Jouin Manku Design Agency’s “The Sound Cabinet” Installation

Unveiling a listening station for collectors of music, at Paris' AD Interieurs

At this year’s AD Interieurs exposition (running concurrently in Paris with design fair Maison et Objet), event-founding publication Architectural Digest France declared a site-specific theme: collectors. Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku, the designers behind the Jouin Manku agency (specializing in architecture and interior design) applied the theme to a rather uncommon topic. Sound appealed to both of them, and “The Sound Cabinet” embodies their desire …

Our Nearest Habitable Planet

As the Atlantic puts it, the exoplanet Proxima b exists in its galaxy’s “Goldilocks” habitable zone: “No one will ever find a closer alien world than this.” The reason this happens to be a big deal: all signs point to the planet being able to support water and arguably existing life. There are still plenty of variables that could negate all of this wondrous news: …

Optical Illusion Metal Shelves

Ukrainian designer Dmitry Kozinenko’s “Field” shelving system gives the illusion that all objects placed upon it are floating, when viewed head on. Composed of bent metal rods—which create resting positions for books, vases and other homewares—the structure’s subtlety tricks the eye into believing everything it holds rests upon nothing. When viewed from the side, however, all ledges are visible. It’s a lovely, unexpected touch from …