Business of Design
Why a New Proposal Might Kill New York’s Hospitality Comeback

A new controversial plan to require approval for every new hotel could endanger the city's...

Spatial Awareness
In Chicago, a Miesian Lobby Honors Its Architectural Forebears

Staying faithful to Chicago's vernacular, Norman Kelley restores an outmoded lobby into a gleaming...

BUSINESS OF DESIGN
Why More Furniture Will Continue To Be Sold Online After The Pandemic

Furniture sales will account for over 14% of total retail online sales by 2022.

DESIGN
A Sprightly Paint Collection Inspired by California’s Landscape

To celebrate its 75th anniversary, Farrow & Ball teamed with Kelly Wearstler to create a...

Business of Design
Herman Miller Is Merging With Knoll For $1.8 Billion

Looking to take advantage of workplace renovations and restructurings as the pandemic eases,...

Business of Design
Why Lumber Prices Are At An All-Time High

The price of lumber has skyrocketed to $1,048 per thousand board feet, up 193% from a year ago.

Spatial Awareness
Spatial Awareness: Heatherwick Studio’s Biophilic Balconies in Singapore

Like the biblical garden, the residential building Eden in the historic Newton district is a...

Architecture
SHoP Architects Unveils Mixed-Use Development Housing the Museum of Civil Rights in Harlem

In addition to the museum, two mixed-use towers will add nearly one million square feet of office,...

Architecture
TikTok Parent Company, ByteDance, Reveals New HQ in Shenzhen

Ennead Architects's international competition winning design for ByteDance’s Houhai Center in...

Design Dispatch
Artist Sam Durant resurfaces from the “Scaffold” controversy with a drone, and Other News

Our daily look at the world through the lens of design.

Design Dispatch
Taco Bell’s New Times Square Cantina Features Food Lockers and Other News

Our daily look at the world through the lens of design.

Design
Maarten Baas Brews A Delightful Tea Set With Ear-Like Handles

The Dutch designer creates a limited-edition series of ceramic vessels made of interlocking circles

Design Dose
Cannabis Gift Guide

A new generation of design-savvy entrepreneurs and consumers have turned weed into a contemporary...

Business of Design
Only One Quarter of Americans Are Familiar With NFTs

Even after NFTs were explained to them, most Americans admit to not quite understanding how they...

Design
Faye Toogood and Birkenstock Debut a Capsule Collection of Custom Arizona Sandals, Comfort Clothes, and an Eye-Popping Sculptural Bed

The collaboration continues Birkenstock’s overtures to luxury fashion and gives the British...

Business of Design
Did COVID-19 Propel America Closer To A Cashless Future?

Since the pandemic began one year ago, there has been an 8.3% decrease in cash transactions.

NEED TO KNOW
Jessica Lichtenstein Turns COVID-Induced Anxieties Into Works of Art

For her solo exhibition, Jessica Lichtenstein examines the human psyche with 4,000 quotes she...

Business of Design
How Compass Aims To Go Public As A Tech Company

Compass is setting its sights to go public at a $10 billion valuation, positioning itself as a tech

Need To Know
Thomas Heyer of Cover Democratizes Design With Factory-Made Homes

Thomas Heyer, lead designer at Cover, shares how retooling traditional construction methods can...

HIGH DESIGN
On the New Creativity Cleaning Up Cannabis’s Reputation 

Santiago Rodriguez Tarditi and David Paleschuck dish on the industry’s present and future.

CURRENTLY COVETING
Wrensilva Teams Up With Beatles Album Cover Artist to Create Limited Edition Poster

The Hi-Fi record player purveyor commissioned the legendary John Van Hamersveld whose artwork...

Business of Design
Why Google Is Leaving Silicon Valley Behind

Google is investing over $7 billion in offices and data centers across the nation and creating at...

DESIGNER OF THE DAY
Designer of the Day: Bennet Schlesinger

Bennet Schlesinger’s light sculptures, lamps, and ceramics evoke alien-like landscapes by...

Business of Design
After Its Worst Year, The Hotel Industry Is Regaining Footing

Hotel occupancy rates are the highest since November, surging 49% in the first week of March.

DESIGNER OF THE DAY
Designer of the Day: Stéphanie D’heygere

For her namesake accessories label, Stéphanie D'heygere transforms everyday objects into ingenious

Architecture
Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal Win the 2021 Pritzker Prize

The French duo’s greatest projects champion affordable and readily available materials, while...

Need To Know
Building Boston: Architect David Hacin Cultivates Livability and Local Character in His Hometown

With a deep appreciation for Boston and its history, the Hacin + Associates founding principal and...

Business of Design
The Robots Are Coming For Your Job

Those who hold college degrees and/or have specialized training are no longer safe from automation.

Business of Design
Will Amazon Take Over Manhattan’s Empty Midtown Offices?

Now that Amazon has reached 2.4 million package deliveries every day, the U.S.’s largest delivery

Business of Design
Why Charging Stations Are The Design Challenge Of The Decade

The new Biden administration has plans to install 500,000 new EV plugs across the US by 2030.

DESIGN
Naoto Fukasawa’s Latest Chair Dials Into Our Unconscious Behavior

With the release of Za, American furniture maker Emeco expands its roster of battleship-proof...

Business of Design
Why Gaming Is The Furniture Industry’s Next Booming Market

Game participation in the U.S. is at an all time high— in terms of participation, time and...

Business of Design
New Airbnb Hosts Made $1 Billion During The Pandemic

Airbnb created an economic opportunity for homeowners to earn needed extra income by listing their...

Business of Design
Why The Virtual Edition of KBIS Catastrophically Failed

"Unresolvable” technical difficulties plagued the virtual edition of the annual trade show put on

COMMISSION
The Future of Work Might Look Like This

Five architecture and design firms envision post-pandemic professional landscapes.

Business of Design
Clever Design May Have Helped Bumble’s Shares Soar 75% After IPO

The dating app—founded by a woman for women and designed to enable women to make the first...

Business of Design
1stDibs Will Probably Launch a Billion-Dollar IPO

1stDibs is likely launching IPO. The luxury resale giant has reached out to banks to lead an...

Project Spotlight
Gabriele Colangelo’s Boutique Redefines What Shopping Feels Like

Like a well-tailored garment, Montalba Architects envisions a luminous interior for the Italian...

Business of Design
10% Of The World’s Carbon Emissions Are Made By The Fashion Industry

The fashion industry as a whole is largely unregulated. This is a huge problem for workers and the...

Design Dose
The Surface Valentine’s Day Gift Guide Is Here

Our Valentine’s Day gift guide is geared toward a discerning consumer who, like us, tends to...

Business of Design
Why American and Southwest Airlines Had Record Annual Losses—And How Recovery Remains Elusive

After a record breaking year of annual looses, Southwest Airlines reported its first annual loss...

Business of Design
Are Strip Malls The Solution To California’s Housing Crisis?

Bills propose closing California’s humongous housing gap with commercial-to-residential...

High Design
A Dispensary Goes High End in Downtown Toronto

Edition, a high-concept cannabis purveyor, partnered with architects Jennifer Kudlats and Andrew...

Business of Design
In 2020, The Lowest Amount of NYC Building Permits Were Filed in Eight Years

Construction in New York City decreased for the fourth straight year in 2020, according to a new...

ART
The Internet Got Really Creative With This Bernie Sanders Meme

After an image of Sanders sitting uncomfortably at the presidential inauguration went viral, the...

Business of Design
New York City Renters Owe More Than $1 Billion in Unpaid Rent

As the state amps up vaccination efforts amid the second strain of the Coronavirus, the government...

Design
Harry Nuriev’s Furry Furniture Will Make You Smile

The Crosby Studios founder expands his interiors practice by launching a lively suite of furniture,

Business of Design
8 U.S. Tech Businesses Priced IPOs This Week, Raising an Estimated $5 Billion

In what could be the biggest week for new listings in more than five years, at least eight...

Project Spotlight
This Los Angeles Backyard Home Has Views For Days

With backgrounds in architecture, software, automotive, and aerospace, Cover thoughtfully designed...

Currently Coveting
Suite NY’s Handpicked Furnishings Challenge Convention

With three new collections from Sweden and Germany in tow, the venerable New York City showroom...

Business of Design
How Iran Found a Lifeline in Domestic Economy

Despite crippling U.S. sanctions and the ongoing pandemic, Iran’s diversified economy is...

IN MEMORIAM
The Creative Visionaries We Lost in 2020

As this tumultuous year draws to a close, we remember the memorable architects, designers, artists,

(Online) Experiential Exhibition
Can the Noguchi Museum’s Serene Atmosphere Translate Online?

A new film series, Distance Noguchi, attempts to recreate the passage of time inside the museum’s

Need To Know
How Wrensilva Makes Music Sound Like Liquid Velvet

The founders of the HiFi record console company have true grit and deep roots in music....

Business of Design
39% of Carbon Dioxide Emissions Are Caused by Construction

Amid COVID-19, multifunctional buildings and mixed-use projects will be the face of transformations

Design Dose
The Best Designed Gifts of 2020

The annual Surface gift guide is here to bring beauty to your holiday festivities in the strangest...

Design Dose
ICYMI The Week in Design Dose

From a marble lamp by Salvatori to Rimowa x Moncler's shiny reflective suitcase to Issey Miyake's...

Business of Design
There Are 1 Billion Unsold Hotel Rooms In The U.S.

Even as vaccine approvals seemingly anticipate better days, a long recovery stretches ahead for...

Design Dose
The Surface Holiday Gift Guide Is Here

This year’s holiday gifts are all about the pleasures of home, from cannabis to fashion to...

Currently Coveting
A Smartphone Designed To Keep You Off It?

The designers responsible for bringing Palm back think this pared-down device the size of a credit...

Design Dose
ICYMI The Week in Design Dose

From a porcelain banana by WRK Katie Ridley Murphy to AMASS's super yummy smelling Four Thieves...

Business of Design
How Airbnb Navigated The Coronavirus Pandemic To Valuing its IPO at $100 Billion

How does a travel company go public during a pandemic? While COVID-19 restrictions shut off...

Partnership
Armani/Casa’s Black Leather Gym Equipment Makes Fitness Fashionable

Giorgio Armani’s new fitness accessories are soft to the touch, handsome, and exquisite design...

Business of Design
This Is Why Retail Chains Are Reducing Construction Spending

U.S. retailers have decreased construction spending, moving away from brick-and-mortar, which has...

Business of Design
Why Black Friday Looks Different This Year

The coronavirus has drastically changed our spending habits. While many Americans remain jobless...

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Virserius Studio Is Carefully Transforming a Frank Lloyd Wright Masterpiece

Established in 1929, the Biltmore Waldorf Astoria in Scottsdale embodies Hollywood glamour. Nearly...

Business of Design
How Akari Lanterns Are Keeping The Noguchi Museum Afloat During COVID-19

Amid COVID-19, the Noguchi Museum has managed to retain all of its staff without pay cuts, while,...

Obituary
The Man Behind the Past 40 Years of Salone del Mobile Dies at 83

Manlio Armellini made Salone del Mobile a world renowned trade show, and, in doing so, championed...

Urban Futures
Floating Islands Will Soon Scatter Copenhagen’s Center

In response to rising sea levels, Studio Fokstrot and Marshall Blecher designed a series of...

Architecture
Sea Sponges Are The Secret Sauce For The Next Generation of Architecture

Invertebrate marine creatures are paving the way for stronger and lighter bridges and skyscrapers.

Art
The Black Painters Academy Is Here To Shift The Paradigm

A new dedicated school will teach the history of Black art, completely free of charge.

ART
This Book Chronicles A Side of Abstract Art You’ve Never Seen

Less white, Western, and male: Joseph Low (“Pepe”) Karmela's new book chronicles the lesser...

News
Despite Opposition, A Road Tunnel Near Stonehenge Is Approved

Druids, green campaigners, and archaeologists battle to oppose the controversial $2.2 billion road

ART
The First-Ever National Memorial for Native American Veterans Graces Washington, D.C.

The first national monument dedicated to Native veterans is the shape of the circle, holding...

ART
A Campaign To Fund A Statue of Virginia Woolf Receives A Sudden Influx of Donations

After a naked sculpture of the Mary Wollstonecraft was deemed a missed opportunity, fundraisers...

Business of Design
Bitcoin Surges As Cryptocurrency Reaches An All Time High

Bitcoin has grown 40% since October, marking the highest valuation of cryptocurrency, a trend that...

Architecture
The Robot’s Head in Kaliningrad Will Be Demolished Next Year

The Russian brutalist building designed by architect Yulian L. Shvartsbreim has been abandoned...

Art
John Waters Donates His Entire Personal Collection to the Baltimore Museum of Art

Tending towards the naughty, the perverse, and the ironic, the filmmaker's collection of 372 works...

Business of Design
How Uber Became The Largest Food Delivery Enterprise

As the ride-sharing economy grapples with low ridership, platforms pivot to food delivery and to...

News
For The First Time, The Met Appoints Two Leaders—One of Whom is a Woman

The Met will elect Hamilton E. James and Candace K. Beinecke to replace Daniel Brodsky, the current

OPENING SHOT
At Hoff Sneakers’ New Storefront in Madrid, Simplicity Abounds

Awash in earthy tones and textures, the Spanish footwear brand’s latest pared-down flagship by...

HIGH DESIGN
Drink Up to Wind Down: The Rise of Snazzy Non-Alcoholic Beverages

People are tired of drinking. At least I know I am.

Design Dose
ICYMI The Week in Design Dose

From a folding chair by departo to Allbird's super soft TrinoXO Tee to Issey Miyake's Bao Bao Prism

CURRENTLY COVETING
Make Your Own Luck With Auvere’s Talisman Collection

The high karat gold jewelry purveyor’s latest collection elicits positive emotions with symbols...

CURRENTLY COVETING
Anony’s Calder-Like Lighting Fixtures Will Make You Happy

The Canadian lighting studio Anony conjured a pendant lighting system that illuminates the fixture...

CURRENTLY COVETING
A Group of Glasgow Designers Make the Ultimate Lounge Chair

Instrmnt Applied Design diversifies its dossier with an industrial-inspired seat.

CURRENTLY COVETING
This Interlocking Handblown Glassware Emulates Somatic Connection

Brooklyn glassmaking studio KEEP devises colorful drinkware that combines the intimate process of...

DESIGN
Santiago Rodriguez Tarditi on Designing a New Cannabis Culture ‘High On Design’

As more countries legalize it, marijuana has grown into a good-looking industry.

Tech
How Google Is Revolutionizing The Way We Meet

With the introduction of Google Meet Series One, the tech giant is making meetings more immersive...