Stories
Queer Refusal
Queer voices in design and urbanism explore architecture as a site of disobedience in a roundtable to mark the publication of Queer Spaces: An Atlas of LGBTQIA+ Places and Stories.
A Neotenic State of Mind
From Disegno #22, Justin Donnelly unpacks the science behind super-cute furniture that makes your subconscious squee.
Design Line: 4 – 10 March
Clapping and scrolling all around this week on Design Line as David Chipperfield finally gets his Pritzker Prize, Bethan Laura Wood enters the NGV’s permanent collection, and Spotify attempts to get a bit of that TikTok magic.
Design Line: 25 February – 3 March
This week, Design Line spotlights China’s design for a new lunar lander, the Ukrainian postal service’s stamp-based message to Putin, and Nokia’s digital-first rebrand.
Learning from Failure
Designer Ineke Hans shares what she learnt from the second life of her recycled plastic chair Rex in Learning from Failure.
Better Sensation
Johanna Agerman Ross travels to Burgundy to interview designer Erwan Bouroullec at La Grange, the rural retreat that’s transforming his practice.
Design Line: 18 – 24 February
The design world addresses the climate crisis in this edition of Design Line, with new initiatives, prizes and promises to make the Venice Architecture Biennale carbon neutral.
To Be Clear
Phone (1) by tech startup Nothing is a transparent smartphone that’s a direct response to the industry’s obsession with black box design and programmed obsolescence.
Embrace the Weird
Sophie Tolhurst reviews Weird Sensation Feels Good, and asks what gets sanitised when an internet phenomena is embraced by traditional design institutions.
Design Line: 11 – 17 February
Pharrell Williams gets the nod from Louis Vuitton, Jony Ive’s new heraldry, and the 15-minute city moral panic all feature on Design Line this week.
Politically Erect
Photographer Alastair Philip Wiper documents the rigorous testing processes at Worlds Best Condom Factory in Denmark.
A Belief in Kindness
For Seen on Screen, Sharon Lam breaks down how the googly eye motif became the emotional through-line of Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Design Line: 4 – 10 February
This week, Design Line features the launch of the Scandinavian Design Awards, Burberry’s new (old) look, and a funeral home for composting.
Essential Forms
How some downtime watching Netflix provided the moment of inspiration for Julien Renault to design the Pastis chair and table for Hay.
Fibre to Form
Disegno reveals the secrets of Forward, Nike’s years-long confidential research project culminating in a new material made from plastic bottles.
Design Line: 28 January – 3 February
Jony Ive upgrades the Red Nose Day clown nose, Tiffany & Co and Nike join forces for a bland cash grab, and Mercedes-Benz promises a future where you can play video games behind the wheel on this week’s Design Line.
Caring is Sharing
Maison&Objet returns to Paris for 2023 with an enthusiastic message of caring for the environment and each other.
Delft Blue Rhymes with Fake Handbags
Eighteenth-century pottery meets knock-off Gucci in this column from Tetsuo Mukai mapping the history of designing and making fakes.