Índex per Winter 2024 a Frame

‘Soil is the point of contact for buildings everywhere, and it’s important to design a relationship with it.’ This is a quote by bacteri-architect Tsukasa Ono featured in our new book The Futureproof Home: Design for Conscious Living, which I encourage you to check out as it makes a case for contemporary housing to be crafted with a conscious awareness of the land it occupies, the materials it comprises and the lives that will inhabit it. In other words: to consider the interconnectedness of our built environment, the natural world and society at large. As I’m reading through all the stories of the sustainability-themed issue you currently have in your hands, I’m noticing a similar focus on interconnectedness – it has, in fact, become somewhat of a common thread. Many…

Context is key to the work of RAD+ar (Research Artistic Design+architecture), a group of architects, designers and thinkers operating in the fields of architecture, urbanism, research and development. And it played a significant role in shaping the collective, which calls Jakarta and Bali home and was established in 2017. The group’s initiator, Indonesian architect Antonius Richard, has encountered both the economically disadvantaged and the privileged parts of Asia in building his career: experiences that have deeply influenced his vision of architecture and design. After growing up in a developing economy and studying in Bandung, the capital of Indonesia’s West Java province, Richard eventually found himself working at WOHA in the wealthy city-state of Singapore. ‘Working at the best and biggest tropical architecture and design company was certainly an eye-opener,’ says…

Tracey Alice, tell us what drives Re:arc Institute and the work you’re doing. Alice The climate crisis is closely tied to the built environment, with the building sector accounting for 37 per cent of global energy use and carbon emissions. Simultaneously, the intersecting effects of climate breakdown are increasingly impeding access to essential resources such as clean water, food security and housing across the planet. At the same time, we believe that architecture, urban planning and the built environment are tremendously overlooked leverage points in the context of the climate crisis, and that the field has historically been slow to innovate. Under a different framework, however, we believe we can catalyse support for a variety of situated, spatial practices that respond to their local socio-environmental needs and contribute towards a…

With the opening of two new showrooms in Los Angeles and Miami, Senso expands its footprint in luxury interior design, offering spaces where creativity and innovation meet. The Dutch-born brand offers the highest-graded certified sustainable seamless flooring in the market, achieving Cradle to Cradle certification in 2019. In the Culver City Arts District in Los Angeles (pictured), Senso has collaborated with ‘innovative, provocative and poetic’ Dutch furniture brand Moooi. More than just a retail space, the showroom is designed as a hub for creatives and luxury consumers to explore, be inspired and collaborate. As an area known for its blend of historical architecture, galleries and creative industries ranging from music to film and entertainment, the Arts District is the perfect context for Senso’s new Los Angeles home. Highlighting the spirit…

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The most pressing challenges facing our food systems today, believes Helis Heiter, include the disconnect between people and the sources of their food, the unsustainability of current agricultural practices and the prevalence of waste. ‘Modern food systems often obscure the effort and resources involved in food production, leading to a lack of appreciation and, consequently, irresponsible consumption,’ she says. ‘In addition, the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of soil health are critical issues that threaten our ability to sustainably produce food for future generations.’ These issues prompted the London-based Estonian artist and designer to launch Heiter X, which focuses on the intersection of food, people and the environment. Food was the medium of choice because ‘it’s the most intimate way we interact with the environment on a daily basis’,…

The universe of biomaterials seems to be continually expanding. It’s become less rare to come across furniture grown from mycelium or surfaces fashioned from fruit-skin ‘leather’. While the creativity on this end appears to be endless, the promise of biobased materials doesn’t come without pitfalls, with accessibility and scalability two of the commonly cited problems. From her own innovation in the development and production of biomaterials to her collectivist and activist ethos grounded in the proliferation of know-how with other creatives, Bonnie Hvillum, the founder of Natural Material Studio, is among the designers leading the effort to overcome these hurdles and proliferate the hope that biomaterials can promise. Trained initially as an interaction designer, Hvillum believes that working with materials taps into many different disciplines, and considers interactivity foundational to…

It was during an architecture internship in Antwerp after completing her Master’s degree in interior architecture that Sabine De Schutter saw the light, so to speak. ‘I realized the importance of light and the vital role it plays in architecture and interior design,’ she says. ‘That a space can be perceived so differently depending on the light.’ Wanting to learn more about how to use the tools of light to manipulate interior atmospheres, she pursued a Master’s in architectural lighting design, and eventually founded Berlin-and Antwerp-based independent lighting consultancy Studio De Schutter. De Schutter believes that the design of a space should be holistic, a Gesamtkunstwerk. ‘Whereas architecture is static, lighting – both natural and artificial – can constantly change. Well-defined lighting can be used to suit the function of…

What makes a neighbourhood sustainable? It’s hard to distil a concept that encompasses transport, construction, economics, climate resilience, social inclusivity and more into simple metrics. But ‘walkability’ – defined in a June 2024 report by Arup as a place where ‘more than half of journeys are made by active or sustainable modes’ – may be our best indicator yet. Key to the 15-minute city movement, walkability is not just about reducing reliance on the private car. The easier a neighbourhood is to get around on foot, the better the health and quality of life of its residents. Crucially, people who can access local amenities and green spaces are more likely to feel a sense of belonging, ensuring the longterm success of a neighbourhood. COMMUNITY CHARACTER Another strength of designing neighbourhoods…