Simon Keane-Cowell News

Issue 01 – Your new monthly round-up of the best brand stories. Insightful, inspiring and often entertaining. Very Architonic!

There was strength (and warmth) in numbers at this year’s Stockholm Design Week and Stockholm Furniture Fair.

Me and you and everyone we know. That was 2023.

With elegant, tailor-made bathroom products, Bette has helped Grüntuch Ernst Architekten transform one of the most unlikely places to find high-class hospitality – a former prison – into a luxury hotel.

The third edition of Switzerland's largest design event brought together emerging talent and established names for an investigation into circularity, place-making and contemporary design practice.

Leaves aren't the only things changing. October was packed with industry gatherings to discuss new ways to tackle our shared future – while we proudly launched our new DAAily insights tool, which will help fuel yours.

We're all in this together. Architonic's autumn kicks off with circularity and community.

Climate action and actioning innovation. An Architonic summer.

Check out our Architonic Live Talks – in-depth conversations with A&D heroes, filmed at the New York, Cologne and Copenhagen fairs – for a healthy dose of design inspiration and industry revelation.

Back from Milan with learned lessons, refreshed relationships and no lost luggage.

From a self-funding, architect-founded start-up in 2003 to DAAily platforms – the world’s biggest A&D community – we look at the mission, the milestones and the magic.

Designer Stefan Diez shares his thoughts on the evolving landscape of physical fairs while proposing a potential path forward, in the first of a new series of imm cologne-sponsored interviews…

In the first instalment of a new thought-provoking series of candid interviews on the future of physical design fairs – sponsored by imm cologne – AW Designer of the Year Stefan Diez discusses the good, the bad and the ugly…

In the latest in our series of Architonic interviews with leading sustainability experts globally, we pose a focused set of no-nonsense questions to Marloes Fischer, founder and managing director of Swiss-based Circular Hub. The call goes out to

Metaversal musings, bright sparks and workplace affairs – that was 2022.

Carmelo Zappulla of External Reference brightens up Light + Building, explaining how light adds an emotional layer to environments: 'It animates a space.' Watch the video to learn more…

Andreas Schulz of Licht Kunst Licht highlights the use of both daylight and artificial light as resources, but also notes the difference: 'We love the change from day to night.' Watch the video here…

Axel Schmid's illuminating discussion at Light + Building defends our use of artificial light as a material: 'Light consumes energy, but you cannot live without it.' Watch the video for more…

Ulrike Brandi spotlights the role of lighting design at Light + Building, claiming we must 'reorganise our design processes to serve society.' Hear more of what she had to say here…

Sascha Rullkötter of SOP discusses targeting timeless and flexible solutions over identifiable architecture: 'We are not the creator of big signatures.' Watch the video to hear more…

David Marquardt of MACH Architektur explains why flexibility is key for modern workspaces: 'You don't need big meeting rooms, sitting empty.' Watch the video to hear what else he has to say…

'Applying international and globally recognised certifications is not enough if there is no "self-certification",' argues the award-winning office's top team.

The energy crisis, energetic thinking on sustainability and the power of lighting design.

Dori Sadan of m-i-r-a explains his priority when designing a project's materiality: 'We address the bones of the space first, the surfaces.' Watch the video to hear more…

Swedish-Spanish design duo Space Popular, working at the interface between physical and virtual space, are anything but superficial. Get their thought-provoking insights here.

Moving from January to June for its 2023 edition, imm cologne is repositioning itself. And not just in terms of scheduling. Architonic discusses the opportunities and challenges with its creative director.

Martin Postler of innovationist industrial-design studio PostlerFerguson reminds us of the challenges to, and the potential for, the design industry adopting a truly circular economy.

India Mahdavi explains the use of furniture beyond the functional: 'I use furniture architecturally as a main identifying element.' Watch the video to hear what else she has to say…

Luke Pearson and Tom Lloyd of innovation-led studio Pearson Lloyd talk design circularity, the aesthetics of sustainability and why they hate the term 'form factor'.

Global Design Agenda's Sustainability Design Week speakers stress the need to design and build sustainable cities for survival.

Craig Robertson of AHMM explains the opposing factors of modern architecture: 'Different stakeholders have different ideas of what a good building is.' Watch the video to hear what else he has to say…

Martin Voelkle of BIG discusses sustainable architecture: ‘If it’s made from sustainable material, then you should be able to see it.’ Watch the video to hear more…

DAAily platforms launches in a super-hot Milan, while we cool down with the Global Design Agenda Bathroom Design Week

Marc Sadler discusses combining functional intelligence with emotional environments in bathrooms, 'Design is tech that you control and style.' Watch the video to learn more…

Matteo Thun discusses eliminating bathroom touch points: 'The future of the bathroom is touch-free. You need clean, big surfaces.' Watch the video to learn more…

Find out why the recently renovated Interni flagship store in Milan is symbolic of the Italian company's larger goal of offering full-service partnerships to designers and architects worldwide.

Against the backdrop of a potential global food crisis, our Kitchen Design Week speakers discuss the future of the kitchen, both functionally and culturally. And, in the near future, our DAAily bar in Milan opens its doors.

Cristiano Pigazzini and Daniel Heckscher of Note Design Studio converse on future kitchen requirements: 'It is cheaper to get food than to prepare food.' Watch the video to hear more…

Dries Otten discusses keeping things simple in kitchen design: 'I always try to bring it down to the basic question, what do we really need?' Watch the video to hear what else he has to say…

The limits of the architect, the limits of furniture, and unlimited fun at our DAAily bar in Milan.

Monica Armani discusses the materiality of outdoor furniture: 'There are many secrets that everyone working in the outdoor market knows.' Watch the video to learn more…

Christina Seilern of Studio Seilern Architects discusses giving outdoor public spaces multiple characters: 'People will use it the way they want to.' Watch the video to learn more…

Patrick Jouin of Patrick Jouin iD introduces the hardwearing comfort of new outdoor materials: 'We have fabric that can resist the sun and the rain, that is so sensual.' Watch the video to learn more…

Luca Nichetto of Nichetto Studio discusses designing for outdoor as if it were indoor: 'You can take a sofa that is designed for outdoor and put it in your living room.' Watch the video to learn more…

Maison&Objet 2022 Designer of the Year Franklin Azzi on architectural surgery, the current state of French design and why new build could soon be a thing of the past.

MAKE's Katy Ghahremani discusses selecting furniture early in the design process: 'It's important to show clients the materiality of spaces in the context of the FF&E.' Watch the video to learn more…

Alfredo Häberli of Alfredo Häberli Design Development discusses furniture that touches the soul: 'You can ask, is this piece of furniture design talking to me or not?' Watch the video to learn more…

Benedetta Tagliabue of EMBT discusses an architect's desire to design all parts of a project, including the furniture: 'Everything goes together and everything is a whole.' Watch the video to learn more…

Sebastian Herkner discusses respecting well-designed products: 'It's important to cherish a product, to keep it as an investment.' Watch the video to learn more…

Solidarity with Ukraine and its architectural scene, switching on our Global Design Agenda’s Lighting Design Week and filming a transformative workplace in Germany.

Bernhard Dessecker discusses improving the quality of light, not the quantity: ‘Light is precious and is only needed when you want it. Otherwise, it’s pollution.’ Watch the video to learn more…

Daniel Monheim of Christ & Gantenbein discusses using daylight as an architectural tool: ‘Daylight defines if a ground-floor workspace is usable or not.’ Watch the video to learn more…

Carmelo Zappulla discusses the role of technology in designing with artificial light: ‘Technology is part of my research to find a solution to conceptual problems.’ Watch the video to learn more…

Daan Roosegaarde of Studio Roosegaarde discusses connecting with our environment by removing design: ‘I realised we have this amazing light performance in the sky – the stars – but we don’t see them anymore.’ Watch the video to learn

Catalan creativity, the architectural El Clásico and Italian environmentalism.

Patrick Lüth of Snøhetta discusses creating sustainable and site-specific hospitality: 'We want to create a unique, specific atmosphere derived from the physical location.' Watch the video to learn more…

Edward van Vliet discusses how he creates unique hospitality experiences from the ground up, arguing that 'when you start with the floor in a certain pattern, then you have done half of your work.' Watch the video to learn more…

Diego Gronda of Studio Gronda discusses designing for the guest experience and sustainable, adaptable interiors: 'We cannot keep on demolishing structures.'

Jason Holley of Universal Design Studio discusses contrasting material palettes and commercial public space: 'Public spaces that are being created at the moment are private.' Watch the video to learn more…

Thomas Spranger of Max Dudler discusses how a project’s architectural language is inspired by its environment: ‘From the very start, we think in terms of materials.’

Fermín Vázquez of b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos discusses how the availability of many new materials can cause great failure, ‘We haven't learned quick enough.’ Watch the video to hear more…

Antoine Chaaya of Renzo Piano Building Workshop discusses how a site’s soul can inspire its materials and the poetic voices in certain buildings, ‘when buildings start to sing, we are in architecture.’ Watch the video to hear more…

Mark Fenwick of Fenwick Iribarren discusses the legacy of the firm’s moveable Stadium 974 in Doha for the World Cup 2022, ‘It’s this idea to basically get rid of white elephants.’ Watch the video to learn more…

To the power of three! Designboom – the world's first online magazine – joins forces with Architonic and ArchDaily to consolidate our combined position as the world's foremost destination for curated, inspiring, and relevant premium A&D

The great departed and the arrival of new voices. Welcome to 2022.

Get some bonus construction insights and tips from our design week experts – Stefan Behnisch from Behnisch Architekten, Jürgen Mayer H from J. Mayer H. and Nuno Fontarra from Mecanoo!

Nuno Fontarra from Mecanoo highlights that for some projects, the main focus is not the material, but the idea. Watch him explore this topic in the video below...

Jürgen Mayer H reflects on our emotional connectivity to buildings and spaces. Watch him address this concept and more in the video...

Stefan Behnisch from Behnisch Architekten talks construction, specification and how less really is more.

‘How can we create spaces according to elementary human needs?’ asks Martin Lesjak of Innocad. Watch him address this question and more in the video.

For CF Møller's Julian Weyer, 'the real point of an office these days is as a place of engagement'. Find out what else he has to say about the modern workspace in the video...

‘A contemporary workspace is not about designing a place. It's about translating the culture, the identity of a company,’ says Peter Ippolito of Ippolito Fleitz Group. Find out more in the video...

Despite new and ever-evolving working habits and rhythms, for Lauren Touhey-Otto of Berlin-based architecture office Kinzo, the office still has a central role to play in how we work...

Axel Schmid of Ingo Maurer discusses how new lighting technology is not only a benefit in itself, but also the source of new ideas, tools and possibilities. Watch to learn more...

Pierre Jorge Gonzalez of Gonzalez Haase AAS talks about the role of light in the office of the future. Find out more in the video.

The poetry and pragmatism of light with Guillermo López of New York-based architecture office MAIO.

‘Light is the essence of architecture,’ say Oliver and Tobias Link of Tobias Link Lighting Design. Watch the video for more insights...

Get some bonus surface insights and tips from our design week experts – Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen, Peter Bundgaard Rützou and Joaquin Vaquero!

‘An architect defines a space, but its real meaning comes from its surfaces,’ says Joaquin Vaquero of CLK Architects. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

‘We tend to go back to surfaces that allow time to pass, that show the imprint of what happens,’ says Peter Bundgaard Rützou of Space Copenhagen. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

‘The ultimate goal is that an empty space should feel welcoming just by the choice of materials,’ says Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm Architects. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

For architect Hadi Teherani, ‘Furniture is like the actor in the theatre of architecture.’ We spoke with him live from Milan Design Week and you can see some highlights in the video below...

'When you're in an emergency, you do your best to experiment, to accelerate experimentation,' believes Stefano Boeri. Watch the video for more from the architect and curator of this year’s supersalone event in Milan...

‘When we design something, we're already thinking about how people will take pictures of it,’ say Fabio Calvi & Paolo Brambilla. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

‘25 per cent of the carbon of a building is the interior and furniture plays a huge part in that,’ says Mike Holland from Foster + Partners. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

‘The desk still means identity and ownership,’ says Yasmin Al-Ani Spence from WilkinsonEyre. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

In 2022, we will once again be bringing together a diverse range of expert voices from the world of architecture, design and planning to share their valuable industry insights.

Sustainability Design Week: The Dutch designer talks plastic, greenwashing and why he's never short of apples.

Sustainability Design Week: Andrea Rossi of Mario Cucinella Architects talks 3D-printed buildings and more.

Sustainability Design Week: Discover what's really at stake for design innovator Yves Béhar of fuseproject.

Sustainability Design Week: Kim Nielsen explains how the research-led, Danish-founded practice has sustainability and circularity running through its veins.

What does sustainability mean and how can it be achieved? Four leading expert-thinkers and practitioners cut through the greenwashing.

Get some bonus outdoor insights from designer Eugeni Quitllet, Martin Rein-Cano from Topotek 1 and CMP Design’s Antonio Pagliarulo and Michele Cazzaniga.

‘The design of outdoor furniture must be very, very far from style,’ argue Antonio Pagliarulo and Michele Cazzaniga of CMP Design. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

‘Public spaces are no longer just for leisure. They're becoming workspaces, productive spaces,’ says Martin Rein-Cano of Topotek 1. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

‘Outdoor furniture is like a Land Rover. It's not a Ferrari you keep in the garage and clean every day,’ says Eugeni Quitllet. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

Step outside with Topotek 1, Eugeni Quitllet and CMP Design.

Get some bonus flooring insights from Jan Parth of David Chipperfield Architects, Peter Ippolito from Ippolito Fleitz Group and MACH Architektur’s David Marquardt.

‘The floor is the foundation of any design in the end,’ says David Marquardt of MACH Architektur. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

‘A surface is always the last touchpoint of a proof of concept,’ says Peter Ippolito of Ippolito Fleitz Group. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

‘The installation of flooring on site is when the project becomes a real building,’ says Jan Parth of David Chipperfield Architects. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

Jan Parth from David Chipperfield Architects, Peter Ippolito of Ippolito Fleitz Group, and MACH Architektur's David Marquardt share some thoughts on the ground beneath our feet.

The renowned German-American architect, known in particular for his high-rise and airport projects, is killed in a tragic accident in Chicago.

Get some bonus textile insights from Hella Jongerius, Sevil Peach and Cristian Zuzunaga.

‘Textile designers are too deep into the process. I prefer not to know much,’ says Cristian Zuzunaga. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

‘Textiles can be the primary tool in the creation of a space,’ says Sevil Peach. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

‘We only think of textile as a flat surface, as a skin. But it's really a constructive material,’ says Hella Jongerius. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

Professional insights all week from Hella Jongerius, Sevil Peach and Cristian Zuzunaga on the active benefits textiles can deliver in defining and articulating space.

Get some bonus kitchen insights from Norbert Wangen, Alireza Razavi from Studio Razavi and Gary Singer from Eggersmann Design.

‘Some technology is useful, but there's a lot of rubbish out there,’ argues Gary Singer of Eggersmann Design. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

‘Of all the different parts of a house, the kitchen seems to be the focus of most of the client's expectations,’ suggests Alireza Razavi of Studio Razavi. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

‘We treat the kitchen like a piece of furniture,’ says architect and kitchen designer Norbert Wangen. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

Watch now for professional kitchen design, planning and specification insights from Norbert Wangen, Alireza Razavi of Studio Razavi, and Eggersmann Design's Gary Singer.

New for 2021! Architonic hosts the Global Design Agenda – the architects' programme of design weeks for planning insights, market trends and product launches.

'The bathroom is obviously a very personal space – you're naked most of the time!' says Ariane Steinbeck. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

'Water is something unpredictable and it always goes wrong,' says Lukasz Zagala. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

Design meets fashion. And, for once, in a good way. The super-brand Kartell by Laufen bathroom collection gets a new set of clothes…

'A good bathroom is a living room also,' say Peter Jöhnk & Corinna Kretschmar. Watch now for more insight and commentary!

For some valuable insights on what the bathroom means today, we've spoken to Peter Jöhnk and Corinna Kretschmar of JOI-Design, Lukasz Zagala from Medusa Group and RPW Design's Ariane Steinbeck.