Ark Journal Vol. XII

Home and design are the twin themes weaving through the latest edition of Ark Journal. Volume XII considers the connections between home – a source of comfort, shelter and inspiration – and design, not just the structures and objects but also the immaterial, the atmospheres and sense of belonging that shape our daily lives and our society. Central elements are the materials, craftsmanship and traditions that are integrated into modern design to instil meaning and authenticity. We explore how design influences emotions and behaviour by creating intimate and thoughtful spaces that nurture creativity and contemplation.

Among the homes we visit are a New York townhouse that preserves a Danish sensibility, and a brutalist concrete house set among trees in Antwerp that tells a noir-ish story. Two apartments in Berlin, both centred around art, reflect very different lives and interventions, while an austere home of shadows and light in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, mirrors the landscape and the city through materials.

For Japanese fashion visionary Jun Takahashi, his studio/home is where he cultivates the concepts of chaos and balance that pervade his runway collections, his art and his new furniture designs.

Other stories include: an interview with Paola Antonelli, the provocative senior curator of architecture and design at MoMA; the future of collectible design; the watercolours of Ylva Carlgren; the vernacular chair; and Case Studies by Pernille Vest.