Collectible Is Coming to New York, and Other News

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Collectible Is Coming to New York

The European design fair Collectible is expanding to the United States, with its inaugural overseas edition taking place in New York City this September alongside the Armory Show. The news arrived as the six-year-old fair, which focuses exclusively on 21st-century collectible design, opened its latest edition in Brussels this past weekend. “New York came across as an obvious outpost,” founders Clélie Debehault and Liv Vaisberg told Dezeen. “European designers want to show in New York, American designers want a European crowd, it all just felt right.” The fair will take place at Water Street Projects in Manhattan’s Financial District. 

In other people news, the scandal-prone Museum of Chinese in America has chosen nonprofit executive Michael Lee as its new director; he’ll be tasked with restoring trust following a series of protests, resignations, legal problems, and a fire. Creative Capital announced Angela Mattox as its new director of artist initiatives, which oversees grants and development programs. Antje Steinmuller is taking the reins as the next chair of the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, replacing interim chair John McMorrough. —Ryan Waddoups

Hilton is entering the glamping business thanks to a new partnership with Autocamp.

Hilton is partnering with AutoCamp to offer upscale outdoor stays near U.S. National Parks, combining the comforts of a boutique hotel with the allure of nature. Guests can soon book AutoCamp accommodations through Hilton’s platforms, featuring Airstream trailers, custom cabins, and glamping tents near parks like Yosemite and Zion. Each site boasts a clubhouse for dining, shopping, and communal gatherings. New AutoCamp destinations are set to open in Asheville, Sequoia, and Hill Country over the next few years.

Destination Crenshaw kicks off with the reveal of an Anthony “Toons One” Martin mural.

Destination Crenshaw, the largest Black public art initiative in the U.S., is kicking off with Anthony “Toons One” Martin’s mural, Hey Young World (2024). The unveiling, originally slated for February, was postponed due to heavy winter rains, now revealing murals throughout spring, starting with Martin’s on Crenshaw Boulevard and 57th Street. The project includes permanent sculptures by renowned artists like Kehinde Wiley and Melvin Edwards along the 1.3-mile corridor, aiming to boost cultural tourism and offer career development programs for locals.

SO – IL unveils a new home for the Williams College Museum of Art in the Berkshires.

SO – IL has collaborated with Williams College to design a new home for the Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA), which is slated to open in 2027. Departing from its current location at Lawrence Hall, the museum’s new purpose-built structure features a fluid design resembling the Berkshire Mountains, offering naturally lit galleries and a courtyard garden. SO – IL’s approach emphasizes intimate viewing spaces within the 76,000-square-foot building, organized into smaller pavilions under a common roof to foster engagement with the artwork. 

Samara, Joe Gebbia’s ADU company, has opened a new factory in Mexicali, Mexico. 

Samara, led by Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia and former Flex CEO Mike McNamara, has opened a factory in Mexicali, Mexico, to increase production of their backyard ADU units. The 150,000-square-foot facility will manufacture Samara’s modular units, including interior and exterior finishes, before being transported to customers’ properties. The company’s flagship unit, Backyard, comes in various layouts and can be installed in as little as seven months, including permitting, with minimal on-site labor. 

The reconstructed spire of Paris’s Notre Dame cathedral will feature a golden rooster.

The reconstructed spire of Paris’s Notre Dame cathedral, destroyed by fire nearly five years ago, has been revealed, standing at 105 feet tall and made entirely of oak. France’s President Emmanuel Macron unveiled a portion of the spire last December modeled after Viollet-le-Duc’s 19th-century structure, with engineers recently removing scaffolding around it. Topped with a golden rooster and a recreated cross, the spire signifies progress in the cathedral’s restoration efforts, with a partial reopening scheduled for December, and full restoration expected to continue until 2028, fulfilling Macron’s promise to rebuild the landmark within five years.

Today’s attractive distractions:

Surging demand for mezcal around the world may threaten the spirit’s existence.

Dune’s alien language draws from Arabic, but you won’t see that in the movies.

Karl Lagerfeld’s Paris apartment, described as a “spaceship,” heads to auction.

A new book claims to teach kids how to count using Hermès and Chanel bags.