Studio Saar’s Earthy Refresh of an Underused Udaipur Park, 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

Studio Saar’s Earthy Refresh of an Underused Udaipur Park

Even though Udaan Park is one of Udaipur’s only publicly accessible open spaces, the city had long neglected it, letting the park become a rocky, run-down lot with scant accessibility and few visitors. Enter Studio Saar, which recently revitalized the park into a destination that pays subtle homage to its surroundings. Besides forging new links to the nearby Swaroop Sagar Lake through a series of terraced landscapes, the firm added a wheelchair-accessible maze, built a games area with swings and tunnels, and planted medicinal herb gardens. But the crown jewel is a breathtaking canopy comprising hundreds of recycled plastic avian shapes that reference the flocks of migratory starlings known to fly over the area en masse, all rendered in a traditional Indian color palette. —Ryan Waddoups 

JTT, a stalwart New York gallery that launched many careers, is permanently closing.

JTT, a prominent New York gallery known for launching the careers of talents like Jamian Juliano-Villani and Issy Wood, will close its doors after more than a decade. The gallery announced its official closure on August 11, coinciding with the conclusion of its current group show, “Playscape,” which features Dena Yago, Borna Sammak, and Sable Elyse Smith. JTT gained attention for its forward-thinking shows, often featuring unconventional and emerging artists, which contributed to its status as a highly regarded gallery in the Lower East Side and later in Tribeca. The gallery’s founder, Jasmin T. Tsou, has yet to reveal her future plans.

Italy is introducing new train routes so throngs of tourists can travel there sustainably. 

Italy has announced the introduction of new trains specifically designed for tourists amid the country’s increasing number of visitors. The project aims to offer train journeys to both well-known and lesser-known destinations, encouraging travelers to rediscover the riches of Italy’s territory. The initiative includes three tiers of trains: luxury trains like the Orient Express La Dolce Vita and Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, express and historic trains connecting popular tourist spots, and regional trains linking villages and areas of scenic interest with unique food and wine traditions. The goal is to promote rail travel as an integral part of tourists’ experiences and boost economic growth in Italy’s internal regions.

Immersive art collective United Visual Arts is preparing its largest-ever show this year.

United Visual Artists (UVA), a pioneering immersive art collective, will present its most extensive exhibition ever, titled “UVA: Synchronicity,” on Oct. 12 at 180 Studios. Celebrating the collective’s 20th anniversary, the exhibition will feature eight new large-scale immersive works that challenge reality and heighten the senses. Among the highlights is an audiovisual installation delving into human-animal relationships, featuring a soundscape by bioacoustician Bernie Krause, known for his previous collaboration with UVA on The Great Animal Orchestra. 

Sotheby’s is attributing sharp declines in UK profits to the ongoing impacts of Brexit.

Sotheby’s has reported a sharp decline in profits by almost 75 percent to $88 million in 2022, with its owner, the French billionaire Patrick Drahi, attributing it to Brexit red tape affecting the UK art market. Total income from sales also fell from $360 million to $127 million, with bosses stating that the impact of Brexit led to an 18 percent drop in imports of arts and antiques in 2021, and an additional 16 percent decrease the following year. The company highlighted that increased red tape, import and export taxes, and duties adversely affected property movement between the UK and the EU, making other locations more appealing for selling art.

As companies tighten attendance policies, Zoom is making employees return to the office.

During the pandemic, Zoom experienced a surge in popularity as millions of people started working from home. However, like other tech companies, Zoom is now requiring many of its 7,400 employees to return to the office on a part-time basis. The shift to in-person work comes as the company faces challenges in maintaining its pandemic growth and amid a wider trend of companies tightening their office attendance policies.

Today’s attractive distractions:

These jiggly concoctions served at bars are nothing like college Jell-O shots.

A Queens intersection gets renamed to honor Indian reformer B.R. Ambedkar.

Though it dates to the 19th century, Brooklyn’s bathhouse scene is bustling.

Was silphion—once regarded as a miracle plant—really eaten into extinction?