It was 2012 when the Chinese artist K.YEE has founded his creative studio YEENJOY.

Since its inception, it has offered innovative design objects that are mainly related to a well-defined lifestyle.

The studio, since 2015 is carrying out a project focused on the creation of design works based on an original and visionary concept: the fusion of techniques related to the chinese craft tradition with an innovative look towards a pop reality.

This has allowed the development through incense and porcelain modellers, of different shapes that have become iconic in the most famous colors of the brand such as blue, white and black.

Each item is supplied in a sophisticated and structured wooden package that add value to the work by making the pack itself a design object. 

With a unique aesthetic and a growing reputation, YEENJOY Studio has become a sought-after collaborator for the most important brands in the industry and its recent releases include limited edition products with artists like Staple and G E O.

Since its debut YEENJOY has amassed a cult following by paying tribute to iconic characters like Drangon Ball Z’s Majin Buu, streetwear items like the Nike Air Yeezy2 or design products like Medicom Toy.

By eradicating the ancient tradition of Chinese ceramics that dates back to the Ming dynasty and incorporating it into contemporary circles, the brand is back with another special release, this time through a collaboration with Juice LA, a streetwear store originally founded in Hong Kong which subsequently landed in America.

In this collaboration, YEENJOY proposes, in an exclusive pop up shop, a limited edition products for the home. These are made of porcelain and combine iconic references of pop culture and traditional Chinese craftsmanship in a harmonious but at the same time provocative way.

To discover the new collection, have a look at the Juice website or directly in stores!

Text by Anna Cardaci

Stefano Boeri, one of the most famous Italian architects in the world thanks to projects such as the famous Foresta Verticale, presented the project for what will be the city of the future. It is called Smart Forest City and was designed for the Mexican city of Cancun. 

The city would cover an area of 557 hectares, previously destined to the construction of a shopping center and would be able to accommodate 130 thousand inhabitants. But in addition to becoming the home of thousands of citizens, the Smart Forest City of Boeri, thanks to its green areas and trees included in the project will also have a positive environmental impact.

“Smart Forest City – Cancun will be the first Forest City of the new millennium, an “open city” and international inspired by the values of technological innovation and environmental quality.”

In fact, the city, in addition to providing all the necessary infrastructure and services to its inhabitants, was designed as a “settlement self-sufficient in energy”. From the point of view of energy, the city will be powered by an entire perimeter of solar panels, while as regards the water system, the water will come directly from the sea and, before being put into circulation, will be purified in a large dock thanks to a desalination tower, from which several canals will start that will cross the entire city. 

The Madrid-based Spanish architectural studio directed by Alberto Campo Baeza, as we talked about here, has designed an innovative 12.000 square meters office for the government of the Junta de Castilla y León in the Spanish city of Zamora.

In a historic city known for its Romanesque churches and high city walls, the modern “Zamora Offices” are far removed from the medieval architecture that surrounds them.

The peculiarity of this large complex is its structure, whose characteristic peculiarity is the external lots made entirely of glass.

The building is developed on two floors in which both walls and floors are made of stone. 

The same with which it was built the most important cathedral in the city: the cathedral of Christ the Savior. 

This is the main place of worship of the town of Zamora and the bishopric of the diocese of the same name built in the romantic style.

The structure overlooks two courtyards of an irregular shape with full view of the outside landscape that is most visible from the desks and meeting rooms.

Its architectural composition makes the interior and exterior blend together to form a whole. 

The team of architects who contributed to the project says that It is “as if the offices were made entirely of air”.

Campo Baeza also designed a colossal sandstone perimeter wall to protect the site, exactly matched to the color of the exterior of the nearby Romanesque cathedral. 

Given its sober design in the context of its historic location, the “Zamora Offices” are an interesting example of minimalist architecture that focuses on multi-functionality and multi-management of space making it larger and suitable for more functions.

This innovative architectural style allows the search for balance, above all thanks to the few furnishings inserted within the context. This gives birth to a modern and original space.

Text by Anna Cardaci

In 2022 an architectural design work entitled “The Whale“ will be completed in Norway.
Its construction was taken over by Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter, a Danish studio based in Copenhagen founded in 1996 by Mandrup.

The Whale will be a major new Norwegian tourist attraction in Andenes, in the northernmost part of Andøya, an island located in the Arctic Circle and a strategic point to appreciate the view. Compared to many other places in the far north, the Gulf Stream creates a welcoming climate for many migrating whales, which is the reason why it attracts thousands of visitors every year.

The building rises like a soft hill on the rocky shore.

The shape of the roof is defined by three high points on the site and the foundation is influenced by the landscape below.
The roof surface is covered with unprocessed natural stone from the area and the large windows that open towards the archipelago underline the link between landscape and building and the contrast between sea and mountains.

The curved roof becomes a new point of view on which visitors and locals are invited to walk. From here you can look out over the archipelago, admire the reflection of the midnight sun in the ocean and the Northern Lights – preferably visible in the period of the year between the end of September and the beginning of March -.

The interior of The Whale will feature a minimalist and functional design to welcome many tourists. 

The Whale will also be used as an exhibition space with offices, bars, and shops and relax areas to allow tourists maximum comfort. The exhibition inside will focus on the encounter between whale and man, nature and culture. Through art and science, the visit to The Whale will be a poetic exploration of different universes – under and over the water – inspired by the whale’s journey around the world. A journey into the oceans where boundaries are not defined by geographical lines, nationalities or drawn by culture.

The aim of this work is to create an innovative building in the heart of Norwegian nature but also raise awareness of people’s respect for the species especially through the information on the cause of poaching and the protection of their natural habitat.

Text by Anna Cardaci