This beautiful, Ghibli-esque ad invites Australians to donate their data to kids who need online access

An Australian-Danish creative collaboration for Optus takes visual cues from the iconic Japanese animation studio in a heartwarming advert for an important cause.

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Manu Pillai tells the story of harmony through conflict in his music video for Lola

Reminiscent of 90s fashion imagery, Manu’s music video for the song Feral Soul is absurd and uneasy.

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Ed Steed on what it takes to become a cartoonist for The New Yorker

While looking for a new job, Ed Steed saw a cartoon in The New Yorker and decided to give it a go. Soon, he became a favourite amongst fans of the publication.

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Coronavirus "feels like a disaster and an opportunity at the same time" says Hella Jongerius

The Covid-19 pandemic gives designers the chance to address global challenges instead of making "more meaningless stuff," designer Hella Jongerius says in this video message recorded for Virtual Design Festival.

"From now on, a concerned approach to design will not simply mean returning to past ideas and making more meaningless stuff," says Jongerius in an animated video she describes as a "woven portrait".

The Dutch designer, who is based in Berlin, says she is spending time weaving during the lockdown.

"I feel I'm interwoven with all humans"

"I'm gathering with my family and I'm weaving, which is my form of meditation and a way for me to reflect on what's happening in the world," she says. "And although we are distancing ourselves from one another, I feel more than ever, I'm interwoven with all humans in the world," she adds.

One of the world's most successful industrial designers, Jongerius has worked for brands and organisations including Vitra, airline KLM and the United Nations.

Yet she has often questioned whether designers should be helping to produce unnecessary products, asking "Why create another piece of furniture?" in a 2013 video interview with Dezeen.

In a podcast interview with Dezeen last month, the outspoken designer described the design industry as "slow, boring and bullshit".

"I see a great potential"

"This moment feels like a disaster and an opportunity at the same time," Jongerius says of the coronavirus pandemic. "I see a great potential."

"We now could crack the nut with all our global problems we are facing. And for us designers, let's take this change. Let's see it as a chance to get away from old beliefs from what we thought was the norm and take action to reassess our priorities."

"The time beyond the new has come," she concludes, referring to the "Beyond the New" manifesto she co-wrote with design theorist Louise Schouwenberg in 2015.

"Now more than ever, let the world know what you're aiming for. Be idealistic and be bold, be radical and feel involved. Work on projects that feed your soul and push the envelope for a better world. Take your own yarn, and together we can weave the new texture."

Send us a video message

In the run-up to the launch of Virtual Design Festival on Wednesday, Dezeen invited architects, designers, artists and industry figures to record video messages from lockdown. We also put out an open call for submissions from readers - read the brief here.

We plan to publish one clip every day during the festival, plus a montage featuring over 30 of the messages we've already received with be published on Wednesday to launch VDF.

Virtual Design Festival

Virtual Design Festival runs from 15 April to 20 June. For more information, or to be added to the mailing list, contact us at virtualdesignfestival@dezeen.com.

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Francesc Rifé pairs raw concrete with pink fabric in ASH Mallorca shoe shop

Spanish designer Francesc Rifé has created a distinctive interior for a shoe store in Mallorca, using shades of soft pink and pale grey.

The ASH Mallorca store in Palma features curving concrete surfaces and suspended black shelves, set against a backdrop of soft pink curtains.

There are few other elements in the 95-square-metre space, ensuring that shoes are able to stand out.

"A conscious and austere selection of materials defines the shape and configuration of space," said Francesc Rifé Studio.

"The hardness of the concrete gives way to the softness of the fabric, and the virtues of the curved lines compete with bold footwear proposals with a great personality."

The ASH Mallorca store is organised over two levels. On the ground floor, a central walkway is framed on both sides by raised concrete platforms.

Slender shelves are set above these platforms, supported by black steel tubes that extend from floor to ceiling.

A curved staircase leads down to the basement. Although this element was already in place before the fit-out, its smooth shape matches the curves of Rifé's design.

The basement has a more free-flowing layout, framed by a large S-shape in the floor plan. Shelves and curtains follow the same line, and the effect is emphasised by spotlights in the ceiling.

On both floors, storage and checkout areas are concealed behind the pink curtains, so as not to disrupt the aesthetic.

Rifé's studio describes the mood created by this textile as "romantic and lively".

"A light pink textile layer unfolds over the body of the shop and emotionally connects the ground floor with the basement," said the studio.

"The lightness of this main element generates constant and spontaneous movements throughout the project," it added.

Concrete cylinders function as additional display stands, while larger pink cylinders provide seats.

Concealed lighting elements feature everywhere, helping to make each element feel impactful. "The light source is always hidden to focus all attention on whatever it is lighting," said the studio.

Francesc Rifé Studio has completed various stores for ASH, including spaces in London and Shanghai.

Other projects by the studio include a serene clinic, a market-style restaurant and a food research studio for Ferran Adrià's El Bulli Lab.

Photography is by David Zarzoso.

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Project credits:

Interior design: Francesc Rifé Studio
Technical lighting: Arkoslight
Construction: Montaggio

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