Next big things
Welcome to the Next Generation issue, as we kick off the new decade with a celebration of the most exciting young creatives worldwide.
For our annual Graduate Directory, we’ve unearthed the brightest talents in design, architecture, fashion, jewellery, photography, visual communication, and transport, hailing from Central Saint Martins, Harvard GSD, as well as institutions such as UNSW Art & Design in Australia, the Estonian Academy of Arts, Tama Art University in Japan, Monterrey Institute of Technology in Mexico and Hongik University in South Korea.
Our limited-edition subscribers’ cover comes courtesy of Camille Blatrix – whose futuristic sculptures were a highlight of Frieze London 2019, and can currently be seen at Lafayette Anticipations in Paris – ahead of his solo show at Kunsthalle Basel, opening in January. Meanwhile, our main fashion story was shot by photographer Alice Mann, winner of the Wallpaper* New Generation Prize at Hyères Festival. We paired her with performance art group Stasis, bringing them together in the halls of London’s Battersea Arts Centre – recently reconstructed by architects Haworth Tompkins.
I am delighted to welcome Deyan Sudjic to Wallpaper*. Deyan is one of the most respected voices in design, and his first commission for Wallpaper* is a fascinating study of Soviet modernist architecture in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, which has been expertly photographed by Stefan Giftthaler.
Expect more to come from similarly fascinating locations later in the year.
We also feature houses in Jordan, Greece, Belgium and Chile – the latter designed by Ryue Nishizawa, half of the Pritzker Prize-winning practice Sanaa. Commissioned by developer Ochoalcubo which also worked with Alejandro Aravena’s Elemental to create the astonishing Casa Ocho Quebradas (W*238), Casa Nishizawa is tucked in a remote stretch of Chile’s Pacific coastline.
Then onto Dhaka, where a new generation of architects is carrying the torches of Louis Kahn, famed for his National Assembly Building, and Muzharul Islam, the founding father of Bengali modernism. Dhaka’s recent architecture is eye-opening, combining geometric beauty and a sensitivity to local materials and climate. Next stop Japan, to visit the Nakagin Capsule Tower, Kisho Kurokawa’s 1972 modular monument in Tokyo that is at risk of demolition.
We also present our magical and mysterious – fireworks included – Space shoot in Scotland, conceived by Wallpaper’s prodigiously talented interiors contributor Matthew Morris, which also graces the newsstand cover.
Finally, the latest in our Artist’s Palate recipe series sees Ugo Rondinone dish up alpine macaroni as the perfect antidote to post-winter-holiday blues.
Happy new year! And here’s to the next generation and a roaring 2020s.