Afghanistan’s “Carved” Cultural Center Design

UNESCO has just revealed the winner of a months-long competition seeking a design for a new cultural center in Afghanistan’s Central Highlands region. The competition was launched by UNESCO along with the Afghan government’s Ministry of Information and Culture after the area’s two giant 17th-century cliff-carvings of Buddha were destroyed by Taliban militants. The winning design by an Argentina-based team elegantly “carves” the cultural center …

Interview: Ravi Naidoo of Design Indaba

The event's founder discusses its incredible growth and design's ability to change the world

In just two days, the 20th edition of Design Indaba—the Cape Town-based conference that has celebrated creativity and promoted design for two decades now—will open. Known for its eclectic, inspirational roster of speakers, the conference gathers creatives from all over the globe for the three days it’s held; simultaneously, Indaba also hosts an expo showcasing high-end design, a music festival as well as a film …

ilovedust at Andaz Liverpool Street London

The design studio tells us about decorating their room at the Shoreditch hotel

British multi-disciplinary studio ilovedust has a wide range of projects under its belt, having worked with companies like Carhartt, Absolut Vodka and Wired. But among its latest projects is an unusual assignment; not creating designs for a brand, campaign or event, but for the hotel guests at the Andaz Liverpool Street London hotel. The Andaz chain has a reputation for stylish, unusual hotels that really …