Crispin at Studio Voltaire. Photography by Oskar Proctor…
The Design Dispatch offers expertly written and essential news from the design world crafted by our dedicated team. Think of it as your cheat sheet for the day in design delivered to your inbox before you’ve had your coffee. Subscribe now.
Simplicity Delights at This Artful London Dining Room
Flashes of brilliance can yield the simplest solutions—look no further than the new Crispin at Studio Voltaire, a gastronomic gem located inside the venerated South London arts hub. A brainchild of HAM Restaurants, the group renowned for like-minded culinary experiences at Bistro Freddie and Crispin in Shoreditch, the venture both caters to discerning palates and has emerged as a nexus where seasonal plates are served up in streamlined interiors courtesy of local designer and editor Jermaine Gallacher.
Here, he took cues from Terence Conran’s ‘90s restaurants—Blueprint and Le Pont de la Tour were on the moodboard—and introduced subtle touches befitting the industrial setting. Dzek Dzek tiles in the serene Anthea Hamilton garden mimic the bar’s dark brown hue, as does a billowing Kvadrat curtain that acts as a retractable wall. Mouth-blown artisanal glass pendants by Miranda Keyes echo the curves of the dining room’s bentwood bistro chairs, lending a dramatic punch. It all sets the stage for Chef Michael Miles’ seasonal European fare (Portland crab with radicchio and fennel, cod with velouté and monk’s beard) and sommelier Alexandra Price’s tightly curated wine list. Because Studio Voltaire houses 61 studios, the restaurant also offers an affordable daily artists’ menu. —Ryan Waddoups
“Maurizio Cattelan” at Gagosian. Photography by Maris Hutchinson, courtesy of Gagosian…
Maurizio Cattelan and Anthony James opened simultaneous shows featuring similar works of art, leading to legal contention from James, who has been producing bullet-marked metal panels for a decade, against Cattelan’s recent similar works. James’s lawyer issued a five-page letter demanding explanations from Cattelan about his creative process for his piece Sunday, citing concerns over potential infringement given the resemblances to James’s Bullet Paintings.
Documenta, the German art festival, will proceed without a code of conduct for its next artistic director despite previous plans and ongoing scrutiny following an antisemitism scandal. The festival confirmed it will maintain its scheduled run from June 12 to September 19, 2027, but has yet to announce a new artistic director. In response to the controversy, Documenta will introduce a Scientific Advisory Board and reduce its supervisory board, while the artistic director will be required to deliver a public talk on their curatorial approach and respect for human dignity.
Saudi authorities reportedly authorized lethal force to evict villagers for Neom, a $500 billion mega-project led by Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman, which resulted in the death of a villager resisting eviction. Despite the controversy, the project is aiming to diversify the Middle Eastern country’s economy away from oil and features a car-free city, The Line, although only a small section is expected to complete by 2030. The clearance operation has led to several detentions and alleged human rights violations, sparking criticism and withdrawal by some Western companies involved in the construction.
TikTok has announced it will implement “Content Credentials,” a digital watermark technology developed by Adobe to label AI-generated images and videos, aiming to enhance transparency on its platform. The technology, which also has the support of companies like OpenAI, requires cooperation between AI tool creators and content distribution platforms to effectively denote the origin and edits of content. The move comes as part of broader efforts by tech companies, including YouTube and Meta, to combat misinformation, especially ahead of U.S. elections.
Billionaires Brinah Milstein and Roy Bank have sued the City of Los Angeles for the right to demolish Marilyn Monroe’s former Brentwood home, which they purchased for $8.35 million with plans to expand their adjacent property. The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission has recommended landmark status for the house, a move celebrated by fans and conservationists but contested by the owners, who claim the house lacks any physical evidence of Monroe’s residence and doesn’t meet historic monument criteria. City Council has paused the demolition permit and is considering whether to officially declare the house a historic cultural monument, prompting a lawsuit from Milstein and Bank aimed at restoring their right to demolish the home.
