Design Anthology Asia Edition 2022

INTERIORS / ART / ARCHITECTURE / TRAVEL / STYLE ASIA EDITION / ISSUE 35





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VLA26 Vega Chair by Vilhelm Lauritzen 1956 THE SOUND OF DESIGN Slender yet durable, the VLA26 Vega Chair was originally created for Copenhagen’s historic concert hall, Vega. Many decades after its debut, Carl Hansen & Søn proudly launches Vilhelm Lauritzen’s functionalist masterpiece with meticulous attention to craftsmanship and detail.

FROM THE EDITOR Image by Gavin Green I s it just me or has this year flown by? Or does the tail end just feel that way in comparison to the relative Suzy Annetta slowness of the last two years? Either way, another year is Editor-in-Chief drawing to a close and I, for one, am looking forward to all that the festive season brings, not least the change in temperature and hopefully a change in pace too. In this issue of Design Anthology, we cast our gaze further afield for our annual international issue. We’re excited to introduce you to creatives in London and Los Angeles, as well as in Mumbai and Bangkok. And since international travel has just about reopened entirely — bar a few exceptions here and there — we’re equally excited to be profiling new hotels and desirable destinations again, this time Rosewood Villa Magna in Madrid, Suimontei in Japan’s Nara and Kisawa Sanctuary in Mozambique. Some of the homes in this issue might be my all-time favourites. There’s a charming, personality-filled apartment in Shanghai; an art-filled New Delhi home; a bright, green penthouse in Singapore; a modernist abode that embraces the outdoors in Thailand’s Nakhon Pathom province; and, last but not least, a quintessential Milan apartment that has me already looking forward to April next year. Speaking of next year, our team has spent quite some time recently reflecting, brainstorming and planning for the year ahead. I dare say you might have noticed the price of most things increasing in the last year, and among the price hikes we’ve experienced, the cost of paper and shipping has been the most difficult to absorb. It’s for this reason that we’ve made the decision to reduce the number of print issues to two per year. But that’s not to say our efforts will be halved! In addition to a refreshed print edition, we’re planning new ways to engage and connect with you, our community, so stay tuned for news (a good way to do that is to sign up for our monthly Dispatch emailer). And for subscribers, your subscriptions will remain unchanged, but you’ll now receive four issues over two years instead of one. As always, we hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we did producing it. Stay well. 06



MASTHEAD Issue 35 Editor-in-Chief MEDIA SALES CONTRIBUTORS Suzy Annetta [email protected] Hong Kong Text Josephine Leung Elizabeth Beattie, Uracha EDITORIAL +852 2856 3543 Chaiyapinunt, Kee Foong, Rossella E [email protected] Frigerio, Quyên Hoàng, Luo Jingmei, Head of Editorial Karine Monié, Tomás Pinheiro, Samia Philip Annetta Thailand Qaiyum, Rupal Rathore, Simone [email protected] Nartnittha Jirarayapong Schultz, Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar, +66 2 635 5185 Lucas Tinoco, Daven Wu Managing Editor [email protected] Images Simone Schultz United Kingdom Art><Creativity, Uğur Oluş Rebecca Harkness Beklemez, Peter Bennetts, Cooper [email protected] [email protected] Chang, Kenneth Chao, Hao Chen, Justin Chung, Ed Dabney, Editor Italy DePasquale+Maffini, Finbarr Fallon, Carlo Fiorucci Charlie Forgham-Bailey, Hospitality Nina Milhaud +39 0362 144 6000 Builders, Nathalie Krag / Living [email protected] Inside, Hậu Lê, Erik Lefvander, [email protected] Ashish Sahi, Ishita Sitwala, Soopakorn Rest of World Srisakul, Studio Periphery, KOZO Sub-editor +852 3489 0240 TAKAYAMA, David Terrazas, Matthew [email protected] Williams, Nicholas Worley, Elsa Young Andrew Mitchell DISTRIBUTORS Illustration CREATIVE Yana Khvan, Teng Yu Creative Director Hong Kong, Macau & China PRINTER Jeremy Smart Foreign Press & Far East Media [email protected] Singapore & Malaysia Allscript Asia One Printing Limited Thailand Asia Books Graphic Designer Taiwan Multi Arts 13/F, 8 Fung Yip Street Trisha Bhavnani Philippines APCEI Chai Wan, Hong Kong [email protected] Indonesia Periplus Europe, Canada, Brazil, South Africa, COLOPHON OPERATIONS US & Japan Export Press Operations Assistant Design Anthology, Asia Edition Rochelle Ann Lim is published biannually by [email protected] Fifth Black Media Limited Documenting creative culture 47 Coppin Street 3rd Floor, 86–90 Paul Street [email protected] Richmond, Victoria, 3121 London ec2a 4ne fifthblack.com Australia United Kingdom 14c, E Wah Factory Building 68 Circular Road 56–60 Wong Chuk Hang Road #02-01, 049422 Aberdeen, Hong Kong Singapore 08

THE CASSINA PERSPECTIVE GOES OUTDOOR cassina.com Trampoline - Sofa designed by Patricia Urquiola G/F Wilson House 19-27 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong T. +852 2960 0071 [email protected]

OUR WORLD AWARDS EVENTS PODCAST The industry awards for the region’s Online and offline, we bring Take an international tour to meet design community, celebrating and thought leaders together to explore some of the most recognisable showcasing high-calibre work by names working in design, emerging and established designers the future of design and inspire architecture and interiors the people making it happen design-anthology.com/podcast design-anthology.com/awards design-anthology.com/events SHOP EMAIL WEBSITE A selection of Design Anthology The Dispatch is a collection Updated daily, our website is back issues plus books and of original stories from our an inspiring resource for new accessories, with worldwide globetrotting team delivered straight interiors, architecture, design, shipping to wherever you are to your inbox each month design-anthology.com/shop design-anthology.com/dispatch travel and art stories design-anthology.com/australia SUBSCRIBE AUSTRALIA EDITION UK EDITION Receive two issues, as well as Published in Melbourne, Design Get to know Europe’s creative access to the digital edition and Anthology Australia focuses on community with Design Anthology exclusive invitations and discounts, Australia and New Zealand’s burgeoning creative landscapes UK, edited out of London and with an annual subscription design-anthology.com/australia published by Astrid Media design-anthology.com/subscribe designanthologyuk.com ON THE COVER FIND US Illustrations by Teng Yu Designer Ashiesh Shah Facebook ————————— @designanthologymag turned this New Delhi home Instagram ———————— @designanthology.asia into an art- and character- Twitter ——————————— @designanthology filled oasis — page 160 Email ———————— [email protected] Image by Ashish Sahi Online —————————— design-anthology.com 10

A personal living experience. Pixel sofa, design Sergio Bicego Hexa table, design Enzo Berti sabaitalia.com

CONTENTS Issue 35 / December 2022 DOSSIER STYLE Asia Edition 18 Openings 58 Editor’s Picks News from Jakarta and Shanghai A selection of upgrades for the return of the jet-setter 20 Products 60 Profile New collections and collaborations Vietnamese lacquerware brand Hanoia is 30 Read moving into contemporary fashion under the direction of fashion designer Tom Upcoming and new books on design, art, Trandt interiors and architecture from the world’s best publishers WANDERLUST 38 A Day in the Life 66 Resort, Mozambique We spend the day with Bangkok-based Kisawa Sanctuary offers its guests an ultra- industrial designer Teerapoj Teeropas, luxurious stay in perfect harmony with the co-founder of handwoven furniture brand environment Kitt.Ta.Khon 72 Hotel, Spain 40 Profile BAR Studio has redesigned Madrid’s iconic London-based studio Holloway Li takes a Villa Magna for Rosewood Hotels & cinematic approach to storytelling through Resorts design 78 Guesthouse, Japan 44 Studio Culture Realised by Tokyo’s Wonderwall, Suimontei Mumbai studio MuseLAB’s space is as is a serene bolthole in Nara where history quirky and practical as its founders and contemporary design meet 48 Profile 84 Openings Part artwork, part furniture, Shanghai- The best of the new boutique and luxury based Cometabolism Studio’s pieces defy designer hotels from around the world notions of functionality 52 Profile We get to know Amanda Gunawan and Joel Wong of LA-based architecture and design studio The Only Way Is Up (OWIU) 12

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CONTENTS The International Issue 140 Nakhon Pathom In a provincial city in Thailand, Bangkok- based studio Physicalist took inspiration from a nearby Buddhist temple to create a tranquil retreat 160 New Delhi With wabi-sabi elements, traditional objets VERNISSAGE d’art and a collection of art and antiques, this sprawling home by Ashiesh Shah pays 88 Design Gallery, Mumbai homage to the local landscape India’s first collectable design gallery pairs designers from around the world with local craftspeople to reinterpret the country’s craft heritage ARCHITECTONICS 184 Photo Essay Hong Kong-based photographer Kenneth Chao travelled to South Korea and Japan to document the work of architect Tadao Ando HOME 96 Singapore THE FLÂNEUR Unity with the landscape was a priority for 192 Back in the USSR A flâneur is an urban explorer — a the owners of this light-filled penthouse connoisseur of the street. In our rotating column, guests share their musings, designed by MASSONEONG observations and critiques of the urban environment in cities around the world. In Asia Edition 110 Milan this issue, Dubai-based travel and culture editor Samia Qaiyum explores some of A Japanese designer and Italian architect Bishkek’s Soviet-era modernist landmarks and the intriguing stories behind them have made a home in a light-filled apartment in one of Milan’s historic Brutalist buildings 124 Shanghai Architect He Shen reimagined his century- old apartment with sensitivity to the spirit of the original 14

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DOSSIER Design news from around the region

Part artwork, part furniture, Shanghai-based Cometabolism Studio’s bold designs challenge traditional notions of furniture Image courtesy of Gallery ALL and Cometabolism Studio

Vipp DOSSIER / OPENINGS Shanghai Vipp began when its founder, Holger Nielsen, Minotti crafted a pedal-controlled bin in his one- Jakarta man metal workshop in 1939. Today, the family-owned Danish design company is run by Holger’s daughter, Jette Egelund, and her two children, Kasper and Sofie, from its headquarters in Copenhagen. Vipp has expanded into kitchen design, furniture, lighting and accessories, as well as architecture and hospitality projects like the Vipp Hotel, with six locations in northern Europe. Vipp already has a presence in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand, but this new flagship store in Shanghai — launched with the support of a local partner — marks the brand’s entry into mainland China. The 500-square-metre store is the brand’s largest to date, and takes over a building originally designed by Japanese- Chinese architecture firm Kenji Mantani Studio. vipp.com Italian icon Minotti has once again partnered with renowned Indonesian interior and lifestyle retailer MOIE to launch a second flagship store in Jakarta. Located in Pacific Place, the new store offers the brand’s best-selling collections — including pieces by collaborating designers such as Marcio Kogan of Studio MK27, GamFratesi, nendo and Minotti art director Rodolfo Dordoni — all backgrounded by a neutral colour palette, marble floors and timber accent walls. Uniquely, the Minotti Pacific Place Jakarta store has a special open-air display area, where outdoor collections are styled in elegant vignettes amid lush greenery. minotti.com 18

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0THNLI`+L7HZX\\HSL4HMÄUP DOSSIER / PRODUCTS Cassina Image by Erik Lefvander Italian brand Cassina has developed Patricia Urquiola’s Trampoline love bed — originally designed for its first outdoor collection — into a range that includes a new armchair, a two-seater sofa and three combinable modules. The curved forms, both comfortable and inviting, are made from innovative and circular materials such as recycled fibreglass panels, polyurethane foam and a new outdoor textile made from recycled PET plastic. The pieces are characterised by the same rounded shapes and playful air of the original Trampoline. As Urquiola explains, ‘The out-of-scale weave that accompanies the backrest of the seat also references the tension cords of trampolines, and those cords also become fringes around the cushions.’ Atelier A+ is the distributor for Cassina in Hong Kong. Find out more at instagram.com/cassina_hk cassina.com Hem × Kwangho Lee The Hunk lounge chair (pictured) and Glyph side tables mark the first collaboration between Swedish furniture company Hem and Seoul-based Korean designer Kwangho Lee. The Hunk chair’s bold form (available with or without the oversized armrests) is inspired by Lee’s 2009 Obsession series of rope- knotted furniture pieces, but with an emphasis on material choices — here rubber, coconut fibre and Scottish wool are used to create one of Hem’s most sustainable products to date. The Glyph tables, meanwhile, build on Lee’s existing work with metal crafting, and their unique, rotationally flexible forms are inspired by hieroglyphics. Made from sheet steel, the tables take on different looks and functions based on their positioning. hem.com / kwangholee.com 20



DOSSIER / PRODUCTS Image by Art><Creativity Yellowdot Designers Bodin Hon and Dilara Kan of Hong Kong- and Istanbul-based studio Yellowdot reinterpreted traditional Hakka furniture for a recent exhibition in Huizhou titled Hakkanese Contemporary, part of the Art Promotion Office’s Art><Creativity series. Using a new additive manufacturing technique they developed, the duo produced a series called Lattice +, which includes a version of the traditional Eight Immortals table — a square table that fits two people on each side — as well as a set of high and low stools. By using advanced technology to remould the traditional Hakka table, the designers hope to highlight the compatibility of technical innovation with the preservation and advancement of traditional culture. studioyellowdot.com Flexform This year, Italian furniture brand Flexform launched the new Parker indoor and outdoor collections designed by longtime collaborator Antonio Citterio. The indoor Parker pieces include a two-seater and a three-seater sofa, armchairs, pouffes and screens. The Parker sofa, in particular, represents the brand’s commitment to time- honoured craft at the hands of skilled artisans. The solid Canaletto walnut or ash-wood frame is turned and finished by hand, the paper rush cords are handwoven and carefully attached to the frame, and the upholstery sewing and fitting is done by hand too. In addition to the natural finish, the ash frame comes in different colour stains, such as teak, walnut, wenge and ebony. flexform.it 22



DOSSIER / PRODUCTS So Koizumi Tokyo-based designer So Koizumi has launched Seven, a mesmerising brass wind chime produced by craftsmen in seven different factories in Takaoka, a city in Toyama Prefecture famed for its metalwork. Developed as an exploration of the fluctuations in human emotions and between states of stability and insecurity, the chime is a tensegrity structure that appears to be both floating and stable, the metal rods forming an elegant ‘7’ shape. sokoizumi.com PLEASE WAIT to be SEATED × Studio PESI Byounghwi Jeon of Seoul-based Studio PESI has designed the MAIDEN chair for Danish design company PLEASE WAIT to be SEATED. In line with Jeon’s overall focus on simplicity, functionality and rationality, the chair has a strong silhouette but lightweight feel, with subtle curves in the seat and backrest contrasting with straight- lined geometry. The ash-wood frame is available in natural, black or Basque red finishes. pleasewaittobeseated.com / studiopesi.com 24

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DOSSIER / PRODUCTS Vahe At this year’s Salone Satellite at Salone del Mobile, Indian designer Vaishnavi Walvekar launched her first ‘ensemble’ of works under her label Vahe. Named 34°N, 74°E after the coordinates of Srinagar, Kashmir, where the craft of papier mâché is traditionally practised, the range of sculptural and functional objects made from wastepaper pulp and natural binders includes the Crescent screen, Duple stool (pictured), Take Two mirror and Pillar floor lamp, as well as several sculptures. To preserve the tactility of the material, every piece is hand- sculpted in several layers and then sun-dried. Items in the collection are made to order and handcrafted in India. vahe.co B&B Italia B&B Italia has unveiled a new version of Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby’s iconic Tobi-Ishi table to celebrate the tenth anniversary of its launch in 2012. In this limited-edition version, the table’s three distinct elements, inspired by the large ornamental stepping stones found in Japanese gardens, are realised in stripes of white Carrara and green Alpi marble that are layered using a sophisticated and labour-intensive technique. ‘The Tobi-Ishi table is a monument. It has become an important piece for the studio over the last ten years, not least because it marked our first collaboration with B&B Italia,’ the British designers say. ‘The table’s sculptural nature enables us to interpret the elements in different materials, and this has been part of the narrative from the beginning.’ bebitalia.com 26

〙◤ ASIA’S LEADING INTERNATIONAL DESIGN EVENT DESIGN SHANGHAI 2023 8-11 June 2023 Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Centre www.designshanghai.com FOLLOW US Follow us on WeChat! Get the latest updates and industry news!

DOSSIER / PRODUCTS NÆSSI Eleonora Carbone and Alessandro D’Angeli, the founders of Rome-based multidisciplinary creative studio NÆSSI, launched UNDATED at the Lake Como Design Festival 2022. Crafted in solid wood, the three seats in the collection — a low, high and bench version — are turned and assembled by hand. The designers collaborated with woodcrafters Studio F on the manufacturing, and the coal- black finish is achieved using the Japanese shou sugi ban technique of charring wooden surfaces with a flame. naessi.com Poliform Italian brand Poliform has expanded its Nara collection to include a bench and a console (pictured). Designed by Jean- Marie Massaud, the new pieces, like the original coffee tables, are crafted in solid wood in a process inspired by the art of cabinetmaking. Available in gold walnut and stained black elm, with an optional cushion for the bench, the Nara console and seating are suitable for any room, making a statement with their solid yet elegant form. poliform.it 28

Clockwise from left DFS Masters of Wines & Spirits campaign image by Amanda Kho, produced by Fifth Black; Caye Sereno image by Edmon Leong for Design Anthology; Fashion shoot for Pacific Place Hong Kong, art direction and styling by Tasha Ling, image by Marco Chow, produced by Fifth Black We’re not your agency. Hong Kong We’re your partner. London Fifth Black is an editorially minded Melbourne creative consultancy built to help Singapore culturally conscious brands tell their Tokyo story, run by people who live and breathe design, architecture, art, retail and travel. From the team behind Design Anthology. Documenting creative culture fifthblack.com

DOSSIER / READ 01 02 Cape to Bluff: A survey of residential East Meets East — William Lim: architecture from Aotearoa New Zealand Contemporary Asian Design by Simon Devitt, Luke Scott & Andrea Stevens by William Lim, contributions by Catherine Shaw, Aric Chen, Lars Nittve & Lyndon Neri The quality of architecture in Aotearoa New RIZZOLI Zealand and the talent in the country’s design community belie its size, as anyone who has The ideas, approaches and works that constitute visited or even opened a copy of one of its what might be termed ‘Asian design’ are several architecture magazines can attest. In Cape experiencing a moment. Hongkongers will to Bluff, author and former architect Andrea know William Lim as the progenitor of some Stevens and award-winning architectural prominent architecture projects through photographer Simon Devitt document 30 his firm CL3, as well as a noted art collector homes — many never before published — that and artist. As design writer Catherine Shaw span the country’s dramatic geography and describes it in her introduction, the book is encompass multiple microclimates. ‘not a monograph’ but ‘a very revealing and characteristic reflection of the enduring cultural Each home is introduced with an essay that principles and aesthetics of the East that includes insights from the architect. The layout resonate in the spatial relationships, sequences, by designer Luke Scott privileges Devitt’s transparency, and tension of William’s work.’ imagery, which in turn highlights the homes’ relationships to their breathtaking locations. Six chapters explore the elements most Volume, light, materiality — with natural important to Lim’s work: heritage, craft, choices predominating — and an unerring eye urbanism, lifestyle and the notion of utopia. for proportion mark each dwelling. While the Sketches, models, inspirations and completed number of homes means that the treatment is projects comprise hundreds of full-bleed not extended, consider this a mouthwatering images in an idiosyncratic style developed by entrée into a body of work that will reward Lim and graphic artist Stanley Wong, aka further exploration. anothermountainman, who also contributes a short rumination on what constitutes Asian design. Essays by Shaw, architecture and design curator Aric Chen, Swedish museum director, art critic and former executive director of M+ museum Lars Nittve and architect Lyndon Neri round out the absorbing work. 30

DOSSIER / READ 03 04 Fashioning Design: Lee Broom Material Reform: Building for by Lee Broom, text by Becky Sunshine a Post-Carbon Future RIZZOLI by Material Cultures, co-authored by Amica Dall MACK BOOKS In just 15 years, Lee Broom’s London studio has produced a catalogue of work that includes Material Cultures is a not-for-profit design and pieces in the permanent collections of cultural research practice that investigates and advocates institutions in London and New York, has for the use of bio-based materials in the built won a slew of awards and has attracted environment. Low in embodied carbon, these collaborations with brands such as Christian materials offer an alternative to the widely Louboutin, Mulberry, Bergdorf Goodman used materials the organisation sees as carbon- and Wedgwood. This publication explores the intensive and socially destructive. British product designer’s many influences and highlights the way he showcases his work The group’s first book functions as a type of through original and engaging installations, manifesto-sourcebook: a series of short essays exhibitions and films. and conversations exploring the cultures, systems and infrastructures that shape the The work is structured around four aspects of architectural industry and the destructive Broom’s design personality: Art Form explores ecologies it fosters, along with ideas on how his relationship with architecture, silhouette more holistic approaches could be formulated. and form more broadly; History Repeats Itself Texts tackling key concepts like labour, time, covers his fascination with historical starting maintenance, language, land and touch are points and how their techniques can inform the complemented with illustrative visuals and future; Material Boy focuses on his approach ending sections containing suggestions to the process of making and collaboration; for further reading and a list of useful and Drama of Design studies his background organisations. Bold and unapologetic, the work in theatre and fashion, and how both have is a rallying cry and perhaps the makings of a influenced his work and how he presents it. way forward. Each chapter includes an extended essay, with full-bleed, occasionally quirky, imagery covering Broom’s works, process and collaborations, interspersed with contributions by Stephen Jones, Vivienne Westwood, Kelly Wearstler and Christian Louboutin. 31

DOSSIER / READ 05 06 Modern Architecture in Japan New in the Old: Chinatown Kuala Lumpur by Manfredo Tafuri, edited by Mohsen Mostafavi by Scarlet Koon, Aw Siew Bee & Robert MACK BOOKS Powell, photography by Lin Ho ATELIER INTERNATIONAL ‘…all the burning issues in the contemporary international discourse have a particularly Like many historical areas across Southeast forceful presence on the Japanese architectural Asia, Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur is scene,’ wrote Manfredo Tafuri in L’Architettura undergoing redevelopment, reuse and, according Moderna in Giappone in 1964. ‘Working with an to the authors of this work, a renaissance. New open mind and considerable energy, Japanese in the Old documents the area’s rich history and architects seem constantly to come up with landmarks, alongside the adaptive reuse of old concrete solutions to problems that western buildings, the vibrant culture and, of course, culture has raised, arguably with greater critical the food. The city, whose name means ‘muddy acumen, but has found much more difficult to confluence’, has a history that mirrors others resolve in practice.’ in the region: a place where tin miners landed in 1857, it has grown into a major conurbation The celebrated architectural historian died whose original centre diminished in importance in 1994, and his seminal work has now been relative to newer business centres. But its charm translated into English for the first time. remains, and is being rediscovered and revived While an outsider to Japan — he had never by a new generation. visited when he wrote the book — Tafuri created a rare and perspicacious commentary The book, presented as a design and on Metabolism. The translation is accompanied architecture travel guide, explores this by a series of commentaries on Tafuri and on palimpsest, with three walking guides that Japanese architecture by editor and professor include featured locations, historical landmarks Mohsen Mostafavi and other authors, with and food highlights. With travel opening up original images complemented by more recent again, New in the Old is a worthy investment for photographs that situate the original while the flâneur. preserving its character. The book is primarily textual, with a rigour that will reward the astute reader. 32

DOSSIER / READ 07 08 Steve Leung: Designing Asia and Beyond Taste and Place: The Design Hotels™ Book text by Christina Ko, edited by Suzy Annetta Edited by studio_lovell THAMES & HUDSON DESIGN HOTELS Any resident of Hong Kong, and many in the Food, as pointed out in the introduction to broader region, will have seen or experienced Taste and Place, is an integral part of purposeful the work of Steve Leung. The designer has been travel. And the editors of this work — mother prolific over his four-decade career, but more and daughter Sophie and Orlando Lovell importantly, he has been a pioneer in many — have delved into the topic in a deep, inviting ways. Leung was the first Hong Kong interior way, with an exploration of destinations and designer to encapsulate a modern approach their food systems, as well as their ingredients that combined his upbringing in the city with and dishes. Eight chapters cover terroir, island a Western-informed design outlook. He is food production, self-produced food, the also a collector, entrepreneur and owner (and kitchen environment, dining settings, reusing designer) of multiple restaurants encompassing waste, appreciating the sources of food and a variety of styles and cuisines. creating holistic, regenerative systems; they cover destinations around the world, from This work celebrates the best of that time Europe to the Caribbean to Asia and more. span, its seven chapters covering more than 40 exemplary projects from Leung’s beginnings But while the topics are important and each to more recent work, each chapter with a chapter contains an introductory text, with contextual essay by design journalist and Design most including a separate essay, the book Anthology contributor Christina Ko. The 290 doesn’t devolve into an academic study — it colour illustrations show marker projects is, in fact, a visually sumptuous and indulgent including luxury residential developments, work where textural, evocative imagery fills the high-end hotels and resorts, and Leung’s pages with ingredients, dishes, people, spaces signature restaurants, as well as product and environments that are sure to induce collaborations with global brands. ‘The way that wanderlust. But if you can’t be there right now, I design is not a “style”,’ says Leung. ‘I always Taste and Place is sure to give you your fill on a say that the most important word in my design lazy afternoon. philosophy is to be appropriate. But what is appropriate? We should do the right thing at the right time in the right context. Everything should come together.’ 33

PARTNER CONTENT / NATIONAL TAIWAN CRAFT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE At this year’s Maison&Objet Paris, the T his year’s edition of Maison&Objet Paris Taiwan Crafts & Design pavilion exhibited once again brought together designers and dozens of locally crafted pieces under the industry leaders from around the globe for one of theme The Taiwanese Crafts Equation the year’s most anticipated design events. With Images by Cooper Chang more than 2,200 exhibiting brands and a robust programme of events, the fair attracted almost Craft Survey 60,000 international visitors eager to discover new exhibitors and products for the upcoming season.  Among this year’s highlights was the much-loved Taiwan Crafts & Design pavilion. Curated under the theme The Taiwanese Crafts Equation, it brought the country’s history of functional crafts and its unique aesthetic and entrepreneurial spirit to the international stage. Directed by Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture and the National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute in collaboration with Dubai-based French curator Cyril Zammit, the exhibition featured 79 works by 17 brands and creators.  Selected through an open call, the pieces in the exhibition were carefully assessed based on their sustainability potential. A variety of carbon- reducing and sustainable materials featured, such as domestically grown Taiwania, Japanese cedar, bamboo, paper mulberry, mud from Sun Moon Lake, marble from Hualien, denim, metal and even a kind of reusable soft cement. Contemporary wooden furniture on show included leather and wood works by design studio Chaiwood, as well as other tables, chairs, benches and screens made from bamboo and locally grown woods. What’s more, in an effort to generate interest and increase revenue, the organisers worked with M&O’s online retail platform MOM as well as leading e-commerce platform Pinkoi, a retail solution for independent designers in Asia. Pinkoi set up a special section on its website for the brands exhibited at the Taiwan Crafts & Design pavilion, making the sales process more efficient and attractive for would-be buyers.   Once again, the Taiwan Crafts and Design Pavilion reaffirmed the country’s rich arts and crafts heritage and the local design community’s meaningful approach to sustainability. By highlighting Taiwanese brands and makers and their products, the annual pavilion acts as a bridge that fosters dialogue and encourages Taiwan’s craft community to engage with the world. 34

i Learn more www.ntcri.gov.tw Among the works on show were contemporary furniture pieces such as Tzu Hsien Yang’s TYLC bench and screen Image by Cooper Chang Middle left Chaiwood’s Working desk, made from brass, leather and solid wood Middle right .,>(@»ZÅV^LYI\\KPUZWPYLK]HZLZHYLWYVK\\JLK using a digital ceramic printing process Bottom Taipower Cultural and Creative turns waste from the power generation process into household products such as this heat-proof mat made from old transformer boxes Images courtesy of National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute 35

PARTNER CONTENT / K11 ARTUS Part of the Victoria Dockside development, K11 ARTUS is a hybrid An Artful Home luxury serviced residence concept with elegant interiors by André Fu i and panoramic views of Victoria Harbour and the Hong Kong skyline Learn more Images courtesy of K11 ARTUS artus.com.hk R ising above the waterfront in Hong Kong’s Tsim areas, fully equipped kitchenettes and ample concealed Sha Tsui, K11 ARTUS is a singular residential concept storage space provide all the comforts and convenience of realised as part of entrepreneur Adrian Cheng’s Victoria a private home, affording residents the time and space to Dockside development. Opened in 2019, the property rest and recharge. Throughout the residences, Fu’s touch is was designed in collaboration with globally acclaimed unmistakable in the plush woven fabrics, wall panels and interior architect André Fu, with the aim of redefining the leather trims and surfaces, which are themselves elegantly luxury residence experience by providing Asia’s first hybrid highlighted with brushed brass details and custom ‘artisanal home’ concept.  lighting, creating the overall sense of theatre and elegance one would expect from a five-star hotel. Upon arrival, guests are immersed in a sophisticated environment and a heightened sense of serenity. From the From the main floor, a sculptural marble and oak staircase lobby to the library-themed reception and various salon- leads up to the wellness area, where the gym, personal style lounges, multicultural references are interwoven with fitness studio and swimming pool await. Nestled between bold geometries, rich textures and earthy colours. Marble pockets of lush succulents and bamboo, the Moroccan- and brushed brass accents, Persian and Chinese textiles inspired terraces and 25-metre outdoor infinity pool create and mid-century details come together in a narrative that the impression of an oasis suspended above the city.  evokes the modern Asian sensibility for which Fu is known. Punctuating the spaces are museum-quality artworks and Capping off the property are three unique penthouses, objets: sculptural pieces like Wang Jianwei’s ...or...No.1 and each one designed by Hong Kong’s Joyce Wang, New Jacqueline Kiyomi  Gork’s Attenuator No. 6, for example, York-based nemaworkshop and British designer Fiona and antiques like the Baibaoqian closet from the Ming Barratt-Campbell respectively. dynasty and a pair of porcelain vases crafted during the Qing dynasty. Beyond the design-led spaces, the comprehensive range of services is what makes K11 ARTUS truly unique. Residents Spread over 14 floors, the property’s 287 rooms and suites can partake in art tours, social programmes and fitness were conceived as chic, open-plan private residences. classes, while a 24-hour digital concierge is on hand to cater Each features full-height glass sliding doors that lead to one’s every need. Connected to an ecosystem of cultural onto private balconies with iconic views of the harbour experiences, luxury retail and refined gastronomy at K11 and the city skyline. Carefully designed living and dining MUSEA, residents have a world of choice at their doorstep. 36



DOSSIER / A DAY IN THE LIFE A Dedication to Craft Text MORNING Uracha Chaiyapinunt Teerapoj Teeropas considers his Teeropas’s interest in design stems from Images days rather ordinary, but while his mission to preserve the traditional David Terrazas his mornings typically start out values and crafts of his home country. uneventfully — he usually gets up His bespoke furniture brand Kitt. around 8 a.m., makes himself some Ta.Khon, which he co-founded with eggs and rice for breakfast and spends Thai designer Suwan Kongkhunthian, an hour checking his emails — it’s his merges contemporary industrial work and the process behind it that design with local know-how that’s are nothing short of extraordinary. now become scarce even in rural villages, resulting in handwoven pieces that are both art and furniture. ‘I work for the craftspeople in my country,’ Teeropas says. ‘Seeing them receive opportunities, bettering their lives, improving their skills and saving their art — all of these things fill me with joy.’ 38

DOSSIER / A DAY IN THE LIFE Work and life are one for Bangkok-based industrial designer Teerapoj Teeropas, co-founder of furniture brand Kitt.Ta.Khon. We spend a day with Teeropas to see how he blends the two. MID-MORNING AFTERNOON EVENING After his morning ritual of breakfast The excitement of visiting the factory The evenings are the calmest hours and emails,Teeropas spends some time comes from getting to watch the local of Teeropas’s day. In fact, the self- with his art. Depending on the day, he craftspeople — Teeropas refers to proclaimed introvert tends to get can get lost designing and drawing for them as ‘experts’ — turn prototypes or a lot of his design work done at hours, or be out and about sourcing sketches for Kitt.Ta.Khon into reality. night, when the distractions die materials from all over the city. He likes ‘I really see these people as national down. The last hours of the day are to play with tribal elements in a modern treasures,’ the designer says of his also his chance for some downtime. way, creating something unexpected team, with whom he works closely When he’s not busy attending out of a familiar form. The seats of his on designing and manufacturing gallery openings and performances, multicoloured Kitt.Ta.Khon stools, the pieces. ‘Handicraft is something Teeropas enjoys quiet nights in with for example, are covered in elaborate that needs to be practised, and his partner, a well-known gallery hand-drawn patterns. these craftspeople have 30 years of owner and curator. The two share practice under their belts. I consider a love for local art and often spend His favourite days, however, are those myself incredibly lucky to be able to dinnertime updating each other on where he gets to visit the factory. collaborate with them.’ their upcoming projects. On those days, Teeropas spends up to four hours driving back and Before Teeropas falls asleep around forth from home to Pathum Thani, midnight, he spends some time a neighbouring province north of watching videos about his interests,like Bangkok. He eats lunch on the road, crafts, art, exhibition work, recycling, usually a quick bite he’s prepared for sustainability and, as of recently, chess. his journey. 39

DOSSIER / PROFILE Cinematic Eye This page Alex Holloway and Na Li of London-based Text architecture and interiors studio Holloway Li Daven Wu Image by Charlie Forgham-Bailey Facing page In designing Munich’s WunderLocke hotel, the duo focused on renewal through connection to nature, using plenty of greenery, raw concrete and warm timbers Images by Ed Dabney S torytelling, especially the cinematic kind, lies at the heart of Holloway Li, the architecture and interiors studio set up by Alex Holloway and Na Li in London in 2018. ‘We talk a lot about world building,’ says Holloway, who was an undergraduate with Li at the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London before they both ended up at Michaelis Boyd. ‘You always need a narrative. We ask “What’s the story here?”’ While Nanjing-born Li leans towards the lyricism of Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai — ‘It’s almost spiritual,’ she says — Holloway’s reference point is Stanley Kubrick’s one-point perspective. ‘What is the view that pulls you into the project? What is that moment when everything that you’ve worked so hard on connects?’ he asks. In a way, these are existential questions — the thinking architect’s spatial and visual koans whose exploration can lead deep into creative side tunnels and pursuits that often have very little to do with the principal project. But perhaps this ceaseless investigation into perspectives explains how in just a few short years — two of them during the pandemic — Holloway Li has managed to accumulate an enviable catalogue of projects, among them the rooftop bar at The Hoxton in London’s Shoreditch, the WunderLocke hotel in Munich and, recently, the effervescent T4 chair. 40





DOSSIER / PROFILE Facing page The T4 is a perfect example of the studio’s modus operandi of fusing intellectual rigour and imagination with a dash /VSSV^H`3P»ZÄYZ[MVYH`PU[VWYVK\\J[KLZPNU[OL of engaging storytelling. Made of a fibreglass base with a T4 chair is a modular seat in delightfully sunny fitted upholstered seat and backrest — the whole wrapped shades, illustrating the designers’ knack for in pop art hues of orange, yellow, pink and cream — the combining the intellectual and the evocative chair looks and emotes like the lovechild of a Botero Images by Uğur Oluş Beklemez sculpture and an 80s inflatable chair. The limited series of modular chairs, which can be combined to make larger This page sofas, is a collaboration with Turkish manufacturer Uma. For the new London showroom of bathroom The collection essentially sold out at its debut at the 2022 brand Coalbrook, Holloway and Li looked London Design Festival, a remarkable feat given that it’s to the history of Coalbrookdale, known as only the first product Holloway Li has brought to market. the cradle of the Industrial Revolution, and incorporated Victorian-era elements Li attributes the practice’s early success to grounded Image by Nicholas Worley pragmatism about the business side of a design studio, especially one that is still, essentially, a toddler. ‘Of course, we both care about design, but we’re also very clear that the commerciality of what we do must make sense. This approach has made it easier for us to scale,’ she says. It’s an approach that’s paying early dividends,the 12-member studio hard at work on a number of high-end residential, commercial and hospitality projects. For now, most of the work, apart from the WunderLocke, is London-based, though both Holloway and Li have their sights set farther afield — to Asia, in particular. But like their work, the duo’s ambitions are calibrated. Not for them the mega-office with a production line of staff toiling away in the back room on drawings for innumerable projects.‘We care too much about our projects,’ they agree. ‘We want to always be involved.’ 43

DOSSIER / STUDIO CULTURE Inside MuseLAB Text Rupal Rathore Images Ishita Sitwala W hen Huzefa Rangwala and Jasem Pirani struck up a friendship during their time in the US, where they were both studying architecture, the seeds for co-founding a design studio were sown. A few years after returning to Mumbai and working for other practices, the two founded MuseLAB in 2012. At first, the duo worked out of a conference room at Pirani’s father’s office, and later from a 23-square-metre studio space in Prabhadevi — an old industrial estate in the southern part of the city. Now, MuseLAB operates out of an office five times that size, on the second floor of an erstwhile residential chawl (a type of tenement building originally built to house mill workers) now zoned as a commercial block, nestled among the tall trees in a quaint neighbourhood. ‘We moved into our new space in the beginning of 2022, which was luckily only a block away from our previous setup,’ Rangwala says. Reflecting the charm of its surroundings with an added element of playfulness, the MuseLAB studio is more like a well-curated exhibition of furniture pieces, objects and artwork. From the smallest door handle detail to the overall functional organisation of the office, which serves a team of 18, the architects have created a space that is both quirky and practical — traits they also like to incorporate in their work. ‘We approach everything from poster graphics to resort masterplans as equal design challenges, regardless of the scale of the project,’ Pirani says. 44

DOSSIER / STUDIO CULTURE Founded by Huzefa Rangwala and Jasem Pirani in 2012, Mumbai-based design studio MuseLAB makes its home in Prabhadevi, in a former residential chawl now converted PU[VHJVTTLYJPHSISVJR4\\ZL3()»ZUL^VMÄJLLJOVLZ[OL charm of its surroundings while balancing functionality and playfulness, two qualities that are key to the studio’s work 45

DOSSIER / STUDIO CULTURE ‘We wanted our space to reflect and support the culture we aspire to have in our office.That’s why there are no cabins,’ Rangwala says. The studio is planned as one large space, with cleverly positioned room dividers that double as display racks or countertops. The central workstation is free of any partitions or chunky overhead storage, the goal being to encourage interaction and build ‘collective energy’. The team gathers around a black-stained wooden table during mealtimes and coffee breaks. As a daily ritual, each morning someone writes a ‘word of the day’ on the whiteboard as a simple way of sparking curiosity and informal conversations. 46

DOSSIER / STUDIO CULTURE Facing page, top and bottom left Furniture pieces, sculptures, toys HUKPU[LYHJ[P]LHY[ÄSS[OLZ[\\KPV Facing page, bottom right A steel spiral staircase connects [OLNYV\\UKÅVVY[V[OLSVM[HIV]L This page, left Tucked away in a corner of the space, the pantry features custom cabinetry and tiled walls, [OL[HJ[PSLZ\\YMHJLZYLÅLJ[PUN the studio’s focus on materials, textures and forms This page, right and bottom The new loft is a relaxed space for client presentations and movie screenings Taking advantage of the double-height space capped by the building’s existing pitched roof, a loft has been added above the working area, overlooking the meeting table and pantry. A sculptural spiral staircase in steel connects the two levels, with the upper floor often used for client presentations during the day and movie screenings on Saturday nights. Here, a low- height bookshelf acts as a smart safety railing, while set against one wall is a series of drawers containing material samples. The collection of pieces in the MuseLAB studio — including sculptures, toys and interactive art either developed in-house or sourced from other creators — speaks volumes about the collaborative nature of the practice. ‘Some of these objects are by friends and people who’ve worked with us in the past,’ says Rangwala. ‘We want this space to keep evolving as we do.’ 47

DOSSIER / PROFILE Future Forward Text Lucas Tinoco Images Courtesy of Gallery ALL and Cometabolism Studio S hanghai-based Cometabolism Studio works at the intersection of art and design to reinvent traditional notions of furniture and find new ways to fulfil immediate needs. ‘We prefer our works to be in an undefined state, between art installations and furniture design. Not specifying form and function leads to more innovation and unrestrained expression,’ says designer Ning Zhang, who established the studio with artist and long-time collaborator Yafei Yang in 2020. As they explain, ‘cometabolism’ is a biological term for the decomposition of non-biodegradable materials. The studio’s name alludes to the wasteful industrial processes that create backlogs of such components, which they repurpose with their work. ‘We call them industrial metabolites, and we hope to redefine them through a metabolite upcycling process,’ says Zhang. Cometabolism’s eye-catching designs feature transparent acrylic sheets secured by stainless steel clamps and bolts, and the pieces showcase their structural logic in its entirety. Borrowing from ad hocism, Zhang and Yang sometimes incorporate other industrial components and overlooked items used in everyday services, such as corrugated plastic and cargo lashing belts. The pieces’ vibrant colour scheme — predominantly orange and blue — mirrors traffic signs and road safety elements like cones and barricades. But in line with the duo’s philosophy, they stress that there are no fixed patterns in their oeuvre, and everything might change in future creations. 48