The Vario VERSA Reversible Dual Time Watch by Vario introduces a dual-time display within a reversible case design, combining two timekeeping functions in a single mechanical layout. The concept aligns contemporary practicality with references to streamlined design language associated with earlier travel and communication eras, where clarity and efficiency in time tracking were essential.

The case mechanism allows the watch to be flipped between two independent time zones, offering an adaptable configuration for different use cases. The system is designed to accommodate both frequent travelers and users navigating multiple daily contexts, such as business and leisure settings, through a single reversible form.

all images courtesy of Vario

two visual identities structured within a single reversible watch

Unlike conventional GMT watches, the Vario VERSA is designed to support half-hour time zones, enabling time tracking across a wider range of global regions, including locations such as New York and Delhi. The watch is powered by two separate ultra-slim Swiss quartz movements, each equipped with its own crown and a six-year battery life. Each side of the watch presents a distinct visual configuration, allowing two simultaneous styles within one reversible case intended for different settings, such as sports and formal occasions.

Vario VERSA introduces a dual-time display within a reversible watch case

a reversible case allows the watch to be flipped between two time zones

two timekeeping functions are integrated into a single mechanical layout

each side of the case corresponds to an independent time setting

the system supports both travel and routine multi-zone timekeeping needs

the mechanism enables quick adaptation between different daily contexts

the watch combines dual functionality with a reversible design language

two independent ultra-slim Swiss quartz movements power the system

project info:

name: Vario VERSA Reversible Dual Time Watch
designer: Vario – Ivan Chua | @varioeveryday

case length: 40mm

case width: 26mm

case thickness: 12mm

dial: 2 Tone Sector / Enamel

crystal: flat sapphire with inner AR applied

lug width: 20mm

case material: 316L stainless steel

movement: 2 x Ronda Slimtech 1062 1 Jewel repairable Swiss quartz movement with 6 year battery life

battery: No.321 (SR616SW)

water resistance: 5 ATM

strap: Veg Tan Italian leather with deployant clasp

warranty: 2-year global warranty

award: winner of iF Design Awards 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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Far from facing concrete as a rigid industrial medium, the Athens-based studio URBI et ORBI explores the boundaries of the material’s organic nature through creative research and experimentation. By combining raw, earth-born components — ground rock, sand, and water — with specialized techniques like color-shaded stratification and unexpected material juxtapositions, the resulting objects introduce a warm, tactile plasticity to both domestic and hospitality spaces.

OIKOS tray by Sara Ricciardi with 40% recycling rate | all images courtesy of URBI et ORBI

URBI ET ORBI rethinks CONCRETE THROUGH creative experimentation

Founded in 2012, URBI et ORBI’s collections emerge from a close collaboration between artisans and designers, who use raw materials through the lens of Mediterranean culture, rich in local memories and human craftsmanship. The company’s entire workflow is guided by a strong environmental commitment, in which the concrete combination is crafted to endure yet designed to assimilate back into nature at the end of its lifecycle.

This circular approach materializes in URBI et ORBI’s Zero Waste Project. Launched in 2020,  the initiative intercepts 100% of internal industrial waste directly from the workshop floor. Heavy concrete rubble is crushed to replace traditional gravel and aggregates, while high-capacity dust collectors capture the airborne residues left behind from sawing and grinding to serve as fine fillers in new material mixes. Through this mechanical loop, the final objects incorporate between 20% and 80% recycled components, yielding an unpredictable, contemporary texture.

STRATA stool by CTRLZAK design studio, SUNDTAN concrete coffee table by Urbi et Orbi Studio and ULTIMA concrete ashtray by Valentino Marengo

DESIGN OBJECTS WITH A CIRCULAR APPROACH

Many of the studio’s most distinctive objects embody this experimental, closed-loop approach. The Saroma side table by Greek designer Sotiris Lazou physically captures the rhythmic, everyday gesture of sweeping (σάρωμα). In an unconventional material pairing, the piece embeds actual fibers from traditional straw brooms directly into the textured  concrete surface.

The cultural stratification of materials continues in the Legante table series by CTRLZAK Studio. Here, the designers collect mineral scraps and broken fragments from local marble and ceramic workshops, casting them into the fluid concrete matrix to form a raw, upcycled interpretation of classic terrazzo. Exploring Mediterranean architectural forms, Italian designer Sara Ricciardi’s Oikos side table references archetypal silhouettes. Rendered in sun-bleached earth tones, the piece utilizes zero-waste processes to form integrated terrazzo accents, translating historic forms into contemporary, circular monoliths.

SAROMA side table by Sotiris Lazou design studio, RELIA 40-45 freestanding concrete washbasin & EROSION shower tray by CTRLZAK design studio, PROKA cement wall hook-hanger by Urbi et Orbi studio

ULTIMA concrete ashtray by Valentino Marengo and OIKOS side table by Sara Ricciardi

SUPERFLY T table lamp by Urbi et Orbi Studio, STRATA cement handles by CTRLZAK design studio, SIMAN catchall concrete tray by Gian Paolo Venier and LUCERA wireless table lamps from cast concrete and semi-transparent resin by Sotiris Lazou Design Studio

KAMARA concrete table series by Sotiris Lazou design studio

TUS side table and SIMAN vase & dish in concrete by Gian Paolo Venier of OTTO Studio

STRATA stool by CTRLZAK design studio

LEGANTE table by CTRLZAK design studio

VIKA suspension lamp & TERRA INCOGNITA terrazzo side table by Sotiris Lazou design studio and SIMAN concrete candle holder by Gian Paolo Venier, Otto studio

ULTIMA concrete ashtray by Valentino Marengo, STRATA vase by CTRLZAK design studio and DJEMBE concrete coffee/side table by Urbi et Orbi Studio

project info: 

company: URBI et ORBI | @urbietorbi.gr

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Located at Bangkok City Hall Square in the Phra Nakhon district, High Line Bangkok is a temporary public installation by HAS Design and Research that reconsiders the role of urban infrastructure within the public realm. Developed by architects Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee, the project uses existing streetlight poles as its primary structural framework, transforming them into a shaded civic space that supports gathering, circulation, and public occupation.

The intervention addresses a common condition within Thailand’s urban environment, where millions of streetlights serve functional purposes but rarely contribute to broader social or spatial activity. High Line Bangkok proposes an alternative approach by integrating recyclable Thai fabrics with existing infrastructure to create a lightweight architectural canopy that combines shading, ventilation, and spatial definition without introducing permanent construction or additional foundations.

Installed at Lan Khon Mueang Town Square, opposite the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration headquarters and adjacent to Wat Suthat Thepwararam, the project responds to the climatic conditions that shape public behavior in tropical cities. Site observations identified a shift in patterns of occupation throughout the day: during periods of intense heat, activity concentrates beneath tree canopies, while in the evening, cooler temperatures draw people toward illuminated areas surrounding streetlights.

more than 100 meters of Thai fabric intentionally bent to form a pipe-like curve | all images by DOF SkyGround

Curved fabrics create a shifting canopy between day and night

The design connects these two environmental conditions by linking lighting poles and existing trees through a suspended textile structure. In doing so, HAS design and research studio establishes a continuous spatial system that brings together infrastructure, vegetation, shade, and light. Existing streetlights are repurposed as structural supports, reducing material consumption while demonstrating how everyday urban elements can be adapted for public use.

More than 100 meters of locally recyclable Thai fabric are arranged in curved, tubular forms that extend between poles and trees across the plaza. During daylight hours, the installation filters sunlight through colored surfaces, generating areas of shade and introducing changing patterns of light across the ground plane. The resulting canopy creates a semi-outdoor environment that encourages occupation throughout the day. After dark, the textile elements interact with the existing lighting infrastructure, diffusing and amplifying illumination across the square. The installation shifts from a shading device to a luminous architectural element, extending the role of the pavilion beyond daytime use and reinforcing the relationship between light, public activity, and urban space.

The geometry of the structure references architectural features of the adjacent Wat Suthat Thepwararam. Angular forms draw from the profile of the temple roof, while fish-scale patterns incorporated into the ground treatment reference traditional roof tiles. These elements introduce local cultural references within a contemporary architectural framework.

the flat concrete ground rises to connect with the urban infrastructure

High Line Bangkok functions as both a site-specific installation and a broader exploration of how existing infrastructure can support public life. By adapting streetlights into a spatial framework for shade, gathering, and environmental comfort, the project examines the relationship between tropical urban conditions, sustainability, and civic space. The intervention proposes a model through which existing infrastructural networks can be reconsidered as active components of the public realm rather than solely technical utilities.

the temporary public installation blends with Bangkok city lifestyle

the architecture has been transformed into a playground for children

new shading and gathering space under the electric light post

by blending Thai fabric, a flat-curve is created, forming a freely adaptable space

the canopy filters sunlight to create shifting patterns

the installation occupies Bangkok City Hall Square in Phra Nakhon

the canopy encourages use of the square throughout the day

project info:

name: High Line Bangkok

architect: HAS design and research | @has.design.and.research

location: Bangkok, Thailand

site area: 13,800 sqm

gross build area: 1,050 sqm

lead architects: Jenchieh Hung + Kulthida Songkittipakdee

design team: Jenchieh Hung, Kulthida Songkittipakdee, Darin Thonongtor, Vich Chinpraditsuk, Reefa Panawa, Sasitorn Sueatao

urban research consultant: Urban Ally

structure consultant: Isarapon Udomtham, Buncha Layangkoon

landscape design: Shma Company Limited, Shma SoEn

lighting consultant: LUNDI

collaborator: Masco Enterprise Thailand

furniture: Hawaii Thai

contractor: Bangkok Canvas

clients: Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Creative Economy Agency

photographer: DOF SkyGround | @dofskyground

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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Digital imaging is evolving into a seamless bridge between memory and reality, shifting the focus from technical perfection toward the deeply personal act of storytelling. During Milan Design Week 2026, designboom hosted a conversation with OPPO on how handheld technology mediates our perception of beauty. Within the immersive ROOM FOR DREAMS activation, the discussion realized how the act of seeing is becoming inseparable from the act of designing, proposing a future where professional-grade content creation is accessible to everyone. It is the manifestation of a creative philosophy that prioritizes the human need to capture a moment exactly as it is remembered.

‘The main philosophy that we are aiming for at OPPO is to make taking pictures or taking photos to be a very simple thing for the general big audience… and enable users to capture the right moment as they actually remember it,‘ starts Simon Liu, Imaging Director at OPPO, who was joined on the panel by Davide Reinecke, author, content creator, and founder of Cherto Agency.

Simon Liu, Imaging Director at OPPO, explores how digital technology is redefining the philosophy of authenticity all images © designboom, photography by Camilla Mansini with Giorgio Gagliano

OPPO’s imaging expands horizon for digital creators

The evolution of smartphone technology rethinks how we might access innovation by lowering the barriers to entry for global audiences. Simon suggests that while traditional cameras rely on optical physics, smartphones utilize computational imaging to reconstruct light in challenging environments, effectively democratizing high-quality filmmaking and photography. Within ROOM FOR DREAMS, the panel explored how this accessibility allows a new generation to document their lives with an authenticity that bridges the gap between creator and viewer. By providing tools that are always present in one’s pocket, the technology acts as a catalyst for spontaneous creativity, allowing users to navigate their daily lives as active designers of their own visual legacy.

‘I’ve always wanted my content to be as authentic as possible. And so that’s the reason why I’ve always shot on a smartphone,‘ explains Davide Reinecke. ‘If technology gives everyone a chance to express themselves to the world, this ability to create would be amazing.‘

designboom moderator Claire Brodka joins Davide Reinecke to explore how smartphones turn dreams into reality

OPPO Integrates AI to empower users’ artistic vision

True optimism in digital design emerges from the belief that artificial intelligence is not a replacement for human talent, but a supportive partner that liberates the creative mind. Simon proposes that AI handles the labor work –repetitive post-editing tasks — allowing creators to dedicate their energy to the high-value aspects of storytelling and experimentation. This sentiment is echoed by Davide, who envisions a future where technology reads the user’s intent, enabling a state of flow where the device becomes a transparent extension of human thought. The discussion highlights how matching design with technology defines a new reality where the most technical tools are reimagined as empathetic companions that support human expression.

‘Technology is a tool, and wherever technology goes and develops is where the human need is,‘ Simon Liu continues to add. ‘Artificial intelligence frees up more time for the creator to actually spend on the high-value part which is the creation part.‘

an engaged audience at Milan Design Week witnessed a deep dive into the evolution of smartphone technology

Collaborative experimentation drives digital innovation

The future of imagery imagines a world where the synergy between engineering and human experience drives cultural evolution. By listening to the diverse voices of a new generation — who often encounter moments first through a smartphone lens — designers can uncover creative needs that have yet to be named. This collaborative spirit suggests that when brands and creators move in tandem, technology ceases to be an external force and instead becomes a mirror for our collective dreams. It is a vision where design thrives through shared inspiration, ensuring that the digital tools of tomorrow are as imaginative and hopeful as the people who use them.

‘The technology is actually emerging and collaborating together with the content creators,‘ concludes Simon. ‘That exponential change… it’s very good inspiration for us at OPPO.‘

design enthusiasts gathered at the Room for Dreams to envision the future of digital imaging and storytelling

visitors reflected on a new era where every individual can become a visionary designer of their own visual legacy

the collaborative atmosphere within Room for Dreams highlighted a shared vision for accessible professional design

talk info:

title: Digital Dreams: Finding Beauty through the Lens

participants: Simon liu (OPPO) and Davide Reinecke (Cherto Agency)

event: Room for Dreams, Milan Design Week 2026

date: 23 April 2026

The post ‘AI frees time for high-value creation’: OPPO talks how smartphones democratizes storytelling appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

In Riehen near Basel, where the Fondation Beyeler sits between parkland, village streets, and the open edge of the Swiss landscape, Peter Zumthor’s long-awaited extension is preparing to enter public view. Beginning this autumn, the museum will gradually open its expanded ensemble, with the full opening scheduled for January 2027.

The project marks a major shift for the institution, extending the museum beyond Renzo Piano’s 1997 building and into a broader cultural landscape. A formerly private landmarked park will open to visitors, nearly doubling the size of the grounds and bringing century-old trees, ponds, and open meadows into the museum experience. The expansion also adds new exhibition space, event areas, restored historic structures, and new places for public programming.

Peter Zumthor’s new building extends Fondation Beyeler into the surrounding park | image © Mark Niedermann

peter zumthor’S new building JOINS renzo piano’s design

Architect Peter Zumthor’s contribution introduces a group of new buildings beside the existing Beyeler Museum. The Wyss Museum will provide new collection and exhibition spaces, giving the foundation more room to present its holdings alongside loans and recent acquisitions. Nearby, the Ammann Pavilion will host cultural events, while a separate logistics building supports the expanded museum operations.

The new ensemble also works with structures already on the site. Listed historic buildings are being restored and assigned new uses, with education studios, a music listening salon, a greenhouse, and a mini project space extending the foundation’s public programs beyond the gallery. In this setting, the expansion reads through a series of encounters across buildings and garden paths, instead of a single museum volume added beside the original.

image © Mark Niedermann

a year of exhibitions and public events

Fondation Beyeler will celebrate the opening over the course of a year, with exhibitions and events moving through the existing and newly expanded spaces. The museum’s collection will be presented with new acquisitions and loans from private collections, with displays changing seasonally across the ensemble.

The temporary program begins with a Ruth Asawa retrospective opening in October, followed by major solo exhibitions devoted to Frida Kahlo, Louise Bourgeois, and Elizabeth Peyton. Alongside the exhibitions, the foundation will host concerts, performances, artist and architect talks, film screenings, botanical programs, music-listening sessions, and workshops, using the extension as a network of spaces for art and gathering.

the expanded ensemble will open progressively from autumn 2026 | image © Mark Niedermann

an extension shaped by parkland

First presented in 2017, Zumthor’s design grew from the acquisition of the neighboring Iselin-Weber Park and the chance to connect it with the existing grounds. The earlier plans described an extension made of several smaller buildings arranged along the site, a response to Riehen’s village scale and the museum’s garden setting.

With its gradual opening now approaching, the expanded Fondation Beyeler brings architecture, landscape, and exhibition-making into closer contact. The project adds square meters, but its larger gesture lies in the way the museum stretches outward, letting visitors move between art, historic buildings, new architecture, and a park that had long sat just beyond public reach.

Renzo Piano’s existing museum is joined by new exhibition and cultural spaces | image © Katalin Deér

The extension project of the Fondation Beyeler with Atelier Peter Zumthor New museum building (left) and pavillion (right), view from Berower Park | visualization courtesy Atelier Peter Zumthor

the extension project of the Fondation Beyeler with Atelier Peter Zumthor New museum building, view from Iselin-Weber Park. visualization courtesy Atelier Peter Zumthor

the extension project of the Fondation Beyeler with Atelier Peter Zumthor New museum building, view from Iselin-Weber Park | visualization courtesy Atelier Peter Zumthor

the museum grounds will nearly double with ponds meadows and century old trees. image © Mark Niedermann

the extension project of the Fondation Beyeler with Atelier Peter Zumthor new museum building, exhibition space | courtesy Atelier Peter Zumthor © Successió Miró / Calder Foundation, New York / Art Resource, NY / 2017, ProLitteris, Zurich

Peter Zumthor | image © Martin Mischkulnig

project info:

name: Fondation Beyeler expanded ensemble

architecture: Peter Zumthor
location: Riehen near Basel, Switzerland

client: Fondation Beyeler | @fondationbeyeler

existing museum: Renzo Piano

new buildings: Wyss Museum, Ammann Pavilion, logistics building

opening: progressive public opening from autumn 2026, full opening in January 2027

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At the Miller Motorcars 50th Anniversary celebration, Legends, Jason Castriota reveals the JC9, a one-off supercar that reinterprets the golden age of endurance racing through a contemporary lens. Built as a special commission in collaboration with Miller Motorcars, the vehicle is based on the iconic Porsche Carrera GT and preserves the donor car’s naturally aspirated V10 engine and manual transmission. Fully clothed in a new carbon fiber body, the project marks the ninth automotive design in Castriota’s career, lending the car its name.

Drawing inspiration from the sports prototypes that dominated endurance racing between the 1960s and 1980s, the JC9 channels the dramatic proportions and aerodynamic purity of historic Le Mans competitors. Its sculptural bodywork wraps tightly around the Carrera GT platform, creating a low-slung silhouette defined by flowing fenders, deep side intakes, and a prominent rear wing. Finished in a pale blue livery accented by a bold orange center stripe, the car further references classic racing colors while establishing its own identity.

At the front, vertically stacked LED lighting elements replace conventional headlamp graphics, giving the vehicle a distinctive contemporary signature. The elongated nose, teardrop cockpit, and sharply tapered rear volume emphasize speed even when stationary, while extensive carbon fiber construction keeps weight low and performance uncompromised.

all images via @MillerMotorcars1976

reimagining the carrera GT

Rather than creating a vehicle from a blank sheet, automotive designer Jason Castriota uses the Porsche Carrera GT as a mechanical foundation and conceptual starting point. Widely regarded as one of the most celebrated analog supercars ever produced, the Carrera GT’s six-speed manual gearbox and naturally aspirated V10 remain intact beneath the redesigned bodywork. The result is a machine that combines the tactile driving experience of an early-2000s supercar with a visual language rooted in motorsport history.

The bespoke cabin continues the custom approach with blue Alcantara-trimmed bucket seats, plaid inserts, exposed carbon fiber surfaces, and lightweight detailing throughout. The cockpit balances racing-inspired functionality with handcrafted finishes, reflecting the coach-built nature of the project.

The global debut of the JC9 forms part of Miller Motorcars’ Legends event, where the vehicle is exhibited alongside a selection of Jason Castriota’s most influential automotive works. Throughout his career, the designer has shaped projects including the Ferrari P4/5, Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, Maserati GranTurismo, Maserati Birdcage 75th, SSC Tuatara, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and Bertone Mantide.

Jason Castriota’s JC9 debuts with a new carbon fiber body

inspired by endurance racing prototypes of the 1960s–1980s

designed in collaboration with Miller Motorcars

the project marks Jason Castriota’s ninth automotive design, inspiring its name

the bespoke cockpit combines blue Alcantara upholstery, plaid inserts, and exposed carbon fiber detailing

dramatic rear wing and sculpted tail emphasize the JC9’s motorsport-inspired character

project info:

name: JC9

designer: Jason Castriota | @castriota_design

commissioned by: Miller Motorcars | @millermotorcars

basis: Porsche Carrera GT

The post jason castriota reimagines the porsche carrera GT as the carbon fiber JC9 supercar appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

In Stories Seen and Heard (2025), Polish artist Kuba Święcicki transforms discarded VHS tapes and cassette recordings into a monumental woven installation, asking what happens when obsolete technology becomes a craft material.  Encountered as part of Visteria Foundation’s Craft Days exhibition, the work explores how memories survive long after the devices designed to store them have disappeared.

Suspended against the gallery wall, the installation unfolds as a dense black tapestry constructed entirely from magnetic tape. At its center, hundreds of interwoven strips create a reflective surface that catches and diffuses light, producing an almost metallic sheen. Long strands spill from either side in symmetrical drapes, while a curtain of vertical tapes extends downward, giving the piece the appearance of an oversized handwoven textile. From a distance, the work resembles a ceremonial hanging or a contemporary tapestry. Only upon closer inspection does its true materiality reveal itself. ‘The process of creating works from VHS tapes and cassette tapes is a several-week meditation and a personal journey back to childhood. Each piece is made entirely by hand, without the use of a specialist loom,’ the artist shares with designboom. ‘The lack of a loom suitable for this type of material forced me to develop a method that would make weaving with these fragile tapes possible.’

all images by Alicja Kielan, unless stated otherwise

memory, archives, and the afterlife of analog technology

Święcicki created the installation using VHS tapes and cassette recordings collected from family members, friends, and his own personal archive. Embedded within the woven structure are fragments of television broadcasts, children’s stories, radio programs, favorite songs, home movies, wedding celebrations, communions, and countless other moments of everyday life. Once functioning as carriers of information, these media objects have been stripped of their original purpose and transformed into a new material language.‘As a designer working in a sustainable way, I often reach for materials that are usually considered no longer useful. By giving discarded tapes a second life and a new quality, I transform them into objects filled with meaning – carrying memory, time, and personal associations.’ Kuba Święcicki tells us.

The conceptual force of the artwork lies precisely in this transformation. Although the recordings remain physically present within the installation, they can no longer be accessed through conventional means. The information survives, yet it remains silent. What was once designed for playback becomes instead a tactile surface, shifting attention from content to material presence. The Polish artist preserves the archive, but its stories are no longer available through technology.

More recently, in Heard Stories (2026), Święcicki shifted his attention from moving images to sound. Constructed from handwoven magnetic tape, the shimmering curtain-like installation draws from cassette recordings collected from the artist, his friends, and family members, including radio compilations, language-learning tapes, and childhood conversations recorded with his sisters. While the recordings remain physically embedded within the work, access to their contents is deliberately withheld. 

long strands spill from either side in symmetrical drapes

craft, collective rituals, and material storytelling

Stories Seen and Heard focuses on the social rituals that surrounded the disappearance of analog media. Borrowing cassettes from friends, recording songs from radio broadcasts, labeling tapes by hand, and gathering around a television to watch family videos were all acts that produced relationships as much as recordings. By weaving these objects together, Święcicki converts those collective experiences into a physical structure, allowing memory to exist as material rather than data.

The installation also reveals an unexpected connection between contemporary craft and digital culture. Magnetic tape, originally engineered for storage and transmission, becomes raw material for an intensely manual process of weaving and assembly. Through hours of repetitive handwork, a technology associated with recording is transformed into an object of making. The resulting work occupies a compelling space between preservation and disappearance, suggesting that memory does not always survive through access or playback. Sometimes it endures through transformation.

In Stories Seen and Heard, Święcicki turns a fading technological infrastructure into a woven monument to collective experience. The installation demonstrates how craft can function not simply as a method of production, but as a way of reinterpreting the materials, histories, and systems that shape everyday life.

the piece adopts the appearance of an oversized handwoven textile

Kuba Święcicki explores memory through textile-based practice

Kuba Święcicki operates at the intersection of fiber art, craft, and design. Trained in both product design and applied arts, the artist has developed a practice that combines traditional textile techniques with contemporary forms of material experimentation. Working with embroidery, sewing, tufting, macramé, and woven structures, he approaches textiles as active systems capable of storing memories, transmitting experiences, and shaping social interactions. 

Across his projects, Święcicki repeatedly investigates how materials can become repositories of collective knowledge. Whether working with fabric, thread, found objects, or obsolete technologies, he is interested in the relationship between touch, memory, and place. His research-driven practice frequently engages questions of sustainability, accessibility, and material heritage, exploring how contemporary craft can generate new forms of participation and embodied experience. 

Stories Seen and Heard forms part of an ongoing investigation into memory and material transformation that has appeared throughout Święcicki’s recent body of work. In the 2023 installation Woven Stories, first presented at the Central Museum of Textiles in Łódź and later at KODE Lysverket in Bergen, the artist similarly transformed VHS tapes into a woven textile surface.‘This structure is based on content coded in VHS tapes — taken from their spools, woven into a thick, slippery, and reflective fabric. The installation was built of recordings chosen by the artist, belonging to family and acquaintances,’ notes Marta Lisok, Curator of the exhibition Second Skin at The Central Museum of Textiles in Łódź, Poland. ‘Joining them into one surface symbolically resurrects the past, in the form of a spiritualistic séance. It comes from the desire to create a community of images from having watched the same programs, cartoons, advertisements, and films.’

By merging recordings gathered from family members and acquaintances into a single reflective structure, the work proposed a collective archive of shared cultural experiences, from television programs and cartoons to films and advertisements. Together, these projects reveal a sustained interest in how technologies of recording can be reimagined through the language of textile making, allowing information to persist as material presence. 

the information survives, yet it remains silent

the work resembles a ceremonial hanging or a contemporary tapestry | image © designboom

encountered as part of Visteria Foundation’s Craft Days exhibition | image © designboom

Heard Stories (2026) | image by Kuba Święcicki

Święcicki shifts his attention from moving images to sound | image by Kuba Święcicki

the shimmering curtain-like installation draws from cassette recordings collected from the artist | image by Kuba Święcicki

what was once designed for playback becomes instead a tactile surface | image by Kuba Święcicki

shifting attention from content to material presence | image by Kuba Święcicki

Święcicki investigates how materials can become repositories of collective knowledge | image by Piotr Seweryn

exploring how contemporary craft can generate new forms of participation | image by Piotr Seweryn

Woven Stories, 2023

presented at the Central Museum of Textiles in Łódź and later at KODE Lysverket in Bergen

project info:

name: Stories Seen and Heard

artist: Kuba Święcicki | @_kuba_swiecicki

The post VHS tapes and cassette recordings replace yarn in a woven archive of collective memory appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Three large-scale public artworks by the Dutch artist Arno Coenen transform the Huannan Market in Taipei, Taiwan, into a cultural landscape. The art project, titled ‘The Flavour Dragon’, designed by the same artist behind the world-renowned Horn of Plenty at Markthal in Rotterdam, is a cross-cultural collaboration between Taiwan and the Netherlands, bridging innovative artistic approaches with traditional craftsmanship and aesthetics.

Hosted by Taipei’s central food hub, the public artworks include a six-meter-tall dragon sculpture, a series of eight large ceramic plates, and a printed ceramic mural depicting cultural landmarks in Taiwan. The works were developed through a dynamic creative process with the participation of market vendors, local people, and students, to promote cultural exchange and community co-creation.

‘Auspicious Dragon’ sculpture by Arno Coenen at Huannan Market in Taipei | all images courtesy of Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government

CROSS-CULTURAL COLLABORATION FOR ARTISTIC REALM 

Commissioned by the Taipei City Government Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the Taipei City Market Administration Office, the initiative fosters a cross-cultural collaboration between Arno Coenen and Taiwanese craftspeople. Traditional ceramic techniques, mosaics, and hand-painted porcelain are reshaped in a contemporary context to transform the market space into an artistic realm. The project portrays the market’s future vision blended with the Dutch artist’s contemporary work, integrating digital art, local culture, and traditional craftsmanship.

Huannan Market in Taipei City, Taiwan

‘THE FLAVOUR DRAGON’ FOSTERS COLLECTIVE CRAFT IN PUBLIC ART

‘The Flavour Dragon’ project consists of three interconnected works that showcase craftsmanship, technology, and community participation in an artistic ensemble, reflecting the market’s daily life. The ‘Auspicious Dragon’ is a six-meter-tall sculpture created with the participation of teachers and students from Taipei Municipal Dali High School. It symbolizes vitality and prosperity by representing the breadth of flavors available in the market in Koji pottery, mosaic, and stainless steel structural reinforcements.

A series of eight large ceramic plates adorn the market’s staircase wall. Titled ‘Taste of Huannan’, the series illustrates a day in the life of market vending—from early morning sourcing of produce right up to the dining table in the evening. The motifs were suggested by market vendors and public voting, and they capture human stories and everyday food culture. Produced by artisan potter Chang Mei-Yun, the plates feature the traditional application of fahua ware, a type of low-temperature overglaze enamel ceramics originating in the Yuan–Ming period.

‘Taste of Huannan’ showcases a series of eight large ceramic plates

On the second floor, ‘Urban Impressions’ ceramic mural depicts cultural landmarks such as Longshan Temple, the Red House in Ximending, and Taipei 101. It extends to major agricultural and fishing regions, including Taichung, Changhua, Yunlin, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung, highlighting the market as a national distribution hub and cultural nexus. The ceramic panel also invites visitors to find hidden easter eggs, with its subtle incorporation of references to the Rotterdam artist. With this artistic activation, the Department of Cultural Affairs is strengthening Taiwan cross-cultural connections and encouraging everyone to take part.

‘Urban Impressions’ rich in playful details

ceramic mural covers the wall of the second floor of Huannan Market

‘Taste of Huannan’ ceramic plates crafted by artisan Chang Mei-Yun

plates depicting everyday food culture and human stories

a six-meter-tall sculpture created with teachers and students from Taipei Municipal Dali High School

details of ‘Auspicious Dragon’ sculpture, embodying the market’s food diversity

crafted with Koji pottery and mosaic techniques

Arno Coenen at Huannan Market in Taipei City

project info: 

name: The Flavour Dragon 

artist: Arno Coenen | @arno.coenen

orgazination: Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government

maintenance: Taipei City Market Administration Office

curation: Blue Dragon Art Company

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Japanese design studio torinoko and distributor All Stadium collaborate for a children’s umbrella that encourages sun protection through play. Created in response to increasingly intense summer temperatures, the rain-and-sun umbrella projects playful shadow characters onto the ground, transforming the act of seeking shade into an interactive game, using behavioral design principles to make children want to use one on their own.

Named Kage no Otomodachi, or Shadow Friends, the umbrella reveals a series of illustrated companions within its shadow when opened in direct sunlight, inviting children to follow, chase, and walk alongside these figures, naturally remaining beneath the umbrella’s protective canopy as they play. The designers describe the project as a shift from forcing protective behaviors to creating conditions that encourage them voluntarily.

all images courtesy of torinoko

torinoko turns shade into a game

The concept emerges from a growing concern surrounding children’s exposure to extreme heat. Because children are physically closer to heat-radiating surfaces and their thermoregulation systems are still developing, they can experience significantly higher temperatures than adults perceive. School commutes and outdoor activities during increasingly hot summers have therefore become a growing source of concern for many parents. Parasols may offer an effective form of protection, but convincing children to use them still remains a challenge.

The Japanese designers at torinoko approach the issue by observing children’s natural fascination with shadows. The studio identified shadow play as a familiar and intuitive activity that could be transformed into a behavioral mechanism. The design is based on embedding playful figures within the shaded area cast by the umbrella, encouraging children to remain protected without framing the experience as a rule or obligation. The project ultimately positions shade itself as a source of curiosity and enjoyment.

The umbrella was developed through a collaboration initiated at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Design Management School, where participants from different industries explored ways to reduce risks faced by children in everyday life. Currently launched through the Japanese crowdfunding platform Makuake, the project debuts in a single turquoise-blue color selected for its visibility and ease of recognition outdoors. The team hopes that future production runs will introduce additional colors and further refinements while contributing to a broader cultural acceptance of parasol use among children.

the character-like umbrella is designed to accompany children on daily commutes

torinoko’s design uses children’s fascination with shadows as a behavioral design tool

the umbrella encourages children to stay protected from heat through curiosity and play

illustrated cutouts cast playful eyes onto the ground, creating a shadow companion

the umbrella’s interior reveals a friendly face that becomes visible when opened

Kage no Otomodachi transforms sun protection into a playful experience for children

the playful figure appears whenever the umbrella is used in direct sunlight

children are encouraged to follow the shadow figure while remaining beneath the canopy

reflective details improve visibility during rainy weather and evening walks

project info:

name: Kage no Otomodachi (Shadow Friends)

design: torinoko | @torinoko_

partner: All Stadium

The post this children’s umbrella casts playful characters onto the ground, making sun protection fun appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Developed during a residency at Metropolitan Fukujusou (AiR) in Kyoto, Hacienda Okazaki is a collection by Hoi Kaloi that examines contemporary Japanese material culture through the lens of reuse, vernacular design, and everyday objects. Produced in response to the Okazaki neighborhood, the project assembles found elements from different cultural and historical contexts, combining Mingei antiques and Shōwa-era souvenirs with components sourced from hardware and discount stores.

The collection is constructed as a series of bricolages in which disparate materials and objects are brought together through processes of reappropriation and recombination. Rather than emphasizing notions of artisanal perfection often associated with Japanese craftsmanship, the project considers the relationship between celebrated craft traditions and the ordinary systems, products, and infrastructures that exist alongside them.

all images by Nikos Alexopoulos

Hoi Kaloi challenges romanticized narratives of Japanese crafts

A central theme of the work by designer Hoi Kaloi is a critique of the romanticized image of the ‘shokunin,’ or master craftsman. Hacienda Okazaki proposes that the value of Japanese craftsmanship cannot be separated from the broader material culture of everyday life. In doing so, the collection shifts attention from idealized representations of Japan toward the visual complexity and informal character of its contemporary urban environment.

The work offers a wry look at the Mingei movement, contending that its founding principles of humility and anonymity are now contradicted by its status as museum treasure. Conversely, the anonymous design brilliance of 100-yen shops is presented as the movement’s true successor: accessible design celebrating ‘the beauty of everyday objects.’ As a visual pun, Japan’s omnipresent yellow-and-black hazard stripes serve as an homage to Manchester’s legendary Haçienda nightclub. Inspired by the work of Ben Kelly and Peter Saville, Hacienda Okazaki celebrates aesthetic irreverence through reuse and reappropriation.

an antique religious inscription on a piece of bamboo, turned into a candle holder, era unknown

the back side of the candle holder features an original, engraved religious inscription

materials used for the candle holder were bamboo, polyurethane foam, woven rubber bands, vinyl stickers, PVC lace, steel fittings, enamel, and a beeswax candle

the series combines original Migei antiques with Shōwa era souvenirs and hardware store supplies

an original Mingei wooden handle turned into a portable LED lamp

for the portable lamp, the materials included wood, polyurethane foam, agave fiber, cable ties, cotton rope, a portable LED strip light, PVC lace, and vinyl stickers

a confectionary bowl (Kashiki) from the Shōwa era was elevated by adding foldable steel legs

the ‘Kashiki’ bowl combines materials such as wood, lacquer, polyurethane foam, steel, PVC lace, and woven rubber bands

a lacquered display board (Shikiita Kadai) elevated as a side table, Shōwa era

Hacienda Okazaki is a bricolage of items, from antiques and souvenirs to hardware store supplies

a customised decorative wall plaque from the Shōwa era

a detail of the wall plaque, featuring materials such as wood, polyurethane foam, PVC lace, woven rubber bands, vinyl stickers, agave fiber, a reflective disc, cotton rope, and cable ties

an oversized Matcha Whisk (Chasen) from the Shōwa era utilizes bamboo, polyurethane foam, silk thread, woven rubber band, vinyl stickers

project info:

name: Hacienda Okazaki
designer: Hoi Kaloi | @hoi.kaloi

materials: bamboo, polyurethane foam, woven rubber band, vinyl sticker, PVC lace, steel fittings, enamel, beeswax candle

photographer: Nikos Alexopoulos | @nikosalexopoulos_ph

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

The post hardware store finds, craft, and yellow-and-black hazard stripes collide in hacienda okazaki appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.