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.
Is Supreme “Youthanizing” Tiffany?
When Alexandre Arnault—the son and scion of billionaire LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault—was at the helm of Rimowa, he revamped the old-school German luggage brand’s image thanks to high-profile collaborations with Moncler, Dior, and Fendi. Now, Alexandre is spearheading a like-minded revamp of Tiffany & Co. after LVMH acquired the heritage American jeweler in January. After enlisting Jay-Z and Beyonce for a controversial campaign with an obscure Basquiat painting in Tiffany’s signature turquoise blue and the tagline “Not Your Mother’s Tiffany,” Arnault is further “youthanizing” the jeweler with a new collaboration with Supreme.
The collection, which officially launches on Thursday, Nov. 11, includes silver and pearl necklaces, bracelets, heart-shaped earrings, a standard key ring, and another key ring that doubles as a knife. A minimalist box-logo T-shirt, meanwhile, substitutes Supreme’s blood-red Kruger-esque logo for cool Tiffany blue. It’s not the first time Supreme has dabbled in jewelry; the streetwear titan previously made Nike Swoosh earrings and necklaces with pendants shaped like Benjamins and Uzis. True to Tiffany form, though, this collection feels more elegant and subdued (sans the knife necklace). If Arnault’s past is prologue, expect Tiffany to announce even more collabs as the 184-year-old brand eyes further reinvigoration.
Weiss/Manfredi has unveiled major expansion plans for the Tampa Museum of Art.
Following their revamp of the Baker Museum in Naples, the New York-based architecture firm sets its eyes on an $80 million expansion for the famed cultural institution for its centenary. Located near the Florida Gulf Coast, the museum will grow from 69,000 to 120,000 square feet in 2024 with the addition of a low-slung, cantilevered glass module that overlooks the Hillsborough River. Hosting larger exhibition, education, and communal spaces, the three-storey building complements rooftop terraces, new plazas, and other green installations.
An overnight fire destroys thousands of historic artifacts at the DRC’s Gungu Museum.
At least 9,000 historic artifacts at the National Museum of Gungu, one of the most important collections within the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have been destroyed in a fire. According to local reports, a majority of the museum’s works were from the tradition of the Pende people and were part of the annual Gungu festival. Locals are calling on the country’s Ministry of Art and Culture to investigate the cause of the fire, which still remains unclear.
Sou Fujimoto shapes a walkable roof for Hida Takayama University in Japan.
Images of a new educational institution in the Japanese town of Hida show a sprawling “walkable” roofscape that slopes downward, where students enter. Inspired by the mountains, Sou Fujimoto’s design recalls the concept of opening to beyond. “Surrounded by beautiful mountains, the entire city of Hida is one of the great learning plazas where people gather and talk. At the same time, these mountains open up consciousness to ‘beyond.’ because it is wrapped, the gathering and the thoughts open to the future,” says Fujimoto.
Developers of Manhattan’s 425 Park Avenue are slammed with construction lawsuits.
When work began on 425 Park Avenue, an 860-foot-tall skyscraper in Manhattan designed by Foster & Partners, in 2015, developer L&L Holding installed a roof protection system and shed on a nearby building to prevent construction-related damages—a promise the developer fell short on as roof leaks, manhole explosions, and dust plagued surrounding residents and businesses. Now, the owners of 120 E. 56th St are suing L&L Holding, calling for the removal of the safety installations that were supposed to be uprooted after three years of construction. It seems that developers can’t quite get things right on that particular stretch of Park.
Classic cars are getting EV upgrades thanks to a new crop of conversion companies.
Though vintage cars are beloved, they’re notoriously bad for the environment. A new crop of companies—California’s EV West, Japan’s Oz Motors, and the UK’s Lunaz and London Electric Cars—are replacing outdated gas engines with electric counterparts. Through this $41,000 process, each vehicle receives an internal facelift that maintains the vehicle’s vintage aesthetics. “As more people experience their first drive in an EV, they want that same great experience in their classic car,” says EV West founder Michael Bream.
Today’s attractive distractions:
Astronauts are spicing up their space tacos with rocket-grown chile peppers.
We’re deeply curious to touch Michael Kutschbach’s Sea Squirt sculpture.
Google’s new Pet Portraits feature finds art lookalikes for your furry friends.