Architecture News

In the vibrant city of Copenhagen, during the esteemed 3daysofdesign festival, a captivating exhibition at Gallery 2112 unfolded, showcasing the innovative synergy between A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE and the Swiss design collective atelier oï. This presentation marks a significant evolution in their collaborative journey, extending their shared expertise from the realm of fashion into the intricate domain of lighting design. The centerpiece of this display is the second generation of their 'O Series' portable lighting collection, a conceptual project that challenges traditional boundaries between disciplines.

An Illumination of Innovation: The O Series at Gallery 2112

From June 10th to 12th, 2026, visitors to Gallery 2112 in Copenhagen were invited to immerse themselves in an interactive experience with the O Series lighting. The exhibition features a series of textile forms that exude a gentle glow, blurring the lines between functional luminaires and artistic objects. These creations are characterized by their delicate wire frameworks that cradle fabric, evoking the subtle beauty of draped textiles. Originating from the TYPE-XIII atelier oï project, the collection masterfully demonstrates how a simple piece of cloth and a length of wire can be transformed into something extraordinary. Attendees were encouraged to interact with the lamps, observing how diverse materials, colors, and textures contribute to the overall ambiance. This innovative approach to design, which first emerged at Milan Design Week in 2025, continues to push the boundaries of material exploration.

The core of this collaboration lies in a mutual fascination with materials and fabrication techniques. While atelier oï is celebrated for its diverse portfolio spanning architecture, interiors, and product design, Issey Miyake's experimental studio has dedicated decades to pioneering textile engineering and garment construction. This partnership effectively translates their collective knowledge from wearable art to household objects, investigating the potential of clothing-specific textile technologies when adapted for lighting. A pivotal technique employed is 'Steam Stretch,' a process integral to A-POC ABLE's garment creation. This method involves weaving design elements directly into a single piece of fabric, which then contracts into a three-dimensional pleated structure upon heat application.

For the O Series, this uniquely crafted textile is fashioned into a detachable lampshade, secured to an elegant oval wire frame designed by atelier oï. The interchangeability of these fabric shades allows for dynamic alterations in the lamp's aesthetic, making it adaptable to various settings and moods. The latest iteration of the O Series draws profound inspiration from nature, with new textile variations mimicking the intricate patterns of wood grain and the geological textures of stone. These fabrics are ingeniously designed to filter light, creating diverse luminous effects. Even when not illuminated, the lamps maintain a sculptural presence, their pleated forms holding volume and shape within their minimalist metal contours. Developed in conjunction with the Japanese portable lighting specialist Ambientec, these lamps are crafted for seamless integration into diverse interior environments. Their adjustable light output, offering four distinct levels from a warm incandescent glow to a bright daylight white, further enhances their versatility and adaptability. This inherent flexibility underscores the project's dedication to creating objects that can fluidly respond to their surroundings.

For designer Yoshiyuki Miyamae, this venture is a continuation of the philosophical inquiry that has defined A-POC since Issey Miyake first introduced the 'A Piece Of Cloth' concept in 1998. The original vision sought to revolutionize garment production by creating clothing from a single, continuous textile, thereby minimizing the stages between design, manufacturing, and usage. In the O Series, this same principle is recontextualized for furniture-scale objects, where fabric transcends its traditional role to become structure, surface, and light diffuser simultaneously. The installation at 3daysofdesign highlights a growing trend in the design world towards interdisciplinary projects. While fashion houses increasingly venture into furniture, lighting, and interior design, this collaboration stands out for its deep connection to the foundational techniques that birthed it. The O Series lamps are a direct outcome of the same textile experimentation that informs A-POC ABLE's apparel, offering a compelling demonstration of how material research can traverse different scales and applications while preserving its inherent character and innovative spirit.

The convergence of fashion and industrial design, exemplified by A-POC ABLE ISSEY MIYAKE and atelier oï, offers a refreshing perspective on how established creative practices can intertwine to forge truly novel solutions. This exhibition not only showcased beautiful objects but also sparked a contemplation on the adaptability of materials and techniques across diverse fields. It underscored the potential for design to be both aesthetically pleasing and profoundly intelligent, challenging us to see beyond conventional categories and embrace a more fluid, interdisciplinary approach to creation.

In the realm of contemporary artistry, flowers stand as a perpetually captivating muse, presenting an ongoing intricate challenge for creators working across diverse mediums. From delicate glass beads to malleable clay, from sheets of paper to sturdy wood, artisans consistently find themselves drawn to the organic complexity and transient beauty of blossoms. This article delves into how various craftspeople meticulously translate these ephemeral wonders into enduring pieces, each employing unique techniques and materials to capture the essence of floral forms.

The intricate nature of flowers, defying predictable geometric rules, offers a compelling problem for artists. Unlike uniform shapes, petals twist, fold, and overlap in unique ways, and colors subtly transition across a single bloom, ensuring no two are ever identical. For those working with rigid or manufactured materials, recreating this natural spontaneity demands a profound process of translation and adaptation. This inherent complexity transforms the flower from a simple subject into a profound exploration of material capabilities and artistic skill.

Artists such as Henri Purnell meticulously construct elaborate blossoms from thousands of glass beads, each bead representing a single deliberate action contributing to a larger, seemingly fragile form. Julia Oleynik shapes hyperrealistic petals from clay, freezing moments of blooming that nature itself cannot sustain. Lilla Tabasso employs glass, transforming one delicate medium into another, granting flowers an enduring presence that defies their natural wilting. Similarly, Ann Wood, Judith Rolfe, and Sourabh Gupta manipulate paper, pushing its inherent stiffness to achieve surprising softness and volume, effectively turning flat sheets into vibrant botanical compositions.

Beyond mere replication, many artists use botanical forms as a means of deep observation and preservation. Mona Sugata, for instance, crafts sculptural textile works from untreated cotton, mirroring organic growth through repetitive handwork. Olga Prinku's embroidered arrangements and Hillary Waters Fayle's delicate botanical interventions highlight a meticulous attention to natural structures, creating what can be described as contemporary botanical archives. These works serve as records of sustained looking, isolating and studying various elements like leaves, stems, and seed heads, and translating them into new material languages.

Yoshihiro Suda, working with wood, carves astonishingly detailed sculptures of plants, often choosing overlooked subjects like weeds and wildflowers. His creations encourage viewers to pause and observe the often-missed details of the natural world, transforming the flower into a focal point for deeper appreciation. This tradition extends beyond realism; CJ Hendry's immersive flower market installations, for example, reinterpret blooms as plush, interactive sculptures, demonstrating the widespread and varied appeal of floral motifs in art.

Despite the proliferation of digital floral imagery, craftspeople continue to invest countless hours into handcrafting flowers, drawn by their inherent complexity. Whether in paper, glass, clay, textile, or wood, each material offers distinct possibilities and limitations, leading to diverse interpretations of the same botanical themes. This ongoing fascination with flowers underscores their timeless appeal and their capacity to inspire endless artistic innovation, prompting artists to continually revisit and reimagine these natural wonders.