DESIGN DISPATCH

Tiffany & Co.’s Sleek F1 Trophy Deserves Its Own Award, and Other News

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The Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix trophy in the Tiffany Blue case. Image courtesy of Tiffany & Co.

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Tiffany & Co.’s Sleek F1 Trophy Deserves Its Own Award

It was an exciting weekend to be in Miami. Not only did the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix attract thousands of racing fanatics, but a crop of beachside activations, culinary pop-ups, and parties brought the Magic City to life all weekend. (We rounded up our favorites here, including our “Art in Motion” exhibition at Surface Area.) Tiffany & Co. made the weekend even more special by unveiling an all-new series of trophies for the Grand Prix’s team, first-, second-, and third-place winners. Red Bull star Max Verstappen took home the coveted first-place trophy, which features 11.5 pounds of sterling silver, stands nearly two feet tall, and required more than 65 hours of silversmithing at the jeweler’s famed hollowware workshop in Rhode Island to perfect. —Ryan Waddoups

The Adaptive Collection by Skims. Image courtesy of Skims

Skims’ latest collection was designed specifically for people with limited mobility.

“Kim Kardashian’s $3.2 billion apparel brand Skims bills itself as a solutions-oriented company—and its newest product range, adaptive underwear launched as an extension of the company’s popular Fits Everybody collection, was conceived to address a gap in the accessibility market, providing color options and fashion-conscious features in a broad range of sizes. The Adaptive Collection … will comprise four of Skims’ signature fits in four neutral colorways: clay, sienna, cocoa, and onyx. Priced from $18 for a thong up to $32 for a bralette, the designs prioritize ease of use for those with limited mobility.” —[H/T Fast Company]

Residents of Kharkiv, Ukraine, are cataloging the destruction of architectural sites.

“Within three weeks of the invasion, Russian forces had hit dozens of historic buildings in Kharkiv, an eastern Ukrainian city recognized at home and abroad for its rich mix of architectural heritage, including grand formal buildings and Soviet modernist structures. Strikes on the city, many of which were carried out by Russian military planes, sent shock waves through Ukraine and prompted hundreds of thousands of terrified Kharkivians to flee. In early March the city’s train station—another architectural treasure—was packed with people trying to board trains going west. Some of those who remained have attempted to catalog the destruction, compiling a list of 68 buildings of architectural significance, of which UNESCO has confirmed 27 have been damaged or destroyed.” —[H/T The Guardian]

The Northwest Coast Hall at the American Museum of Natural History. Photography by D. Finnin, courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History’s oldest gallery reopens after a renovation. 

“Crafted of wood, iron, plant fiber and animal sinew, the model of 10 men paddling a canoe would strike most viewers as a beautiful object. But to Haa’yuups, head of the House of Takiishtakamlthat-h of the Huupa‘chesat-h First Nation, on Vancouver Island, Canada, it also holds a mystical power. A spirit canoe, it represents the ripple of invisible oars in the water—a sound that people of his community report hearing after they have purified themselves through fasting and bathing. When the Northwest Coast Hall at the American Museum of Natural History reopens to the public on May 13, after a five-year, $19 million renovation, the spirit canoe—which was not previously shown—will be one of more than 1,000 artifacts on view.” —[H/T The New York Times]

New York mayor Eric Adams appoints Zero Bond’s Scott Sartiano to the Met board. 

“There’s new blood on the board of one of the city’s oldest cultural institutions after Mayor Eric Adams appointed the owner of the Noho club he frequents as a trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The mayor quietly named Scott Sartiano, the 47-year-old founder of the members-only club Zero Bond, as his representative to the Met board in February. The unconventional appointment—previous mayoral designees were political and philanthropic heavyweights—gives the club owner an entrée into one of New York’s wealthiest and most influential circles. In turn Sartiano will be an important liaison, communicating both the mayor’s interests to the museum and the museum’s wishes back to City Hall on issues from public funding to neighborhood relations.” —[H/T Politico]

Park Habitat by Kengo Kuma and Associates. Image by Hayes Davidson

Kengo Kuma breaks ground on Park Habitat, a plant-covered building in Silicon Valley.

“Construction has begun on Park Habitat, a plant-covered building in Silicon Valley that was designed by Japanese studio Kengo Kuma and Associates with a green atrium at its center. The 20-storey building will have a glass and wood facade covered with vines and planters and will be located in downtown San Jose in the middle of Silicon Valley, California. The mixed-use 1.3 million-square-feet structure, which broke ground on Earth Day, will also have a “green-lung” atrium at its core.” —[H/T Dezeen]

An unassuming shopper bought an ancient Roman bust from a Texas Goodwill for $35.

“Laura Young was browsing through a Goodwill store in Austin, Texas, in 2018 when she found a bust for sale. It was resting on the floor, under a table, and had a yellow price tag slapped on its cheek: $34.99. She bought it. Turns out, it wasn’t just another heavy stone curio suitable for plunking in the garden. It was an actual Roman bust from the late 1st century B.C. or early 1st century A.D., which had been part of a Bavarian king’s art collection from the 19th century until it was looted during World War II.” —[H/T The New York Times]

Still showing Endor from “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.” Image courtesy Lucasfilm Ltd.

Today’s attractive distractions:

Office snacks may be dying off, but they were never that good for you anyway.

Scientists claim there’s an “anti-universe” out there running backward in time.

Wealthy collectors of X-rated art are turning off home buyers in New York City.

Here’s how the California forest that was Endor in Star Wars got destroyed.

All Stories