Design Week 2026, designboom hosted a conversation with OPPO on how handheld technology mediates our perception of beauty. Within the immersive ROOM FOR DREAMS activation, the discussion realized how the act of seeing is becoming inseparable from the act of designing, proposing a future where professional-grade content creation is accessible to everyone. It is the manifestation of a creative philosophy that prioritizes the human need to capture a moment exactly as it is remembered.

‘The main philosophy that we are aiming for at OPPO is to make taking pictures or taking photos to be a very simple thing for the general big audience… and enable users to capture the right moment as they actually remember it,‘ starts Simon Liu, Imaging Director at OPPO, who was joined on the panel by Davide Reinecke, author, content creator, and founder of Cherto Agency.

Simon Liu, Imaging Director at OPPO, explores how digital technology is redefining the philosophy of authenticity all images © designboom, photography by Camilla Mansini with Giorgio Gagliano

OPPO’s imaging expands horizon for digital creators

The evolution of smartphone technology rethinks how we might access innovation by lowering the barriers to entry for global audiences. Simon suggests that while traditional cameras rely on optical physics, smartphones utilize computational imaging to reconstruct light in challenging environments, effectively democratizing high-quality filmmaking and photography. Within ROOM FOR DREAMS, the panel explored how this accessibility allows a new generation to document their lives with an authenticity that bridges the gap between creator and viewer. By providing tools that are always present in one’s pocket, the technology acts as a catalyst for spontaneous creativity, allowing users to navigate their daily lives as active designers of their own visual legacy.

‘I’ve always wanted my content to be as authentic as possible. And so that’s the reason why I’ve always shot on a smartphone,‘ explains Davide Reinecke. ‘If technology gives everyone a chance to express themselves to the world, this ability to create would be amazing.‘

designboom moderator Claire Brodka joins Davide Reinecke to explore how smartphones turn dreams into reality

OPPO Integrates AI to empower users’ artistic vision

True optimism in digital design emerges from the belief that artificial intelligence is not a replacement for human talent, but a supportive partner that liberates the creative mind. Simon proposes that AI handles the labor work –repetitive post-editing tasks — allowing creators to dedicate their energy to the high-value aspects of storytelling and experimentation. This sentiment is echoed by Davide, who envisions a future where technology reads the user’s intent, enabling a state of flow where the device becomes a transparent extension of human thought. The discussion highlights how matching design with technology defines a new reality where the most technical tools are reimagined as empathetic companions that support human expression.

‘Technology is a tool, and wherever technology goes and develops is where the human need is,‘ Simon Liu continues to add. ‘Artificial intelligence frees up more time for the creator to actually spend on the high-value part which is the creation part.‘

an engaged audience at Milan Design Week witnessed a deep dive into the evolution of smartphone technology

Collaborative experimentation drives digital innovation

The future of imagery imagines a world where the synergy between engineering and human experience drives cultural evolution. By listening to the diverse voices of a new generation — who often encounter moments first through a smartphone lens — designers can uncover creative needs that have yet to be named. This collaborative spirit suggests that when brands and creators move in tandem, technology ceases to be an external force and instead becomes a mirror for our collective dreams. It is a vision where design thrives through shared inspiration, ensuring that the digital tools of tomorrow are as imaginative and hopeful as the people who use them.

‘The technology is actually emerging and collaborating together with the content creators,‘ concludes Simon. ‘That exponential change… it’s very good inspiration for us at OPPO.‘

design enthusiasts gathered at the Room for Dreams to envision the future of digital imaging and storytelling

visitors reflected on a new era where every individual can become a visionary designer of their own visual legacy

the collaborative atmosphere within Room for Dreams highlighted a shared vision for accessible professional design

talk info:

title: Digital Dreams: Finding Beauty through the Lens

participants: Simon liu (OPPO) and Davide Reinecke (Cherto Agency)

event: Room for Dreams, Milan Design Week 2026

date: 23 April 2026

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In Riehen near Basel, where the Fondation Beyeler sits between parkland, village streets, and the open edge of the Swiss landscape, Peter Zumthor’s long-awaited extension is preparing to enter public view. Beginning this autumn, the museum will gradually open its expanded ensemble, with the full opening scheduled for January 2027.

The project marks a major shift for the institution, extending the museum beyond Renzo Piano’s 1997 building and into a broader cultural landscape. A formerly private landmarked park will open to visitors, nearly doubling the size of the grounds and bringing century-old trees, ponds, and open meadows into the museum experience. The expansion also adds new exhibition space, event areas, restored historic structures, and new places for public programming.

Peter Zumthor’s new building extends Fondation Beyeler into the surrounding park | image © Mark Niedermann

peter zumthor’S new building JOINS renzo piano’s design

Architect Peter Zumthor’s contribution introduces a group of new buildings beside the existing Beyeler Museum. The Wyss Museum will provide new collection and exhibition spaces, giving the foundation more room to present its holdings alongside loans and recent acquisitions. Nearby, the Ammann Pavilion will host cultural events, while a separate logistics building supports the expanded museum operations.

The new ensemble also works with structures already on the site. Listed historic buildings are being restored and assigned new uses, with education studios, a music listening salon, a greenhouse, and a mini project space extending the foundation’s public programs beyond the gallery. In this setting, the expansion reads through a series of encounters across buildings and garden paths, instead of a single museum volume added beside the original.

image © Mark Niedermann

a year of exhibitions and public events

Fondation Beyeler will celebrate the opening over the course of a year, with exhibitions and events moving through the existing and newly expanded spaces. The museum’s collection will be presented with new acquisitions and loans from private collections, with displays changing seasonally across the ensemble.

The temporary program begins with a Ruth Asawa retrospective opening in October, followed by major solo exhibitions devoted to Frida Kahlo, Louise Bourgeois, and Elizabeth Peyton. Alongside the exhibitions, the foundation will host concerts, performances, artist and architect talks, film screenings, botanical programs, music-listening sessions, and workshops, using the extension as a network of spaces for art and gathering.

the expanded ensemble will open progressively from autumn 2026 | image © Mark Niedermann

an extension shaped by parkland

First presented in 2017, Zumthor’s design grew from the acquisition of the neighboring Iselin-Weber Park and the chance to connect it with the existing grounds. The earlier plans described an extension made of several smaller buildings arranged along the site, a response to Riehen’s village scale and the museum’s garden setting.

With its gradual opening now approaching, the expanded Fondation Beyeler brings architecture, landscape, and exhibition-making into closer contact. The project adds square meters, but its larger gesture lies in the way the museum stretches outward, letting visitors move between art, historic buildings, new architecture, and a park that had long sat just beyond public reach.

Renzo Piano’s existing museum is joined by new exhibition and cultural spaces | image © Katalin Deér

The extension project of the Fondation Beyeler with Atelier Peter Zumthor New museum building (left) and pavillion (right), view from Berower Park | visualization courtesy Atelier Peter Zumthor

the extension project of the Fondation Beyeler with Atelier Peter Zumthor New museum building, view from Iselin-Weber Park. visualization courtesy Atelier Peter Zumthor

the extension project of the Fondation Beyeler with Atelier Peter Zumthor New museum building, view from Iselin-Weber Park | visualization courtesy Atelier Peter Zumthor

the museum grounds will nearly double with ponds meadows and century old trees. image © Mark Niedermann

the extension project of the Fondation Beyeler with Atelier Peter Zumthor new museum building, exhibition space | courtesy Atelier Peter Zumthor © Successió Miró / Calder Foundation, New York / Art Resource, NY / 2017, ProLitteris, Zurich

Peter Zumthor | image © Martin Mischkulnig

project info:

name: Fondation Beyeler expanded ensemble

architecture: Peter Zumthor
location: Riehen near Basel, Switzerland

client: Fondation Beyeler | @fondationbeyeler

existing museum: Renzo Piano

new buildings: Wyss Museum, Ammann Pavilion, logistics building

opening: progressive public opening from autumn 2026, full opening in January 2027

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At the Miller Motorcars 50th Anniversary celebration, Legends, Jason Castriota reveals the JC9, a one-off supercar that reinterprets the golden age of endurance racing through a contemporary lens. Built as a special commission in collaboration with Miller Motorcars, the vehicle is based on the iconic Porsche Carrera GT and preserves the donor car’s naturally aspirated V10 engine and manual transmission. Fully clothed in a new carbon fiber body, the project marks the ninth automotive design in Castriota’s career, lending the car its name.

Drawing inspiration from the sports prototypes that dominated endurance racing between the 1960s and 1980s, the JC9 channels the dramatic proportions and aerodynamic purity of historic Le Mans competitors. Its sculptural bodywork wraps tightly around the Carrera GT platform, creating a low-slung silhouette defined by flowing fenders, deep side intakes, and a prominent rear wing. Finished in a pale blue livery accented by a bold orange center stripe, the car further references classic racing colors while establishing its own identity.

At the front, vertically stacked LED lighting elements replace conventional headlamp graphics, giving the vehicle a distinctive contemporary signature. The elongated nose, teardrop cockpit, and sharply tapered rear volume emphasize speed even when stationary, while extensive carbon fiber construction keeps weight low and performance uncompromised.

all images via @MillerMotorcars1976

reimagining the carrera GT

Rather than creating a vehicle from a blank sheet, automotive designer Jason Castriota uses the Porsche Carrera GT as a mechanical foundation and conceptual starting point. Widely regarded as one of the most celebrated analog supercars ever produced, the Carrera GT’s six-speed manual gearbox and naturally aspirated V10 remain intact beneath the redesigned bodywork. The result is a machine that combines the tactile driving experience of an early-2000s supercar with a visual language rooted in motorsport history.

The bespoke cabin continues the custom approach with blue Alcantara-trimmed bucket seats, plaid inserts, exposed carbon fiber surfaces, and lightweight detailing throughout. The cockpit balances racing-inspired functionality with handcrafted finishes, reflecting the coach-built nature of the project.

The global debut of the JC9 forms part of Miller Motorcars’ Legends event, where the vehicle is exhibited alongside a selection of Jason Castriota’s most influential automotive works. Throughout his career, the designer has shaped projects including the Ferrari P4/5, Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, Maserati GranTurismo, Maserati Birdcage 75th, SSC Tuatara, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and Bertone Mantide.

Jason Castriota’s JC9 debuts with a new carbon fiber body

inspired by endurance racing prototypes of the 1960s–1980s

designed in collaboration with Miller Motorcars

the project marks Jason Castriota’s ninth automotive design, inspiring its name

the bespoke cockpit combines blue Alcantara upholstery, plaid inserts, and exposed carbon fiber detailing

dramatic rear wing and sculpted tail emphasize the JC9’s motorsport-inspired character

project info:

name: JC9

designer: Jason Castriota | @castriota_design

commissioned by: Miller Motorcars | @millermotorcars

basis: Porsche Carrera GT

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