As stated on their website, the design studio Another.World takes shape in a parallel universe where vulnerability and creativity go hand in hand. Founded by YouTian Duan and Yingxi Ji, two designers with the goal of creating much more than simple objects or furniture—a true safe space for self-exploration. Let’s take a closer look.
ph. courtesy Thomas Yang
The beating heart of Another.World is an idea as simple as it is powerful: to transform design into a tool for personal growth. Their projects – spanning furniture, graphics, and objects with a hint of humor – are designed to make people smile, but also to make them think. Like the (adorable) lamp they named ButterFly, or the two chairs LoveSeat, the Dark Duck table, or Treasure Box, a cabinet that is also a “sentient archive”, as described here.
ph. courtesy Thomas Yang
It’s no surprise, then, that Another.World is part of Colony, the hybrid space in the heart of Tribeca we previously talked about here; a place where independent American design finds its voice through furniture, lighting, textiles, and everyday objects. Within this carefully curated and attentive community, YouTian and Yingxi’s work fits perfectly, bringing a personal and collective narrative that expands the very concept of design.
The strength of Another.World lies precisely in this blend of depth and playfulness, vulnerability and resilience. Every project is an invitation to accept oneself, to open up, to become more authentic. The result is nothing short of a unique visual language, where soft shapes and vibrant colors intertwine with an aesthetic that is as inclusive as it is transformative. And a little pop too.
In a landscape often dominated by aesthetics for aesthetics’ sake, Another.World reminds us that design can also be empathy, welcome, healing. A small parallel universe where creativity isn’t afraid to show itself for what it truly is: deeply human.
Cover image: Stars in the Sunlight.
