Inspired by bulging pods found in nature, Shanghai-based design studio One Week designed a seating collection that mimics this naturally rounded shape. The Pod Collection consists of a single armless seat, a single seat with armrests, and a two-seater sofa with armrests. The common denominator between all three seats is their organic, bulbous shape that makes up the backrests and arms.

While the pods in nature have seeds encased in them, these pod seats are made of high-resilience sponge, providing the user a soft and comfortable experience. The collection is clad in Kvadrat 3D-knitted fabric, a material made of 68% new wool, 22% nylon, and 10% polyester. Not only is this fabric soft to the touch, it also meets the needs of the collection’s rounded forms.

For more information on the Pod Collection, visit oneweek-design.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.

Dr. Alexis Hope thrives when free to create playful experiences that help people find joy, self-compassion, and connection with others. Her practice centers on designing spaces for artistic freedom, exploration, and community support. As an experimental designer who works across disciplines, she believes that anything can be the material for creativity. Currently, Alexis is a co-founder and Chief Product Officer of focused.space, a company helping people to reach their personal, professional, and creative goals in community with others.

“My practice often involves teaching and learning, mentoring, and taking creative risks. I’m here to have fun and bring others along for the ride,” Alexis shared. “This approach turns out to be a great match for co-founding a startup, which is what I’m up to now! Our members [at focused] include a lot of creative workers, freelancers, and fellow entrepreneurs whose struggles I can really relate to. We help people feel motivated and inspired, and provide lightweight structure and support to help them make progress on their work, and feel good doing it.”

Prior to co-founding focused, Alexis spent a decade at MIT, where she received her PhD at the MIT Media Lab in 2021, working with the Lifelong Kindergarten research group. As a designer, Alexis has worked across a variety of domains – ranging from cameras for deep-sea exploration, creative learning technologies for children, artistic tools for zero-gravity environments in orbit, hackathons to improve breast pumps (…what?!), low-cost ultrasound machines for providing prenatal care in areas with limited resources, and more. She’s currently a 2023 United States Artists Fellow representing the field of Art & Design.

As a musician, Alexis taps into her creativity in another way, singing and writing songs for two bands: Calico Beach Party and Double Bitch. “I’m really passionate about making music. When I sing and play the guitar, I really feel ‘in my body.’ My mind empties and I go somewhere else for a while.”

“For me, my work and personal life are extremely fluid. I take inspiration from everything. I don’t hesitate to take a long walk in the middle of the day if I need to. I’ll spend an hour talking to a stranger. focused helps me do all of that, while also making sure I accomplish the goals that really matter to me each day, the ones that are going to move the needle. I try to be really in tune with my energy levels and important commitments each day, and ride the wave.”

Today, Alexis Hope joins us for the weekly Friday Five!

Sexual Healing Collection (clockwise from top left: Brush, Mirror, Stone, Pelvic Sensor) Photo: Nienke Helder

1. Sexual Healing by Nienke Helder

Nienke is one of my favorite designers, and her area of expertise is sexual health. She is a rare mix of empathetic, thoughtful, and casual when it comes to topics that can feel taboo. (That’s something that really resonates with me from my own work on the “Make the Breast Pump Not Suck” hackathon). Her project “Sexual Healing” really inspires me – it is a collection of sensory objects for people who experience sexual problems after a traumatic experience. They are beautiful, functional, and really change the narrative around sexual trauma and healing. The objects help people find pleasure again, tuning into and prioritizing their own sense of safety and joy. I think her approach helps people who have experienced trauma see themselves differently. Instead of being a problem to be solved, you are someone who deserves to feel good.

Photo: Ali Place

I can’t wait for this book to come out. (Ed. note: The book is now available.) Ali brought together over 40 contributors from 16 different countries to explore the intersection of design and feminist theory. I contributed a short case study about one of my projects (the “Make the Breast Pump Not Suck” Hackathon), and I’m really excited to read everyone else’s contributions. It’s the perfect book to help us reimagine the role of design in shaping culture.

Photo: Julie Legault

3. Amino Labs

My friend Julie finds a way to be creative with any material. She’s formally trained in jewelry design, electronics, leather-working… you name it, she’s done it. But over the past decade, she’s been really focused on a pretty unexpected material for design: bacteria. She runs a company called Amino Labs – they create educational materials and kits for people to invent new things with biology. You can use bacteria to engineer new smells, pigments, biomaterials, medicines, and more. Julie lives in the future and every kit I’ve ever bought from them inspires me.

Photo: Jimmy Day

4. Illuminate by Chelsi Alise Cocking

Chelsi is an artist and designer who uses code as a material. At heart, she’s an experimentalist. To me, she is a constant reminder of the value of play in building a strong design practice. Chelsi uses her Instagram like a journal, sharing the small visual delights that she creates each day – you can feel the joy and learning radiating out of every pixel! She also recently completed a larger project called Illuminate, an interactive piece that brings people’s movement to life in the space. It’s so lovely.

Photo: Ron Boszko

5. Reversible Bracelet by Biba Schutz

Biba Schutz is my cousin, and also happens to be one of the most creatively inspiring women I’ve ever met. She’s in her 70s, lives in NYC where she has her studio, and makes really incredible jewelry. She has a rare combo of playfulness and hard-won technical sophistication that blows my mind. The piece above is one of her most popular bracelets, it’s a reversible (!!!) chainmail cuff with a perfect magnetic closure. I don’t know how she figured out how to make it, but it’s a dream to wear.

Work by Alexis Hope:

Electronic paper mountain: Lights up at night! Homemade circuits and low-poly laser-cut papercraft that required way too many hours to glue together.

Designing Monsters: Creating a visual language for (slightly cute) horror.

Breast Pump Hackathon: I was co-founder and Creative Director of the “Make the Breast Pump Not Suck” project at the MIT Media Lab. This project was a series of collaborative design events that brought hundreds of people together to improve the postpartum experience.

Homemade Brush Experiments: Finding ways to have fun with recycled materials.

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.

In a world where innovation is king, the landscape of outdoor adventures is about to get a new addition. Mink Campers, the Icelandic brand of mobile getaways, have raised the bar with their latest creation – the MINK-E. This teardrop camper isn’t just an ordinary camper – it’s the world’s first fully electric, towable teardrop camper. Get ready to embark on a new adventure within a sustainable, eco-friendly, and comfortable camper.

The MINK-E, the latest addition to the Mink Camper family, is set to revolutionize the way we experience the great outdoors. At just 510 kg, it’s the lightest and most environmentally friendly model Mink Campers has ever produced. While its predecessors relied on diesel heating and gas stoves, the MINK-E is entirely electric, powered by an EV charging socket. This means you can enjoy all the comforts of home while minimizing your carbon footprint.

Mink Campers have always been known for their distinctive design inspired by their Nordic roots, and the MINK-E is no exception. The teardrop camper boasts an oversized panoramic skylight and large round side windows, providing a connection to nature from the cozy confines of the camper’s luxurious queen-sized Scandinavian mattress.

No more roughing it in a tent. Mink Campers offer the freedom to explore without sacrificing comfort. These compact yet meticulously designed campers provide access to even the most remote locations in a convenient and fun way.

The MINK-E is perfect for everyone from couples to families with young children, or even furry friends. The canvas bunk bed offers sleeping arrangements for the kids and can be easily adjusted or removed to create extra space for your belongings.

Mink Campers are born to handle the unpredictable weather conditions of Iceland, and the MINK-E is no exception. With walls that are 30 mm thick, made from high-quality, fused ABS plastics and insulated with 19 mm Armaflex, this camper is designed to withstand sub-zero temperatures with ease.

Thanks to its side-wall-integrated AirFlow™ system, which keeps the camper well-ventilated, and the optional powerful Webasto heating system, you’ll stay warm and dry throughout your camping adventures.

Mink Campers have not only set a new standard for camping comfort and innovation but also for sustainability. The MINK-E’s aerodynamic design and frameless Solid Shell Structure™ contribute to its remarkably low weight of just 510 kg. This eco-friendly approach extends to its construction materials, with an emphasis on recyclable components.

Approximately 25% of each unit’s weight consists of molded ABS plastic and Fenix kitchen tabletops, both chosen with circularity in mind. By focusing on these recyclable options, Mink Campers are making a significant step toward a more sustainable camping future.

The MINK-E offers an immersive experience – imagine lying inside, gazing up at the sky and the surrounding nature, all from the comfort of your teardrop camper.

View inside previous model that will be similar to the new MINK-E

View inside previous model that will be similar to the new MINK-E

The MINK-E’s rear opens up to a spacious kitchen prep area with ample storage, including an illuminated 36L ice chest for chilled beverages and a storage compartment with a signature cube gas stove. The camper’s kitchen space is fitted with both 12v and 220v sockets, and you can choose from a range of Mink extras, including an enamel camping dining set and duvet sets.

Previous model’s backend kitchen which will be similar to newer MINK-E model

The MINK-E just made its official online debut and will be available for viewing in person at the Motorhome & Caravan Show at the NEC in Birmingham, UK, from October 17th to 22nd.

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.

Among a design week that now boasts 13 separate design districts (count ’em!), Brompton Design District is the OG – London Design Festival’s first and oldest design district established in 2007 to “foster a space where new design can flourish.” 16 years on, Jane Withers’ curation explores the theme of “Conviviality – The Art of Living Together” and how design can not only flourish but forge positive relationships between people, the spaces they inhabit, and the wider world. And it delivers on that brief in spades.

‘Fels presents The Farm Shop’ (top and above) is a curatorial project that brings together 22 artists, designers, and architects to create a playful experience drawing from Grymsdyke Farm – a research facility, experimental fabrication workshop, and live-work space located in rural Buckinghamshire, in the UK. Curated by Marco Campardo, Guan Lee (above), and Luca Lo Pinto, the project includes site-specific dining homeware created over the summer of 2023 and brought together into an immersive space that uses food to explore the concept of “conviviality.”

Second Nature: Vessels of Habitation, Livelihood, and Politics by Shivangi Gupta Photo: Studio Stagg

Cromwell Place, with its 14 gallery spaces across five Grade II listed townhouses – and brand new cafe – plays host to the “hub” of the district and a number of key exhibitions. Gallery 6 provides a home away from home for graduates from the MA Design Products course at the Royal College of Art. Shivangi Gupta’s “Second Nature: Vessels of Habitation, Livelihood, and Politics” (above) examines the relationships between craft and technology, maker and designer, and material and hand, with the aim of uncovering new methods of collaboration and practice.

Contained 2.0 by Kamea Devons Photo: Katie Treggiden.

Meanwhile “Contained 2.0” by Kamea Devons features Coca-Cola glass bottles re-blown into shapes inspired by the historical glass-blowing artist Ennion, as an exploration of the intertwined nature of globalization, design, technology, the economy, and society at large.

Back of House by MA Design Products course at the Royal College of Art Photo: Studio Stagg

The partner exhibition to the gallery showcase within Cromwell Place was in a garage on nearby Cromwell Mews and extended the theme of “back of house” by demonstrating making processes and works in progress.

Objects by Ash & Plumb, Darren Appiagyei, Takahashi McGil, Alex Walshaw, and Studio AMOS Photo: Studio Stagg

Back at Cromwell House, The New Craftsmen returns to its pop-up roots under the stewardship of internationally renowned gallery owner Sarah Myerscough and former product director Kathy Lacour, with a showcase of British craft entitled “Join, Assemble, Hold” across two rooms conceived as a kitchen and a drawing room. The Kitchen (above) features “crafted pieces that are connected or joined and conjure a sense of conviviality and togetherness.” The Nailed Pantry “overflows” with turned wood vessels and hand-wrought natural objects from Ash & Plumb, Darren Appiagyei, Takahashi McGil, Alex Walshaw, and Studio AMOS. The suspended installation of regional baskets behind it highlights rare and endangered basketry techniques, some of which rely on British woods that are at risk of extinction. The hand-turned bowls on the mantlepiece are by one-half of Forest & Found, Max Bainbridge.

Welcome Drinks Cabinet by ceramicist Matthew Raw. Glass objects by Jochen Holz. Photo: Studio Stagg

The centerpiece in the “drawing room” is the tiled Welcome Drinks Cabinet by ceramicist Matthew Raw, complemented by iridescent glass objects by Jochen Holz. “His innovative and unique pieces draw us into his world of the playful and sublime,” says The New Craftsmen.

Fish Table: Fatty Tuna by Rio Kobayashi and James Hague, 2019 Photo: James Harris

What do you do when you get invited to do your first solo show and the theme is “conviviality?” Rio Kobayashi understood the assignment, invited all his pals to take part, and turned it into a collaborative effort. Calling the show “One Hand Washes The Other,” he collaborated on every piece and brought them together into a space that “co-exists” as a living room for people to enjoy the company of design objects and designers, much like they might do in his own living room at home. His motto of “bringing people together and having fun” epitomizes conviviality and demonstrates his belief that “happiness is achievable by creating a life of quality both in the materialistic world and in our inner world.”

Exhibition poster by Tilmann S. Wendelstein, 2023 Photo: Katie Treggiden

Kobayashi was born in Japan, trained in Austria, has lived all over Europe, and is now based in East London. His work reflects his journey, the relationships he has forged along the way, and his life story so far. Here’s to the next chapter!

All Together Installation by All In Awe Photo: Studio Stagg

All in Awe has created All Together – an on-street installation supporting the work of a mental health charity and volunteer center in the London borough of Kensington & Chelsea – a reflection on the subject of loneliness, inspired by the startling fact that this area of London has one of the highest numbers of single-person households in the country and one of the most profound economic disparities across the UK, reminding us that loneliness is universal, affecting people from all walks of life.

All Together Installation by All In Awe Photo: Katie Treggiden

“Our mission is to bring together people who create change with designers to support their mission and vision through the power of design,” says Eva Feldkamp of All in Awe. “We know that design has a higher purpose and possesses the capacity to tackle social issues. Through our workshops, we shared practical tools and concepts of visual design, giving people a voice to express their thoughts collectively.” The flags (above) were designed as an output of one of those workshops to visualize different emotions.

United Ties by Shanince Palmer Photo: Studio Stagg

Powershift, is a group exhibition curated by POor Collective, featuring the work of emerging artists, designers, and architects, to celebrate their collective power to create change when people work together. It won the London Design Festival’s “emerging design medal.” United Ties (above) by Shanince Palmer is a visual sculpture made, as part of a community workshop entitled A New Narrative, using braiding, knotting, and tying as a catalyst to “bring unheard voices together and express, imagine, and create a united future.”

Interplay by Giles Nartey Photo: Katie Treggiden

Designer Giles Nartey created Interplay (above) – a daybed that doubles up a board for playing the West African game of Oware, which he learnt from his grandparents in Ghana as a child.

Interplay by Giles Nartey Photo: Katie Treggiden

Designed not only for lounging on, but also for two people to sit opposite one another, it forms part of his research at London’s Bartlett School of Architecture, where he is exploring the ways in which African craft cultures can be used to embed rituals into objects.

Gonzo’s Underground Mix Vol 7 by Yumura Teruhiko

Inspired by an annual exhibition in Tokyo of the same name, WAVE: Currents in Japanese Graphic Arts, was curated for Japan House by artists Hiro Sugiyama and Takahashi Kintarō, to present the work of 60 of Japan’s most significant graphic artists, introducing many of them to the UK for the first time. Pop art, surrealism, and illustration appear alongside pieces representative of the concept of heta-uma, which translates as “bad, but good,” and refers to apparently unskilled art which reveals greater merit upon close inspection – challenging our perspectives of what is “ugly” or “beautiful.”

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.

Did you know the average mature tree sequesters about 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year, and perhaps more importantly, stores 100 pounds of the pollutant over its lifetime? Trees are essentially nature’s carbon capture system, important both singularly and in sum as what many call the “lungs” of the planet. Numerous researchers and designers are looking toward biomimicry to tackle pollution and climate change utilizing several mechanisms already found in trees and other photosynthetic species, including architecture and design innovation firm ecoLogicStudio’s towering tree-like sculpture aptly named, Tree.ONE.

Unveiled at the Chengdu Biennale 2023 and commissioned by Hyundai Motor Company, Tree.One’s mesmerizing 3D-printed form appears like pixelated flora plucked from the landscape of a Minecraft level. The “tree” is composed of three distinct components created through robotic printing: Roots, Trunk, and Canopy. In sum, the entire form operates as a “living” system in service of capturing carbon utilizing the cultivation of liquid microalgae within four intricately designed bioreactors, each integrated into the venous form within Tree.ONE’s pleated “Trunk” structure.

Tree.One’s fascinating pleated trunk design has numerous real world counterparts, most notably the buttress root and trunk morphology of trees evolved to grow in marsh-swamp ecosystems. Much like its real world counterpart, Tree.One’s form is conceived to offer secure and support for the towering sculpture’s 3D-printed aeration components comprising robotically 3D-printed algal biopolymers, lab grade borosilicate glass, and living cultures of chlorella in a bright green liquid medium.

Tree.ONE’s sculptural system is engineered to capture and store carbon dioxide daily while purifying urban air through Chlorella algae cultures. This system is elegantly integrated within the sculpture’s aesthetic. The trunk’s unique pleated morphology, inspired by the fibrous trunk of actual trees, serves artistically and functionally, providing support for 3D-printed components that secure and organize the aeration network. This union of form and function exemplifies the sculpture’s synergy between art and utility.

The intricate canopy topping the design while poetically realized, operates merely as a visual element, and requires an overhead metal grid to hold up its expanse.

A single tree does not make a forest, and thus Tree.One is also accompanied by an exhibition displaying bioplastic samples, algae-based biomaterial filaments as building materials, an explainer about algae cultivation system, and other small-scale 3D-printed biodegradable prototypes to help educate visitors about the concept of transforming  urban centers into “forests” cleansing the air.

An AI-generated video titled “Tree.One City” is projected onto a nearby wall in an ever-changing loop, showcasing various scenarios of an imaginary metropolitan city evolving into a carbon-neutral urban center populated by “sky-gardens, bio-buildings, and urban forests.”

Eco-technology is undoubtedly a field with immense opportunities with even more enormous hurdles to overcome in the efforts to stave off the worst effects of climate change. But one must make the argument it would be immensely most cost effective and beneficial for cities to reintegrate flora – including trees long decimated in once verdant habitats – native to their region rather than manufacture robotically “grown” simulacrums when nature has long already figured the solution so elegantly.

The Tree.One exhibition will be on display at the Chengdu Contemporary Art Museum in Chengdu, China through November 22, 2023.

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.

Bed-Stuy Townhouse is a minimalist townhouse located in Brooklyn, New York, designed by architecture firm Also Office in collaboration with Colony, the co-operative gallery and strategy firm founded by Jean Lin. Headed by Evan Erlebacher, Also Office approached each of the property’s three floors with a varying degree of intervention, ensuring the history of the home was not lost in the renovation process.

The ground level witnessed a complete modern overhaul, complemented by the introduction of a primary bedroom suite, a white oak sunroom, and a garden. The latter is notably designed as an extension of the suite, enveloped by lush greenery. The ground floor also offers a guest suite, tailored to be a soundproof sanctuary for the homeowner’s musical pursuits.

A custom circular staircase made of perforated steel spirals downwards, doubling as both a path to the new terrace on the parlor level as well as a striking sculptural element. The kitchen, living, and dining areas coalesce seamlessly, with Also Office preserving hallmark features such as wood casings and sliding pocket doors. In a delicate balance between the past and present, the wooden elements bear the marks of time, contrasting harmoniously with newly plastered walls and updated moldings.

Colony’s involvement brings a flair of modernity to the interiors. The parlor level, rich in historical accents, now boasts contemporary pieces. Jean Lin’s curation blends both vintage and modern works, and was, “drawn to the thread of time throughout the space, wanting to play a part in unraveling it into the present moment,” says Colony founder Jean Lin. A highlight is the living room, where wall shelves house the owner’s vast record collection, centered around a fireplace that serves as an architectural anchor.

Photography by David Mitchell.

Leo Lei translates his passion for minimalism into his daily-updated blog Leibal. In addition, you can find uniquely designed minimalist objects and furniture at the Leibal Store.

Vibia’s Plusminus lighting system is as versatile as they come, providing architects and designers with the opportunity to create customized illumination within interior spaces. Together with Diez Office, the brand has fabricated a bespoke collection that features a fabric belt and various light fittings to lend individual style through contemporary technology. Plusminus eliminates the usual differences between pendant, sconce, and floor lights through the use of elements that can be adjusted, attached, or removed as desired or required.

There are six different light sources that give Plusminus its unique versatility when attached to the fabric belt: sphere, semisphere, cone, spotlight, linear diffuser, and linear low UGR. A series of anchors and fixings maintain the desired configuration of the belt with the attached lights chosen. The separate elements of the lighting system are articulated to elevate the functional to become a feature, allowing it to become part of the architecture itself.

The specially developed fabric belt provides both support and electrical conductivity, with the lights attached in an intuitive way using a simple clip-and-connect system. When loose, the belt traces elegant compositions within the desired space, adding to its sculptural character. Tension in the belt creates an architectural presence that can function as a space divider or artistic installation in vertical configurations.

The Plusminus system is a toolkit for lighting solutions, equally suitable for creating intimate lighting in the home or elaborate light sculptures in public buildings. Choose from four available belt colors within Vibia’s color palette: Black, Blue, Terra Red, and Green to draw bold architectural structures. Recently, a beige finish was added to the collection, adding a more versatile and timeless alternative to the four existing finishes.

To learn more about Vibia’s Plusminus lighting system and the rest of the brand’s offerings, visit plusminusxdesignmilk.

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.

If you walk into the ground floor of DICE’s headquarters, you might think you had the wrong address if you were looking for an office. The company, known for its ticketing and live event discovery platform, recently enlisted London-based design studio Sella Concept to transform its 2,000-square-meter space across four floors into a hybrid workspace and hospitality venue. The result is the ultimate moody yet welcoming lounge that dutifully serves work and play purposes.

Located in an old Victorian building, the DICE headquarters were developed by The Benyon Estate with architects Henley Halebrown and Sullivan Brothers Construction. Sella Concept was already familiar with the space as it designed the neighboring De Beauvoir Block, a network of co-working spaces for individuals and businesses. Phil Hutcheon, CEO of DICE, enjoyed working at The Block cafe so much, he wanted his company’s office to evoke the same vibe, where creative people could feel inspired while working in a space that always looked beautiful. He asked to be connected with the designer, which turned out to be Tatjana von Stein, Creative Director and Founder of Sella Concept.

The ground floor features an open floor plan inspired by general club layouts, where employees and visitors can socialize as if they were at a lounge. Integrated seating creates an inviting environment, but it can be broken into zones for smaller groups and individuals. The area with the dramatic curved metal wall is its own moment, functioning as a kitchen, bar, and DJ booth. Naturally, it’s the place where DICE holds its monthly global talks/meetings and hosts events.

Next, workspaces and meeting rooms are located on the first and second floors. The conference room features stadium-style seating to foster collaboration and creativity.

The top floor is a dedicated quiet zone for research and reading. A U-shaped resource room filled with books and vinyl offers library-style seating and individual curved pocket seats for a slower pace and more focused place to work. Custom furniture, like the integrated desk and three-side sofa, are one of the highlights of the room.

Throughout the floors, a common factor is the rich and evocative use of materials, colors, and textures that create a very sophisticated yet homely atmosphere. Stainless steel mixes effortlessly with walnut wood and bronze hardware. The tonal mix of terracotta, caramel, and olive hues brings a very grounding effect to the spaces. Bespoke furniture made by local craftspeople pays tribute to the location while vintage items sourced mostly from the UK add the final unique touch.

Photography by © Clemente Vergara, courtesy of Sella Concept.

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.

In a world of standardized furniture and predictable design, this architectural project stands out as a testament to creativity, comfort, and the boundless possibilities of holistic design. Welcome to Cinema Visiona, a home theater project by Matter Make that challenges the norms of scale and aesthetics, inviting you to embark on a cinematic journey like no other. The story of Cinema Visiona began when a client approached Matter Make to transform a unused room in the basement of their villa in Malta into a home theater. What followed was a design adventure that pushed the boundaries of imagination and ergonomics.

At the heart of this project is the idea of embracing the child-like freedom of seating that appears out of scale with the human body. Imagine sinking into a landscape of seats where every curve and contour is meticulously crafted for comfort. It’s a space where one is encouraged to explore, find the own perfect spot, and express oneself through the way they sit.

This playful concept draws inspiration from Verner Panton’s “Visiona” projects dating back to the early 70s, but with a twist tailored for a home cinema setting. The color palette is more subdued to enhance the cinematic experience, emphasizing form over distraction.

Built into the undulating landscape of seats are eight optimized recliners. These seats are not just visually enticing, they are engineered for ultimate comfort. Layers of foams with varying densities cradle the body as one immerses themself into watching mode. Careful attention was paid to sight lines to ensure that each view of the screen remains unobstructed, no matter where everyone is reclining.

What sets Cinema Visiona apart is not just its design but also its production. The entire cinema was crafted in-house, promoting local manufacturing while giving the studio the freedom to choose materials. Notably, the walls and ceiling are clad with acoustic paneling made from recycled water bottles, a nod to the project’s commitment to sustainability.

Cinema Visiona is not just a beautiful space – it’s a testament to the “maker-architect” revolution. Matter Make embraces a holistic approach where architects are not just designers but fabricators, craftspersons, and contractors. The shift is made possible by the integration of digital technology and fabrication tools like CNC machines. This approach empowers architects to take control of all aspects of a project, from design to construction, enabling them to tailor solutions to specific needs.

Every detail, from the hidden speakers and technology to the concealed lighting and ventilation, was meticulously thought out to enhance the cinematic experience.

Photography by Sean Mallia Photographer.

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.

Are you someone who binges most of your favorites from bed, at the dinner table, or during your commute? You’re definitely not alone. Viewing habits have changed considerably since the introduction of mobile devices, with “content any time, anywhere” liberating viewers to enjoy streaming video, video games, or other sources once confined to a single communal television. In response to this trend, TV manufacturers have rolled out a variety of novel and innovative designs that take advantage of advancements in flat high resolution display technologies. The LG StanbyME Go is the epitome of the mobile viewing trend taken to an extreme, packing a literal suitcase design with an all-in-one entertainment system under its lid.

Imagine an enormous laptop hidden within the form of a suitcase and you’ve got the gist of the LG StanbyME Go. Housed inside the confines of the handsomely subtly rose-tinted hard sided case hides away a 27-inch LED touchscreen, supported by a built-in speaker hidden into the case top.

Attached to an adjustable stand, the 27-inch 1080P (1,920 x 1,080) LED display is flexible like a gymnast, and can tilt, rotate, and be adjusted in height for optimal viewing angles in both landscape and portrait orientations.

Users can also enjoy hands-free control with StanbyME Go’s voice recognition functionality for easily changing channels and searching for content. One HDMI and USB port are accessible in the back of the suitcase.

A third option, table mode, allows the screen to be used flat within the suitcase, an orientation LG showcases as a virtual turntable streaming music and as the playing field for virtual boardgames entertainment.

To maximize surround sound playback, the system’s integrated 20-watt speaker automatically adjusts according to the screen’s orientation, with support for Dolby Vision video technology and Dolby Atmos stereo sound – a literal home theater in a box solution. Don’t expect an immersive audio experience, but seated up close, the audio playback should prove sufficient.

The StanbyME Go’s built-in battery life is modest, delivering only up to three hours of viewing time between charges; that’s not even enough time to watch all of Oppenheimer, but also a by-product of the power required to drive a 27-inch LED and audio at once in a form factor much larger than a phone, tablet, or laptop.

Alongside Bluetooth and Wi-Fi pairing, thankfully LG also made the suitcase home theater AirPlay compatible, with screen mirroring from an iOS or Android device also an option, allowing for multiple viewers to cast their photos, video, and music to share.

LG is positioning the 27-inch LED touchscreen setup for entertainment, but the system could also operate as a portable all-in-one business presentation solution.

The StanbyME Go is available for pre-order for $999.99 and shipping after October 16 exclusively through LG.com. To sweeten the deal, LG is currently throwing in a free omnidirectional LG XBOOM 360 Bluetooth Speaker with every pre-order.

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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.