Expanding upon its now iconic Abyss collection, Duffy London has introduced a new element: the limited-edition Abyss Wall Tile. The interchangeable 3D-printed design allows users to create their own vertical Abyss within any space they wish. Originally launched in 2012, Abyss explores depth and our own perception of it through layers of glass and wood in a turquoise display of color. It’s likely that images of oceanic topography come to mind when you see any one of its pieces.

The Abyss Wall Tile was developed from the concept of deconstructing Abyss into smaller sections that could then be rearranged into a totally new pattern. Three individual tiles, based on Truchet Tiling – a mathematical tiling system – can be rotated three different ways to create a seamless, unique design every time. The bespoke pattern can then be scaled up or down to suit different sized spaces and environments.

Crafted using plexiglass, recycled plastic, and brushed stainless steel, each Abyss Wall Tile is handcrafted in Duffy London’s East London studio. Choose between a brushed stainless steel or mirror-polished gold finish.

To learn more about Duffy London’s Abyss Wall Tiles, visit duffylondon.com.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

In the west district of Beijing, a duplex apartment, dubbed the Skip House, has been designed by KiKi ARCHi. Nestled within the vibrant city, the apartment is home to an owner and her family of four, along with the grandparents who visit on occasion. The Skip House is designed so that the different generations can come together, allow their diverse lifestyles to merge, and where emotions can blend harmoniously.

The magic of the 300-square-meter Skip House lies in its “half-floor living room,” a design that seamlessly connects the different spaces, fostering a sense of togetherness while maintaining privacy. An eye-catching cement and wood staircase not only connects the two floors but also offers multi-functional open platforms – a small wooden one doubles as a desk for the kids and a more spacious micro-cement platform below that can be used for seating while also transitioning into a console for the TV. It’s a multi-layered living scene where every family member’s needs find a perfect spot.

But the innovation doesn’t stop there. Downstairs, a well-organized “box” concept delineates the living areas, with the kitchen island as the central hub. The thoughtful design enhances functionality while retaining an open, airy atmosphere.

Up the wooden stairs, a serene, modern tearoom awaits. Beyond its use as a tearoom, a round cutout serves as a display shelf while doubling as a secret passage to the elders’ private room.

The color palette throughout gives nod to the owner’s appreciation of Chinese culture, with black, white, and gray complemented by wood and micro-cement.

Photography by Koji Fujii.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.

Email permeates our lives, but how does its impact resonate beyond being a form of communication? Intuit Mailchimp and the Design Museum explore the cultural and emotional effects while contemplating its future in an immersive exhibit – Email is Dead. Open through October 22, 2023, visitors are invited to think about the look, feel, sound, and even the smell of email. Email is Dead leads us through the journey of the history of email, from its beginnings in the 1970s to what the experience might look like in 2070, prompting a wider conversation about the future of communication.

“Now feels like the optimal time to tell this story, because there’s been chatter about the death of email for over a decade. And every time there’s a new ‘thing,’ like SMS or social media, experts speculate on its extinction. And now, with the rapid expansion of AI, we found the chatter about the death of email to be even more relevant,” explains Intuit Mailchimp’s CMO Michelle Taite. “In fact, with the help of AI, our inboxes are becoming increasingly personalized, helping marketers create meaningful, long standing connections. In essence, email is becoming smarter than it’s ever been.”

How does email shape our work lives, relationships, cultures, and economies? To try and answer these questions, Intuit Mailchimp’s in-house creative agency, Wink, worked with creative studio Something Special Studios. The goal was to capture and create a 360-degree view of the feelings and sensations email can evoke from us all.

To spearhead the “look of email,” Wink created an identity utilizing a bright yellow pixel pattern, iconography, and a typeface inspired by the first email ever sent in 1972 by Ray Tomlinson. The interactive displays within Email is Dead invite visitors to explore impact through activations, such as burying their own “email time capsule” or taking an email personality test to find out what kind of emailer they really are. Imaginary and playful solutions for real-life situations, such as an overflowing inbox or the impulse to fire off an emotion-filled email, are offered in the form of an Inbox Elixir (recipe included) and the Email Therapy Machine. The ever-present nature of email can then be brought home via a photo booth that “transports” the subject to random locations, then prints out a wish-you-were-here postcard.

A bespoke soundtrack can be heard through the space, featuring synthesized compositions meant to depict email’s daily routine. The tracks meant to capture the “sound of email” carry visitors through an email’s journey from sender to recipient. Maybe somewhat surprisingly, guests will only occasionally hear the crescendo of familiar sounds: a swoosh, pop, ding, type, click, and send.

What does email smell like exactly? Email is Dead is infused with an ‘Eau du Email’ scent, developed in collaboration with Something Special Studios and Tatiana Godoy Betancur to evoke clarity. Crafted from aromatic plants, like bergamot, geranium, sage, lavender, and sandalwood, these scent notes are known to help promote a balanced nervous system. The scent is designed to replicate a “type of lucidity and sense of connection that email can generate as a whole.”

To complete your experience at Email is Dead, there’s merchandise that captures iconic phrases such as “kind regards” and “hope this finds you well.” There are branded baseball hats, t-shirts, drinkware, tote bags, A5 notebooks, pens, A3 posters, enamel pins, key rings, and more. It’s all available for purchase in the Design Museum gift shop and on the site.

To learn more about the Email is Dead immersive exhibit to plan a visit, click through to designmuseum.org.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

Bang & Olufsen’s Beolab 50 are significantly proportioned floor standing speakers impressively capable of revealing nuances and previously unperceived elements of songs you’ve listened to hundreds of times before. The more svelte and cylindrical, but architecturally sculptural Beogram 28 performs with similar abilities in smaller spaces, and is equipped with a dramatic curtain movement that adjusts the speaker’s beam output. Now combine those two iconic Beolab models, shrink it down to proportions similar to the Sonos Era 100, and you’ve got something resembling the new Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8, an elegantly crafted compact Bluetooth speaker set designed to operate solo or in stereo pairs.

It’s not immediately apparent upon glancing at the cropped and close-up images of the Beolab 8 speakers how remarkably small the new addition to the premium Beolab family are. Bang & Olufsen emphasize the Beolab’s size empowers its adaptable flexibility; they can be installed onto walls, set upon floors, secured onto ceilings, or enjoyed out of the box set upon any flat surface.

In many ways the Beolab 8 could be perceived as Sonos as interpreted by Bang & Olufsen, sharing a few attributes and features beyond its compact dimensions. This includes environmental sound mapping to tweak performance according to the dimensions and contents of the room the unit is placed within, alongside a simplified touch interface (though we suspect just like Sonos, users will opt to interact with their Beolab via mobile app).

Available with Bang & Olufsen’s signature wooden lamellas or with a fabric front wrapped around a halved pill aluminum body, the speaker resembles a Grecian urn filtered through a Danish modern eye.

Get beyond the Beolab 8’s striking good looks and you’ll come to appreciate the three-driver setup consisting of a 16mm tweeter, a 3” midrange, and a 5.25” woofer that sounds particularly impressive when performing in pairs.

Like its taller counterpart the Beolab 28, the Beolab 8’s audio beam width can be adjusted to provide an intimate narrow sound or stretched out wide to embrace an entire room (minus the cool open/close slat curtain effect).

The Danish audio brand continues their eco-minded efforts by engineering the Beolab 8 as an upgradeable and repairable modular platform. Both exterior parts and interior components are designed to be upgraded as desired or when newer technologies dictate.

What’s better than one Beolab 8? Two in stereo mode, of course. When paired in stereo mode, and set up using an Apple iPhone, Beolab 8 users can access an additional feature – Fluid Sweet Spot – activating motion tracking spatial audio that actively moves according to where the listener (and their iPhone) are within a room. The effect is akin to the Apple AirPods Max headphone’s spatial audio effect, sans the headphones themselves.

The Beolab 8’s one-piece aluminum body is crafted in Bang & Olufsen’s storied Factory 5 facility in Struer, Denmark, exhibiting the same degree of uncompromising fit and finish as its larger counterparts.

The Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8 is currently available for pre-orders, and will be available in-store starting from 30th October in Natural Aluminum, Gold Tone, Black Anthracite, or with a Grey Melange cover for $5,498.

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

From the makers of Nuna, a household name every parent knows when it comes to top-of-the-line baby gear, Tavo is poised to change the way we travel with our pets. For many families, pets aren’t just pets – they are intensely loved members of the family who deserve the same level of safety and comfort when traveling as babies and children do. With Tavo’s new Maeve™ Pet Protection System, they’ll receive just that.

Drawing upon decades of research, development, testing, and engineering from Nuna, Tavo created a system to seamlessly take your pets from home to car to adventure. The Maeve™ Pet Protection System consists of a carrier and a vehicle base for the carrier, similar to a child’s carseat. Those who have travel needs beyond the car can opt for the Roscoe™ stroller frame. Together, the Maeve™ and Roscoe™ create Tavo’s 3-in-1 Pet Protection System, giving pet owners complete ease when on the go with their furry family members. To achieve the highest degree of safety and protection, Tavo uses the latest United Nations ECE child restraint standards to benchmark their rigorous testing. Pet parents can travel with a peace of mind, knowing their companions are safely secured.

Like Nuna, Tavo also prioritizes aesthetics and comfort. The carrier is available in five colorways (Onyx, Fawn, Merle, Sable, and Brindle) while the strollers are accented with vegan leather details in black, cognac, and chocolate.

The Maeve™ is priced starting at $700 while the Maeve™ and Roscoe™ 3-in-1 Pet Protection System bundle starts at $1000. The Roscoe™ Stroller Frame is available separately from $400, as is the vehicle Base from $195. Pre-orders are now available at tavopets.com.

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She’s probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.

Leica’s iconic red circle logo may stand alone in the realm of photography as one transcending ordinary branding. Leica’s cameras are more closely associated with an aspirational lifestyle than just gear for capturing photos, with a devoted following willing to invest a sizable sum for their combination of precise optical engineering and minimalist design. And now the German company is focusing its lens toward projecting, rather than capturing, images in our living rooms with the arrival of the Leica Cine 1 laser TV.

First announced at last year’s IFA 2022 in Berlin, Germany, Leica Camera AG’s first laser TV garnered a bit of attention for its combination of 4K triple RGB laser technology, Teutonic modern design, and of course, that small yet conspicuous red circle logo. Unlike the LG Cinebeam with its softly decor-friendly approach, or XGIMI’s lamp-as-projector chameleon approach to projectors, the Leica Cine 1 demands a bit of attention. The projector’s perforated silver aluminum case design aligns with Leica’s past efforts in camera design, but it’s also near impossible not to think of the Bauhaus, Dieter Rams catalog of work, alongside Apple’s original 2009 Mac Pro tower design when looking over the precise surfacing and perforated detailing stretching across the projector’s exterior.

Those perforated plates on the sides aren’t just for looks, but designed to improve the projector’s built-in Dolby Atmos surround sound speakers while also allowing the projector sufficient ventilation. And yes, the Cine 1 is just like a Leica camera, outfitted with their signature optics, a Summicron lens.

Wi-fi 6 and Ethernet connectivity are both supported, alongside ports for two HDMI 2.1 (one designated for eARC Support) and one HDMI 2.0 connection, one USB 2.0 port and another USB 3.0, as well as Google TV and Apple Airplay 2 compatibility. The Leica Cine 1 also features a cool automatic dust cover that opens and closes upon command, protecting its Summicron lens when turned off.

One interesting note is, unlike other ultra-short throw systems, the Leica Cine 1 comes in two fixed projection image size options – one set for a 100-inch image, the other, a 120-inch model (there’s also a third 80-inch model available in other markets outside of the United States) – the projector equivalent of a prime lens on a camera. All Cine 1 models output around 2500 lumens. Consider us curious whether this single image size approach is discernibly improved compared to other 4K UST projectors using this single format approach.

The Leica Cine 1 is available now as a 100-inch laser TV for $8,995 or $9,495 as a larger 120-inch option. If you’re looking for the most optimal experience, Leica sells a matching 100 or 120-inch ALR (Ambient Light Rejection) high-contrast screen to eke out the very best picture from the projector.

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Shoreditch Design Triangle was established in 2008 to celebrate the creative industries in East London, and is hosted by the companies who live and work there. “Blending together product launches, exhibitions, installations, workshops, talks, tours, and culinary delights – the event gives visitors the opportunity to spend the day wandering around the East End on foot and still not see everything there is to see,” say the organizers. I did my best…!

Dan Tobin Smith’s Letter C – Collapse (above) is a new piece as part of his ongoing Alphabetical Series. “Inspired by the Bell inequality test, Dirac’s three polarizers experiment with the hidden nature of materials and perception, the sculpture exploits the strange phenomenon of polarization and material,” he says. “The typographical form, concealed in plain sight, is then revealed by the materials’ previously unseen characteristics.”

Inside, a series of tiny models of playgrounds by Tobin’s Optical Arts Studio cast dynamic shadows as they spun alongside films and stills that found typographic forms within the playground structures.

Photo: Katie Treggiden

Just down the road Lee Broom, who opened his Shoreditch showroom in 2010, has recently expanded by taking on the space next door. Design Milk has been following his career since day one, so it was wonderful to see this new expansion and to see so many of the pieces launched in Milan ’22.

Photo: Katie Treggiden

New for LDF23, was the Chant Chandelier (above) inspired by the glass bricks often used in places of worship built in the 1970s in place of stained glass. Lee also said he designed the light to be looked at from underneath and wanted to evoke the feeling of looking up from a basement through a lightwell in the floor above.

Photo: Katie Treggiden

B Corp-certified lighting brand Tala launched the Mantle Portable Lamp (shown above in cobalt blue), which comes apart so the bulb, battery, and interior circuitry can all be replaced. I love the use of portable lights for, not only outdoor spaces, but also indoor nooks where a trailing cable would be problematic.

Photo: Katie Treggiden

Shoreditch stalwart SCP worked with Carl Clerkin and friends to bring some much-need levity to proceedings with its tongue-in-cheek Federation of Furniture Fanciers SCPeep Show hosted by the Closed Curtain Club which riffed on Victorian sensibilities around the female form, but applied to furniture and accessories. The Doorknob Feeler Theatre (above) invited visitors to “have a good feel” of this cast aluminum Jasper Morrison FSB Doorknob. 

Photo: Katie Treggiden

The Confession Bucket by Poppy Booth is made of galvanized steel with confession grill holes and invited visitors to “pull bucket over head and confess, release slowly after use.” Its gentle and silly humor was so very welcome as LDF returns to form after some very serious world events.

Photo: Katie Treggiden

On a more sensible note, SCP was also presenting a new collection of WonderGlass pieces by British architect and designer John Pawson including Berg, a glass coffee table that creates mesmerizing shadows underneath.

Photo: Katie Treggiden

Carl Clerkin was also presenting Sons of Beasley with designer and colleague Alex Hellum. Alongside a new collection of chairs, there was a fully equipped live workshop where Carl, Alex, and friends were be making things by hand from offcuts, components, and materials donated by local cabinet maker Plykea – makers of door fronts and worktops for IKEA kitchens.

Photo: Katie Treggiden

Upstairs SCP was showcasing its new foam-free method of upholstering furniture that comprises all natural materials including burlap, latex, and coconut fibers, recycled wool, latex, needled wool, multi-density wool, feathers, solid beech, birch and poplar plywood, webbing, and metal springs – upholstery foam is horrible for both the environment and the people who make, work with and use it, so this is a really important development.

Photo: Katie Treggiden

This approach is now used across all of SCP’s sofas – including the low-lying Peonia by Wilkinson & Riveria, which they describe as a “family and friends sized sitting space.”

Photo: Katie Treggiden

Element by Philippe Malouin is a modular “sofa system” that can be arranged perfectly traditionally, or into this playful “enclosed conversation pit” for the “ultimate comfort, conversation, and conviviality.”

If SCP is a Shoreditch Design Triangle stalwart, The Collective is the new kid in town. Designed by Studio Cass, its new Charlotte Road home is housed in a former button factory, and instead of looking like a showroom comprising a series of spaces – a kitchen, a bar, meeting rooms – that enable it to showcase the products, expertise, and quality behind The Collective and its associated brands.

Photo: Katie Treggiden

One of those brands is EchoPanel® – acoustic panels made from PET offcuts – and even as the drinks started flowing and the evening’s party moved into full swing, the quality of sound in the space was palpable.

Katie Treggiden is a purpose-driven journalist, author and, podcaster championing a circular approach to design – because Planet Earth needs better stories. She is also the founder and director of Making Design Circular, a program and membership community for designer-makers who want to join the circular economy. With 20 years’ experience in the creative industries, she regularly contributes to publications such as The Guardian, Crafts Magazine and Monocle24 – as well as being Editor at Large for Design Milk. She is currently exploring the question ‘can craft save the world?’ through an emerging body of work that includes her fifth book, Wasted: When Trash Becomes Treasure (Ludion, 2020), and a podcast, Circular with Katie Treggiden.

After a successful Kickstarter appealing to cat owners seeking comfortable and stimulating feline furniture with a discerning eye for design, Los Angeles-based designer pet accessories brand PETLIBRO have gone on to officially launch the Infinity DIY Cat Tree, a modular and expandable cat tree system engineered to piece together in more configurations than a cat’s nine lives.

Cats may desire the comfort of a household routine, but as this long time cat owner can attest, felines can also become bored when limited to the interior confines of an apartment or home. Giving your cat a place to climb, scratch, and perch from gives the curious creature an outlet for its many natural inclinations, all without endangering the furnishings near and dear to their 2-legged owner.

Infinity’s modular design is made to grow and adapt across the various stages of a cat’s life, and is easily assembled with less effort than a piece of flatpack IKEA furniture.

Sadly one design element that was originally promoted during the Infinity Cat Tree’s crowdfunding phase that did not make it into the original design with this tubular tunnel rest spot.

Paired with a higher attention to materials and design, the Infinity stands apart from typical pet store cat furniture with a refreshing modernity. Because if there’s one thing pet accessories would benefit from, it would be taking a “less is more” approach to design. The result is cat furniture that won’t look like an eyesore against the backdrop of surrounding human furnishings (which your cat is undoubtedly accustomed to already calling its own too).

Accessories include a variety of scratching surfaces, platforms, posts cubby tents, and other dangling diversions to keep cats preoccupied and comfortable. Additional levels can be added vertically up to four levels high. Positioning other base sections side-by-side opens up even more configurations spanning width wise.

Starting at $199, the Infinity Cat Tree is available in three base configurations: Loft, Villa, and Castle. Additionally, PETLIBRO offers the Villa and Castle or two Castles as larger cat playgrounds if you’re a multi-cat territorial household without the “sharing is caring” vibe.

With its multitude of accessories and modular design, it’s understandable why PETLIBRO describes the Infinity as the “LEGO” of cat trees. But in many ways the expandable Infinity seems closer to a finely realized IKEA hack – a slim flatpack construction with easy assembly designed to blend harmoniously into any contemporary interior space all without screaming, “Yes, I’ve arranged my home around the habits and preferences of my cat!”

Gregory Han is a Senior Editor at Design Milk. A Los Angeles native with a profound love and curiosity for design, hiking, tide pools, and road trips, a selection of his adventures and musings can be found at gregoryhan.com.

Architect Eran Chen established ODA in 2007, and has earned a reputation for designing mold-breaking structures meant to deliver a better urban future. In the past decade alone, he’s completed more than 50 buildings, becoming one of the most prolific architects in New York while doing so.

Eran’s mom seemed to all but predict his eventual career during his childhood. “When I was around 12 years old, I sat down and drew my family’s living room, in perspective view. The drawing captured everything, the windows, furniture, and accessories. When my mom saw it, she said, “Eran, you’re going to grow up to be an architect,” and I guess that really stuck with me. Over the years I thought about going into medicine or psychology, but something always brought me back to architecture. It was my destiny.” Eran’s also quite musical, and jokes that his mom must not have seen a career as a rockstar in his future!

“For me, architecture isn’t just work, it really is my life. So, I never fully switch from one to the other,” he shared. “I do, however, need mental breaks from time to time, and spending time with my family is my favorite way to do that. We’re fortunate enough to have a house in upstate New York and every Friday night, we drive up there for the weekend. The time in the car is perfect to make the mental shift, and once we get there, we’ve left our city lives (and worries) behind.”

Recent projects include the renovation of the former Postkantoor in Rotterdam, an urban plan in Chicago, and the conversion of a defunct parking garage into a public park and class A office building in Buenos Aires. His writings on architecture have been published in Unboxing New York and in ODA: Office of Design and Architecture, which features notable projects from Eran’s portfolio and the firm’s range in architecture – from apartments to buildings to neighborhoods.

“No ideas should be cherished as works of art unless they are,” he said. “That’s how our process unfolds at ODA: we start off with so many ideas, then we test and scrutinize them, without having an attachment until they form into the pieces of art they’re meant to be.”

Eran’s work has been widely published and recognized by the AIA, the Society of American Registered Architects, and others. In addition to guest lecturing globally, he’s also an Adjunct Professor at both Columbia University and New York University.

This week, Eran Chen is joining us for Friday Five!

Photo courtesy Pepolino

It’s an authentic, family-owned and run Italian restaurant that’s my go-to in my neighborhood. I love it when the family speaks Italian in the restaurant. The food is simple, so the quality really shines through. It’s off the beaten path and a hidden gem, since most of the restaurant is on the second level.

Photo: Marco Grassi

Marco is a young artist from Italy, who creates hyper-realistic oil paintings. I have several of them in my loft. His work reminds me of the old Dutch masters, every work is a masterpiece. Each of his paintings takes up to four years to complete – and it’s worth the wait.

Photo: Nic Lehoux

The Whitney Museum on the High Line in New York is my favorite museum – and one of my favorite urban experiences. Renzo Piano’s design feels like a natural extension of the High Line, combining views of the city, the Hudson River, and of course, the art. I love how you make your way down the museum through outdoor terraces, it’s truly a perfect integration of the urban environment.

Photo: Eran Chen

4. My Brown Lab, Boo

My fourth child, not in importance but in age. He’s the only one in my house who doesn’t criticize me or ask me for anything… except food.

Photo: Eran Chen

5. Small Ceramic Homes

I have these 6 tiny white ceramic homes that were made by a craftsman in Tbilisi, Georgia. They each have either a small light inside or a chimney made to hold incense, so that at night they emanate a small glow.

Work by Eran Chen + ODA:

101 West 14th Street Located at the nexus of Greenwich Village, West Village, Union Square, and Chelsea, 101 West 14th Street is a boutique residential building designed by ODA Architecture and developed by Gemini Rosemont Development. Recently completed, the 13-story condominium features 10,000 square feet of amenities and 44 one-to-four-bedroom residences with interior design by Whitehall Interiors. 101 West 14th Street is modern yet contextual, with a glass box façade and fractal geometry that creates a sense of lightness, airiness, and depth. The building’s geometric façade, which has become a signature element across ODA’s architectural portfolio, grounds the bustling corner and provides breathing room for the passersby. Similar to what’s found in nature, pattern repetition has a natural soothing effect on our brains. Photo: Scott Frances

POST Rotterdam Located in Rotterdam’s city center, this historically important building stands as a testament to its inextinguishable spirit. Built in 1916, it was one of the only original structures still standing after the Rotterdam Blitz, the aerial bombardment that in 1940 leveled nearly all of the city’s historic core. Restoring, designing, and engineering the conversion of such valuable heritage requires the utmost reverence for the remarkable history of the building, but also the vision and ambition to deliver a civic hub worthy of its central setting. ODA’s design features a new 150-meter tower rising towards the rear of the Postkantoor and straddling the existing open courtyard at the Rodezand wing. The vaulted plinth of the tower will greatly enhance the experience of the courtyard, coupling it with the Great Hall of the Postkantoor. Designed with nonpareil windows, the POST tower shows openings that vary in size and shape to funnel daylight. This variety sets a break from the series of glass-facade towers along the new Rotterdam skyline and celebrates the elegance of the main hall along its profile. Photo: Forbes Massie Studio

West Half West Half houses 465 apartments – nearly 1000 people – in a single square block. The internal circulation of the building, the curated multi-level amenities, access to outdoor space, and the cascading nature of the facade which creates a connection at the street level give the building a transparent, approachable feel, while the bright yellow underbelly of the facade is a subliminal layer of color theory 101: Happiness. ODA’s three-pronged approach of integrating architecture, interior design, and landscape design gives West Half a thorough narrative: from the three-dimensional patterns of the lobby interiors that mimic the facade to the amenities that punctuate the building with pockets of life, to the extensive terrace landscaping with first-of-its-kind built-in planters that grow and change with the seasons. Photo: Scott Frances

Quay Tower Quay Tower and The Landing’s design concepts stem from the history of the neighborhood, merging its past as a hub of manufacturing to a now transformed, prime residential area. The façades of this affordable housing complex represent the industrial past by the use of Brooklyn’s characteristic materials, and the residential present through the insertion of outdoor spaces to the overall volume. The juxtaposition of traditional materials and residential volumes signifies the historical transition of this Brooklyn area. The floor-to-ceiling windows are a design feature commonly utilized in modern architecture to establish a strong connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. In the context of Quay Tower’s building facade facing a waterfront area and views of Brooklyn Bridge Park, these windows play a pivotal role in enhancing the residents’ experience and engagement with the natural surroundings. Photo courtesy Quay Tower

This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase from an affiliate link, we earn a commission. Thanks for supporting Design Milk!

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

Amazon’s newest office – unexpectedly named “Hank” – is located in Midtown Manhattan in what was once the home of storied department store Lord & Taylor. The building has undergone a years-long renovation and restoration since being designated as a landmark in 2007 by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Committee. That history alone made it important for Amazon’s Project Hank to honor its roots while providing a comfortable, collaborative workspace for more than 2,000 employees. The brand commissioned art consulting firm IndieWalls and two talented local textile artisans – William Storms and Brit Kleinman – to create larger-than-life art installations that would become focal pieces within the refreshed space.

“Hand-weaving a piece for a landmark building on Fifth Avenue? It wasn’t even on my radar,” said William Storms. “When initially approached by IndieWalls and WRNS to create this 300-yard, 9-story handwoven artwork for Amazon’s HQ in the landmark Lord & Taylor building, it took all of two seconds for my brain to daydream and decide I wanted to give it my everything.”

Storms’ oversized woven works, titled Love, Grandma Jo, consist of over 300 astonishing handwoven yards (Loom Woven – Passementerie). Making its way from Floor 2 all the way up to the skylight on Floor 10, the installation transforms in color and material along the way – from walnut and lucite to brass and eucalyptus. As visitors travel up the staircase they’ll encounter different perspectives, with new compositions on the mezzanines between each floor.

On the personal side, Love, Grandma Jo nods to the Storms’ relationship with the landmark’s history. His grandmother, Josephine, was a loyal customer of Lord & Taylor. In her honor, Storms wove her signature – taken from a holiday card – into the top floor of the piece.

Storms is a mathematically driven craftsman who straddles the lines between fiber, sculpture, and architecture. Once he discovered the loom and was introduced to the world of hand-weaving for the interior design trade, he was hooked. In 2011, he opened a bespoke textile studio in Brooklyn, with a focus on producing “three-dimensional work in a traditionally two-dimensional world.”

“Looking at the piece now, I feel its magnitude and am still processing that I wove it alone. Textiles by nature happen in the singular; one knot, stitch, or pick at a time,” Storms said. “The process is incredibly macro focused on that seemingly insignificant small action, over and over and over… it’s therapeutic, honestly. This work has made me realize the power of consistent, dedicated action and how one small knot or pick will eventually build into something that’s very humbling to stand in front of. In the end, it has left me feeling like the small one, standing in awe of its tremendous scale and organic beauty.”

William Storms

Photo: AVO

Artist Brit Kleinman, founder of AVO, created Bird Cage as a tribute to the historic textile building that bridges the technology of the past with that of the present. Creating a nest-like space on the inside with an undulating blue exterior, the installation transforms the more you explore. With a form that symbolizes technology and systems binding us together, Bird Cage celebrates these physical spaces where memories are made.

Photo: AVO

Clocking in at over 880 hours to create, the installation was conceived and crafted by Kleinman and her team at AVO. Each rope was constructed by hand over several months, one knot at a time, without any machinery. Bird Cage utilizes six distinct weaves, each designed to seamlessly fit within the serrated edges of the main steel structure it encloses. Up close, these intricately handwoven ropes undergo a color transition across floors that signifies the passing of time and the evolution of ideas.

Photo: Hollis Johnson

“Bird Cage is your secret hideout in the middle of a workday. Where time paints patterns on the floor as the sunlight cascades through the undulating ropes with views of the Empire State Building in the background,” Kleinman shared.

Photo: Elliot Goldstein

The artwork’s subtle ombré effect employs a whopping 27 colors of yarn dyed cording and hand-dyed leather cuffs. These cuffs act as a structural component that secures the ropes to the steel structure, as well as forming patterns that weave in and out.

Photo: Majid Aliyev

“When I was approached to create an art installation for Amazon’s iconic NYC office, I must admit, I was genuinely taken aback by the opportunity,” Kleiinman divulged. “Bird Cage is my largest piece to date, and I love how it exists beyond the wall and becomes an immersive experience. I want people to do more than just look at it; I want people to step inside, feel connected, and be inspired by the passion woven into its intricate details.”

Photo: Bilyana Dimitrova

Photo: AVO

Photo: Elliot Goldstein

Photo: AVO

Photo: Majid Aliyev

Brit Kleinman Photo: Majid Aliyev

To learn more about Williams Storms’ work, visit williamstorms.com. To find out more about Brit Kleinman and AVO, click over to avoavo.com.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she’s likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.