AMSTERDAM — In an era dominated by flat digital screens, algorithmic feeds, and a cultural obsession with accelerated speed, Dutch contemporary artist Sandra Keja Planken is carving out a sensory sanctuary. Operating at the hazy intersection of sculpture, textile, and immersive architecture, Planken creates works that defy easy categorization. They sit somewhere between organism and…
Main Facts In the bustling maritime industrial neighborhood of Red Hook, Brooklyn, a 7,000-square-foot former manufacturing space hums with a distinct kind of creative energy. This is the home of Piscina, a multidisciplinary design studio and collaborative workshop founded by Cuban-American artist and fabricator Natalie Shook. Far from a conventional white-cube gallery that occasionally dips…
Main Facts: The Invisible Courage of Healthcare Professionals When society invokes the concept of a "hero," the cultural imagination reliably conjures images of soldiers in combat gear, firefighters battling raging infernos, or law enforcement officers running toward danger. Traditional lexicographical definitions of heroism remain stubbornly circular, defining the term through the inherent qualities of the…
By the Roomhints Editorial Team Published as part of the weekly "Studio Visit" series. Main Facts The contemporary interior design landscape has long enforced a rigid, unspoken binary upon growing families: your home can either be aesthetically curated for adult sensibilities, or it can be practically outfitted to survive the chaotic demands of raising young…
Global Coffee & Lifestyle Desk — While lavender and rosewater lattes have long dominated trendy café menus, a new botanical contender is capturing the palates of coffee connoisseurs and wellness enthusiasts alike. Enter the Orange Blossom Latte: a sophisticated, chai-spiced, floral-infused coffee beverage that marries the rich intensity of espresso with the delicate, calming aromatics…
September 6, 2026 By Braelyn Wood, mbg Deputy Commerce Editor Main Facts: The Evolution of At-Home Wellness and the New Standard in Phototherapy The modern wellness movement faces a persistent, practical paradox: while the science supporting recovery modalities like red light therapy grows increasingly robust, the time required to integrate these therapies into daily life…
DÜSSELDORF — In an era dominated by rapid industrial scaling, digital rendering, and fleeting aesthetic trends, a quiet counter-revolution is taking place inside a workshop in Düsseldorf, Germany. Founded by an interdisciplinary collective of visual artists and master craftspeople, Case Studios has emerged as a formidable voice in contemporary product design, interior architecture, and artistic…
AMSTERDAM — In an era dominated by hyper-accelerated digital culture, flat algorithmic imagery, and a pervasive societal detachment from the physical world, Dutch contemporary artist Sandra Keja Planken is carving out a profound counter-narrative. Operating at the ambiguous intersection of sculpture, installation, textile, and biological systems, Planken creates works that defy easy categorization. Her pieces—woven…
Main Facts In the industrial waterfront neighborhood of Red Hook, Brooklyn, a 7,000-square-foot workshop hums with the kinetic energy of creation. This is Piscina, a multidisciplinary design studio and collective founded by Cuban-American artist Natalie Shook. Far from a conventional white-cube gallery that occasionally displays finished goods, Piscina is fundamentally a manufacturing ecosystem—a communal workshop…
Main Facts In an era dominated by mass-produced uniformity and hyper-minimalist digital design, artisan glassmaker Kathrin Schaden is carving out a defiant, brilliantly colored space for the unpredictable. Operating under the evocative alter ego Ursula Futura, Schaden creates mouth-blown glass objects and lighting from her base in Vienna, Austria, with production rooted in the historic…
