DESTIG Issue 3

DESTIG CREATIVES WITHOUT BORDERS

I S SUE 3 - M AY 2 0 18

This issue of D E S TIG was inspired by Vigeland Sculpture Park, Oslo.

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TEAM DESTIG Editor in Chief

Mike Walters

Managing Director

Yeliz Alicilar

Design Director

Sarah Olson

Admin Manager

Alice Carreras

Intern

Zayne Walters

Intern

Micah Sayed

Published by

DESTIG LTD.

*All credits for images belong to the relevant article contributors / interviewees or their copyright holders.

Please contact the relevant article contributors/ interviewees for further details.

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NAOKO MORISAWA

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VICTORIA YAKUSHA

11 ARCHITECTURE OF HELSINKI

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NNENNA OKORE

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WHITE CONDUIT PROJECTS

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ARCHITECTURE TORONTO

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OGENNA OJUKWU

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HOT PICKS: BERTOCCI

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ATELIER DE TROUPE

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POSTCARDS FROM ALFAMA

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HOT PICKS: HANDVÄRK

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AYSAN

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RAJASTHAN

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HOT PICKS: KHALED ALKANI

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BENAS BURDULIS

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RAPHAEL NAVOT

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HOT PICKS: BOTANIC TALE BY MOSAICO+

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CHYBIK + KRISTOF

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QWSTION

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HOT PICKS: MAISON LE LOUP

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DAVID/NICOLAS

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RAAAF

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HOT PICKS: MATTER MADE

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ESTUDIO PERSONA

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REVOLOGY

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HOT PICKS: MISTER ALPHABET

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KIKI AND JOOST

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SOFLOW

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HOT PICKS: OUR VODKA

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MAARTEN BAAS

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THE BLUE LAGOON

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HOT PICKS: RACHEL ARIF

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NADA DEBS

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THE VAMPIRE’S WIFE

154 HOT PICKS: THE PLUG

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ANNA TORFS

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ANNA TOR FS INviting YOU TO ENG AGE WITH MORE THAN JUS T THE SURFACE

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ANNA TORFS Anna Torfs studied interior architecture at the Sint-Lucas School of Architecture in Brussels. At the beginning of the 1990s, she relocated to the Czech Republic, where she started collaborating with outstanding local glassmakers and created her first glass collection in 2002.

Together with Dries Coppens, she has gone on to build a successful and globally renowned brand.

The central theme of Anna’s work is glass’s ability to capture, reflect and absorb light. Her glass objects, rendered in a beautiful range of deep colours, feature a striking combination of strict geometry and organic, poetic nature.

Anna’s ongoing exploration of the phenomenon of glass has yielded works that invite the viewer to engage with more than just the surface.

Read the full Article on D E S TIG

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annatorfs.com

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BRITISH UPHOLSTERED OUTDOOR FURNITURE Hand-crafted in Britain combining innovative and eye-catching designs with the latest technology, the Coco Wolf collection is engineered to remain outside all year round uncovered, making it perfectly suited to all environments.

www.cocowolf.co.uk

ARCHITECTURE OF HELSINKI 450 YEARS OF HISTORY MEETS CONTEMPOR ARY DE SIGN

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HEL SINKI Helsinki’s secret is that the city is like the whole of Finland in miniature, compressed at the end of a single peninsula. This city encompasses the wooden houses of Käpylä, the stone houses of Töölö, the glass office buildings of Ruoholahti and the fields of Viikki.

This is a modern European city where more than 450 years of history and tradition blend seamlessly with contemporary design and trends. Cosy and compact in size, exploring the Finnish capital is free of stress. In this article we bring to you 15 architectural masterpieces you just have to visit in Helsinki.

Read the full Article on D E S TIG

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myhelsinki.fi

ARCHITECTURE TORONTO AN ELOQUENT TALE OF COLOURFUL HIS TORY AND MODERN CULTUR AL RENAISSANCE

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ARCHITEC TURE TORONTO Canada’s largest city, and the fourth-largest in North America, Toronto is a global business, entertainment and tourism hub, famous for its progressiveness and diversity.

The word “Toronto” comes from the Mohawk phrase “tkaronto” meaning “where trees grow in the water” and refers to a time centuries ago when the swampy shores of Lake Ontario reached much further north. Eventually variations of “Lac Taronto” (now Lake Simcoe) showed up on many French maps from the 1680s to the 1760s. In the 1720s a French fort was identified as Fort Toronto, where the City of Toronto stands today.

A unique blend of historical and contemporary design defines Toronto’s Architecture. From the Victorian grandeur of the Industrial Age to the sleek, minimalist designs of the twentieth century, Toronto’s skyline tells an eloquent tale of its colourful history and modern cultural Renaissance.

Read the full Article on D E S TIG

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seetorontonow.com

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A telier d e T rou p e Pin-up, a Designed Tribute to Schindler’s L.A

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A telier de T roupe From this year forward, the MAK Center for Art and Architecture’s FitzpatrickLeland House in Laurel Canyon will play host to a series of ongoing design-centric exhibitions and programming, kicking off with Pin-up: A Designed Tribute to Schindler’s L.A. This show brings together four Los Angeles-based designers and one artist around the Austrian-born California modernist architect R.M. Schindler: Atelier de Troupe, led by Gabriel Abraham; Brendan Ravenhill; Pamela Shamshiri with John Williams; and long-time Schindler advocates Marmol Radziner.

Read the full Article on D E S TIG

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makcenter.org

an interview with Lead Designer Jitk a Horcickova

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AY S A N AYSAN has been established as a brand of high-end crystal lighting designed specifically for prestigious Residential projects. The purest Bohemian crystal, worked on by precise diamond cutting and other traditional handmade techniques of production ensures uniqueness and matchless quality of the final product. “Hello, my name is Jitka Horcickova, I am a Lead Designer and owner of AYSAN, which is a brand of high-end lighting from Czech Republic. Our mission is to make authentic pieces using traditional Bohemian handmade techniques like precision diamond cutting, glassmaking and gold-painting.�

Read the full Interview on D E S TIG

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aysan.com

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W W W. SI EG E R- G E R MANY.CO M

W W W. FU E RSTE N B E RG - P O R ZE LL AN .CO M

B enas B u d ilis connec ting us to nature through light

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BENAS BURDULIS Benas Burdulis is an artist, architect, and designer whose work distills ephemeral phenomena, such as light and color, giving them a physical presence and bringing people closer to their experience of nature. His current practice attempts to elevate the effect of sunlight entering space to a transcendent state, with the goal of creating environments that are optimistic, mysterious, and perceptually stimulating yet serene.

Benas was born in Vilnius, Lithuania, but immigrated to the USA at a young age.

The sublime nature of Lithuania’s old forests and New Hampshire’s Appalachian mountains greatly informed the aesthetic that he gravitates towards.

Read the full Interview on D E S TIG

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benasburdulis.com

C H Y B I K+ K R ISTOF THE NE W ADMINIS TR ATIVE CENTER OF THE C ZECH FORE S TRY COMMISSION

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C H Y B I K+ K R I S T O F The natural and the artificial mingle to become one in the new administrative centre of the Czech Forestry Commission.

This emerging center for technical services in East Moravia will serve not only as a building with technical facilities and a scrapyard but also as an administrative and educational centre, which will function as a “gallery of waste�.

It is being constructed using recycled materials and its circular shape as well as its purpose refers to recycling.

Read the full article on D E S TIG

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chybik-kristof.com

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Da v i d N icolas Creating A Nos talgic Future

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D avid N icolas David Raffoul and Nicolas Moussallem have established a global presence since they set up their studio, david/ nicolas, in Beirut in 2011. Their innovative approach to contrasting materials, along with their unique way of blending retro, contemporary and futuristic elements, gives their work a timeless aesthetic that translates to a wide range of projects, from furniture design to high-end bespoke interiors.

Read the full Interview on D E S TIG

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davidandnicolas.com

E stu d io Persona Hispanic rock n’ roll

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ESTUDIO PERSONA Estudio Persona, a simple name for two volcanic personalities: Emiliana Gonzalez, an industrial designer and Jessie Young, a conceptual artist. This Uruguayan duo has been living in Los Angeles since 2014.

Their two separate visions of the object happily contend with each other on a daily basis. A discussion flows between functionality and sculpture, product and narrative, in order to create furniture that speaks both to space and to the body.

Read the full Article on D E S TIG

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estudiopersona.com

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K I K I an d JOOST THE DUTCH DUO WITH A UNIVER SAL ME SSAGE

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K I K I and J O O S T Kiki van Eijk and Joost van Bleiswijk live and work near Eindhoven. Working as independent designers as well as collaboratively, they represent a new generation of Dutch designers.

Together, and individually, using a mix of contemporary and traditional Dutch influences, they create playful designs and products that have gained them international recognition.

Read the full Article on D E S TIG

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joostandkiki.nl

Phenomena

bomma.cz

MA ARTEN BA AS THE MODERN DUTCH M A S TER

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MA ARTEN BA A S Maarten Baas is an artist and designer, widely considered to be one of the most influential Dutch designers of the beginning of the 21st century. He is often described as an “author designer�, of which his works lie on the boundaries between art and design.

His work is known as rebellious, playful, intellectual, theatrical and artistic. He has gained an autonomous position in the design field, and his work varies from conceptual designs, limited editions, production design, installations, public space, architecture, interior design, theater design and performances.

Read the full Interview on D E S TIG

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maartenbaas.com

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NA DA DEBS Hand M ade, Heart M ade

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NADA DEBS Nada Debs is a Lebanese designer living and working in Beirut. Her work spans scale and discipline: from product and furniture design to one-off commissions across craft, art, fashion and interiors.

What ties her work together is her ability to distil culture and craftsmanship to create pieces of emotional resonance.

Nada grew up in Japan, studied design at Rhode Island School of Design in the United States and has spent significant periods of time living and travelling the world, finding connections between different cultures. There is something of each of her experiences in all of her work.

In essence, she captures the power of the human hand to tell stories that touch the heart. She calls her approach: hand made, heart made.

Read the full Interview on D E S TIG

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nadadebs.com

NAOKO M O R I S A WA Centuries of Japanese Art tradition mee ts Seat tle

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N AOKO MORIS AWA “My artwork is hand-made from thousands of very small slices of natural and oil-dyed (wood) chips on board. I like to incorporate the patterns in the wood and enhance them with oil-stain. The variety of wood grain is very beautiful and the pattern is never the same. The combinations of natural and oil-stained grains create interesting shadows and impressions. My imagery comes from common items: a cupcake, shoes, a wave, and waterfalls etc.�

Read the full Article on D E S TIG

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naokomorisawa.com

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NNENNA OKOR E C ap turing the fluid and delicate nature of life

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NNENN A OKORE “My work broadly focuses on the concepts of recycling, transformation and regeneration of forms based on observations from ecological and man-made environments. I am drawn to uniquely diverse and tactile characteristics of the collective physical world. I am astounded by natural phenomena that cause things to become weathered, dilapidated and lifeless those events slowly triggered by aging, death and decay - and subtly captured in the fluid and delicate nature of life.�

Read the full Interview on D E S TIG

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nnennaokore.com

www.karice.com

Crafters of Custom Lighting

OGENNA OJUKWU RISING S TAR OF AFRIC AN LITER ATURE

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OGENNA OJUK WU “Such a boy. You have not spent enough time in the kitchen. I should listen to your Mummy more.”

“What did Mummy say?”

“Men cook in UK. It is only here that men feel entitled to do nothing and still get food. In UK they do equality.”

“What do you mean by equality Aunty?”

“The man and woman respect and help each other. One is not more important than the other.

A partnership of equals.”

“I see.”

“For example if the woman cooks, then the man washes the plates or perhaps even, it is the other way round or if they have a baby they will take turns cleaning the poo poo and changing the nappy.”

“But I wash plates now Aunty.”

“Yes you do now but when you become a man you may not want to. Promise me you will not behave like a chief in the village when you marry.”

“I will treat my wife as my equal.”

“My wife,” she teased.

Read the full Interview on D E S TIG

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ogennaojukwu.com

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P O S TC A R D S FROM ALFAMA MEMMO ALFA M A HOTEL INTRODUCE S LISBON’S COOLE S T DIS TRIC T

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POS TC ARDS FROM A LFA M A With its narrow streets, stairways and viewpoints, Alfama is the most genuine and authentic neighbourhood in the city.

Marked by ancient traditions, the SĂŁo Jorge Castle, the Cathedral and of course Fado, recently considered a UNESCO Immaterial Cultural Heritage.

Here you will feel the true ambience of the neighbourhood with weathered and colored houses with linen hanging on the windows and the daily life of the locals with their rhythms and customs.

Read the full Article on D E S TIG

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memmohotels.com/alfama

R AJA STH A N A fascinating place, an unforge t table embrace of my R ajas than

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RAJASTHAN “Welcome to my fascinating Rajasthan.

This land is a colourful melange of massive forts, stunning palaces, diverse cultures, delectable cuisines and warm people, set amidst a rugged yet inviting landscape.

Come tread on the sands of time. In Rajasthan you will find every hue in Nature’s grand palette - the red sands, the blue of royalty, the pink cities or the amber sunsets. Sights and sounds that are far removed from any city. Sights and sounds that will transport you into a folk lore.”

Vasundhara Raje, The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Rajasthan Read the full Interview on D E S TIG

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tourism.rajasthan.gov.in

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R APHA EL N AV O T TR ADITIONAL , HAND-M ADE CR AF T, INFLUENCED BY CULTURE

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R A PH A EL N AVOT Raphael was born in Jerusalem, He graduated from ‘The Design Academy Eindhoven’, The Netherlands.

He is an independent multidisciplinary, non-industrial designer, Raphael lives and works in Paris.

He focuses on custom made design and made-to-measure interiors, combining traditional methods with contemporary ‘savoir-faire’.

Read the full Interview on D E S TIG

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raphaelnavot.com

Photography by Simon Bevan

HAND BLOWN GLASS LIGHTING - MADE IN ENGLAND

www.curiousa.co.uk

QWSTION A PREMIUM BR AND POSITIONED BE T WEEN FA SHION UND FUNC TION

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QWSTION Good answers are always the result of the right question. Our goal is to create bags for people in a modern environment. And if you’re looking for a bag that suits your way of life, then QWSTION can get you there.

Our bags are designed with the modern metropolitan individual and their demand for mobility and flexibility in mind.

Besides questioning how products are designed and made, the focus is put on the integration of functionality in a distinctive visual language. Each product offers various carrying options.

The result are hybrid products that deny the usual categorization, to create our own niche in the market inbetween high fashion and functional utility.

Read the full Interview on D E S TIG

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qwstion.com

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WWW.LUXXU.NET | INFO@LUXXU.NET

PHONE: +351 914 926 064

DARIAN | SIDEBOARD: W 210 cm | D 50 cm | D 92 cm

DRAYCOTT II | WALL: H 108 cm | L 20 cm | D 12cm

RAAAF [RIETVELD ARCHITECTUREART-AFFORDANCES] SECRE T OPER ATION 610

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RA A AF When aircraft Shelter 610 opens its ruthless doors, a monstrous black behemoth slowly comes driving out. The object revives the mysterious atmosphere of the Cold War and its accompanying terrifying weaponry. At an almost excruciatingly slow pace, the artwork uses its caterpillar tracks to cross the seemingly infinite runway. Due to this brutal object’s constantly changing position in the serene landscape, it allows the visitor to experience the area and the history of the military airbase in new ways.

RAAAF operates at the crossroads of architecture, art and philosophy.

Read the full Article on D E S TIG

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raaaf.nl

A. A.DAN

www.adanbrand.com Â

R EVOLOGY INSPIRED BY NATURE: AN INTERVIE W WITH CO-FOUNDER MONIQUE KELLY 106

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RE VOLOGY Revology is an innovative design studio crafting beautiful objects from composite linen and bio-based resins. We are creators of beautiful objects designed for the new generation. Our commitment is not to release one-off products that are already outdated when they reach the market, but to design timeless objects, integrating high level materials and technologies, with beautiful design. Objects that have a soul, tell a story, and that will last for generations.

We are a small team of Revologists, inspired by nature to design sustainable objects for the next generation. We are not here to change the world. We don’t believe any one person can change the world. But we can change how we behave. Our hope in this journey is that you will also feel our passion for this world and your future. Join us as we challenge convention, revolt against the disposable and give back to nature.

Read the full Interview on D E S TIG

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revology.com

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The Central Asia Specialists

www.kalpak-travel.com

DISCOVER amazing contrasts of the

Central Asian Silk Road

“Everything I heard about Samarkand is true, except that it’s more beautiful than I ever imagined.” Alexander the Great, 329 BC

Kalpak Travel — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan — Group & Private Tours +41 78 657 27 01 — info@kalpak-travel.com — www.kalpak-travel.com

SOFLOW SO FAR … SO FREE

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SOFLOW High quality, reliable and rechargeable hoverboards, scooters, skateboards, and bikes. SoFlow promotes freedom of choice, the ability to design your own destiny and the open road. We want our riders to be in the flow and recharge when they ride.

Re-energize your life. Charge yourself.

Charge anywhere and ride everywhere.

Read the full Interview on D E S TIG

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so-flow.com

BLUE L AGOON ICEL AND’S MOS T FA MOUS SECRE T

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BLUE L AGOON In 1974 ­the local geothermal power company established the Svartsengí Geothermal Power Plant and began harnessing geothermal energy. A reservoir of steaming, milky blue seawater formed in the shadows of the plant. People suffering from psoriasis began bathing in the warm, soothing waters. Word of the water’s comforting power spread and soon people come to the lagoon not only for healing, but also for pleasure. Blue Lagoon’s history is defined by discovery, expansion, evolution, and ascent: from obscurity to the upper reaches of Icelandic tourism.

Read the full Article on D E S TIG

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bluelagoon.com

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StudiopiĂš International

TERRAMARE collection, design Chiaramonte-Marin

www.emu.it

THE VA M P I R E ’ S WIFE THE CULT FA SHION BR AND ADORED BY HOLLY WOOD ROYALT Y

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T HE VA MPIRE S WIFE The Vampire’s Wife is an exciting fashion brand creating high quality, elegant, original, clothing in vibrant colours - the design vision of Susie Cave, wife of the musician Nick Cave and former muse of the great British designers Vivienne Westwood and Bella Freud.

The fashion design house was founded in 2016 and has made quite a mark; celebrities including Cate Blanchett, Dakota Johnson, Sienna Miller, Kate Moss, Kylie Minogue, Florence Welch, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Alexa Chung and Daisy Lowe are all fans of Susie’s creations.

Read the full Article on D E S TIG

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thevampireswife.com

www.oraik.eu

V IK TOR I A YA K USH A L aconism , naturalness, func tionalit y – this is Yakusha design

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V I K T O R I A YA K U S H A Viktoria Yakusha is a Ukrainian designer and architect, an author of numerous residential and public interiors, the head of Yakusha Design studio.

She is the holder of 15 national and international awards. Since 2002 she has been implementing projects of varying complexity in Ukraine and abroad.

“I like working with natural materials: greenery, wood, wool.

Also I love laconic forms a lot and create laconic interiors. I don’t like when the interior is jumbled, and make it “emotionally pure”, so that the image is understandable.

The main source of inspiration is nature.”

Read the full Interview on D E S TIG

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eng.yakusha.com.ua

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WHITE CONDUIT PROJECTS AN INDEPENDENT G ALLERY IN QUIRK Y ISLINGTON 131

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WHITE CONDUIT PROJEC TS White Conduit Projects opened November 2014 in central London, Islington.

It is an independent gallery for contemporary art exhibiting work by Japanese, UK and international artists. The gallery specializes in solo presentations showcasing works concerned with Japanese related subjects. In addition to these, it produces group shows that aim to raise questions around wider topics associated with art practice. We speak to the founder Yuki Miyake about her work and the role of the gallery.

Read the full Interview on D E S TIG

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whiteconduitprojects.uk

! s n o i t a l u Congrat

AWARDS DESTIG 2018 AWARDS NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS

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HOT PICK S BERTOCCI

2 NEW COLLECTIONS - FLY AND MOON Founded in 1929 with the production of hinges, attentive to changes and the changing seasons of the market, Bertocci has rapidly established itself in the bathroom accessories sector with highly innovative projects that have anticipated trends and have become points of reference on the market.

FLY The new innovative, dynamic and “fast to use� collection of bathroom accessories designed by Meneghello and Paolelli Associati.

MOON PCubo takes inspiration from the shape of the magical moon to design a collection that decorates the bathroom with functionality and style.

Read the full Feature on D E S TIG

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bertocci.it

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HOT PICK S HANDVÄRK

DESIGN THAT ABOVE ALL STAYS TRUE TO THE NORDIC DNA ‘Aesthetic sustainability is key to all of our products. In an effort to create furniture that will last a lifetime, we have taken no shortcuts. We work with genuine marble, brass and aniline leather – materials that will only become more beautiful over time. These materials are worked with care and dedication to embody the simplicity and applicability of our design’. - Emil Thorup, Founder & Designer

Read the full Feature on D E S TIG

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handvark.com

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HOT PICK S K ha l ed A l kani

KEEN RECORDER AND ACCOMPLISHED ARTIST Khaled al-Khani (born 17 February 1975 in Hama, Syria) is a Syrian painter, currently living in Paris. Following the Syrian revolt, he has made manifest his anti-regime stance.

Described by French art critic Christian Noorbergen “Khaled Alkhani’s searing abstraction contrasts with the figurative appearance of a head. It dominates the earth-ridden melee and is deprived of the ordinary vehicle of skin. Focal point of the painting, it has lived through every disaster”.

Read the full Feature on D E S TIG

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khaledalkhani.com

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HOT PICK S B otanic T a l e

BOUNDLESS IMAGES AND PRIMORDIAL FEELINGS Botanic Tale is the collection that reinterprets the classical definition of “natural décor”, halfway between reality and imagination.

Thanks to modular patterns and chips in the 10x10 mm size, able to adapt to surfaces of all sizes, Botanic Tale defines the space with subtle harmony and surprising energy and vitality, in a tale of light, natural beauty and emotion.

Amazing shapes, colour and tones effects, light and never unnatural decorations allow our mind to take wind to a world of boundless images and primordial feelings where the bright shine and richness of mosaics come to life.

Read the full Feature on D E S TIG

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mosaicopiu.it

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HOT PICK S MAISON LE LOUP

ESCAPADES BETWEEN REALISM AND EMOTIONS In 2015, David Corraux, graphic artist ceramist, created Maison LE LOUP, a house of manufacture and edition of contemporary ceramic objects. For “First Notebook”, he invited us to enter an urban and dreamlike forest where the imagination is racing.

Through a singular and retro-futuristic universe, the House Le Loup presents an alternative and artistic ceramic, carrying a renewed aesthetic in this wonderful art that is both timeless and constantly evolving. This twenty-first century factory offers us “Première Meute”, a collection of concrete objects for a more poetic everyday life. Maison LE LOUP invests a playground between singular artistic creation and craftsmanship, between unique pieces in limited series and works of art. Each piece is hand-made from scratch to the rhythm of a workshop-factory nestled in the heart of Lyon, France.

Read the full Feature on D E S TI G

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maison-leloup.com

HOT PICK S M AT T E R M A D E

RAISING THE PERCEPTION OF AMERICAN DESIGN Enter the world of Matter Made with a selection that embodies minimalism and love of the material.

Matter Made is an American manufacturer of contemporary lighting, furniture and objects. Motivated by a mission to create timeless works, each piece is produced with the greatest attention to detail. Using time-honored methods and the latest technologies, Matter Made produces works that are both minimal and refined with a reverence for exceptional craftsmanship and the highest level of finish.

Matter is a New York City based gallery, showroom, and manufacturer, representing a refined selection of national and international contemporary design. The brand is revered as a resource for detecting what lies beyond the horizon in design. Jamie Gray, its founder, has made Matter a key player in contemporary American design by calling on the most talented designers such as Philippe Malouin, Faye Toogood or Pedro Paulo Venzon brings together a timeless editorial line that puts in the spotlight to craft with a very high level of finishes.

Read the full Feature on D E S TI G

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mattermatters.com | mattermade.us

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HOT PICK S M r A l phabet

BRINGING THE ALPHABET TO LIFE Mister Alphabet is a figurine designed to bend into every letter of the alphabet. He was created to bring the alphabet to life through innovative interplay of figuration and letter formation, uniting adults with children and design with education.

As a posable figurine, Mister Alphabet provides multiple functions including--but not limited to--creating letters.

As a design object, we consider him at home in a variety of spaces, from the office to the living room.

Read the full Feature on D E S TIG

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misteralphabet.com

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HOT PICK S OUR/VODK A

DIFFERENT CITIES. SAME FAMILY

Global, yet local. Our/Vodka teams up with local entrepreneurs around the world to give selected cities their very own urban vodka. The vodka is partly distilled, blended and hand bottled in micro-distilleries in each city. All cities share the same secret recipe, but the ingredients are sourced as locally as possible which gives each vodka a unique character.

The idea to create a vodka that is both global and local was born in Stockholm in 2010. Founder and CEO Ă…sa Caap developed the idea together with four entrepreneurs from the Swedish agency Great Works. Our/Vodka was treated as a black ops project under the umbrella of Pernod Ricard before the first micro-distillery opened up in Berlin in 2013.

Today, Our/Vodka is a global family of local partners in different cities around the world. These entrepreneurs are driven by a love for their city, and a love for doing things for real.

Read the full Feature on D E S TI G

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ourvodk a.com

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HOT PICK S R ache l A ri f

SOULFUL, UNTAMED, HIGHLY TEXTURED AND EMOTIONAL

Rachel Arif is a Landscape Artist based in London.

She also has a house in Suffolk near the coast where she gains inspiration for her work. She paints hugely atmospheric, soulful and thought provoking paintings that appear rather bleak in nature yet very beautiful and emotional.

She says ‘ Our land and weather here in the U.K have made us who we are and are intensely emotional, powerful forces that are part of our very soul. I am always trying to find ways to capture a moment of that emotion, evoking those weather filled days’.

Read the full Feature on D E S TIG

rachelarifart.com

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HOT PICK S THE PLUG

ORIGINAL GRAFFITI ON LEGO Early Belgian street artist, The Plug, contemporary to Zevs, the Invader and Banksy, is returning to the scene.

This time around his attention no longer switched on to urban interventions, his playful project aims at a deconsecration of street art. “Lego is the epitome of childhood and of boys who refuse to grow up. Friends of mine began having children of their own and to welcome these new little friends, I started creating mini personalized graffiti tags as gifts.

The Lego wall or the small train wagon are urban without being part of conventional urban culture, where street artists, baseball caps and skate boards are all appropriated by the mass. I enjoy this distance that allows street art to not take itself for art�.

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