ISSUE NO. 43

A June Issue

Raw emotion is the starting point of art—but without care, it can also unravel it. Emotion brings life and honesty to a piece, but if left unchecked, it can create confusion. The goal isn’t to suppress feeling, but to shape it—giving form to the chaos while keeping its truth intact.

ARCHITECTURALLY CURIOUS

Botanical Bungalow

Set in Côte d'Ivoire—a country known for its rich culture and lush landscapes—the Pavillon Essoa is a contemporary villa located at the edge of a lagoon and surrounded by a stunning botanical garden.

Green Prints

Its model represents a new way of designing homes in tropical climates: sustainable and self-sufficient. It runs on energy autonomy, using photovoltaic panels and a private water well—minimizing its ecological footprint.

Air Affair

The design draws inspiration from tropical vernacular architecture—using independent volumes connected by planted courtyards to encourage natural airflow and openness. The striking double-curved roof optimizes ventilation and light—creating elegant shadows and enhancing thermal comfort.

GLOBAL GLIMPSE

San Miguel de Allende: Hue Knew

In a world dominated by minimalist and neutral-toned interiors, this one-bedroom guesthouse in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico stands out as a fearless celebration of color and craft.

Facade Fiesta

Every detail—from the custom walls, doors, furniture, tableware, textiles, lamps, and tiles—was designed and crafted in collaboration with local artisans. It serves as a powerful statement against the sterility of modern minimalism, instead celebrating joy, warmth, and cultural richness.

Suite Dreams

The space features striking color combinations—glossy sky blue floors, warm wooden ceilings with rustic beams, and a bright red shiplap headboard that doubles as an accent wall. Natural elements like glossy brown tiles and wicker seating add grounding earth tones—connecting the bold interior to the natural beauty of Mexico’s landscape.

VISUAL COMFORT

Bend to Biennale

Deep in the Alabama Black Belt lies the small, rural community of Gee’s Bend—home to generations of African American women whose quilts have become celebrated around the world. Emerging from a history of enslavement and economic hardship, these quilts grew beyond practical necessity to become powerful symbols of collective authorship and resistance, supporting civil rights activism and eventually finding their way into the collections of major museums like The Met and The Whitney.

Pride Patterns

Building on this rich legacy, Italian textile house Dedar partnered with renowned designer Stephen Burks and the Gee’s Bend quilters to create a special collection of 10 large-scale quilts. Dedar, known for its luxurious and boldly patterned fabrics, donated materials such as Tiger Mountain and Jamu Jungle for this project. Burks — the first and only African American industrial design practice to win the National Design Award in Product Design — spent a week in Gee’s Bend, working side by side with the quilters.

Going Global

Debuting at the United States Pavilion during the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale—this collection brings the story of Gee’s Bend to an international stage. When you look at these quilts, you’re seeing generations of women, working together, turning hardship into beauty. In a time when so many traditions risk being forgotten, this collaboration feels like a joyful, defiant reminder to keep these stories alive and moving forward.

MUSICAL INTERLUDE

What I'm Listening to in June

In this way, emotion becomes a way of asking deeper questions. If you haven’t already, this is the last week to listen to June’s playlist—I’ll see you next week, my friend.

Warmly,
/shane