[New] Great Things Will Grow

The bar is much more than a place to grab a drink. It’s a place to encounter, to have meaningful conversations and even talk business. But at an exhibition representing the hospitality design sector’s best and brightest, any old bar simply won’t do, so why not grow one specifically for the occasion? That’s exactly what Belgian design studio WeWantMore did for the 2022 edition of HIX, collaborating with organic material artist Côme Di Meglio and creative agency La Succulente to showcase the future of sustainable design and highlight the potential of mycelium –an intertwining network of fungal threads.

Embodying the show’s ‘Great Things Will Grow’ theme, The Mush Room drew inspiration from shapes and textures found on shells, illustrating the infinite source of inspiration that nature can be both aesthetically and structurally. “We felt it would be nice if the bar could literally be grown for the event, creating a link to the show while also providing an example of what one of these great things might be,” says Ruud Belmans, co-founder of WeWantMore, adding that the space featured a fragrance by EcoScent – offering notes of sandalwood, bergamot and citrus – as well as fixtures and furnishings from Ege Carpets, Muuto, Hoad & More, Antalis, Elm London and Wisdom Audio. Evo Design handled the fit-out, producing an area that transformed waste into an experimental installation that, for Di Meglio, signifies the latest in a line of myco-structures that connect spirituality and spatial experience with physical materiality. “Mycelium has intrinsic sensory qualities that creates a virtuous resonance within our bodies,” he explains. “I’ve been working with this material for four years, and applying my research to the bar was the perfect embodiment of my practice: hospitality and conviviality. With The Mush Room, the binding power of mycelium was expressed through the human interactions it nurtured.”

The Road Less Travelled

“Our world is packed with incredible places. Places we often miss if we stick to the tourist trail,” states the introduction to Go Here Instead: An Alternative Travel List.

Published by DK Eyewitness Travel, the 224-page hardback features a comprehensive round-up of alternatives to the world’s most visited destinations, from the northern powerhouse giving London a run for its money, to the fun-filled festival taking the shine off Coachella, and the island blooms just as beautiful as Japan’s cherry blossoms.

The guidebook is divided into seven different types of trip: Architectural and Historical Sights, Festivals and Parties, Great Journeys, Architectural Marvels, Natural Wonders, Art and Culture and Cities. Alongside 100 entries, each focusing on an alternative to a wellknown spot, sight or experience, Go Here Instead offers impressive photography and stylised locator maps that pinpoint the alternative sights, experiences and destinations.

“You might have heard of a few of the places inside this book – when is anything completely off the beaten track? But we bet you’ll still find plenty of hidden gems to inspire your future travels,” concludes the introduction. “So don’t stick to what you know; take the road less travelled instead. The world is waiting.”