Issues

Welcome to Janu: The latest opening in the Japanese capital

Tokyo’s recent luxury hotel openings have tended to be nestled in the upper reaches of towering skyscrapers. For its new opening, though, Aman Resorts has brought things back down to earth. Janu is a 122-room hotel in Azabudai Hills and is the first of 12 for Aman’s new sister brand, which comes with a lifestyle label and a slightly lower price tag. 

While Aman Tokyo, tucked in the top of Otemachi Tower, was designed as an ultra-rarefied retreat from the hustle and bustle below, Janu sits in the heart of a new neighbourhood, opening onto the adjacent shopping area and featuring eight restaurants and bars. They include Hu Jing for modern Cantonese, Janu Grill for a wagyu steak and Mercato for fresh pasta and a terrace that opens onto the main square. Iigura serves sushi over a wooden counter and Sumi offers fish and meat cooked over charcoal. 

Jean-Michel Gathy, a regular Aman collaborator, led the design alongside his Kuala Lumpur studio. Janu’s rooms showcase Aman’s trademark serenity with neutral palettes, giant bathrooms and sliding doors. The architecture of the whole development maximises what the Japanese call shakkei, or “borrowed scenery”. The nearby Tokyo Tower makes the biggest impact (the Tower View Suite has views from every room) but some less well-known buildings announce themselves too, including the Reiyukai Shakaden Buddhist temple (you can’t miss the sloping roof) and, of course, the luxury shops that populate the development. 

Janu takes wellness seriously, with a spa and fitness area that sprawls across four floors. The pool boasts a width that most hotels can’t accommodate, while the athlete-level gym features a full-size boxing ring, as well as seven treatment rooms and five movement studios. The hotel – which also has two boutiques selling skincare, homeware and own-label casualwear – is one of the finishing touches to Azabudai Hills. Once the last of the shops opens and the greenery sprouts, the vision will come to life.
janu.com

Inventory: Tech corner
Switched on
Global

Upgrades and iterations from digital cameras to tracking tags make up this month’s round-up.

1.
X100VI digital camera
Fujifilm

The latest camera from Fujifilm is the successor to the popular X100V. The new model retains the X100V’s gorgeous design and fixed lens but upgrades the sensor to 40.2 megapixels. 
fujifilm.com

2.
Ultra Open Earbuds
Bose

These in-ears from Bose are built so that you can hear the world around you as well as your music. The design clips around the ear, like an ear cuff, but feels secure. And an auto-volume feature compensates if your surroundings suddenly become noisy.
bose.com

3.
Phone (2a)
Nothing

The latest smartphone from Nothing is priced competitively and, while the design is arguably Nothing’s best yet, there are compromises. The back is polycarbonate rather than glass, for example, though that does make it light. The twin rear cameras perched like eyes look cool too.
nothing.tech

4.
AirCard
Rolling Square

The Swiss-designed AirCard fits in a wallet and works with Apple Find My. If you lose your wallet, the gadget will send a message to any passing Apple device on to your iPhone.
rollingsquare.com

Read next: The Monocle City Guide to Tokyo, featuring the best hotels, restaurants and retail spots in the Japanese capital

The pieces putting a spring in our step this season

A bustling Japanese market that offers a luxury shopping experience

May 2024
Inventory
A monthly round-up of all you need

That food in Japan is outstanding is hardly news but what really separates the average meal in Tokyo from other big cities is often the quality of the ingredients. From grapes wrapped in muslin on the vine to freshly caught fish handled with the gentlest touch, Japanese producers are on another level. And what if the humble shopper wanted to get their hands on such produce? One new food market in Tokyo is offering just that and more under one roof. This is no regular supermarket – and is priced accordingly – but it’s a fascinating stop for anyone wanting to get to the heart of why the best Japanese food is so good. Even the sushi counter here, Sushi Saito, is a Michelin-starred operation.

The Azabudai Hills Market – part of Mori Building’s giant new development – covers 4,000 sq m and 34 speciality shops. “We have had lots of experience with restaurant tenants but we had never done food retail,” says Masanori Tsukamoto, who developed the market with his colleague Takashi Ohgaki. “When we thought about how to do really good food retail, it was all about high-quality products,” says Tsukamoto. “We realised that great restaurants had access to the best produce so we talked to the ones we worked with about where they were getting their produce from. Sushi restaurant Saito told us that it was getting its fish from [seafood wholesaler] Yamayuki. We felt that it would be innovative if businesses that were only doing B2B became available B2C.”

“We wanted to showcase the richness of Japanese food culture, so we selected retailers of the highest quality for each category,” Ohgaki tells Monocle. “And to show the variety of Japanese cuisine, not just sushi and tempura but also home cooking, from potato salad to karaage.” Hiyama butchers’ shop has been based in Ningyocho – a quaint Tokyo neighbourhood – for more than 100 years. The Hiyama buyers favour Yonezawa wagyu from Yamagata, marbled with just the right amount of fat; the thinnest slices need only be licked by a flame and they’re good to go. Tsukiji Toritoh is another traditional wholesaler founded in 1907 on the fringes of Tsukuiji fish market; this is where the best yakitori restaurants are sourcing their birds – and now you can too.

For fish, the team has netted top-drawer fishmongers Nezu Matsumoto and Yamayuki, which supplies many of the best restaurants in Tokyo. “I’ve been selling fish for 40 years but once I hit 60, I wanted to explore food education,” says Yukitaka Yamaguchi,  owner of Yamayuki. “It’s difficult to find an [marine] environment like Japan anywhere else. I want to show what’s out there. I don’t think farming is bad but I want people to know the natural taste of real, wild fish.” By working face to face with customers, Yamaguchi can also give advice. “We get to say, ‘It’s delicious if you eat it this way’”, he adds. One of the staff is skilfully cutting a 164kg tuna caught in Shimoda.

For fresh fruit and vegetables, the market has called on Kyoto Yaoichi, a greengrocer, to handle only the best and most in season of produce: bamboo shoots (still covered in soil), the juiciest Japanese strawberries and perfectly ripe mikan citrus. There are also unfurled ferns, fresh wasabi and edible flowers. 

This is the place for those ¥50,000 (€300) melons and presentation boxes of uniform Japanese cherries but they also have everyday vegetables – just better versions. Look at the sad, out-of-season produce in the typical urban supermarket and weep.

The bread shop, Comme’N Tokyo, whose popular mother shop is in Okusawa in Tokyo, is excellent, though you might never find out. So long are the queues that only the most dedicated will be going home with one of its baguettes or pastel-coloured meringues. The young baker in charge, Shuichi Osawa, was the first Japanese to take home top prize at international bread competition Mondial du Pain. Osawa knows his audience and there are almost 100 varieties on offer. Just don’t be in a hurry.

For pickles, customers will head to Nakaya, which, like so many classic food shops, originated on the outer edges of Tsukiji fish market. Nakaya is based in rural Ibaraki and specialises in vegetables pickled in rice bran. Free from additives, these pickles bear no relation to the wincingly sharp onions in a jar but allow the taste of the vegetable to shine through. For dashi stock – made from bonito and the basis of so much Japanese cooking – the amateur chef can go to Okume Shoten, which has been selling seafood since 1871. Customers can select their own dashi. For miso, look no further than Tokyo favourite Sano.

“The age group of our customers runs from seniors to young children,” says Ohgaki. “We have fish tanks that little kids can see, as well as a bakery dedicated for children [Comme’N Kids], so it’s a fun place for them as well.” From this month the Azabudai Hills Market Lab will host events and workshops that offer opportunities to eat the produce at pop-up sushi counters and sit-down lunch bars. Every aspect of a meal is available here, with ingredients so superb, that even the least adept cook might make the meal of a lifetime.
azabudai-hills.com

Case study: Rice
Rice is a Japanese preoccupation that potato-loving Western cultures can never quite get t o grips with. At Azabudai Hills, customers can buy from celebrated century-old Tokyo rice shop Sumidaya Shoten, which is now run by Shinichi Katayama. The rice is top quality, of course, but Katayama is also keen to teach people how to prepare it properly. “No matter how good the rice is, if it is cooked incorrectly, it will not be delicious.”

Case study: Wine
Wine is given its own space on an upper floor and run by Yamajin, a century-old wine merchant from Utsunomiya, led by Kenichi Ohashi, the only person in Japan to hold the Master of Wine title. It sells big French classics, amphora-aged wines from Georgia and a strong saké selection, and has a counter for trying the odd glass or two. For coffee lovers, emerge from the entrance (admiring the architecture by Thomas Heatherwick and architect Ai Yoshida of Japan’s Suppose Design) and pick up beans from Kyoto roasters Ogawa Coffee Laboratory. Dozens of varieties are lined up like fragrances and staff will blend according to taste.

Read next: The Monocle City Guide to Tokyo, featuring the best hotels, restaurants and retail spots in the Japanese capital

Inside Galeto’s enduring appeal in Lisbon

What makes a restaurant dependable? In Galeto’s case, it’s simply that it is always there: this Lisbon institution is open 20 hours a day, seven days a week, 364 days a year, only closing on Labour Day. It is more of a city service than a mere restaurant – open to all whenever they need it. “The way I see it is that Galeto is almost like a hospital or post office,” says owner Francisco Oliveira.

The restaurant’s roots are both Brazilian and European. The Italian diaspora who settled in South America in the mid-20th century founded a genre of informal canteens in smart surroundings that served the unfussy chicken dish that gave Galeto, which opened in 1966, both its name and inspiration. The six Portuguese partners who brought the idea to Lisbon (one of whom was Oliveira’s father) wanted their new restaurant to feel modern. That meant including a snack bar offering quick bites, attentive button-bright service and space for both solitary diners and bigger groups in a way that wouldn’t make the former feel lonely.

While the simple chicken dish didn’t particularly catch on with the Portuguese, this new approach to dining, as well as the uniquely grand interiors and maze-like counters of varnished wood, became an instant hit. While Lisbon has seen constant change, Galeto has remained consistent. And this steadfast adherence to its original formula has somehow kept it on trend and beloved by the city’s residents even as other food fads have blossomed and faded. “It’s a modern, atemporal classic,” says Oliveira.

By day, Galeto is filled with families and walk-ins enjoying a leisurely lunch, as well as a few suited office workers snacking between meetings. The menu is vast but the house staples are still bife à Galeto (beef with fried egg, ham and pickles) and number eight on the set menu: a hamburger with French fries and creamed spinach.

Come nightfall the crowd changes to louder groups of youngsters, couples exiting a cinema or theatre and an impossible-to-predict mix of regulars, from politicians after a late session in parliament to escorts enjoying a quick prego (beef sandwich) and a last imperial (small beer) before calling it a night. From breakfast, which starts at 07.30, until 03.30 the next morning, Galeto’s 130 staff keep service running smoothly; some have more than 40 years’ experience on the restaurant’s floor. “This is a family-owned business with a mission,” says Oliveira. “It’s a kind of effort that we no longer see in hospitality today.” Well, almost never.
galeto.pt

Tempting plates: Here’s what’s on our global menu this month

Rolfs Hav
Stockholm 

If you have had the pleasure of eating at Rolfs Kök, a fixture of Stockholm’s food scene since 1989, you’ll be happy to hear that the team behind it recently opened a seafood restaurant called Rolfs Hav around the corner. Restaurateur Klas Ljungquist and chef Johan Jureskog have created a tantalisingly fresh seasonal menu of oysters, goose barnacles, lobster rolls, crab claws, prawn cocktails, chowders and all manner of other delights from the briny deep.

Some of the city’s residents regularly pop in on their way home from work, pulling up one of the 18 chairs at the restaurant’s seafood bar – which is just how Rolfs Hav’s owners want it. “The idea is to swing by,” says Ljungqvist. “You can stay for 15 minutes or all evening.” The snug space can become a little crowded but it always feels welcoming. It has an edge of cheeky elegance too: there are oyster-shell lampshades designed by Stockholm-based artist Michel Bussien, while one wall is covered in an artwork made from salmon skin (trust us, it’s beautiful) by Swedish master tanner Lotta Rahme.

The two Rolfs restaurants don’t just share staff and enjoy the same level of popularity – they’re also connected by a passage through the wall and kitchen. “People who love seafood all over the city have found us,” says Ljungqvist. “And they keep coming back for the atmosphere.” 
rolfshav.se

Camille
London

Launched by Clare Lattin and Tom Hill, the restaurateurs behind Soho’s Ducksoup and Dalston’s Little Duck, this Borough Market bolthole recreates a Provençal cave à manger in a neighbourhood that prides itself on British produce. Pig’s-trotter terrine is served with Dijon mustard and crunchy cornichons. Diners are encouraged to share seasonal (not-so) small plates bearing such treats as crab toast along with nutty pied de mouton mushrooms, crispy purple sprouting broccoli or a polished potato pavé. The generosity of portions extends to the sweets, which are well worth saving space for. The brown-butter tart encased in pâte sucrée and flambéed with a gentle lick of the blowtorch is an offer that few will be able to refuse. 
camillerestaurant.co.uk

Recipe 
Wurst und Kartoffelsalat

Ralph Schelling, Monocle’s Swiss chef, recommends the version of this comforting dish that’s served in Vienna’s Gasthaus Grünauer.

Serves 4

Ingredients
800g potatoes
1 onion
4 pickled gherkins
60ml gherkin pickling liquid
60ml rapeseed oil
3 tbsps flour
1 bottle white wine
700ml broth
1 tbsp mustard
1 pinch of salt and pepper
A couple of sausages

Method
1.
Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes. Put in a large pan with water and bring to a boil. Cook until soft. Remove from the water and drain.

2.
Peel the onion and cut into small cubes. Dice the pickled gherkins.

3.
Place a large saucepan over medium heat. Make a roux: add oil to the pan, then the onion cubes. Let them glaze. Add flour and let everything brown briefly.

4.
Deglaze the pan with wine, add a third of the broth and stir. Bring to a boil. Continue to stir and add the remaining broth, plus the pickling liquid.

5.
Add the mustard, salt and pepper, and let everything reduce until thickened.

6.
Meanwhile, cook the sausages until crispy.

7.
When the sauce is thick enough, add potato cubes and cook until they start to lose their structure.

8.
Serve the potato mixture with the sausages. 
ralphschelling.com

Fuglen Sangubashi
Tokyo

For its latest Tokyo venture, Norwegian coffee roastery Fuglen is slowing things down. Kenji Kojima, who runs the company’s Japanese operations (which include six cafés), renovated an old house in Sangubashi, near Yoyogi Park, adding wooden furniture and a stone counter from Miyagi.

You won’t hear the hum of espresso machines here: the coffee is ground, sieved and filtered through organic paper to make brews served in ceramic cups from Yame in Fukuoka and Yomitan in Okinawa. Customers can also try kokekaffee, steeped in a kettle and served with Norwegian brown cheese on knekkebrød (crispbread). “We don’t have time to serve coffee like this in our other cafés,” says Kojima. “So our baristas are enjoying themselves too.” 
fuglencoffee.jp

Forno Conti & Co
Rome

If you’re planning to open an artisan bakery in the Italian capital, it probably helps if you are a fourth-generation Roman pasticciere. Sergio Conti set up Forno Conti & Co in Rome’s lively Esquilino neighbourhood, where it turns out sourdough loaves and sweet pastries such as maritozzi buns and flaky hand-rolled croissants. “I practically grew up inside an oven,” says Conti. “I wanted to make something different.”

Forno Conti & Co’s northern European influences are clear in its interiors, which are furnished with Artek stools and Japanese-style lamps by Conti’s wife, architect Germana de Donno. Places that serve flat whites and pour-over coffees might be unusual in Rome but Forno Conti also stays true to its roots, ensuring that classics such as torte rustiche (savoury pies) and Roman-style pizza rossa are always on the menu. 
fornoconti.co

Top tables
Paris

Until 1860, Belleville was an independent municipality of Paris and a hotbed of revolt. Today its rebellious spirit lives on in a new generation of restaurateurs redefining the capital’s culinary scene. Here, you’ll find a melting pot of cultures in which disparate cuisines collide in defiance of the status quo.

Mardi offers Scandinavian kanelbullar (cinnamon buns), French canelés and Japanese matcha marble cake, reflecting Belleville’s international community. “It’s a little-known neighbourhood where everyone knows each other,” says co-founder Adi Salet.
29 Rue de la Villette, 75019

Bouche means “mouth” and its name evokes “eating, drinking, talking and kissing – all things that you can do around a good table”, says co-founder Angela Kong. Based in a former kebab shop, it flouts the city’s bistro culture with small plates that combine French fare such as pâté de tête with international garnishes.
85 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 75011

For a digestif, visit L’Orillon, a wine bar that had a makeover last September, a decade after its opening. Its simple menu features the humble hard-boiled egg – a staple of the canteen-style brasserie that traditionally fed Paris’s working classes. It’s proof that Belleville remains proud of where it started, while being excited about where it’s going. 
35 Rue de l’Orillon, 75011

Artistic triumph: An artist’s residence turned boutique hotel

Portella 
Palma de Mallorca 

It’s the early 1970s when painter Joaquín Torrents Lladó secures a new home and studio in the Old Town of Palma de Mallorca. His new base, a compact palace, has elements dating to the 11th century but isn’t listed. So he sets about making attractive interventions to reflect his passion for Venice and the need for natural light to aid his work. But the structure of the house endures, including a courtyard with a shallow pool that can be glimpsed from the street.

In 1993, Torrents Lladó dies young, at 47, and his home becomes a museum dedicated to his work. Then, a few years ago, his heirs decide that it is time to sell, just as someone else is looking for property in the city: the Miró-Sans family. Monocle readers will recognise that name, as Inés, the daughter, created hit hotel Casa Bonay in Barcelona in 2016. In doing so, she devised an establishment that captured the needs of a new traveller – working on the move, keen to be embedded in a community. 

So, when the deal was struck in 2017, Inés, and this time her brother Enrique, were enlisted by the family to guide this special place towards a new life as a hotel. It has been a long journey to the opening a few weeks ago, and the outcome is not a second Casa Bonay. “The original licence was for a 21-room hotel but we realised that things were changing to a more upgraded experience,” says Enrique. Working with architects Gras Reynés, he and Inés plotted out a 14-room establishment, and ended up waiting four years to get a new licence. But that time has served them well. They’ve been able to protect the elements that Torrents Lladó fell in love with – the flow of rooms, his Venetian-style galleries on the first floor, that light – and to source tiles, terracotta and stone that match the building’s soul.

Working with Parisian studio Festen has led to the incorporation of more island elements, including lamps commissioned from storied glassmaker Gordiola. The interiors bring together furniture by Festen alongside antique pieces for a look that’s quite spare – think private, book-lined spaces and a domestic-vibe kitchen where the cook will make you breakfast, lunch or dinner to order. These spaces are for guests only and there is no nameplate on the street, no branding to grab your attention. “It should feel like you are staying in a home that you can’t afford to buy,” says Inés.

Portella also comes at a time when there’s a generational changing of the guard at play, as old aristocratic families pass on palaces to those with the wherewithal to give them architectural CPR and entrepreneurial purpose. Every ancient street seems to reverberate with the sound of drills and diggers. But at Portella – especially if you secure the suite at the back of the residence with its view of the ancient Arab Baths and a pretty secret garden – you can ignore all this and be transported to a place that feels both ancient and modern, private and urban. A place that looks so perfect that it could almost be a painting.
portellapalma.com

How Catalan creatives are drawing on Spain’s design history to create new collections

Barcelona is a city built on the riches of its manufacturing heritage. For much of the 19th century, Catalonia was known as “the factory of Spain” and the wealth generated by its booming textiles industry helped fund the development of Barcelona’s cultural scene and its impressive architectural landmarks.

The city might no longer be quite the industrial powerhouse that it once was, but it has retained a reputation as a hub for innovation and cultural taste-making. There are still manufacturers to be found in and around the city, producing small batches of premium quality wares, while in the neighbourhood of Poblenou, warehouses and factories have been transformed into all manner of creative studios filled with young Catalan designers who are determined to make their mark on the international fashion landscape.

Here, we round up some of the most noteworthy regional designers who remain committed to producing their collections in their hometown.

1.
Shoulder season
Ölend

Ölend co-founders Adriana Dumon and Fran Rios first crossed paths while working as filmmakers in Barcelona. After taking a diy backpack-making course together, they started creating their own designs. Encouragement from friends and family inspired them to officially launch Ölend in 2012 and start selling commercially. “Our initial inspiration was Nordic aesthetics, with very geometric shapes,” says Dumon. “But over time we evolved and began incorporating more colours and organic shapes.” Today, Ölend produces totes, backpacks and shoulder bags in lightweight nylon, all designed in its Poblenou atelier. All bags come in bright colours, with internal and external pockets. “City life requires designs that are functional and versatile,” says Dumon. 
olend.net

2.
Hidden gem
Après Ski

Founder Lucía Vergara and her team design Après Ski’s jewellery collections in the brand’s small shop-cum-atelier down a narrow side street in El Born. A few years ago, she started making her own clothing for models to wear in her jewellery campaigns. Customers expressed interest in buying the full look, prompting Vergara to add unisex shirts, jackets and hats to Après Ski’s collection. Pieces are limited, as they’re mostly made using vintage fabrics. “I search for fabric everywhere, from flea markets to auctions,” says Vergara. 
apresski.es

3.
Material rewards
Bielo

Bielo founder Josep Puig Romeu’s family has been producing premium knitwear since the mid-1980s. From the small town of La Llacuna, its manufacturing business has used state-of-the-art Japanese knitting machines to create designs for the likes of Marni and Balenciaga. “Since the age of 20, I was gaining experience across all departments: knitting, programming, finishing,” says Puig Romeu. “I also worked closely with various luxury brands and their designers.” With all this experience under his belt, Puig Romeu set up Bielo in 2013 to experiment with techniques and materials. His creations are a mix of the minimal – chunky wool cardigans, simple grey sweaters – and the eccentric, from patterned capes to reversible jumpers. The Admo navy cardigan (pictured) will make a great layering piece as you transition into spring.
bielo.cat

4.
Trunk call
Bassal

It was a visit to Kyoto that inspired Pol Bassal to open his own shop in Barcelona. “I kept noticing all these really well-designed stores selling Japanese brands,” he says. “I thought that’s what my city is missing.” His eponymous, multi-brand shop opened next to La Pedrera-Casa Milà in 2020, stocking mostly Spanish designers with the odd high-end international label thrown in. There’s also a range of swimwear designed by Bassal himself, ranging from one-piece suits for women and swimming trunks for men featuring upbeat colours and graphic patterns. “I noticed a lack of swimwear made using premium, European-sourced materials and thought it was time to do something about it,” he says. 
bassal.store

5.
Body of evidence
Roda

Marta Jubero Domènech took an unconventional route to becoming a beauty entrepreneur. The Barcelona native was working in San Francisco for an aerial-software company when she realised that she could take what she had learned in tech and use it in cutting-edge cosmetics. “I’d come into contact with the ways in which data science could be applied to health,” she says. “I noticed that beauty was missing the modern way of formulating products.” In 2020, Jubero Domènech returned to Barcelona, where she set up Roda with her brother, Virgili. Their first step was to create a database of more than 10,000 ingredients and 2,000 dermatological studies. They then analysed the data using AI-assisted techniques to develop the product formulas. The result is a concise range that prioritises ingredients from the Mediterranean region.  
rodacosmetics.com

6.
Delivering the goods
Manuel Dreesmann

After graduating from his design studies in Germany, Bremen-born Manuel Dreesmann headed to Barcelona to forge a new life for himself. “I instantly fell in love with the city and its vibrant atmosphere,” says Dreesmann, who took on various freelance design jobs before launching his own leather goods brand in 2018. “Initially, I was just making things for friends and family. As more and more people started showing interest, I decided that this could be the project upon which I build my career.” In 2021 he opened an atelier and showroom in the El Born neighbourhood. It’s here that Dreesmann and his small team of artisans create their wares, cutting and stitching with precision to create a range of bags, belts, wallets and laptop sleeves. “We carefully select only the finest, vegetable-tanned leathers,” he says. “Most of it comes from renowned tanneries in Igualada, just a stone’s throw from Barcelona.” 
manuel-dreesmann.com

7.
Working class
Bastida

Bastida is known for its unisex range of workwear, made in workshops along Barcelona’s industrial fringes. You’ll spot Bastida-designed uniforms in some of Spain’s most elegant establishments, from Seville to Madrid, but its heavy cotton T-shirts and loose trousers work just as well in day-to-day life.
bastidaforwork.com

Athens’ creative renaissance: Makers, designers and shopkeepers to know

In Athens, the sun shines brightly, the music is extra loud and crowds overflow from cafés and restaurants. This commitment to savouring life’s simple pleasures – good food, good company, good weather – has defined Athenians’ outlook. And today, it seems that the world is taking note and looking to join in on the fun.

This would explain why hotels such as the Grand Bretagne in the centre, the newly opened One & Only resort in the south and many new boutique concepts are booked year round. Athens is becoming a real destination and not just a mere summer stopover for those visiting Paros or Spetses. It has also become the chosen home for an ever-growing group of entrepreneurs and creatives who move here for the sunshine, the food and the cost of living. A renewed sense of optimism is in the air too: the streets are cleaner and busier than before, people smile at strangers more and entire neighbourhoods have been transformed by the opening of new restaurants, bakeries, shops and cultural spaces.

It’s no surprise that the hospitality sector was the first to take off, given the Greeks’ affinity for hosting. But locals have been experimenting beyond food and drink by applying their skills to retail by launching their own fashion brands and setting out to revive craft and manufacturing traditions that have been dormant since the 1980s. This means that when you walk around the Greek capital, whether along the cobbled streets of Plaka or in busy Syntagma Square, you’ll find more than cheap souvenirs and mass-produced fashion. Instead, there is a variety of multi-brand boutiques, concept shops and brand flagships where the owners are likely to greet you in person, share stories behind their designs and tell you about the provenance of their products – the majority of which are proudly “Made in Greece”.

“We’re finally in the right place at the right time,” says Dimitra Kolotoura, co-founder of Zeus + Dione, a luxury ready-to-wear and accessories label. “The economic crisis of the 2010s urged people to start thinking outside the box. In our case, we wanted to do something creative for our country during that difficult time,” says Kolotoura, who co-founded the label with Mareva Grabowski 11 years ago.

Zeus + Dione is a good example of what a modern Greek luxury label looks like, translating classic Greek design and symbolism into modern clothing, supporting artisanal manufacturers across the country and making its presence strongly felt in the city centre. “Within a half-mile radius, you’ll find us in so many different locations, from the GB Corner Shop inside the Grand Bretagne hotel to the Attica department store and our own flagship,” she says. “International customers come to Zeus + Dione to buy something that represents Greece.” 

The brand’s own shop is a minimal, compact space on Voukourestiou Street, a prime spot where the historic Athenée café, Pallas theatre and boutiques for the likes of Rolex and Eres are also located. Kolotoura and her team are always on hand to talk customers through the stories of cultural heritage underpinning every choice of fabric: silk produced in the town of Soufli, embroidery from Argos or shearling from Kastoria, nodding to the area’s community of shepherds. “Greeks have distanced themselves from manufacturing but as new opportunities come up, people will want to get involved again,” says Kolotoura. “If you commit to creating high-quality products, recognition will come, people will start to feel proud and they’ll change their preconceptions around Greek-made products. Greeks didn’t want to hear about local labels in the past but I think that we’ve helped change that mentality.” There are signs of this shift across the city centre, where homegrown labels now sit proudly next to shops by established international houses. A stone’s throw from Zeus + Dione, and next to Chanel’s Athens boutique, is the flagship of handbag label Callista, which is owned by Celia Sigalou and Eleni Konstantinidou. “The idea was to create quality leather products with artisanal details so we built our entire team around that [concept],” says Sigalou in reference to the Callista atelier where women make hand-embroidered straps and handles that go on the label’s minimal tote bags. “There was a danger at one point of associating Greek design with folklore. We want to apply traditional craft to modern silhouettes.”

On the other side of the street, you’ll find a sun-filled shop designed to resemble a glamorous 1970s hotel, complete with mesh chairs (reminiscent of the ones found in Athens’ popular outdoor cinemas), colourful tapestries and aquamarine tiles. This is the home of Ancient Greek Sandals, another local label that has achieved international recognition and established itself among the new generation of Athens’ luxury that Athenian brands are achieving, with its footwear collection (beyond the signature summer sandals, you’ll find shearling slippers, ballet flats and more) and curation of other international labels, from Italian sock label Maria La Rosa to Ukrainian outerwear specialist Ienki Ienki. “We have this home and we want to use it to bring friends of the brand together,” says co-founder Christina Martini.

There is even more to discover beyond bustling Syntagma Square. Heading uphill to the heart of Kolonaki, an area that was always populated with high-end boutiques, you’ll find renovated brand flagships, menswear specialists and heritage jewellers scattered amid its narrow streets. The absence of a main shopping thoroughfare makes venturing into Kolonaki a little more adventurous than usual; there is no loud signage so you have to seek out each destination and brave some steep slopes along the way.

Christakis, the area’s historic tailor, is a great place to start. Having operated in the same spot since 1947, the shop is an Athens institution. It’s now run by brothers Christos and Antonis Nyflis, the owner’s grandsons, remains a go-to for lightweight shirting, made-to-measure suiting and pyjamas. The in-house tailor is often found cutting patterns at the back of the shop and the Nyflis’s mother manning the till while they meet clients for one-to-one appointments. “There’s a lot of new business travellers from Europe and the US who have become loyal clients because we offer competitive prices and shorter waiting times,” says Christos. “You can also get a feel of old Athens here. We stick to the original design of the shop so that someone can come in and be reminded of what it is like to visit a traditional shirtmaker.” Indeed, the dark-wood cabinets, stacks of archival sketches and sounds of fabric being cut and steamed transport shoppers back in time. 

Across the street, multi-brand boutique The Aesthet brings together a number of Greek womenswear brands under one roof, from Zeus + Dione to summer specialist Ancient Kallos and jewellers Lito and Ileana Makri. “We were the first boutique to bring together local designers in about 2013,” says founder Alexandra Zakka. “Before that we were governed by this xenocentrism and everything was imported.” Zakka, an ambitious entrepreneur, has gone on to open a second shop on the island of Mykonos and plans another in the forthcoming Ellinikon malls in Athens. “There’s ongoing demand from both tourists and locals,” she says. “Given its position, Athens is a great weekend destination and can really deliver when it comes to food, nightlife, history and now shopping. We are calling it the ‘Greek-end’.” 

The Kolonaki neighbourhood is also a treasure trove for jewellery lovers, filled with boutiques and showrooms of some of the city’s most renowned jewellers. Ileana Makri is the leader of the pack, known for her namesake line, which is particularly popular with US department stores. Her concept shop, near Kolonaki Square, brings together her own collections with some of the best – and hardest-to-source – names in fashion. You’ll find cabinets of Ileana Makri rings featuring the popular evil eye motif next to pieces by Bibi van der Velden, Sophie Bille Brahe and Marie Lichtenberg; accessories by The Row (elusive founders Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen are fans of Makri’s work) as well as clothes by La Double J. “Nothing is seasonal,” says Myrto Anastassopoulou, Makri’s daughter who works on the shop’s curation. “We don’t see competition – we just want to reflect how people dress and you never just wear one brand. The mix of brands and price points also means that people feel more comfortable to walk in.”

Nikos Koulis has also built an international jewellery business out of Athens with partners in the US, Europe and the Middle East who appreciate his purist design ethos. He is now building a new Kolonaki boutique to create more space for meeting his customers and designing bespoke pieces for them. “A big part of what we do revolves around unique stones,” says Koulis as he opens the safe behind his desk to show off two dazzling, uncut emeralds sourced for this type of commission. “I build a narrative around the stone.” The pieces are produced in a workshop where a multi-generational team of artisans works together. “It’s a family-style office and the ages of our staff range from 25 to 75, with everyone offering their own perspectives and wisdom.” 

Fashion discoveries aren’t reserved for the hilly roads of Kolonaki. The older parts of Athens, known as Plaka and Monastiraki, where the streets are narrow and lined with cobblestones, are becoming destinations in their own right. If you’re heading to the Acropolis today, you won’t just find cheap souvenir shops along the way. Though there are still plenty of those around, a corner of Plaka is now also home to Mouki Mou boutique’s new Athens outpost where you can pick up glamorous evening wear by Paris-based Maison Rabih Kayrouz, classic linen tailoring by Apuntob and handcrafted homeware. If you feel like a break, the shop’s terrace also happens to have one of the best views of the city.

A quick stroll around the surrounding area reveals the wave of change taking place in an area that was previously the preserve of tourist traps. After shopping at Mouki Mou, you can also stop at Wine is Fine, one of the many new wine bars and try modern Greek cuisine at Linou Soumpasis & Sia, a favourite of Mouki Mou owner Maria Lemos. 

The area is also home to historic, family-run shops that are finally becoming recognised for their meticulously crafted products. Olgianna Melissinos Sandals is one such spot. Discreetly located in a Monastiraki arcade between antique shops and cafés, it offers some of the best made-to-measure leather sandals in town, crafted by owner Olgianna Melissinos, who continues her father’s craft. “I was scared of living up to his name; he was such a character and had a reputation as a sandalmaker but also a poet,” says Melissinos, who now spends her days cycling between her shop and her workshop, where all sandal orders are fulfilled by her and her husband. She is not afraid to experiment with colour and different types of leather, which means that her shop has become the worst-kept secret among discerning travellers who appreciate handmade pieces and classic designs. “We want to highlight that sandals are a sophisticated shoe choice for the summer,” she says. “At the end of the day, sandalmakers in ancient Greece were also politicians,” says Melissinos, who is always on hand to take customers’ measurements and offer personalised recommendations. “The concept of handmade can be quite elitist but I want to make sure that it is as accessible as possible.”

The energy of Athens can be felt throughout the city but nowhere is it more evident than Exarchia, the city’s anarchist quarter, which has now turned into a vibrant, creative hub filled with independent boutiques run by young entrepreneurs, vinyl shops, artists’ studios and bookshops. “There was a time when you weren’t able to walk here at night or leave your car without the windows getting smashed,” says Harilaos Kourtinos Pallas, who has just opened concept shop Aphilo Athens in the area, with visual artist Antigone MacLellan. “When I lived here as a student there was something to discover in every corner but all of a sudden everything was deserted and crime went up in the 2010s. It’s great to see people walking around freely again and tourists exploring the area.”

Aphilo Athens brings together the founders’ creative circle (jewellers working with upcycled materials, designers experimenting with natural dyeing and ceramicists) as well as their own work, which ranges from jewellery to furniture and handcrafted fashion. “This was missing in Athens, where these concepts are usually limited to art galleries,” says Pallas, who custom-made all the furniture in the two-storey shop. “We want to show the skills being revived by young people in Athens.” He is leading by example by introducing his own label, Kyr Lakis, in the shop, created as an homage to his grandfather, a craftsman specialising in traditional Greek block printing. “My mum taught me the craft young,” says Pallas, who now prints his grandfather’s drawings, carved on wooden stamps, cotton shirts, silk scarves and tote bags. “We’re the only family with this heritage and it would have been lost otherwise,” “I want to grow this into a fully fledged lifestyle brand.”

There’s a unanimous urge here to revive traditional Greek craft and a palpable sense of national pride. “We’re seeing this in the design world too,” says Pallas. “People used to throw away mosaics and traditional furniture. They craved that modern, clean look because in the 1990s they couldn’t travel much and felt a bit trapped. Now that the world has opened up, we are able to appreciate our own culture more.”

Pallas’s thoughts are echoed by Christina Christodoulou, founder of shirting brand It’s A Shirt, whose studio-cum-shop is a street away from Aphilo. Her brand is equally intertwined with family heritage; she grew up with a tailor father who now cuts and sews every shirt that is produced by her label. “Up until the late 1980s, my father ran a small production company in Athens and worked with 10 to 15 local clients but most of those brands either closed down or moved production to China,” says Christodoulou, who saw an opportunity to revive her father’s workshop and target the growing group of local and international customers who want to know who makes their clothes. She sources cotton and linen from a factory in Nafpaktos in the west of Greece, which is one of the last cotton producers in the country. “People write to me to say that they can’t wait to travel to Athens to try on the collection,” she says. 

The Vathis neighbourhood in the city centre, is being transformed at a similar pace. It was best avoided until a few years ago but for US-born Andria Mitsakos, the neoclassical building that she took over on Anexartisias Square was the perfect location for her by-appointment concept, Anthologist, where she sells clothing, accessories and furniture produced in small workshops in Athens, Cairo and Armenia. Her presence in the area, along with the opening of the Alekos Fassianos Museum nearby, has helped to transform the face of the neighbourhood. “I make most of my bags, belts, ceramics, jewellery, furniture and stained glass all in this country,” she says. “There’s a shift in perspectives and people’s value systems so they’re appreciating tradition again; what’s old is new.”

Mitsakos’s business is shining a light on the plethora of skilled artisans across the city and connecting them with a new European and American clientele, who often come in to commission custom pieces. “Athens is a convergence of cultures,” says Mitsakos. “That’s why I feel strongly about also producing in Egypt where so many Greeks still live, “It’s about cultural preservation. People don’t want cookie-cutter, they want pieces with history and soul.”

And there’s plenty of soul in Athens, given the intimacy of the shopping experiences on offer and the sheer breadth of products and price points available. You could be commissioning furniture in Exarchia one day and picking a stone for a piece of high jewellery or getting a pair of made-to-measure sandals for less than €100 the next, all the while having coffee and a deep conversation with each business’s owner. Locals are grasping this momentum and are determined to maintain it, with more ambitious shop openings, cross-sector collaborations and a new vision of what modern Greek design could look like. “There’s this freshness in our designs that is surely associated with our country,” says Nikos Koulis. “Every time I land in Athens and see the sunshine, I’m so thankful that I live here.”

Read next: The Monocle City Guide to Athens, featuring the very best hotels, restaurants and retail spots

Fashion creatives who are breaking new ground

April
Denmark & South Korea

After Patrik Rolf opened roastery and coffee shop April in Copenhagen in 2020, it quickly became a city institution. Later, when he needed practical workwear for his team, he designed his own and introduced a fashion element to his business. It was a logical move for Rolf, who, having worked for a menswear boutique in Gothenburg, wanted a high-end retail experience to complement his coffee shop. “I see a lot of value in translating the respect for the farm-to-cup chain that we have in the coffee world to other kinds of manufacturing,” he says. 

Rolf manufactures his clothing in Seoul, where he opened his second concept shop in 2022. “South Korea has some of the world’s best producers of utility clothing,” he says. When it came to design, he drew inspiration from Japan’s workers’ aesthetic, which prizes function over looks. “The utility approach to clothing is all about durability and everyday use,” says Rolf. “It’s not something that you wear once. We create clothing that you can experience life in.” 
aprilcoffeeroasters.com

A-Poc Able Issey Miyake
Japan

Experimentation has been central to the Issey Miyake brand ever since the late Japanese designer presented his first show in New York in 1971. It continues to inform his company, especially at sub-labels such as A-Poc Able, which he founded in 1998. Now led by Yoshiyuki Miyamae, A-Poc Able Issey Miyake is preparing for global expansion, with launches in New York, London and Paris in the works. 

Based in Issey Miyake’s building in Tokyo, Miyamae’s 17-strong team works on new textiles and collaborations with creatives from a range of disciplines. Designs begin as paper models, before they are transferred to screens. Computers are used to create a flat piece of fabric that can be worked into a three-dimensional shape using only the heat of steam: Miyamae demonstrates the process on a seemingly shapeless black T-shirt that is teased into complex folds and curves. 

Collaborators include artist Tadanori Yokoo and a start-up from Keio University whose new AI algorithm can design clothes with minimal fabric waste. “We wanted to understand what AI is capable of,” says Miyamae (pictured). “It brought fresh perspectives and suggested ideas that we wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.”

Miyamae has also joined forces with Fujifilm and the University of Tokyo to work on a metallic ink that can be printed on film and used for accessories. Another special project is a collaboration with photographer Sohei Nishino, whose diorama of London has been recreated in woven jacquard as a reversible coat; meanwhile, a New York diorama features on a pair of five-pocket trousers. These limited-edition pieces will be available in London from 26 April to mark the arrival of A-Poc Able at the Issey Miyake shop in Mayfair. Miyamae is always pushing fashion’s boundaries but he never forgets about creating desirable clothes. “Beauty is key,” he says. 
isseymiyake.com

Clare Waight Keller
Uniqlo: C, Japan

Clare Waight Keller is best known for her work as creative director of French luxury houses Chloé and Givenchy. In Paris, she made her mark with designs that fused romance with utility while driving commercial success. In 2020 she stepped back from high fashion only to take on a new challenge in 2022 in the form of Uniqlo: C, a partnership with the Japanese retail giant that has allowed her grounded approach to design to flourish. Here, she shares her vision for Uniqlo: C and her spring range. 

What was the appeal in partnering with Uniqlo?
Uniqlo has been in my life for about 12 years. I discovered it through its work with Jil Sander, who I really admire. This was an amazing opportunity for me to do something similar for the generation that has been following my career. It’s exciting to be able to do something on such a democratic scale. I wanted to bring to the collaboration the femininity of my work at Chloé and my understanding of couture from my time at Givenchy. These are skills that can be adapted to finishings, proportions and fits, even if the clothes are at different price points.

How did your approach to design change?
When you work at a high level of luxury, you’re looking at branding and thinking about a runway show every season, so it’s a slightly different vantage point. But in terms of researching fabrics, colours and silhouettes, the process is very much the same today. It just stays more grounded in reality, instead of being a runway fantasy. That has always been part of my language. 

Could you tell us about your new spring collection? 
I was mindful that the Uniqlo customer is global and crosses many different climates, so we focused on the idea of layering. I wanted to design a collection that can be worn all year and create a wardrobe that will not only help women look more chic but will also bring a sense of playfulness. That’s why, in the spring collection in particular, you’ll find pops of colour. They complement the neutral base and encourage you to have fun. 
uniqlo.com

SS Daley
UK

Liverpool fashion designer Steven Stockey-Daley began the year with a new investor and a runway show at Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio. “Every corner of that city feels like an art gallery,” he says. “We wanted to bring some lightness with our clothes.” The new range pays homage to the tailoring traditions of both Italy and the UK. “The core designs were based around different states of formality and the feeling of seeing Italy the first time,” he adds. This translates into double-pleat trousers and corduroy suits, as well as elegant, waxed-cotton jackets and parkas (pictured). 
ssdaley.com

Officine Générale
France

Parisian label Officine Générale is best known for its elegant tailoring but this year it has broadened its scope to the world of beauty with Smoky Olive, a line of fragrance-related products including candles, room scents and hand washes bringing heady aromas such as burnt wood and vetiver. For the label’s founder, Pierre Mahéo, and his wife, Nina Mahéo Haverkamp, scent has always offered comfort and everyday pleasure. The garden of their house in Spain and the seaside pines of Brittany, where Mahéo grew up, became their primary sources of inspiration, translated into a distinctive smoky smell with notes of ginger, rosemary and cedar. The products are all made in France, with candles created using soy and coconut oils, as well as olive-oil soaps crafted using traditional techniques from Marseille. 
officinegenerale.com

Fields
South Africa

When Mikael Hanan, co-founder of online fashion retailer Superbalist, launched menswear brand Fields in 2019, he was adamant that his team would work out of its flagship shop in Cape Town. “I enjoy being close to customers,” he says. “We’re trying to prove that we can do it all from here.” Fields also sources fabric and manufactures in the country. At its boutique, shoppers browse a collection of chinos, workwear jackets and cotton crewnecks. The brand mostly takes a classic approach to design but Hanan also ensures that he regularly introduces new colours and limited-edition items (including a collaboration with artist Andile Dylvane), so that his customers always have a reason to return. 
fieldsstore.com

The Monocle Design Awards 2024

What makes good design? At Monocle, our view has always been that it involves people and projects that seek to improve quality of life. So it’s only natural that the Monocle Design Awards should build on this outlook, with prizes highlighting the ways in which enjoyable, attractive and practical works can enhance our homes, offices and cities – and help to build communities too.

For this fourth edition of the annual awards, as in previous years, Monocle’s team of editors and correspondents have scoured the globe for those who are setting new benchmarks. There are 50 prizes, presented in no particular order, covering works from six continents and 31 countries. Among the winners are a freshly developed typeface for a West African dialect, a smart airline update from a French high flyer, a zippy new bike from Switzerland and an impressive imprint from Chile.

Our hope is that this listing doesn’t just recognise best practice and acknowledge those making our lives better and more beautiful – but that it serves as a resource too. Want to find out about the ideal architect to work with for your next residential project? The graphic design studio to commission for a packaging update? Or the chair that would perfectly complement your dining room table? Well, read on and find out.

1.
Best portable light
W241 Faro lamp
Sweden

The lighthouse-shaped silhouette of Wästberg’s Faro lamp encapsulates the dimly lit Mediterranean milieu where the Swedish manufacturer and UK architect David Chipperfield found their guiding light: Corrubedo, the vibrant Galician fishing village where you’ll find Chipperfield’s airy Bar do Porto. The portable, rechargeable lamp emanates a particularly gentle glow, the result of its unusual form and sheltered light source. Crafted from aluminium, the sleek piece balances modesty and grandeur. It’s a marriage of Chipperfield’s minimalist style and Wästberg’s flair for crafting lower-energy alternatives to conventional lights. Despite its size, the W241 Faro stands remarkably tall. 
wastberg.co

2.
Best Mommunity Initiative
Community Plant Library by One Bite Social
Hong Kong

Though there’s plenty of greenery surrounding Hong Kong, the city can often feel like a concrete jungle. It’s a narrative that One Bite Social, the charity division of architecture and urbanism firm One Bite, set out to change in 2021, when it launched a Community Plant Library in the San Po Kong neighbourhood. “It’s an old industrial area,” says Sarah Mui. “We wanted to use plants to bring the community together.” To do so, Mui and her team spoke to residents and shopkeepers about the vegetation on their streets, from their favourite trees to potted plants. Over six months, installations were designed around a selection of plants, while regular workshops were held on topics such as plant dyes and upcycling coffee grounds. 

The project was a hit and spawned two more Community Plant Library initiatives in the Sheung Wan and Sham Shui Po neighbourhoods last year. While all of these initiatives have now wrapped up, their effect is still felt. In Sheung Wan, there is a plant exchange station and continuous engagement within the community.

“Plants connect all ages,” says Mui. “Every mobile Community Plant Library session attracted people of all ages and plants became the connector for conversations.” It’s an outcome that wouldn’t have been possible without One Bite Social’s designs. The project is an example of how small interventions can have lasting benefits.
onebitedesign.com

3.
Best office edition
Zuzulu System by Alki
France

When Basque Country-based industrial design studio Iratzoki Lizaso set out to create a workplace furniture range that would offer intimacy while fostering collaboration, it teamed up with family-run company Alki. The result is the modular Zuzulu space-planning system, named after the traditional seat-cum-table found in the kitchens of Basque farmhouses. Made from oak panels and fabric-upholstered partitions, the system can be rearranged to organise open-plan spaces to meet various needs. Whether you need individual workstations, meeting areas or breakout zones, the possibilities are endless. The system can even be combined with Alki’s other furniture collections. Colourful and full of character, the Zuzulu system will bring a sense of warmth to any work environment. 
alki.fr

4.
Best café
Byasa Café
Indonesia

Byasa Café is a relaxed addition to the growing hospitality scene in Bandung, a bustling metropolis that’s a three-hour drive south-east of Jakarta. Set in a generous, open building in the heart of the city’s commercial centre, the café was designed by homegrown architects Studio Asa, with interiors that nod towards refined Japanese minimalism. Yet the mood is unmistakably casual and approachable.

“We wanted to build a space that is not only visually pleasing but also intriguing and stimulating to the senses,” says Studio Asa’s Amelinda Vidyasti. It’s an outlook that led Vidyasti and her co-founder, interior designer Bey Riffandie, to create a series of interconnected spaces that unfold as customers move through the venue. A narrow three-metre-wide passageway, lined with bamboo, leads to the sun-filled heart of the café, which spills out onto a verdant courtyard.

The result? A hospitality outpost where coffee isn’t the only pick-me-up. The urban sanctuary-like atmosphere ensures customers can recharge, feeling far removed from the city despite being in its densely populated centre. 
studioasa.id

5.
Best new branding
Cask by Shinanoya
Japan

With almost 100 years of selling food and wine under its belt, grocery company Shinanoya in Tokyo had earned a rebrand. For its new logo, it hired design studio Faa, comprising graphic designer Junichi Ishikawa and creative director-cum-photographer Satoshi Matsuo. Thrilled with the results, the company worked with Faa again on a concept that it had for Toranomon Hills Station Tower. Instead of fruit and meat, this shop would sell prepared food, healthy bento boxes, cheese and wine. Faa came up with the name, Cask, and a compelling logo, complete with an original typeface.

The resulting logo references the ropes that encircle traditional Japanese barrels alongside a circle that evokes a cask or bowl. A nice touch is the posters that hang in the shop (get those on sale alongside the organic rice), which each show one product or glass of wine. “We wanted the posters to be as simple as possible,” says Ishikawa. “Honesty and transparency about where food comes from is important to Shinanoya and we wanted to express that visually.” Faa is barely a year old but is building an impressive portfolio of work. This talented duo aren’t bothered about conventional categories and happily stray into interiors for the likes of Tokyo café brand Parklet. And don’t bother looking for them on social media; they have been too busy to work on that. Just head to Toranomon, select some wine from Cask’s impressive cellar and take in some finely executed branding work. 
shinanoya.co.jp

6.
Best floor lamp
G21 by Ligne Roset
France

Connoisseurs of French mid-century design will delight at the news that engineer, designer and interior architect Pierre Guariche’s beautiful pieces are getting a second outing thanks to French furniture manufacturer Ligne Roset. One of the highlights of this line of reissues is the G21 floor standard lamp, which Guariche designed in 1951. The elegant luminaire has a delicate aluminium shade, a slender stem in lacquered brushed brass and a V-shaped base. A sliding peg lets the user adjust the height for greater comfort. All this carries the G21 into the 21st century with credence and grace. 
ligne-roset.com

7.
Best shop fit out
Bottega Veneta
Italy

For Italy’s luxury fashion houses, there’s nothing more covetable than a spot in Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Its newest arrival is Bottega Veneta, which opened an outpost in the 19th-century glass-vaulted arcade in early 2024, transporting customers into the brand’s modernist world. Bottega Veneta’s creative director, Matthieu Blazy, who designed the shop himself, chose to focus on three materials – glass, Italian walnut wood and green Verde Saint Denis marble – highlighting the power of stripping things back and offering a confident, focused point of view.

The result is a space that feels warm and welcoming, with natural materials set in contrast to industrial glass blocks on the walls, while softer touches include plush emerald-green carpets and leather sofas. These furnishings are all part of an existing design language written by Blazy and translated inside Bottega Veneta outposts around the world.

The new Galleria boutique offers a natural continuation of this retail vision, set inside a historic, albeit unusually compact, location. But instead of limiting Blazy, the shop’s size offers opportunities to play with scale – the large curved staircase at the centre has even more visual impact in this small space, for instance – and to highlight one- of-a-kind designs, including a series of Sardine bags, featuring handcrafted ceramic handles. The modular shelving used to divide the space also creates a more intimate, homely feel. 

“There are different experiences of space in the store,” says Blazy. “I wanted to express the idea of a domestic interior referring to Italian modernist architecture, and to capture the intimacy and the imagination of getting dressed.” It’s an ambition that Blazy and Bottega Veneta have successfully fulfilled. 
bottegaveneta.com

8.
Top school design
International Community School
Iraq

When Lebanese architects Ahmad Beydoun and Ghida Khayat got the call in 2019 to design an international school in Baghdad, they left their jobs in Beirut and formed design studio Muduni – “urban” in Arabic.

Muduni let the school’s form be led entirely by its function. “Most schools separate different-aged students from one another,” says Beydoun. “We wanted to emphasise mixing and playing together.” As a result, the four different buildings – for kindergarten up to high school – congregate around one central space. It works perfectly for the Iraqi capital’s climate, with the buildings shading the courtyard.

The commission wasn’t without its challenges. “The Iraqi education ministry had a lot of specific demands,” says Beydoun. For instance, despite greatly increased safety in Baghdad over the past few years, authorities wanted a thick wall to protect the students. So Muduni made the building’s base into a blast wall, moving all the classrooms upstairs.

Despite this challenge, the resulting building is decidedly playful. A central curved ramp sweeps from the ground floor, creating flying walkways. Beydoun explains that every viewpoint leads the eye to the central, focal space: a large, block-like library. “It’s the main meeting place; we emphasised it to promote reading books and the value that brings to growing up.” 
muduni.com

9.
Best community project
Mariam’s Library
Tanzania

When Mai Al Busairi, principal architect and founder of Parallel Studio, tackled the not-for-profit design and build of a library in a rural Zanzibar village, she wanted to ensure it would serve the community well. Rather than creating something she assumed the villagers would want, she asked them what they needed. “The school principal told me that the lack of books makes it hard for the teachers to teach,” says Al Busairi. The pupils also needed a sheltered place to spend time away from the harsh sun in the early afternoon. So the idea for a school library was born.

Prior to the build, Al Busairi spent more than a month on site, monitoring the effect of the sun, wind and rain. This approach led to the creation of walls made from local clay bricks and punctuated with open windows to allow for a through-breeze, opaque fibre sheets to strain the harsh sun, and a cantilever roof to allow rain to run off. “We wanted it to be sustainable,” says Al Busairi. “We didn’t want to add a cost to the school by making them use electricity for the library’s operation.”

The result is a reading refuge where the school’s students, as well as children from the surrounding community, can spend their afternoons soaking up stories. For Al Busairi, the library serves as an example of how an architect’s valuable skills can positively affect under-served communities. She hopes it will motivate her peers back home in Kuwait. “I want to shed light on dedicating a small amount of profit or something beneficial to the people in need.” 
para-llel.co

10.
Best lamp
Céramique by Flos
Italy

Italian lighting company Flos has long been known for its ingenious use of glass but this year it made a smashing debut in the world of ceramics. Working with French design scion Ronan Bouroullec, it created Céramique, a fun, sculptural table lamp made up of a single ceramic structure with a fixed light diffuser. Three variations are available with the luminaire angled in different directions (pointing up, down or sideways), allowing variation in lighting configurations. The crystalline lacquered finish comes in three different colourways – mossy green, navy blue and rusty red – all characterful colours that will brighten any space. 
flos.com

11.
Best new car
Renault 5 EV
France

When Renault first launched the 5 in the early 1970s, it effectively invented a new breed of car: the small hatchback, perfect for European cities. Its pleasing boxy shape and uniquely sloped rear end resulted in it becoming wildly popular, but by the 1990s it was discontinued. How wonderful it is, then, to have it back now as the 5 EV – remodelled as an electric car but still imbued with that same plucky Renault 5 spirit and with those original design cues very much intact.

This is the case right down to details like the waffle-patterned headliner fabric. But it’s not all just retro design fun, the vehicle is downright practical, with the perfect blend of compactness and utility. The back seats have enough legroom that passengers won’t be complaining to cut field trips short. The boot can easily handle your groceries (though we wouldn’t attempt much more than one large suitcase back there). Want to tow something? You can even do that, dragging up to 500kg behind. The biggest battery version will provide 400km of range as well.

Practicalities aside, Renault hasn’t lost its sense of fun here – there’s even an optional baguette carrier by way of a wicker basket that’s ideally sized to transport your fresh loaf home or to a picnic. In other words, the new Renault 5 is the perfect playful little city car, though you might be inspired to take it further afield as well – in no small part because it will look so damn good doing it. 
renault.fr

12.
Best urban intervention
Golden Horn Sports Park
Turkey

On Istanbul’s famous waterfront, the Golden Horn is an inlet of the Bosphorus backed by the city’s best known landmarks. For years it lay derelict, cut off by the main road that runs alongside it. Now, with the opening of the Golden Horn Sports Park, a mixed-use facility designed by husband-and-wife team Ervin and Banu Garip, it is a focus of the city’s social and sporting life.

“Before, you couldn’t walk next to the water,” says Renay Onur, general manager of the Istanbul municipality’s sports facilities. “The idea was to convert the Golden Horn into a place where Istanbullus can walk, play sports and spend recreational time in an uninterrupted way.”

The park covers an area the size of four football pitches and incorporates sports fields, walkways, grassy areas and bases for the city’s rowing, canoeing and sailing federations. The park’s design nods to the Golden Horn’s recent history as Istanbul’s industrial hub, with a skate park located right under a train bridge, while greenery is crammed into the once-barren space.

The project is a testament to the fact that a smartly designed urban landscape can elevate the visual quality of a city while inviting its residents to be healthy and active too. Eleven more waterfront parks are now planned for other unloved parts of Istanbul’s coastline. 
yesil.istanbul

13.
Best new museum
Siyadi Pearl Museum
Bahrain

Until the 1920s, when the Japanese invented cultured pearls, a Bahraini pearl necklace was worth as much as a building in Manhattan. This turned the tiny island nation on the Persian Gulf, where divers harvested gems from oyster beds, into a wealthy trading outpost. It’s a heritage celebrated at the newly completed Siyadi Pearl Museum, designed by Anne Holtrop.

The Dutch architect started working on the project in 2016, not long after he moved from Amsterdam to Muharraq (it was commissioned by his now-wife, Palestinian architect Noura Al Sayeh). The site was the Siyadi Majlis, part of the old residence of one of the country’s foremost pearl-merchant families. Holtrop discovered that the building’s history was embedded in its walls – it was constructed using slabs of coral stone and plastered with crushed oyster shells. But half of it had been rebuilt in the 1980s. By clearing this section, Holtrop made way for a new annexe, with rooms that vary in height from two to eight metres and showcase Bahraini pearl jewellery.

Holtrop, who has his studio nearby, uses material experimentation to riff on Bahraini architecture without falling into pastiche. The opaque, sand-casted glass doors, for instance, were inspired by traditional Islamic window screens. “I wanted to let in the light but not the view,” he says. Such an approach has led to the creation of a museum that strikes a balance between the historic and the contemporary – the perfect setting for introducing visitors to the most famous aspect of Bahrain’s cultural heritage. 
anneholtrop.nl

14.
Best two-wheeler
Monopole No 1
Switzerland

Looking to up your city commute? Then get on the saddle of a Monopole No 01. The newly launched brand’s singular model is designed in Switzerland and manufactured in France, in a superlative marrying of design merit. 

The bike’s svelte, hand-welded steel frame, varying wheel diameter and modular cargo racks that have a 30kg capacity – perfect for hauling a weekend bag, groceries or box of wine – results in a functional freewheeler that will carry you for 45km on full charge. And, at just 22kg in weight and 190cm in length, the bike can both transport and be transported. It’s a smart solution to facilitate quiet and clean car-free centres that Monopole addresses with characteristic Helvetic confidence. 
monopole.cc

15.
Champion of craft
The Invisible Collection
France

Founded in 2016 by Anna Zaoui, Isabelle Dubern-Mallevays and Lily Froehlicher (who Monocle spoke to below), The Invisible Collection began as an online marketplace to make contemporary interior design more readily available to the public. Today the company has outposts in London, Paris and New York, and regularly collaborates with Chanel’s craft ateliers Le19M and French cultural institution Mobilier National. 

Why does Invisible Collection mostly focus on new design?
We saw these incredible designers such as Studio Ashby and Pierre Yovanovitch being appointed by private clients, a hotel or a restaurant to design spaces and furniture. We found it sad that these pieces could be seen in magazines but weren’t being sold elsewhere. Our goal is to give these designs a second life and international reach. 

How do you select the designers that you champion?
They tell us about their work and inspirations, and why they create. There’s an element of cultural relevance; the designers and pieces that we select need to stand the test of time too, hopefully to become tomorrow’s collectables. The designers need to have relationships with ateliers – the hands to deliver an idea and a vision. And they need to be able to customise pieces so our clients can modify designs to suit their homes.
theinvisiblecollection.com

16.
Best in brick
Dr Vishnuvardhan Memorial Complex
India

In India, as memorials to demigod actors go, statues set in landscaped gardens are most popular. But an imposing brick and concrete venue on the outskirts of the southern Indian city of Mysuru offers a new take on such tributes. When a memorial for late superstar Vishnuvardhan was proposed, his family insisted on a space that went beyond the norm, to include a venue where the region’s artists could hone their craft. They felt this was in keeping with the actor’s philanthropic bent.

Working to the brief, Bengaluru-based M9 Design Studio created two distinct structures: a sunken gallery to showcase the actor’s life and work, built almost entirely of concrete; and a performing arts venue that uses brick creatively. “Because of their longevity, the choice of materials was obvious to us,” says M9’s founder Nischal Abhaykumar. Highlights include a perforated exterior wall made of brick, which draws on the form of theatre curtains and has been engineered without iron and concrete. Inside, brick has been layered to create texture, while skylights create a diffused warmth.

Since opening in 2023, the venue has been frequented not only by theatre groups and Vishnuvardhan fans, but also schools, which use it as a teaching space. Given the memorial’s mission statement, one could say it has started off on solid ground – thanks, in no small part, to its brick foundation. 
mnine.in

17.
Best retrofit
Renata
Brazil

Edifício Renata Sampaio Ferreira, completed in the 1950s by architect Oswaldo Bratke, is one of São Paulo’s most celebrated buildings, thanks in no small part to its impressive façade of cobogós (breeze blocks). The building has been recently retrofitted by Metro Arquitetos, which has transformed the former office building into Renata, a structure that’s open to the public.

Highlights include a café, Nata; the Lágrima bar (inspired by Tokyo jazz bars); the Renata brasserie; and a beach-style third-floor pool that offers views of the city. Commercial spaces have also been transformed into residences, enabling some Paulistas to call the building home; 93 new apartments have been furnished with a mix of modernist Brazilian furniture and Japanese minimalist pieces.

The transformation is significant for the community but it took plenty of effort. “Retrofit is a very specific challenge but it’s a service to the city,” says Metro Arquitetos co-founder Gustavo Cedroni. “With Renata we are preserving something that is unique. Our modernist architecture in Brazil is very relevant but it’s only now that it has become common to restore it.” With a benchmark project like Renata under its belt, expect more historic mid-century Brazilian buildings to get the Metro Arquitetos experience. This will not only preserve the country’s famous architecture but give citizens structures to be proud of again. 
metroarquitetos.com.br

18.
Best institutional renovation
US Embassy Campus
Guatemala

The latest diplomatic outpost in Guatemala, the US Embassy, designed by the Miller Hull Partnership, is set on a forested plateau outside Guatemala City. The project is one of 178 that have been constructed in partnership with the US government as part of a push to improve security for American diplomats.

A series of geometric structures, the complex is surrounded by gardens planted with native species. “We drew on the ceremonial and residential planning of Maya cities,” says Miller Hull’s Mathew Albores. The main stone-and-glass building towers above the rest and is clad in brise-soleil to minimise heat gain. In a pleasing contrast, the lower buildings are finished with a granite of different shades and textures. Inside, a triple-height gallery space has views of an outdoor courtyard and forested ravine beyond. “The intent was to create an environment that provides a sense of formal grandeur while at the same time is warm and inviting,” says Albores. The effect is a dignified structure that’s grounded in its locale – an appropriate ambition for embassy architecture, and diplomats themselves. 
millerhull.com

19.
Best radio
TechniSat
Germany

TechniSat has built a reputation as a top radio manufacturer with its satellite reception technology, experience in solutions for connecting data and having the broadest line-up in the market. At the forefront of its offerings are the Digitradio 4 IR – a digital hybrid that blends internet radio capabilities with Bluetooth audio streaming – the portable Digitradio 1 and the Techniradio 40 clock radio. 
technisat.com

20.
Top dining chair
Villetta by De Padova
Italy

Too often, dining chairs prioritise looks over comfort. The Villetta chair sacrifices neither, instead balancing both of these crucial elements. The charcoal-coloured frame is sourced from solid aniline-dyed ash formed into sleek legs and armrests, plus a generous seat, making for an excellent place from which to relish long meals. And while the form might seem simple, it has been in development since 2016, when the Italian furniture powerhouse De Padova began collaborating with its Milan-based designer, Keiji Takeuchi. That the project has taken eight years is a testament to the brand’s commitment to unhurried processes that uphold quality above all else. 
depadova.com; keijitakeuchi.com

21.
Best storage solution
Tylko
Poland

Launched by Benjamin Kuna and Jacek Majewski in 2015, Warsaw-based furniture brand Tylko creates custom-built shelves and wardrobes. “We wanted to do things differently from the outset,” says Majewski. “We identified the main sticking point that many people have with furniture: everyone’s home is built differently.” 

Expanding from the initial idea of creating customised products, Tylko has set up an online system that allows customers to construct their shelving and storage units digitally, picking out colours and dimensions that suit their home. “This allows people to use the products for a long time,” says Majewski. “We have been around for 10 years now and people aren’t throwing the shelves away.” He credits Tylko’s longevity to its recognition of the realities of modern lifestyles. 

“People are very mobile,” says Kuna. “We have designed the furniture so that it can be disassembled when they are moving house and reassembled multiple times over.” That trait underscores the appeal of Tylko and its refreshing offering of an antidote to the flat-packed furniture industry. 
tylko.com

22.
Workshop of choice
La Metropolitana
Mexico

“When we started La Metropolitana, we found that we didn’t have a strong woodworking tradition in Mexico,” says Rodrigo Escobedo, who established the Mexico City-based studio and workshop in 2010 with Alejandro Gutiérrez and Mauricio Guerrero. “We decided to fill that gap.”

The company is known for wooden pieces and bespoke timber projects. Its off-the-shelf chairs can be found around the world, while restaurateurs and retailers from Copenhagen to Chicago are commissioning bespoke pieces. This international presence allows the trio to focus on growing in a more socially responsible way. “The studio and factory has become what we call fabrica escuela,” says Escobedo. “It’s like a factory school, where we teach people how to produce using our methods and technology.” 

The studio is also integrating more women into its work processes in a business that is historically male-dominated – about 30 per cent of its workforce is now female. It’s a company that takes a holistic approach to trying to be better – one that other workshops would be wise to follow. 
lametropolitana.com

23.
Top game
Uno X Kartell
USA

Design collaborations don’t get much more playful than this: the popular US card game Uno has united with Italian furniture company Kartell to create a design-inspired deck. The cards feature images of Kartell’s most recognisable designs, including the Bookworm shelf by British-Israeli industrial designer Ron Arad and the Louis Ghost chairs and gnome-shaped Attila side table by French designer Philippe Starck. With its clean graphics, simple sans-serif typeface and subdued pastel tones, the deck is a creative reimagining of the iconic game. 

Also on the cards though? Beyond the deck, Kartell is releasing a version of its Componibili plastic storage unit – created by Italian modern designer Anna Castelli Ferrieri – with four tiers that echo the four categories of the Uno cards. 
kartell.com; creations.mattel.com

24.
Best in the kitchen
J*Gast
Germany

Tobias Petri and Sven Petzold, founders of interior design firm Holzrausch, had long dreamt about better built-in kitchens. When they realised three of their friends from product design and carpentry backgrounds shared the same opinion, they established J*Gast. “The kitchen market is a bit old-school,” says Petri. “You can change worktops and panels but there’s nothing new in the construction.” Working from J*Gast’s Munich showroom, the nimble team is now upending the way they are built.

Traditional built-in kitchens are made with morbidly named “carcasses”, cabinets installed box by box, often with cheap MDF crammed inside. To counter this, J*Gast has patented a lightweight wooden frame that’s fitted to the back wall, with the sides and shelves simply slotted in. It’s an approach that reduces material usage and makes the operation more economical and sustainable.

The kitchens look the part too. Designer Mike Meiré, hired as art director, created the brand identity and selected the colours and materials. Eschewing the standard faux finishes, the worktops come in solid marble, timber or stainless steel. 
jgast.com

25.
Best in education
Krabbesholm Højskole
Denmark

Creativity, community and social interaction are at the heart of the teaching at Krabbesholm Højskole in Skive, northern Denmark. The school for adults focuses on courses in art, design, architecture and visual communication. The højskole concept dates back to the 19th century and is uniquely Danish. Partly funded by the government, these schools occupy a special niche between a secondary school and a university, and students of all ages can spend six months to a year receiving a different kind of education in almost any subject – but Krabbesholm, which was founded in 1885, is one of the few that focuses on the creative industries.

There are no exams, no grades and no degrees at the end of it. There aren’t even admission requirements. Students and teachers live at the school, where they are encouraged to participate in community living through singing in the morning assembly, sports activities and philosophical discussions. “It’s human beings we make, not scholars,” says the school’s principal, Caroline Høgsbro. “We have total freedom but you can’t just teach a skill. You have to reflect on what you are doing and put the human being in some sort of context.”

Set in a 16th-century mansion on the edge of a town facing the Skive fjord, the school has gradually expanded over the years to include workshops for carpentry, ceramics, sewing, analogue photography and print-making. And while the school is open to all ages and nationalities, the majority of the 122 students are between the ages of 18 and 24 and from Denmark or Norway. Some of them focus on creating a portfolio to apply to art school but most of them see their time here as part of a gap year, an opportunity to explore crafts they wouldn’t normally have access to.

It’s an outlook tied to another untranslatable Danish word often referenced at Krabbesholm: “dannelse”. Similar to the German “bildung”, it can be defined as a kind of “self-cultivation” – a personal journey involving education and philosophy. This means no subject is taught for its own sake. Instead, they must be connected to their impact on the world, an approach that is helping Krabbesholm deliver a new generation of socially conscious designers. 
krabbesholm.dk

26.
Best exhibition
Mise en Page
France

Books are certainly fashionable. Brands such as Chanel, Azzedine Alaïa and Marc Jacobs have gone beyond clothes and handbags to launch their own literary events, city guides and bookshops. So when renowned editor Sarah Andelman, former director of high fashion boutique Colette (which sold books too), was asked to curate an exhibition for Paris’s Le Bon Marché, she decided to bring all of these literary creations together in one place.

The outcome was Mise en Page, a pop-up exhibition that ran from February to April and united products from Andelman’s favourite bookshops: tote bags, T-shirts, stationery, mugs and more. “It’s some of my favourite things from around the world,” says Andelman. “When I’m in New York I always stop at Strand, Pillow-Cat and Books are Magic; I love Cow Books in Tokyo, and in Paris we have Shakespeare and Company, Ofr and Yvon Lambert.” There were exclusive collaborations with fashion brands like Louis Vuitton, Kitsuné and Assouline too, as well as items celebrating the written word.

Occupying multiple floors of the Paris department store, the exhibition featured illustrations from Jean Jullien, whose “paper people” characters popped in windows, while enormous sculptures sat in the middle of the store, next to the Andrée Putman-designed escalators. By making merchandise a feature, the exhibition allowed visitors to buy into the showcase. A savvy move, both culturally and commercially. 
lebonmarche.com

27.
Best archival revival
PK4 by Fritz Hansen
Denmark

Despite having been designed in 1952, the PK4 Lounge Chair looks as modern today as it did then. This is particularly appropriate given that Fritz Hansen has put the iconic seat back into production. Designed by Poul Kjaerholm, the PK4 is characterised by its sleek, minimalistic style and architectural form. Today, the chair is crafted with a high-quality stainless-steel frame and a seat and back made from a length of flag halyard rope, making it as durable as it is elegant. Its angular form showcases Kjaerholm’s distinctive style, whose clean lines are able to transcend decades, making the PK4 perfect for any homeowner looking for an heirloom piece that will be a perfect fit for any home. 
fritzhansen.com

28.
Leading design gallery
Omet
Mexico

As an architect practising in Mexico City for 25 years, Lorena Vieyra was well placed to gauge the growing interest in Mexican design and seize the momentum. In 2023 she founded Omet to present her homeland’s rich design and craft scene to the world. 

“I have seen how design here has evolved over the past decade and have seen talent emerge,” says Vieyra. “I also saw it was an important moment for Mexico in terms of international interest because Mexican designers started looking inward instead of what was going on in Europe and the US.”

Omet’s offerings include home accessories, lighting and furniture that are entirely made in Mexico by local designers including architect Tatiana Bilbao and textile designer Marisol Centeno. A strong sense of craft imbues the pieces on offer with an emphasis on noble materials such as wood and stone sourced from regions including Oaxaca and Puebla.

Vieyra is interested in tapping into a sense of “Mexicanity” that goes beyond local resources and clichéd colourful prints. Instead, she invites contemporary artists and designers to channel their understanding and vision of what it means to be Mexican by reinterpreting their shared heritage. 

Since its inception, Omet has launched two collections (with a third under way) and opened a retail outpost in Austin, Texas. “We have set the basis for what we want to do,” says Vieyra. “We have started conversations and brought ideas to the table that we will continue to work on. It’s only the beginning.” 

While all of the pieces in Omet’s collection are crafted in Mexico, Vieyra is extending Omet’s platform to Latin American designers too, recognising the need for Mexico to be a craft and design leader in the region. Omet’s work is offering not only a platform for Mexico’s designers and craftspeople but an opportunity for them to be regional and global industry leaders. 
omet.co

29.
Best healthcare
Ersta Sjukhus
Sweden

The new hospital-building at Ersta Sjukhus on the island of Södermalm in Stockholm is an airy yet homely space with soaring ceilings and wooden furnishings. “Ersta Sjukhus balances the feeling of a private home and a modern hospital,” says Hanna Philipsson, lead architect on the project with Tengbom, the practice that finalised the hospital plans, which were originally developed by the firm Nyréns Arkitektkontor.

The property connects snugly with the part of the hospital that has been operational since 1864, when it cared for and boarded destitute women and children. It’s this link to buildings and the wider city that defines Tengbom’s work. 

In partnership with interior designer Emma Olbers, the practice used ochre-yellow hues inspired by the neighbouring buildings. This interaction between inside and outside is enhanced by the gorgeous views of Stockholm’s rooftops and the waters surrounding the archipelago from the hospital rooms. The large terrace on the sixth floor, where the hospice is located, also encourages outdoor respite. Patients can be wheeled out in their beds and families can gather in nooks where raised flowerbeds offer privacy. Patients can pick wild strawberries or smell fragrant herbs that grow within arm’s reach.

A final touch – a nod to the hospital’s past – is the Marie lamps that are distributed throughout the building, developed by Swedish firm Ateljé Lyktan and inspired by the nurses’ hats worn in the past. The result of this careful combination of details is a hospital that doesn’t just save lives but improves the quality of it for everyone inside. 
tengbom.se

30.
Best design bookshop
Hyper Hypo
Greece

The stylish but whimsical bright white and cobalt blue interior of Athens’ hippest – and only – dedicated art and design bookshop is a somewhat perfect reflection of what the small but mighty Hyper Hypo does best. Founders Andreas Kokkino and Stathis Mitropoulos pair their razor-sharp curatorial skills with a natural love for bringing people together in an operation feels as much a bookshop as it does talking shop for the city’s flourishing art and design scene.

In addition to stocking a unique mix of classic and contemporary theoretical texts and art tomes, the Monastiraki shop also hosts events that foster and grow its community – and we’re not just talking about the odd in-store signing. “We’ve done about 50 events over the past two years,” says Kokkino. Alongside collaborations with contemporary galleries such as The Breeder and Carwan, these have included the Greek launch of the legendary Butt magazine and a party for Objects of Common Interest, the New York-based Greek design duo, who launched a book about US sculptor Isamu Noguchi’s relationship with Greece.

Hyper Hypo simply wants to address those who share the same passions and philosophies they do. “We don’t dumb it down, we don’t compromise and we pick hard topics,” says Kokkino. “I think people appreciate that.” Whether it’s hosting the city’s more alternative artists or stocking a slightly racy publication, Hyper Hypo’s confidence that Athens is ready for something a little more provocative has duly paid off – and shows the power of a bookshop to bring people together. 
hyperhypo.gr

31.
Top architect: Residential
Point Supreme
Greece

There’s no mistaking a home designed by Point Supreme. Founders Konstantinos Pantazis and Marianna Rentzou have mastered the art of using bold colours to create striking living spaces, whether that’s via azure floor tiles, crimson cabinets or a bright yellow staircase. “Our work is never neutral,” says Pantazis. “We try to create a sense of vibrancy and character.”

But the architects’ playfulness isn’t just limited to colour. Their designs combine materials such as raw concrete, cork cladding and terrazzo flooring to create a collage of textures. These adventurous combinations make Point Supreme stand out in its native Greece. “In Athens, most new architectural projects are grey and black,” says Rentzou. “And on the islands, it’s all beige, stone, wood and white. We think that’s lazy.”

What sets the firm apart is its knack for opening up spaces to reinforce a sense of flow – its properties are often subdivided using sliding partitions, curtains and hanging shelves. “We want our homes to promote social interactions among those occupying them,” says Pantazis. This, he notes, is important in a place like Athens. “It’s a very dense city. So we try to create deep, open views. And the light is usually fantastic, so it makes sense to play on it as much as possible.”

Open, multi-use spaces also nod to Greece’s architectural heritage. “The sense of super-functionality is very Greek,” says Pantazis. “Particularly on the islands, where a single room can be a whole home. There are no divisions between bedroom, kitchen and living room. The result is lively and humane.” 
pointsupreme.com

32.
Best Packaging Solution
Acquabox by Monday
South Africa

It’s often the simplest designs that solve the biggest problems. In this case, a portable bag-in-box water dispensing solution that provides easy access to good-quality mineral water. “There are a lot of areas in South Africa where clean water supplies are becoming a big issue,” says Francois Rey, creative director and designer of Monday Design, the Cape Town-based studio that worked with Acquabox on the branding and material sourcing. Large plastic water bottles are readily available around the country but the largest are 10 litres and they’re clunky and awkward to pour.

“In terms of functionality, it’s easy to use,” says Rey, citing the plastic tap as a straightforward but revolutionary pouring solution. When working with Acquabox to design the packaging, the two most important elements Rey considered was making it sustainable (it’s 100 per cent recyclable and the box is unbleached) and keeping costs down. The boxy shape means the cooler can easily be placed on a countertop or slotted inside a fridge. For people who might want to use it outside or take it camping, the exterior acts as a shield against sunlight, which can negatively impact water left in plastic. It’s also far more easily transported than plastic or glass bottles. It’s a prime example of smart packaging design that makes lives easier – we should be thirsty for more such examples. 
mondaydesign.co.za; acquabox.co.za

33.
Best airline update
Air France A350
France

Air France has been busy lately, ordering new aircraft and modernising its cabins in a concerted effort to leap ahead of the competition. A case in point is its refurbishment of the Business Class cabins on its A350 fleet. These are being updated and improved to provide closing-door suites with improved storage, nicer finishes and better overall comfort. It also solves a consistency issue. Early A350 deliveries featured an entirely different type of seat to the rest of their long-haul fleet. Meanwhile, 777s are also getting an almost indistinguishable product installed. It’s news that has us particularly excited for the new La Premiere First Class, which is due to be unveiled later this year. 
airfrance.fr

34.
Leading urban landscape
Marrinawi Cove
Australia

A pre- or post-work swim at the beach is a cherished daily habit for many Sydneysiders during the year’s warmer months. But since last summer, a convenient new option has allowed the residents and corporate denizens of Sydney’s CBD to incorporate a mid-day ocean swim into their routines too. This is thanks to Marrinawi Cove, a new swimming basin at the northeast edge of Barangaroo – part of the gargantuan and ongoing urban regeneration of the western section of the Sydney Harbour foreshore. It sits in the shadow of the Harbour Bridge, moments from the high-rises of the commercial district.

SMC Marine, which specialises in marine design, construction and engineering, was commissioned by the New South Wales government to convert the cove into a suitable swimming area. It was a considerable challenge: although swimming is common in the outer sections of the harbour, the waters in the centre of the estuary are notoriously shark-filled, congested and were, until recently, unfit for swimming.

After analysing the site conditions and the wave patterns of the inlet, a seawall and shark barrier was installed at the cove, which has the dual effect of attenuating the sometimes rough swell of the harbour while acting as a natural habitat to promote the propagation of native seaweed and marine life. Next came swimming platforms, changing rooms, showers and signage. The result is Sydney’s first “city beach”, which is also the first swimming area west of the Harbour Bridge in more than 50 years. It’s a remarkable work that is having a large lifestyle impact but with a light environmental touch. Unsurprisingly, Sydneysiders have taken to it with immediate gusto. 
smcmarine.com.au

35.
Best student project
Fire Extinguisher
Sweden

Given their ubiquity, it’s a shame fire extinguishers aren’t designed with more care, aesthetically and environmentally. This is why this reimagining, courtesy of industrial design student Albin Jonsson caught our eye at this year’s Stockholm Furniture Fair. As part of his studies at Sweden’s Lund University, Jonsson sought to design an update of the fire extinguisher with circularity in mind. “I was curious about the way traditional extinguishers come already pressurised, meaning that in a couple of years they need to be discarded due to loss of pressure,” he says. “I was thinking about alternative solutions and ended up with a manual pump combined with environmentally friendly extinguishing powder, in this case baking soda.” With a sleek steel handle and essential user information on prominent display, this fire extinguisher would slot well into hallways and homes without being too obstructive, yet still offering essential safety. 
lunduniversity.lu.se

36.
Best for furry friends
Kanto
Finland

As all dog owners know, what might suit our furry friends isn’t always what’s best for our home decor. That’s something that new Finnish company Kanto is fixing with a range of smart dog beds that were also designed to minimise environmental impact. Our pick of the bunch is the Luoto in Eos Bordeaux Black, which is made using a natural, handwoven fabric by Finnish textile designer Johanna Gullichsen and the same premium European bedding used for humans. Developed using a lot of, ahem, animal testing, you can be sure that Fido won’t give this bed a snub. Our model Twinka (pictured) can attest to the fact that the upcycled fabric, available in Gullichsen’s patterns inspired by Greek mythology, is extremely comfortable

“We tested various materials, shapes and sizes with all kinds of dogs to find something that they liked,” says founder Annu Ansén. The bed’s nest-like design is timeless and unassuming, and fits various interior-design aesthetics. The material itself is allergen-free and void of microplastics, while also being durable and scratch-resistant. Crucially, it’s machine washable too, pairing practicality with style and ensuring that the bed can endure the inevitable canine fits and outbursts. “Dogs are our family members and they deserve the best spot in our living room,” says Ansén. Thanks to Kanto, such a spot can be home to a beautiful work of design too. 
studiokanto.com

37.
Leading furniture maker
Frederik Fialin
Germany

Frederik Fialin is a Danish furniture-maker but not exactly of the classical sort. Soon after finishing school in Copenhagen, he moved to Berlin to assist in an artist’s studio. “Manufacturing-wise, it doesn’t get much better than the art world,” he says. “You work with a huge array of materials.” Four years ago, he slowly started marketing his angular, colourful furniture and released his first collection, Assembly 0.1, last autumn. With eight items including a modular bookshelf and a Paul Kjaerholm-inspired lounge table, they can be ordered as they are or be customised.

For those who want to commission a piece, Fialin’s appeal lies in the fact that his designs don’t easily fall into a category. He is wary of Berlin’s industrial and raw-minimalist aesthetic and names mid-century and contemporary masters ranging from Carlo Scarpa to Maarten Van Severen and Yrjö Kukkapuro as influences. “You need a traditional, old-school education,” he says. “Then you can deviate from that.” His spirit of experimentation makes him an appealing creative partner. 
frederikfialin.com

38.
Best type development
ADLaM alphabet
Guinea & USA

Spoken by the Fulani, a West African community of more than 40 million people spread across the world, the Pulaar language had no unified writing system and was at risk of extinction. Enter Guinea-born, Portland-based brothers Ibrahima and Abdoulaye Barry. The pair teamed up with Microsoft and New York-based creative agency McCann to develop a digital version of the language, producing its first-ever written alphabet last year.

“For the Fulani, the alphabet wasn’t just a tool for expression, but an operating system for survival,” says Shayne Millington, chief creative officer at McCann. “The risk was that their culture would be swallowed by one that could operate in a digital world.” The brothers worked with the Fulani community to ensure the typography incorporated design elements that represented its culture and weaving patterns from traditional textiles. 

To promote its use across the region, the typeface was made available for download on desktop and mobile. McCann and the Barry brothers also worked on books, educational materials and classroom resources. The digitised alphabet has since been welcomed by the Fulani community, with local governments recognising it as an official alphabet. “Our goal was to increase access to the new system and the chances for the language to thrive,” says Millington. The project is a powerful reminder of type’s ability to reflect, and in this case preserve, culture. 
mccann.com

39.
Top architect: Retail and hospitality
Norm Architects at Audo
Denmark

Copenhagen-based Norm Architects has, since it was founded in 2008, become known for its sleek hospitality, commercial and retail outfitting. In addition to completing a host of projects in its hometown, the firm is also prolific in Japan. It’s perhaps unsurprising given that there’s a certain sensibility shared between Japanese and Nordic design; one that’s rooted in an authentic commitment to quality, functionality, simplicity and craftsmanship.

Its latest project in Nippon is a showroom for Danish furniture-and-homewares brand Audo Copenhagen – and it sets a benchmark for good retail design. “A core part of the concept behind Audo Copenhagen lies in creating a sense of community,” says Frederik Werner, designer and partner at Norm Architects. Werner oversaw the project, which is defined by warm, earth tones and materials such as concrete and timber. The showroom can also double as an event space and will eventually play host to exhibitions and collaborations celebrating both Japan and Denmark. “We want to find ways for this brand to work closely with kindred spirits,” says Werner. The architect’s ambition goes beyond simply furnishing a space and shows the potential for retail and hospitality locales to be more than just places of commerce – they can be community builders too. 
normcph.com, audocph.com

40.
Top Architect: Community
Tosin Oshinowo
Nigeria

Tosin Oshinowo founded Lagos-based design practice Oshinowo Studio in 2013. In recent years she has emerged as a leading voice on architecture and design, thanks to her practice and work as co-curator of events such as the Lagos Biennial. More recently, the Nigerian designer has expanded her work beyond West Africa, curating the most recent iteration of the Sharjah Architecture Triennial and headlining the 2024 Melbourne Design Week. 

What are your current priorities as a designer?
I’m conscious of producing work that is respectful of the environment. Thankfully, it’s getting easier to sell this to clients as it comes from a place of strength and beauty. I’m also trying to push alternative building technologies; the sorts of things that the practice showed at the Sharjah Architecture Triennal. Take rammed earth. It’s a materal that comes from a project’s context and leads to healthier buildings. It’s a comfortable material that stays cool during the day.

How do you want to be remembered?
I just want to create architecture that will add value. It’s not about what the a building looks like but rather about how it makes people feel and how useful it is. I’m not fixated on something being iconic, which is a natural thing for architects to focus on. If we practise for the love of adding value, as opposed to the gratifying ourselves by creating iconic buildings, then we will produce much better architecture for cities.
oshinowostudio.com

41.
Best design imprint
Ediciones Puro
Chile

It’s no longer necessary to be in New York or London to make great art and design books. Case in point: Ediciones Puro, a small Chilean publisher with a focus on art, architecture, photography and design. Founded in 2004, Ediciones Puro roots its mission in the spirit of close collaboration. The team works closely with authors and designers to translate their work into high-quality print. Highlights include Obra Gruesa/Rough Work, a publication dedicated to architect Smiljan Radic, and a book of photographs by French-US photographer Justine Graham. Anyone looking to publish their own design-minded monograph would do well to reach out. 
puro-chile.cl

42
Top material innovation
Bananatex
Philippines & Switzerland

“We saw the potential to create something better in terms of sustainability and functionality,” says Christian Paul Kägi. The co-founder and creative director of Swiss clothing brand Qwstion, Kägi and his team are behind the textile Bananatex. Made from the abaca banana plant, it was developed for use on the brand’s bags, has a remarkable tear resistance that ensures durability, and its cultivation demands zero watering, pesticides or fertiliser. Abacá plant fibres are extracted, converted into yarn, then knitted into Bananatex. It’s currently produced in the Philippines, where the plant occurs naturally, using Taiwanese textile manufacturing expertise.

The product is now sold as a stand-alone textile.“We created Bananatex for brands and designers who are looking to replace plastics with plants,” says Kägi, adding that it’s not simply a substitute for synthetic materials, but rather a component contributing to positive industry-wide change. It’s an outlook that should be applauded: making eco-friendly material alternatives accessible to make a difference at a global environmental level. 
bananatex.info

43.
Most creative work space
ASL Studio
France

Parisian furniture and interiors brand and workshop, A.S.L, is the brainchild of designers Antoine Ricardou, Clémentine Larroumet and Reynald Philippe. Inspired by the studios of creators like Donald Judd and Alvar Alto, it’s no wonder their atelier in the Rue Saint-Lazare of the 9th arrondissement, reflects their love of open spaces and clean lines. “We bought an old jewellery workshop at the back of a courtyard in the centre of Paris and cleaned the entire space to keep its bare shell,” explains Clémentine Larroumet. “We then equipped it with only the functional elements: trestle tables, worktops, kitchen and multifunctional shelves.” 

Keeping function at the core of the design has not only made the atelier a calming space to work, but one that encourages dialogue and creativity. “We are convinced that creation comes through experimentation. Everyone must be able to experiment in order to create,” says Antoine Ricardou. “We put in an intaglio press, a ceramic kiln, and tables for painting and drawing. And in the middle of all this, to say welcome, a real functional kitchen for cooking and making coffee all together.” The atelier is a reminder of the importance of ensuring a workplace is kitted out for successful experimentation – while offering moments for team building too. 
asl-paris.com

44.
Best manufacturing hub
Hall 4 at MÜHLE
Germany

From its headquarters down to its carefully made products, Germany’s Mühle takes design seriously. Founded as a manufacturer of shaving brushes by Otto Johannes Müller in 1945, it has grown into a leading supplier of high-quality accessories for wet shaving. “Good design is part of our DNA at Mühle. Our creative language aims to be clean and fresh, with a classic touch,” says third-generation owner Andreas Müller, who runs the company with his brother, Christian. This includes a focus on sleek designs made from traditional materials such as chrome-plated metal, anodised aluminium, wood and porcelain. Products, which include razors, shaving brushes and accessories, are stamped with the brand’s logo, featuring the letter “M” juxtaposed with a windmill (Mühle means “mill” in German).

It’s an attention to detail that’s present in Mühle’s newest building, Hall 4, on its campus in Stützengrün. Here, products are packed by hand before being shipped off to customers and suppliers. For the project, Mühle turned to husband-and-wife team Sebastian Thaut and Silvia Schellenberg-Thaut, founders of architecture firm Atelier St in the nearby city of Leipzig. The architects were inspired by the precision of the company’s chrome-plated razors in creating the building’s façade. “We wanted the structure to look sharp, with shiny metal that echoes the style of Mühle’s products,” says Thaut, gesturing at the anodised-aluminium exterior. This contrasts with the softer appearance of its interiors, which are fitted out with locally sourced fir timber. The hall contains an office and an upstairs meeting room, where the Müller brothers can welcome guests and show off new products.

The resulting space is an example of how a company’s headquarters should represent a brand’s identity as much as its products. “Everything from our website to our architecture is a touchpoint. The design needs to be consistent,” says Andreas. 
muehle-shaving.com

45
Designer of the year
Studiomake
Thailand

Studiomake’s founder David Schafer finds it easier to tell potential clients what his firm doesn’t do (conventional interior design) than try to explain what it can. There’s no recognisable aesthetic or signature products – only considered solutions. “Everything we design is responding to a specific problem,” says Schafer, whose projects include a reusable restaurant workshop and equipment for Thai coffee brand Roots, a rotating interactive play wall for a community mall, and kinetic shelving for a touring art exhibition. “Unless it’s weird, we’re not even in the room.”

The headcount at Studiomake is split evenly between designers and metal workers under Schafer’s leadership at Baan Sai Ma, a two-storey office, workshop and residence on the outskirts of Bangkok

Studiomake’s biggest current project is a prefabricated, split-level house in the Thai capital. Expected to take three years in total, the design and build could have a significant legacy far beyond its diminutive footprint. Schafer has a dream of creating prefabricated homes in Thailand for export to the US. “I’m interested in mass customisation – the idea that a product can be easy to adapt and suited to different scales, site conditions and life situations,” he says. A range of prefab homes could either become the solution to Schafer’s own specific problem, defining what Studiomake does; or, much more likely, add another string to its already impressive, custom-made bow. 
studiomake.com

46.
Best folding chair
Olaio ‘ik’
Portugal

Accommodating extra guests for dinner can present a conundrum for city dwellers without the luxury of ample storage space. Thankfully, Portuguese design brand Olaio has created the “ik” – a foldable functional chair, which is set to be a hit in the domestic environment – and, perhaps, a savvy solution for event and cultural spaces looking to enhance their stock of ease-to-store chairs. Originally founded in 1886 and relaunched in 2016, the brand still looks to honour the art nouveau seats first manufactured in the mid-century. It can be evidenced in this design, which is available in dark freijó wood and light natural ash, with a cane-woven seat making for the perfect party piece that can be folded away, leaving no trace of the festivities. 
olaio.pt

47.
Best temporary installation
‘Of Palm’ Pavilion
UAE

Abdalla Almulla, an Emirati architect and founder of Emirati design studio Mula, turned heads at the recent Dubai Design Week. He won the commission for the event’s flagship installation at the centre of the city’s creative district for the duration of the week. “Of Palm” was inspired by – and made from – palm trees, showing the potential of using local materials in a country reliant on imported design. 

Tell us about the ideas behind the design of “Of Palm”?
I wanted to create something embedded and sustainable in Emirati culture. The tree has had many roles in society, including for food, fuel and architecture. I liked the idea of using one material source to create multiple functions.

Talk us through the project’s form
It’s a radial pavilion with columns constructed from the trunk and a ceiling made from palm-leaf mats. The idea is to show you can create different parts of architecture through a single tree.

Will more indigenous materials be used in UAE architecture?
I have been highly focused on this in my practice and career. We need to incorporate local materials into construction and think of new ways to develop them with today’s technology. We did this to design the roof for “Of Palm”, using computational technology to map out how many mats would be required to assemble the structure.
dubaidesignweek.ae

48.
Best new brand
Tamart
UK

It was only natural that London-based Amos Goldreich, son of late Israeli architects Tamar de Shalit and Arthur Goldreich, should follow his parents’ footsteps into the design world. Now, following his discovery of an archive of thousands of their photos, paintings, illustrations, plans and designs, he’s continuing their legacy top. In spring 2024, Amos launched Tamart, a furniture brand reimagining the duo’s designs by using British timber.

“The only changes I wanted to bring to the pieces were inspired by my parents’ ethos,” Amos tells Monocle during a visit to his studio. “Their work was always specific to where they were working or lived. So I needed to update the pieces to fit London – the upholstery and carpentry are done locally, and the prototypes are created in the capital.” Tamart’s debut collection is crisscrossed with the pair’s energy. “Because the majority were made for specific projects, each has a story to tell,” says Amos. The Clore lounge chair, ottoman and coffee table designs were originally for a penthouse that De Shalit designed for arts patron Sir Charles Clore in the 1960s, while the Central Stool comes from her student days in London in the 1950s, where she first met Arthur Goldreich.

At the heart of the collection are designs that Amos believes worthy of the international stage. But they also brim with personal and historical connections, making the pieces an appealing addition to any home. 
tamartdesign.com

49.
Best adaptive-reuse project
Newlab by Civilian
USA

It is always challenging to deliver a knockout renovation but that is exactly what Nicko Elliott and his partner in work and life, Ksenia Kagner, have achieved with the refit of a robotics company’s headquarters in Michigan. The architect couple run Civilian, a Brooklyn-based design studio. They recently completed their biggest commercial commission yet: the interior outfit of Newlab in Detroit, which was designed by US architect Albert Kahn in 1936. 

Civilian’s ambition for the project was to create a space that responded to the site’s social, historical and material context, while also serving its newest users. “This building sat vacant for almost 30 years and had such an interesting past as a book depository for the city’s public schools, as well as a mail-sorting facility,” says Elliott. “It was necessary to pay homage to that.” To do so, existing details have been retained and restored throughout.

But Civilian’s biggest achievement at Newlab is the way that has established visual connections and transitions between different parts of the building. A rosewood-and-stone lobby opens into a buzzing robotics lab, the event space is lined with full-height windows that look into a fabrication area and a collaborative workspace ends with views into the metals-lab workshop. All forms of labour are “elevated and receive the dignity that they deserve,” says Elliott.
civilianprojects.com

50
Best in transit
Zürich Hauptbahnhof
Switzerland

Zürich Hauptbahnhof’s is Switzerland’s busiest train station – and a recent renovation of its oldest building ensures it now serves as a grand entrance to the city. Berne-based Aebi & Vincent Architekten were commissioned by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), which gave the architects a complex task and a project that took more than 14 years to finally complete, with the final stage opened to the public at the end of 2023.

The wait has proven to be worth it. The overhaul of the heritage-protected 1871 sandstone building has resulted in the restoration of many historic elements, with the replacement or repair of 500 rosettes, 300 ceiling cassettes, 180 archways, 80 angels, lions, Hermes and Atlas figures. Naturally, for a building of its age, there were some surprises along the way, including the discovery of original marble columns. “These were hidden under 13 different layers of paint,” explains Beatrice Bichsel, head of sbb Real Estate.

Efforts have also been made to create a space that serves commuters and travellers as well as local businesses, ensuring the building remains lively at all times. New ticket offices, retailers (including a branch of Zürich-made soap brand Soeder), health clinics, offices and restaurants. There’s also a newly finished passageway linking the station hall to Bahnhofstrasse, Zürich’s main downtown street.

A highlight is Brasserie Süd, an all-day dining offering courtesy of local duo Nenad Mlinarevic and Valentin Diem. The bright space has instantly become a centre point thanks to its delicious fare, intimate bar and the bright and welcoming interior. “We took inspiration from the menu that Nenad and Valentin created as our starting point, but it was essential for us to work with historic matter and create a balance through the new and old,” explains Deborah Suter of architects Suter Plus who designed the brasserie, which is now filled with businessmen, families and tourists.

The project is a reminder of the power of a transit hub to not only connect its community, but reflect and serve it, too. Zürich Hauptbahnhof has got its groove back, meaning we’d be happy to wait for the next train just a little longer. 
aebi-vincent.ch, suterplus.ch

Monocle Design Award
Harry Thaler
Italy

Bolzano-based Harry Thaler has conceived the Monocle Design Awards trophy since the prizes’ inception in 2021. Every year, he has subtly updated the curving timber form that is not only ornamental but practical too: it doubles as a paperweight that would make a perfect addition to any winning designer’s desk.

“Every January I think about the next step [in the trophy’s evolution],” says Thaler. “So, I asked the craftsman who makes it, Martin Klotz, whether we could put all different types of wood together to make this year’s version.” Klotz’s answer? “Of course.”

The duo collected offcuts from Klotz’s Tscherms-based workshop’s floor – mostly scraps from other jobs – and glued them together to form blocks. They then sculpted these into the trophy’s distinctive curved form using a lathe. “We carved it out like a doughnut and then cut it like a cake,” says Thaler.

The approach resulted in a distinctive patterned effect, with the grain and rings of every type of wood, including walnut and ash, visible. The effect is deliberately disorienting. “I wanted the winners to pick it up and wonder how it was made,” says Thaler. It’s a noteworthy ambition: after all, good design should push us to ask questions about how, what and why we make things. It’s appropriate, then, that this outlook is now embodied in the Monocle Design Award itself. 
harrythaler.it