Design Considered #27 – Monthly Edition
Commentary on thought-provoking design. From post-modernist Parisian monuments to the warm interiors of Bar Basso.
#01 - Opening Thought
It’s a strange sight, seeing a K-pop star singing and dancing amid the grounds of a project by trail-blazing Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill. Yet Espaces Abraxas—featured prominently in Rosé's music video for “Number One Girl” (not an instant classic) has evolved far beyond its original purpose. Located on the outskirts of Paris, its monumental, post-modernist forms have become more known for their strikingly dystopian aesthetic than for Bofill’s original ambition of creating a vibrant, socially diverse community.
Indeed, the design is a bit mad for a housing project: towering façades resemble a colossal theater set, complete with dramatic arches and imposing symmetry that can overwhelm rather than invite. Landlord CDC Habitat has recently initiated a significant €16 million restoration project, aiming to transform residents' quality of life while carefully respecting Bofill's visionary architecture. Let’s see if new energy can be breathed into this surreal landmark to better serve its original purpose.
#02 - Better in the USA?
As a refresher on the United States' world dominance in innovation, it's worth picking up the Spring edition of Fast Company magazine. The title’s 'World's 50 Most Innovative Companies' list shows that the US sets the standard when it comes to creative business. While we wait for delayed trains from overwhelmed rail operators in Europe, the leader of this list, Waymo, seamlessly transports millions of passengers across US cities in autonomous cars. Other global household names in the ranking, such as Nvidia, Notion, and Duolingo, demonstrate that Silicon Valley continues to wield significant industry influence while fostering originality and invention in emerging businesses.
Sadly, I was struck by the fact that not a single proper design company made this innovation ranking. The closest industry-associated name was Figma, an American digital tool that enables creatives to design better online. Switzerland's On also received a nod for disrupting an entire industry with its patented LightSpray manufacturing technology, which reduces both the weight of its running shoes and production waste.
It’s challenging to name furniture companies that have achieved comparable global success through positive industry disruption. Bigger brands are making meaningful strides—from European names like IKEA and Vitra advancing circular agendas to architecture businesses like Snøhetta pioneering innovative products in construction, such as eco-concretes. Yet, there is clear space for genuine game-changing companies in design, architecture, and construction. As Philippe Starck rightly points out in this Dezeen article, the design dialogue is precariously drifting away from smart problem-solving solutions toward trendy provocations.
Had Fast Company conducted this survey 75 years ago, the Eames Office in California would have sat at the top of the charts. The firm's furniture and production innovations paved a new path, enhancing the way we live. Three-quarters of a century on, the industry they helped create now feels ripe for reinvention.
#03 - Design Selection
This month's picks span Europe to Asia, starting with something fresh from the French Alps. Each of the (1) Poterie d’Évires ceramic mugs (available from Abask) feature characterfully rendered animal designs on their exterior. Founded in 1971, the family business fires each piece in a traditional wood-burning kiln, creating rustic yet refined (and enduringly tasteful) tableware. Over in Seoul, tradition takes an ethereal turn with designer Seoyoon Rim's creation, (2) 空器—pronounced "gonggi," meaning "Air"—recently exhibited at House of Shinsegae's A Bojagi Story. The artist's translucent textile objects layer gauzy fibres to suggest ghostly vases made of air and fabric. Bringing Korean craftsmanship to Milan Design Week via Montreal, Canadian firm Lambert & Fils teamed up with Kwangho Lee to launch (3) Bolda last month. Named after a Jeju Island word evoking waves and breezes, it pairs polished aluminum with large-scale, enameled copper plates inspired by traditional Korean chilbo glazing.
Chilean studio The Andes House presents a functional piece for the home with Piso 01, a sturdy stool that serves multiple purposes. Made from painted steel and American oak, the piece offers honest practicality— a stylish stackable perch to bring out when hosting friends. Finally, Barcelona's Santa & Cole shifts from lighting homes to greening cities with its updated (5) Canon de Belloch book, a thoughtful guide for curious gardeners and urban planners alike. Combining ecological insight and design thinking, this beautifully illustrated catalogue promotes better, greener cityscapes.
#04 - For Your Consideration
When writing on-screen, ditching Microsoft Word and working with well-designed, distraction-free tools yields a significant improvement. iAWriter, developed by Switzerland’s Information Architects (iA), is the most clutter-free word processor in the business. The masters of tech minimalism have received a prestigious Red Dot “Best of the Best” award for a more physical tool—a notebook. Crafted entirely from paper, the award-winning iA Notebook draws inspiration from the brand's digital elegance, featuring subtle watermarks and embossed guidelines that subtly support superior writing.
Brand collaborations with artists often seem disingenuous, but French fashion house Lemaire always bucks the trend. Its artistic directors have the most thoughtful curatorial eye, and its partnerships always make sense. One such tie-up is its Spring–Summer 2025 collaboration with French illustrator Philippe Weisbecker, whose intricate pencil drawings capture the timeless appeal of everyday objects.
Another connoisseur of good taste, who even makes Inditex look chic via his work for Zara Home, is Vincent Van Duysen. The Belgian designer now spends much of his time in his second base in Portugal. Here, he has collaborated with Amorim Luxury Group on JNcQUOI Comporta—where a tasteful cluster of 64 sensitively designed villas is coming onto the market, showcased via this beautiful website.
Staying in Portugal, Danish furniture brand Gubi is showcasing its wares used in a handsome upgrade to the National Library of Portugal in Lisbon. A testament to the enduring nature of its designs, the warm hues of its furniture feel like a natural extension of the library’s mid-century modernist architecture, adding softness and elegance without disrupting its calming charm.
Finally, another newsletter you should sign up for—Cinemagoer, which celebrates film and the venues where it’s best enjoyed—showcases Stockholm’s Swedish Grace-era Bio Skandia. Gunnar Asplund so fastidiously (and tastefully) crafted this 1923 venue that visitors might be inclined to ask its operators to keep the lights on during screenings.
#05 - On Reflection
For those whose memories of Milan Design Week might already be fading, let this timeless shot from the archives of Bar Basso's owner, Maurizio Stocchetto, refresh your memory. Featured in the smartly executed design of the bar's website by Studio Vedèt, it is a reassuring reminder: trends come and go, but Bar Basso endures. A sanctuary for the entire design industry, it's famed not just as the birthplace of its creative innovation—the Negroni Sbagliato (a cocktail born from the happy accident of substituting gin with Prosecco) — but for interiors that whisk patrons back to Milan of yesteryear. Here, red velvet banquettes, polished brass trims, and warm lighting preserve a golden era of elegance.
It does feel like the industry is focusing much less on problem-solving. I wonder if social media has playing a role? Would the Eamses have has an Insta?
Very interesting — I think figmas internal team is a smart batch of designers from my conversations with them but curious who you’d look to for design innovation?