“Masquerading With the Wind: For Health and Joy” (2023) by Cyle Warner. Image courtesy of Sotheby’s…
The Design Dispatch offers expertly written and essential news from the design world crafted by our dedicated team. Think of it as your cheat sheet for the day in design delivered to your inbox before you’ve had your coffee. Subscribe now.
ArtNoir and Sotheby’s Launch International Art Grants
The Jar of Love Fund began as a micro-grant initiative in 2020 by ArtNoir, the international collective dedicated to pursuing cultural equity in arts and culture. Now in its fourth year, the program counts Sotheby’s and the Black British Artists Grant Program as collaborators in its mission to bring funding to artists, curators, and cultural producers of color. The 2024 Jar of Love Grant will bring $5,000 in funding to recipients in New York and London. Applications for New York City are open until July 6, and London applications will open at the end of July. —Jenna Adrian-Diaz
The Olson Kundig team. Photography by Elizabeth Rudge…
Olson Kundig has announced the opening of its third office, located in Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood, joining its Seattle and New York locations. Founded in 1966 by Tom Kundig and Jim Olson, the firm has been active in the Midwest since 2004 and sees Chicago as a key strategic location due to its historic architectural significance. With more than 350 employees, the firm will continue to work globally and double down on projects in urban settings. “For over 150 years, Chicago architects have carved out a reputation for big thinking and an ability to reimagine our built world,” Tom Kundig, Olson Kundig principal and founder, said in a statement.
London-based fashion mystery box service Heat has launched Mile, a members-only shopping destination offering exclusive pricing on luxury fashion. The collection includes a mix of archived and current pieces from brands like Brunello Cucinelli, Comme des Garçons, and Off-White, with discounts up to 90 percent. Mile aims to address excess inventory without diluting brands, catering to seasonless shoppers who value quality and meaning, and is backed by prominent investors such as LVMH Luxury Ventures and Carmen Busquets.
Anya Gallaccio with a maquette of her proposal for The AIDS Memorial London. Photography by GW…
Anya Gallaccio has been chosen to create London’s first memorial for those affected by HIV/AIDS, featuring a tree trunk cross-section with some rings removed to form a bench-like community space. This monument, funded with £130,000 ($167,000) from Mayor Sadiq Khan and the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm, will be installed on South Crescent, Store Street in Fitzrovia. Gallaccio’s design aims to provide an inclusive space for remembrance, addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS on disproportionately affected communities while fostering community gatherings and reflection.
Heatherwick Studio reveals a large glass canopy for Olympia’s regeneration in London.
Heatherwick Studio has revealed visuals for a large-scale glass canopy as part of the Olympia regeneration project in London. The project aims to transform the 138-year-old exhibition halls into a cultural and entertainment destination featuring two hotels, more than 30 dining options, a music hall, a theater, and extensive public spaces. The distinctive canopy, comprising five large curved steel arches and 520 glass panels, will connect Olympia’s historic elements with modern advancements, enhancing visitor experience and drawing 10 million visitors annually.
Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki, known for designing 4 World Trade Center and co-founding the metabolism movement, has died at 95. Maki, who studied at the University of Tokyo and Harvard, combined Eastern and Western influences in his diverse modernist buildings, such as the Nippon Convention Center and Hillside Terrace Apartments. Celebrated with the Pritzker Architecture Prize and AIA Gold Medal, his notable projects include the UN expansion in New York, the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, and the Aga Khan Centre in London, with his firm Maki and Associates continuing his visionary work.
Aerial view of Vietnam’s construction work in the South China Sea. Photography by CSIS/AMTI…
