SPHERE is a an Asian-based publication platform that connects the world through art, culture and design.

Art & Culture
Art & Culture
A Feast for the Senses: Buccellati Celebrates the Silver Caviar Collection as an Artistic Landscape at Milan Design Week 2026, Presenting Aquae Mirabiles by English Artist, Luke Edward Hall
A Feast for the Senses: Buccellati Celebrates the Silver Caviar Collection as an Artistic Landscape at Milan Design Week 2026, Presenting Aquae Mirabiles by English Artist, Luke Edward Hall
Renowned high jewellery and silverware Maison, Buccellati unveiled Aquae Mirabiles - an insanely beautiful installation curated by Federica Sala, designed by Balich Wonder Studio, and with the collaboration of Luke Edward Hall, who, through his drawings, was able to give artistic expression to the concept, transforming it into a tangible, evocative visual experience
ART & CULTURE
Circa and Michelangelo Pistoletto Transform Global Screens into Year Long Preventive Peace Initiative with the United Nations
Circa and Michelangelo Pistoletto Transform Global Screens into Year Long Preventive Peace Initiative with the United Nations
Michelangelo Pistoletto’s screen takeover is dedicated to Preventive Peace, featuring his new public work, Three Mirrors, which positions art as a form of civic action. Created in partnership with United Nations OCHA during the 87 million life-saving appeal, the project includes a series of 12 hand-signed editions that directly support humanitarian, public, and educational programmes
ART & CULTURE
Barovier&Toso Presents “2026 CHAPTER 1”, an Installation Bridging Memory and the Future
Barovier&Toso Presents “2026 CHAPTER 1”, an Installation Bridging Memory and the Future
On the occasion of Milan Design Week 2026 debuting next week, Barovier&Toso unveils 2026 Chapter 1, the first tangible expression of a strategic and creative renewal for the historic Murano brand
ART & CULTURE
Imagination, Invested
Imagination, Invested
From fashion’s front row to global exhibition spaces, Coco Capitán has established herself as a vital voice exploring the boundary between language and image. Her newest city-spanning installation, Imagination Investments in Hong Kong, invites visitors to reconsider the value of memory and imagination in a financial hub, Anji Connell uncovers
Design
Design
Up Your Fitness Inspiration with Penafiel's Sculpted Sanctuary: stu.dere’s Design for Modern Wellness
Up Your Fitness Inspiration with Penafiel's Sculpted Sanctuary: stu.dere’s Design for Modern Wellness
In Penafiel, Portugal, the Level Private Gym, offers a refreshing take on the modern fitness space, moving beyond the purely utilitarian to embrace design-led, personalized wellness
DESIGN
Polène Unveils a Material-Rich Milan Flagship by Norm Architects
Polène Unveils a Material-Rich Milan Flagship by Norm Architects
Set along Via Manzoni in the heart of Milan, the new flagship store for Polène unfolds as a considered spatial narrative that invites visitors to move not only through a retail environment, but through a sequence of atmospheres shaped by material, light, and rhythm
DESIGN
L’Appartement: Antoine Billore’s Poetic Hybrid Design Takes Over Milan
L’Appartement: Antoine Billore’s Poetic Hybrid Design Takes Over Milan
During the bustle of Salone del Mobile, a quieter, more sensory experience unfolds just steps from Bar Basso. The most offbeat of antique dealers, Antoine Billore, has transformed a ground-floor Milanese apartment into a lived-in interior. Conceived as a fully-fledged living space, the installation—dubbed L'appartement—serves as the stage for L’Artisan Parfumeur’s 50th-anniversary celebration, seamlessly merging fragrance with Billore’s debut collection of hybrid, poetic, and mischievous furniture. The space is open to the public from April 20–26, 2026, at Via Giovanni Lulli 2.1
DESIGN
This Collector’s Penthouse Has Been Reinvented by Sophie Dries
This Collector’s Penthouse Has Been Reinvented by Sophie Dries
This collector’s triplex atop Paris demonstrates the art of ascent
Architecture
Architecture
A Moody Mid-Century Revival in Bellevue by AAmp
A Moody Mid-Century Revival in Bellevue by AAmp
Nestled among the towering evergreens outside Seattle, a 3,540-square-feet mid-century residence has been transformed by Maine-based architecture studio AAmp
ARCHITECTURE
Mork-Ulnes Architects Restores a Mid-Century Modern Gem, Paying Tribute to the Legacy of Industrialization and Craftsmanship In Architecture
Mork-Ulnes Architects Restores a Mid-Century Modern Gem, Paying Tribute to the Legacy of Industrialization and Craftsmanship In Architecture
In the heart of Northern California, a region rich with mid-century modern architectural heritage, Mork-Ulnes Architects has meticulously restored an iconic residence designed by Roger Lee, engaging in a long-distance dialogue with an architectural approach that feels strikingly contemporary
ARCHITECTURE
Lumen Residence is a Lesson in Athenian ‘Organic Luxury’ by Block722
Lumen Residence is a Lesson in Athenian ‘Organic Luxury’ by Block722
If the ideal home evokes an effortless sense of belonging and familiarity, then this duplex apartment in Athens is a job well done by its creator, architecture and design studio Block722
ARCHITECTURE
Casa dos Alcoutins is a Modern Retreat That Embraces the Lisbon Landscape
Casa dos Alcoutins is a Modern Retreat That Embraces the Lisbon Landscape
Perched elegantly within a verdant Lisbon golf course, Casa dos Alcoutins, a recent project by Paulo Martins Arquitectura e Design, is a masterclass in responding to dramatic topography
PODCAST
Dialogues
Dialogues
We Speak with the Co-Founders of Kasawoo, Katie Kasabalis and Darius Woo, to Discover How They Design with Both Restraint and Resource
We Speak with the Co-Founders of Kasawoo, Katie Kasabalis and Darius Woo, to Discover How They Design with Both Restraint and Resource
London-based Kasawoo, founded in 2020 by Katie Kasabalis and Darius Woo, with an office in Hong Kong led by Yolande Wang, has quickly established a distinctive identity. Specializing in the transformation of existing buildings, the studio is driven by the conviction that quality design must be accessible and socially meaningful. Their evolving philosophy, "gentle architecture" is rooted in minimizing demolition and prioritizing resource intelligence - constantly asking what new forms of architecture emerge when we build more gently. We speak with them about how they transform constraints into catalysts for creativity
DIALOGUES
Founder of ARTTA Concept Studio, Arthur Tang, Shares How His Company Designs for Impact
Founder of ARTTA Concept Studio, Arthur Tang, Shares How His Company Designs for Impact
Arthur Tang’s philosophy is supported by an intensive, research-driven methodology, where the design team studies market positioning, competitors, and client business models before a design concept is finalized. The ultimate goal is not merely to sell, but to create a layered, lasting impression that makes the audience fall in love with the space…
DIALOGUES
Architectural Sanctuaries: In Conversation with Giovanni Gunawan of KantorGG
Architectural Sanctuaries: In Conversation with Giovanni Gunawan of KantorGG
For KantorGG’s Managing Director and Architecture Design Principal, Giovanni Gunawan, architecture is a living narrative. Known for their seamless integration of nature, the studio’s work transcends mere building, creating spaces that foster deep, lasting connections - between people, between past and present, and between a home and its environment. We chat with Gunawan to explore the philosophy behind the firm’s unique approach and the quiet ways design can recalibrate how we live
DIALOGUES
The Material Dialogue: Twenty Years of Curiosity and Craft with Volker Haug Studio
The Material Dialogue: Twenty Years of Curiosity and Craft with Volker Haug Studio
We sit down with Volker Haug to discuss how a philosophy rooted in material curiosity and collaborative experimentation has balanced playfulness with precision, evolving a distinctly Melbourne identity onto the global stage
Life
Life
Morea House in Cape Town: A Study in Serenity, where Contemporary South African Design Meets the Atlantic's Edge
Morea House in Cape Town: A Study in Serenity, where Contemporary South African Design Meets the Atlantic's Edge
Dramatically situated between the azure expanse of the Atlantic Ocean and the majestic, theatrical rise of Table Mountain and the Twelve Apostles, Morea House in Cape Town’s prestigious Camps Bay is an architectural study that seamlessly merges high contemporary South African art, nuanced design, and the privileged tranquility of elevated coastal living
LIFE
The Hotel That Edits Hong Kong
The Hotel That Edits Hong Kong
In Tsim Sha Tsui, a district where everything moves fast and nothing waits, the Kimpton Tsim Sha Tsui offers a deliberate counterpoint. It slows time down, lifting guests out of the street-level chaos through a cinematic sequence of spaces and up to a rooftop where the city finally gives in to the view, discovers Anji Connell
LIFE
Wuhan’s Island Utopia is a Pilgrimage to the LuxeIsland Farm by Various Associates
Wuhan’s Island Utopia is a Pilgrimage to the LuxeIsland Farm by Various Associates
As the calendar turns from the contemplation of Easter to the midst of spring, our eye seeks places of renewal - spaces that effortlessly weave nature, culture, and thoughtful design. Look no further than the LuxeIsland Farm in Wuhan, anchoring the heart of the LUXEOASIS development along the Zhujia River
LIFE
TerraSense is a Mountain Charm Retreat Reimagining Tradition in Serra da Estrela
TerraSense is a Mountain Charm Retreat Reimagining Tradition in Serra da Estrela
The TerraSense Mountain Charm Retreat by Atelier DRK is an architectural manifesto born from a deep reverence for place and a pursuit of exceptional quality
Recent Posts
ART & CULTURE
Yukimasa Ida Captures the Fleeting Moments in Hong Kong
Yukimasa Ida Captures the Fleeting Moments in Hong Kong
As Hong Kong’s art month gets underway, the city's pulse of perpetual reinvention finds a natural resonance in the work of Japanese painter Yukimasa Ida. The first presentation of his work at K11 MUSEA, announced by VILLEPIN, introduces an artistic practice shaped by intuition, speed, and the rejection of a fixed image
ART & CULTURE
Ruinart and Tadashi Kawamata's Conversations with Nature at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026
Ruinart and Tadashi Kawamata's Conversations with Nature at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026
Maison Ruinart, the oldest champagne house founded in 1729, is set to unveil its global art series, Conversations with Nature, at Art Basel Hong Kong. For the 2026 edition, the Maison has partnered with renowned Japanese artist Tadashi Kawamata, known for his striking in-situ installations crafted from wood and pieces of furniture. Through his commission, Kawamata invites visitors to become observers of the subtle "vibrations of nature", a principle essential to the harmony of champagne itself
ART & CULTURE
Ted Gahl’s Roam Invites us to Appreciate the Art of Stillness and to Re-Inhabit Fleeting Memories in Hong Kong
Ted Gahl’s Roam Invites us to Appreciate the Art of Stillness and to Re-Inhabit Fleeting Memories in Hong Kong
In an era defined by endless scrolling and the relentless streaming of information, the act of slowing down has become the ultimate luxury. American artist Ted Gahl offers this moment of pause with his debut Hong Kong solo presentation, Roam, at VILLEPIN, showing from 25th March to 7th May, 2026
ART & CULTURE
Nicole Eisenman’s ‘Fallen Angels’ is a Haunting Vision of Modern Domesticity
Nicole Eisenman’s ‘Fallen Angels’ is a Haunting Vision of Modern Domesticity
Nicole Eisenman, an artist known for her crowded, picaresque social scenes, has turned inward for her latest exhibition, ‘Fallen Angels,’ at Hauser & Wirth Hong Kong (24 March – 30 May 2026). The show is a contemplative collection of paintings and sculptures that scales down the artist’s vision to three disarmingly familiar sites of middle-class existence: home, work, and beach
DESIGN
Label Experience Creates Kretz Real Estate’s Flagship in Paris
Label Experience Creates Kretz Real Estate’s Flagship in Paris
Kretz Real Estate has opened its first physical agency at the Parisian address of 100 Rue du Bac. Global design agency Label Experience worked with the Kretz family to create a cohesive, welcoming space conceived to bring people together
DESIGN
BY COOKIE H. is Where Fashion's Logic Redefines Retail Architecture in Hangzhou
BY COOKIE H. is Where Fashion's Logic Redefines Retail Architecture in Hangzhou
The BY COOKIE H. project is conceived as a three-dimensional articulation of the independent woman's complex temperament - a core value of the brand. This design translates the internal dialogue of "sharpness and inner warmth" into an immersive and perceptible physical field
DESIGN
A Copper and Stone Waterside Sanctuary Defines the Avalon Tennis Pavilion
A Copper and Stone Waterside Sanctuary Defines the Avalon Tennis Pavilion
Set on a waterfront crest in Sydney’s northern beaches, the Avalon Tennis Pavilion offers a compact, two-level sanctuary intimately connected to its landscape. Its design is a timeless study in clarity and restraint, providing an elevated retreat
DESIGN
Residence LL is a Place Reimagined for Tranquility in Chengdu
Residence LL is a Place Reimagined for Tranquility in Chengdu
In the urban landscape of Chengdu, Sichuan, a multi-storey, 5,000 square feet residence known as Residence LL masterminded by Atelier About Architecture resonates with the pursuit of elegant tranquility
DESIGN
RENER Sets a Cinematic Dining Stage in Shenzhen
RENER Sets a Cinematic Dining Stage in Shenzhen
In a city known for its relentless march toward the future, fine dining destination RENER offers a deliberate, dramatic pause
LIFE
BLOU is a Study in Coastal Minimalism Inheriting the Babylonstoren Legacy, Anji Connell Reveals
BLOU is a Study in Coastal Minimalism Inheriting the Babylonstoren Legacy, Anji Connell Reveals
As I journey toward Blou, the seaside counterpart to the celebrated Babylonstoren, a distinct sense of architectural anticipation takes hold. If Babylonstoren represents an ode to agrarian fine living nestled within the Cape Winelands, then BLOU is its ethereal, sea-facing extension - a masterclass in where nature's expanse meets exacting design
DESIGN
Counterpoint House is a Retreat in the Black Forest That Redefines Modern Luxury
Counterpoint House is a Retreat in the Black Forest That Redefines Modern Luxury
In the serene, verdant landscape of the Black Forest, Counterpoint House has arisen, interpreting a successful entrepreneur's vision for his post-retirement life. Having concluded a high-paced business career, the client finally turned his focus to a residence that would inspire the next chapter of his life
DESIGN
Refine Sky Gallery: ZN DESIGN's Visionary Headquarters Redefines Dubai's Futurism
Refine Sky Gallery: ZN DESIGN's Visionary Headquarters Redefines Dubai's Futurism
In the heart of Dubai, the Refine Dubai Headquarters has emerged, boldly conceptualized as the "Refine Sky Gallery" by ZN DESIGN. Anchored in the coveted Dubai Bay area, with the iconic Burj Khalifa as its neighbor, this space serves as a pivotal chapter in the shaping of tomorrow’s urban environment
LIFE
AAmp Studio Transforms a Mid-Century Savannah Bank into the Sleek Municipal Grand Hotel
AAmp Studio Transforms a Mid-Century Savannah Bank into the Sleek Municipal Grand Hotel
Savannah's architectural story gets a modern chapter with the Municipal Grand. AAmp Studio has transformed a 1961 bank into a sophisticated boutique hotel that honors its mid-century roots
DESIGN
BOSIDENG’s Sanlitun Flagship Reaches New Heights in Retail Architecture
BOSIDENG’s Sanlitun Flagship Reaches New Heights in Retail Architecture
In the heart of Beijing’s avant-garde fashion district, Sanlitun, a retail space has emerged as an immersive architectural manifesto. The new BOSIDENG Flagship, designed around the theme, “Relentless Journey Toward Dream Peaks,” masterfully fuses the high-tech sensibilities of polar exploration with deep cultural iconography, setting a new global benchmark for experiential design
DIALOGUES
Samantha Drummond, the visionary force behind Habitus Design Group, reveals her expertise in translating ambitions visions to exceptional realities
Samantha Drummond, the visionary force behind Habitus Design Group, reveals her expertise in translating ambitions visions to exceptional realities
Habitus Design Group’s founder Samantha Drummond shares her journey from running hospitality venues to becoming a global leader in luxury design and advisory, discussing her unique business-first approach, passion for mentoring, and commitment to creating authentic, iconic and financially successful spaces
LIFE
The Pink Lady Reimagined: How Cape Town's Mount Nelson, a Belmond Hotel is Forging a New Cultural Legacy
The Pink Lady Reimagined: How Cape Town's Mount Nelson, a Belmond Hotel is Forging a New Cultural Legacy
Stepping across the threshold of a heritage hotel is a passage through time. In Cape Town, Mount Nelson, a Belmond Hotel, affectionately known as 'The Nellie,' is an enduring architectural chronicle, Anji Connell reveals
DESIGN
A Fluid Manhattan Home Unites Two Apartments with Stone, Color, and Ingenuity
A Fluid Manhattan Home Unites Two Apartments with Stone, Color, and Ingenuity
Frederick Tang Architecture skillfully merged two Upper West Side residences into a single 2,800-square-foot sanctuary that honors a family’s Indian heritage while balancing communal living with sophisticated, flexible design