A Platform for Living | Dwell
Setsumasa and Mami Kobayashi’s weekend retreat, two and a half hours northwest of Tokyo, is “an arresting concept,” photographer Dean Kaufman says, who documented the singular refuge in the Chichibu mountain range.
The Cheap Seats | Dwell
There are lots of handsome chairs out there, but sitting beauties that cost $250 or less are a rarer breed.
Light on the Subject | Dwell
Don’t be fooled by his mellow, self-effacing demeanor: Architect Thomas Phifer is a master of his craft, designing daylit, minimalist buildings that meld the ideals of classic modernism with 21st-century innovations.
All Together Now | Dwell
When Svetlin Krastev and Dessi Nikolova had their second child, they saw two options: Go broke buying a bigger apartment, or renovate their existing 620-square-foot home.
Consumer Retorts | Dwell
“I’ve told customers, ‘Maybe you don’t need another chair,’” Chris Houston says. “Even though I sell things, I do like to remind people that you don’t need to own it to appreciate it.”
Old Ways, New Path | Afar
In rural China, a treasured heritage makes peace with the future. “We’re trying to find opportunities for the Dong to improve their livelihood without completely altering their way of life,” says Wai Kit Lee, a professor of ethnic-minority culture. “I want to show that a village can be rich in other ways—in community, in self-reliance, in lack of anxiety.”
Project Projects | Dwell
Manhattan-based Project Projects may be a graphic design studio, but it works in all dimensions, on the page and off.
Misewell | Dwell
“We’re not trying to follow any trends or do anything ostentatious,” says Paul Georgeson, founder of furniture company Misewell. “We want our pieces to look great in 30 years rather than turning into hideous eyesores. We want our customers to pass this stuff on to their grandkids.”
My House: Startin’ Spartan | Dwell
When Jay Atherton and Cy Keener met in grad school at the University of California, Berkeley, they discovered in each other a rare constellation of common interests: minimalist architecture, rock climbing, and “not talking.”
Square Meal: One to Chew On | Dwell
Inspired by the Seinfeld episode where Kramer rescues a Merv Griffin Show set from the trash, artist and professor Jon Rubin built a ’70s-style talk-show set in the back of a Pittsburg restaurant, aiming to “use waffles to lure people into public storytelling.”