A Fashion Boutique Embraces Nature in Mexico City, and Other News

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. 

Have a news story our readers need to see? Submit it here

A Fashion Boutique Embraces Nature in Mexico City

Housed in a former private home on the bustling Avenida Horacio, fashion designer Sandra Weil’s new store is an urban oasis that echoes its surroundings in Polanco, Mexico City’s hub of fashion and culture. Crafted by local firm Pérez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados (PPAA), a showpiece spiral staircase beckons shoppers into a world of monochromatic hues, an immersive journey through rooms adorned in deep greens, warm browns, and pristine whites.

Each room is a testament to PPAA’s meticulous attention to detail and a bold celebration of natural elements. In the brown rooms, the rugged charm of natural jute floor coverings and textured walls serves as a warm backdrop for Weil’s designs. A suspended tree trunk showcasing handbags weaves an intriguing narrative of urban-nature fusion. Orange geometric tables, strategically placed, draw attention to accessories and jewelry, offering an eclectic contrast to the room’s earthy palette. 

The marble-clad white room plays host to an imposing gray boulder, a geological masterpiece reflected in the full-length mirrors. Its raw ruggedness stands in stark contrast to the romantic silhouettes of clothes that line the racks, creating a dynamic interplay of textures. The green rooms pay homage to nature in the most literal sense, with potted plants doubling as hat hangers and tree stumps serving as rustic display pedestals. Overlooking Parque América, a plant-laden Juliette balcony adds a touch of outdoor serenity to the indoor retail experience. —Nate Storey

Pelli Clarke & Partners channels jagged mountain peaks for a Chengdu museum.

The Chengdu Natural History Museum in China, designed by Pelli Clarke & Partners and CSWADI, features faceted rock-like forms covered in perforated granite panels. Completed in 2022, the 538,000-square-foot museum is part of an entrepreneurial hub in Chengdu that combines public spaces, shops, a cafe, galleries, a cinema, and educational facilities. Its design channels the jagged mountain peaks of Sichuan Province, with interconnected “rock volumes” creating exhibition spaces separated by light-filled public areas; the facade features perforated granite panels that allow natural light to filter through.

The Joyce Foundation names the winners of the Joyce Awards, its grant program.

The Joyce Foundation has announced the winners of the Joyce Awards, its flagship grant program. The foundation awards $2.625 million annually to support organizations and artists in the arts. Each recipient will receive $75,000 to create a large-scale work in the Great Lakes region, commissioned by local nonprofits and organizations like Cleveland gallery SPACES and the National Public Housing Museum in Chicago. This year’s projects tackle pressing issues including urbanism, land stewardship, queer resistance, indigenous reclamation, and the use of emerging technologies for social good. The multidisciplinary group of awardees includes Regina Agu, Sonny Mehta, Marisa Morán Jahn, Marlena Myles, and Julie Tolentino.

Hauser & Wirth will inaugurate its new Paris gallery with a Henry Taylor exhibition.

Despite the talk of a growing French art market post-Brexit, major international galleries have been slow to establish themselves in Paris. However, this fall, Hauser & Wirth will open in a 19th-century neoclassical mansion located near the Champs-Élysées. The 8,600-square-foot space, redesigned by the local studio Laplace, will feature a site-specific installation by British artist Martin Creed on the spiral staircase; the opening exhibition will showcase unseen works by Los Angeles artist Henry Taylor coinciding with his retrospective at the Whitney Museum.

The Brooklyn Museum’s attendance skyrockets after critics pan “It’s Pablo-Matic.” 

Reviews of the Picasso and feminism exhibition co-organized by Australian comic Hannah Gadsby have been scathing, criticizing the show for weak scholarship, lack of significant artworks, and knee-jerk politics. Despite the negative reception, the exhibition’s opening at the Brooklyn Museum saw a 51 percent increase in general admission. The museum stands by the controversial show, welcoming the debate it has sparked. The exhibition aims to explore Picasso’s problematic legacy through a juxtaposition of his works with those of female artists, prompting discussions about the male-dominated canon of modern art.

The American Institute of Architects names Evelyn Lee as its 2025 President-elect.

Evelyn Lee has been elected as the 2025 President-elect of the American Institute of Architects. A prominent industry figure, Lee is known for her roles at Slack Technologies and as the founder of the Practice of Architecture. Lee’s campaign focuses on rethinking the practice of architecture, redesigning collaboration within the profession, and re-envisioning the value of architects beyond practice.

SFMOMA acquires one capsule from Tokyo’s dismantled Nakagin Capsule Tower.

Last spring, demolition crews began dismantling Tokyo’s Nakagin Capsule Tower, marking the end of an architectural experiment. However, preservationist Tatsuyuki Maeda managed to save 23 capsules, one of which, Capsule A1302 owned by architect Kisho Kurokawa, has been acquired by SFMOMA. The museum’s curator of architecture and design, Jennifer Dunlop Fletcher, considers it a significant addition to their collection, aligning with their focus on conceptual and future-facing architecture..

Today’s attractive distractions:

Ecologists consider outdoor cats a critically invasive species, leaving us torn.

Highsnobiety says pearl necklaces on men don’t seem to be going anywhere. 

Voice-trained bespoke AI models mean your favorite popstar may never die. 

People are flocking en masse to purchase a Texas ghost town for $100,000.