Five architecture and design events in December from Dezeen Events Guide

A retrospective covering more than 400 projects by architecture firm MVRDV is among the events featured in Dezeen Events Guide this month, alongside major design fairs in Miami and Shenzhen.

Other events taking place in December include a CPD webinar on Chris Precht's recently completed modular treehouse Bert and a keynote on art and architecture from Foster + Partners' Spencer de Grey, hosted as part of this year's virtual World Architecture Festival.

Read on for details of five highlights and see Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world.

Upcoming events include exhibitions by MVRDV (top image) and Dior at Design Miami (above)

Design Miami
1 to 5 December, USA

Following the cancellation of last year's event, Design Miami will once again take over the Miami Beach Convention Centre this December alongside Art Basel, as the city celebrates the return of Miami Art Week.

Now in its 17th year, the collectible design fair is set to exhibit work from more than 220 international galleries, with new furniture collections by Rick Owens and Lebanese designer Khaled El Mays on show alongside a surreal silver bedroom installation by Crosby Studios.

Read:

Khaled El Mays' Transformers furniture collection evokes crouched robots

A simultaneous programme of events and exhibitions will be taking place in locations across the city, including the hotly anticipated Miami outpost of gallery Superblue.

Here, visitors can find a new permanent cafe designed by Yinka Illori as well as the Dior Medallion Chair Exhibition, which will see seating designs by Nendo, India Mahdavi, Atang Tshikare and other greats on display in the US for the first time.

WAF Digital
1 to 3 December, online

The World Architecture Festival is going virtual for the second year in a row, offering what the organisers describe as the "widest access to the largest amount of content in the history of the festival".

Spread across three days, the live-streamed conference will see Grimshaw partner Kirsten Lees discuss the firm's design for the Arter Contemporary Art Museum in Istanbul, while Foster + Partners' head of design Spencer de Grey will give a keynote on how art can be incorporated into the built environment.

Beyond that, the programme features a particular focus on sustainable cities, spanning everything from local food production to the logistics of creating low-carbon high-density infrastructure, with Helsinki's chief design officer Hanna Harris set to discuss how the Finnish capital is planning to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Chris Precht is giving an in-depth lecture on his Bert project for Dezeen

Architecture Project Talks: Bert by Precht
2 December, online

The latest installment in Dezeen's ongoing series of Architecture Project Talks will see Chris Precht share an in-depth lecture about his modular treehouse Bert, built using FSC-certified timber and modelled on the cheeky one-eyed characters from the children's film Minions.

Taking place at 1:00 pm London time on 2 December, the live-streamed talk will see Precht explore the challenges of building a modular cylindrical structure from prefabricated wooden elements, as well as making his case for why architects shouldn't take themselves too seriously.

Those who are interested in attending the webinar, which counts towards continuing professional development (CPD) points for UK architects, should register their interest here.

Design Shenzhen
9 to 12 December, China

The organisers of the Design Shanghai fair have this year expanded their offering to Shenzhen, also known as the Silicon Valley of China, with the city's inaugural design fair set to take over the Shenzen Convention & Exhibition Centre with stands from more than 150 local and international and brands.

Italian architects Gaetano Pesce and Carlo Ratti, as well as MVRDV Asia director Steven Smit will headline the event's Forum talks programme, which also includes a roster of other big names from Sou Fujimoto to SANAA's Ryue Nishizawa and Layer founder Benjamin Hubert.

Dezeen's China editor Christina Yao will be hosting a panel talk to platform some of the emerging Chinese practices that swooped up top prizes at this year's Dezeen Awards.

Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen is among 400 projects included in the MVRDV retrospective

MVRDVHNI: The Living Archive of a Studio exhibition
Until 4 September 2022

Rotterdam's Het Nieuwe Instituut is showing a major retrospective of work by MVRDV, pulling together hundreds of projects from the firm's archive including the recently opened Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen.

These are represented through drawings, sketches, scale models and renders, arranged in a vast space designed to resemble an architect's studio rather than a traditional museum gallery.

"This exhibition shows how our first 400 projects influenced later work," said MVRDV partner Jan Knikker. "We think it's important that our archive is accessible to everyone. Sharing knowledge makes our profession richer."

About Dezeen Events Guide

Dezeen Events Guide is our guide to the best architecture and design events taking place across the world each year.

The guide is updated weekly and includes virtual events, conferences, trade fairs, major exhibitions and design weeks, as well as up-to-date information about what events have been cancelled or postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Inclusion in the guide is free for basic listings, with events selected at Dezeen's discretion. Organisers can get enhanced or premium listings for their events, including images, additional text and links, by paying a modest fee.

In addition, events can ensure inclusion by partnering with Dezeen. For more details on inclusion in Dezeen Events Guide and media partnerships with Dezeen, email eventsguide@dezeen.com.

The top photograph is by Aad Hoogendoorn.

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Erika Nakagawa showcases skinny tower concept in video by CCA

Dezeen has teamed up with the Canadian Centre for Architecture to premiere three short films about Japanese architecture. In the first video, architect Erika Nakagawa shares her vision for a skinny residential tower in Tokyo. Tune in from 3:00pm London time.

The first film, named A Neighbourhood in A House, guides viewers through a scaled model of the conceptual five-storey building designed by Nakagawa.

Proposed for a site hemmed in by tall neighbouring buildings, the structure seeks to demonstrate how small and dense sites in Tokyo can be utilised.

Erika Nakagawa presents a skinny tower proposal in the A Neighbourhood in A House film

The three short films being published this week are part of a series called Models Talk, which was produced by the Canadian Center of Architecture (CCA), a research institution and museum in Montreal.

The series also spotlights recent architecture projects by Japanese architects Kazuko Akamatsu and Kumiko Inui, which each tackle unique urban issues.

They are available to watch in Japanese with English subtitles.

The film was produced by CCA as part of its Models Talk series

Nakagawa's proposal that is showcased in A Neighbourhood in A House is named the Tower and Onomatopoeia. One of the key elements of its design that is highlighted in the film is its main facade, which is composed of a series of staircases.

While providing access and escape routes, the architect imagines these stairs to be occupied by residents and used as "a sequence of gardens" or a roji – a neighbourhood alley in Japan.

"We wanted to let the residents' enjoyment of life manifest itself on the facade," Nakagawa said.

"I wanted to make the stairs work as a kind of garden for the neighbourhood."

Nakagawa's tower design has a facade composed of staircases

Nakagawa graduated from Yokohama National University’s department of construction in 2005, before achieving her masters in Fine Arts and Architectural Design from Tokyo University of the Arts in 2007.

She opened her eponymous studio, Erika Nakagawa Office, in 2014. While practising as an architect, she is a lecturer at Yokohama National University, Hosei University, Shibaura Institute of Technology and Nihon University.

Another key element of the tower's design that is highlighted in the video is its experimental structure, which Nakagawa presents in a series of life-size architectural models.

As it would not be possible to erect scaffolding on the site to construct the building, parts of the tower would be prefabricated and then assembled on-site from the inside.

Nakagawa said that several structural elements are also designed to "participate in the activities of daily life". For example, she imagines exposing H-beams that would usually be hidden so that they can be used as metal shelving in the residences.

The conceptual tower comprises five storeys of residences

The three-part Models Talk series was produced by the CCA in collaboration with architectural curator Kayoko Ota and director Studio Gross, an architectural design firm.

It was created for the CCA c/o Tokyo programme, which is run by the institution with Ota to "develop research and projects, and to facilitate public engagement in Tokyo".

On 8 December, the CCA will be hosting a live conversation at 8:00pm Montreal time to discuss the film series and the urban issues it addresses. CCA's director Giovanna Borasi will be joined by Ota and Studio Gross, as well as all three architects featured in each video.

Attendance is free and registration is open here. To find out more about CCA c/o Tokyo, visit cca.qc.ca/tokyo.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for CCA as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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Ste Marie spotlights the art of flower arranging inside Cadine store in Vancouver

A floristry counter brimming over with flowers and foliage sits at the centre of this Vancouver lifestyle shop, which has been designed by studio Ste Marie.

Nestled along a parade of shops in Vancouver's South Cambie neighbourhood, Cadine sells a selection of high-end homeware, books, clothing and fine jewellery, as well as fresh floral bouquets.

At the centre of the Cadine store is a floristry counter

Cadine's headquarters is located a short drive away in the city's Southlands area, occupying a 1920s farmhouse that looks out across the garden where the brand's flowers are harvested.

This verdant setting ended up being a key point of inspiration for Ste Marie's design of the store's interior.

The counter has a flower-filled planter, and space for staff to make fresh bouquets

The focal point of the store is a floristry counter that's meant to showcase the "beautiful chaos" of flower arranging. One side of the counter – which is crafted from beige leathered granite – features a planter that's spilling over with flowers and lush foliage.

The other side includes a sink, but has otherwise been left clear so that staff have enough space to prep, organise and wrap bouquet orders.

Products are displayed inside arched wall niches

Whilst Ste Marie knew that creating floral arrangements is often messy work, the studio was reluctant to hide away the counter at the back of the store.

"We wanted to acknowledge the duality of living materials, as both beautiful and at times, unruly, all while delivering a visual and sensorial experience for the guest," explained the studio.

Read:

Ste Marie decorates Vancouver bakery and flour mill in "malty hues"

Surrounding surfaces have been punctuated with a series of arched alcoves, their shape intended to resemble "the delicate curve of a frond that sways in the wind".

Some of the alcoves have rows of glass shelves, while others have been inlaid with mirrors or fitted with black rails from which garments can be hung.

Some of the niches are fitted with mirrors or clothes rails

Alternatively, items can be displayed on timber storage units with glass-topped ledges that Ste Marie had custom-made for the store.

One of the larger units that wraps around a structural column has been inbuilt with a cushioned bench where customers can sit and relax.

Ste Marie also custom-designed timber storage units for the store

The rest of the store has been kept understated with concrete floors, brass lighting sconces and white-painted walls, which were sanded down to create a slightly textured surface finish.

"The design intent was approachable luxury… both subtle and thoughtful, there is an inviting and effortless feel when you enter, yet the space is intentionally curated and focused, delivering a seamless guest experience," the studio concluded.

A cushioned bench offers customers a place to sit

Ste Marie's Cadine was one of five projects that was shortlisted in the small retail interior category of this year's Dezeen Awards.

The category was ultimately won by a post office in Zhejiang, China designed by studio Yatofu. Decked out in festive hues of red, white and green, the striking post office also incorporates a gift shop and a community events space.

Photography is by Conrad Brown, styling by Kate Richard.

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Pearson Lloyd designs 3D-printed desk accessories made from recycled bioplastic waste

London studio Pearson Lloyd has worked with design and 3D-manufacturing studio Batch.Works to create pen pots, trays and a mobile-phone stand made from discarded food packaging for office brand Bene.

The collection, called bFRIENDS by Bene, was 3D-printed from recycled polylactic acid (PLA) sourced from food packagings by Batch.Works.

The collection has five different designs in multiple colourways

It marks the first time that Pearson Lloyd has designed a 3D-printed product, though the studio has long used the technique to envision other projects.

"Up to now, we have always used 3D printing as a development tool for our projects," Pearson Lloyd co-founder Tom Lloyd told Dezeen.

The products are 3D-printed from recycled bioplastics

"The technology has changed in nearly 20 years from an exotic and expensive tool that we used to replace hand-carved form models, to an engineering tool to test physical parts, and now to an affordable way of prototyping rapidly with the studio," he added.

"We run two desktop printers that cover most of our needs, and go out to more specialist companies for larger or more precise parts."

Pearson Lloyd worked with Batch.Works to produce bFRIENDS

The studio's designs for the bFRIENDS collection, which features organic, undulating shapes reminiscent of corals, came about because it wanted to eliminate the hand-finishing aspect and reduce the 3D printing time.

"To achieve this, we chose to develop a formal language where the print head never needs to lift off and relocate during the print," Lloyd said.

All products were designed as one single line, including the squiggly pen holders

"This led us to design each product as a single line that traces all functional elements within its perimeter," he continued.

"The challenge of creating individual pen holders led in turn to the squiggle line that weaves in and out around each pen. Once we had developed this idea, the language for the whole range quickly followed."

Read:

Pearson Lloyd unveils own east London studio designed with Cassion Castle Architects

The collection comprises five items – two pen pots, a stand and two trays – and is made from 100 per cent recycled PLA by Batch.Works, which sources the bioplastic material from Europe.

"Our PLA is made from consistent sources of food packaging waste collected in the Benelux region and turned into filament by our material partners Reflow who are based in Amsterdam," Batch.Works founder and CEO Julien Vaissieres told Dezeen.

The desk accessories can be recycled as PLA

The studio says the production of the desk accessories, which are made from materials diverted from landfills, is close to net-zero and represents a step towards more circular production.

"We are really proud of the fact that the products made at our new Amsterdam site are as close to net-zero as you can imagine," Vaissieres said.

"Our factory is powered by electricity derived from wind power, our machines are literally steps away from where our raw material is produced, and our staff get to work by bicycle."

The collection was made for office brand Bene

PLA is a bioplastic that is derived from cornstarch rather than petroleum, making it a more eco-friendly alternative to regular plastics.

"In terms of material we are fully aware that even when using a biomaterial like PLA, there is a huge amount of energy and water that goes into the production process," Vaissieres said.

"That is why we work so closely with our material supplier to only use material that is already in its second cycle. Intercepting waste that was bound for landfill and transforming it into valuable products."

A take-back scheme is in development for the products' end-of-life

Once the products have been used, they can be recycled again as PLA. Batch.Works is also working with Bene to create a take-back scheme, allowing users to either send the products back to Bene or drop them off at a Bene showroom.

"Everything in the range has been designed with end of life in mind from the offset," Vaissieres said.

"Each product is mono-material and mono-colour, enabling us to utilise the material to produce new products further down the line."

The PLA bioplastic used for the line is developed from cornstarch

The recycled translucent PLA is coloured, but the colour accounts for just two per cent of the makeup of the material, according to Vaissieres.

"When we collect products back as part of the circular scheme they will be separated into their colours before being reprocessed into new material," he added.

Pearson Lloyd has previously designed the multifunctional PORTS Storage shelf and various other products for Bene, while Batch Works also used recycled plastic for its collection of lampshades for lighting brand Plumen.

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Wonho Lee creates Brise fan hidden inside a side table

An electric fan is disguised as an understated side table in Brise, a student project from Hongik University graduate Wonho Lee.

The Brise fan mechanism is concealed within a round table topped with Douglas fir wood. Air enters through the bottom of the unit and is pushed up and out by the electric fan inside.

The Brise side table contains a hidden fan to cool a space and promote air flow

The fan generates enough air circulation to feel like a "natural breeze", according to Lee, and has the benefit of aiding ventilation as well as lightly cooling the room.

Lee was inspired to create Brise after noticing that his friends were opting for air-conditioning over electric fans due to a lack of space, particularly in single-person homes.

The curved shape of the wooden tabletop element disperses air from the fan in all directions

They did not want an appliance that was going to sit unused for most of the year, taking up space and gathering dust – dust that would only make them more unlikely to want to use the fan again the following summer.

"The design of Brise concentrates on sustainability and I define sustainability in this project as seamless use of the product," said Lee.

"In my small room, my fan has been used during summer and it just stands there with dust after the season," he added. "I found that it becomes useless periodically and it is a waste of space."

Read:

Cecilie Manz's flat-pack Plint table for Takt is made up of two parts

Instead, Lee created Brise, which is named after the French word for "breeze". The working prototype is made from CNC-ed Douglas fir wood, laser-cut aluminium, stainless steel and spray-painted acrylic.

Its circular white body encases an electric fan. Air is drawn in from underneath the unit and emerges from a thin opening at its top, where a curved wooden component disperses it in all directions. This wooden top also functions as a practical tabletop.

The fan is meant to retain its value and functionality year-round, not just in the summer

Lee said its curved design is designed to be aesthetically pleasing, but also to make the fanned air feel more like a gentle breeze than an artificial wind. A dial allows the fan to be switched between three power levels.

Lee studied electronic engineering before his design degree at Hongik University, and exhibited Brise there in January 2020.

Brise was shortlisted in the furniture category of the 2021 Dezeen Awards, which was ultimately won by Cecile Manz' flatpack Plint design, a wooden coffee table that is assembled with leather loops.

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