#01 - Opening Thought
The exhibition 'Svenskt Tenn: A Philosophy of Home' opens tomorrow in Liljevalchs in Stockholm. And if any brand can claim to understand the philosophy of living well, it's this legendary company, which is celebrating its centenary in 2024 (the exhibition being a key part of it). The brand's success is rooted in the visionary work of founder Estrid Ericson (pictured above) - a pioneering force; Ericson re-imagined how homes could be both functional and full of personality, blending utilitarian Nordic craftsmanship with artistic innovation. Her long-time collaboration with Austrian-born designer Josef Frank introduced a colourful, eclectic style to domestic dwellings - breaking away from the colder modernist trends of the time. Together, the pair believed the places we lived should be liveable and filled with warmth, personality, and joy - clearly a timeless recipe.
#02 - Saving Jakarta
Architecture can make us sad. Australia’s ABC network is currently running a cleverly-titled documentary, ‘Eat, Pray, Build’ on how profiteering developers are recklessly tearing through the beautiful natural landscape of Bali, Indonesia. One politician, Niluh Djelantik, is shown weeping as she swears she’ll never set foot on an 182m Chinese-built elevator that will soon bring increased foot traffic (and business) from a high cliff down to a previously secluded, previously idyllic beach. “Not over my dead body, no,” she swears.
Few countries exhibit such a stark contrast between the warmth and kindness of the national culture and the thoughtlessness and corruption of those developing their cities and regions as Indonesia. This legacy looms large in Jakarta, where everything from unfinished towers to doomed-to-fail public transport infrastructure deteriorates. Things are so bad that the nation was forced to relocate its government functions to a new capital 1000km away to maintain a functioning administration as floodwaters rise over Jakarta’s streets and the city quite literally sinks. I recently asked an architect there whether the old capital was doomed. His depressingly poetic analogy likened the city to a patient hooked up to hundreds of wires and tubes on a hospital bed— temporary fixes could prolong its life, but whether it could be saved is doubtful.
Yet, a glint of hope remains. Many years ago, I visited the neighbouring city of Bandung for a report for Monocle magazine and spent the day with Ridwan Kamil—a headstrong architect who propelled himself into power as the city’s mayor. During his tenure, he launched project after project to reverse the fortunes of Bandung’s built environment. He was adored for creating parks serving as urban living rooms for locals, addressing the city’s need for green, communal spaces and parks, and tackling the city’s biggest problem—traffic—by improving infrastructure. Creative talent praised him for allowing government tenders to reach further than the usual suspects and into the hands of intelligent young architects and urban designers.
Since then, Kamil rose to the role of Governor of West Java and now people seem positive he’s set to become Jakarta’s new mayor in upcoming elections. Whether Kamil can fix the city remains to be seen, but his uncompromising approach and willingness to challenge convention would certainly give the place a better chance.
#03 - Design Selection
Many of us will need warmer light for the Autumn months ahead, so here is a set of minimally designed lamps suitable for all styles of homes. Freshly released, Aesop has collaborated with Canadian hand-blown glass specialists Bocci on the (1) 14p amber glass lamp. For a lighting object that's a little more tailor-made (but equally low-key in form), the raw metal (2) OBJ 1 table lamp from Mexico-based designer Manu Bañó is available via Galerie Philia. For a retro-classic, the approachable, organically shaped (3) Medusa Table Lamp by Italian designer Roberto Pamio is worth hunting down on various vintage sites.
A modern classic, John Pawson released the (4) w223 lamp with Sweden's Wästberg last year - it’s a harmonious design marriage of light direction and rich material. Japan's Torchin recently released this (5) cute, compact portable light that lets you move the washi-paper lamp to wherever it lives best in the home. Staying on the move, the (6) Multi-Lite Portable Lamp by GUBI reinvents Louis Weisdorf's well-known 1970s design. This portable edition introduces USB charging, a three-level dimmer, and a sleek handle—perfect for adding adaptable warmth to any space, indoors or out.
#04 - For Your Consideration
In the story below, I discuss exclusive car design, but I'm also hoping manufacturers of EVs (most on the market being pretty ugly) will take inspiration from the charmingly retro R17 concept from Renault Design & Ora ïto, which was released earlier this month.
Speaking of re-editions, the once-cult magazine Vice has risen from the grave and will soon make a print comeback. Beloved for its playful/edgy covers (and the fact that it was free), let's see if this title can once again become the brilliant canvas for young creative talent that it used to be.
Swedish furniture giant IKEA has long been wise in promoting sustainability despite its association with throw-away furniture. Continuing to practice what it preaches, it's trialling a second-hand marketplace to avoid its used furniture ending up in kerbside collections.
While the weather's worsening in Europe, October has a wonderful line-up of events for those mindful of where our built environment is heading. Leading architects like Bjarke Ingels will take to the stage at Finland's Spirit of Paimio (in an Alvar Aalto-designed Sanatorium) early in the month. At the same time, Monocle's annual Quality of Life conference—this year in Istanbul—looks at how we can make our cities better places to live. Tickets are still available for both.
Finally, for a final hit of sunshine (in one of Europe's sunniest cities) and a good dose of high-quality design and audio, London's Spiritland has opened in Lisbon. The interior design is executed with polish and precision - I imagine the sound system is just as good...
#05 - Through The Lens
Let's face it: car photography can be boring, blatantly over-stylised, or cheesy. That's why it's refreshing to work with a creative talent like Jan Kapitän, who I recently collaborated with on a story about a super unique yellow Porsche 911 for the beautiful new Austrian luxury title, Maison Ë. The Berlin-based photographer treats his subjects as design objects spotlighting the most interesting aspects of "shapes, forms and technology". "Cars have a face and real expressions," he tells me, noting that not being an automotive specialist allows him more freedom to experiment with different angles and dynamic depths of field when shooting vehicles. It’s a more natural, less rigid approach to this popular pursuit.
The face of this ride, a yellow first-generation Flatnose 3.2-litre naturally aspirated 911 was particularly unique. One of only six ever made. Its design came from a time when the German auto-maker was competing with the edgy, angular designs of its Italian cousins Ferrari and Lamborghini. With its slanted nose featuring pop-up headlights, this was a leaner, meaner-looking machine than the much-loved round-fronted classic 911. "From an aesthetic point of view, this is interesting," adds Kapitän. "We shot it in the mountains an hour from Graz, across classic winding roads, but I could imagine this design fitting in just as well in a race-track pit lane."