Change the World

In this new year, we are proud to present a special edition combining our January and February issues and highlighting 2020’s must-know design trends, people and places, kickstarting an anticipated new decade. We are honoured to have Dasho Sangay Wangchuk grace our cover and journey us through his enigmatic country as well as tour us exclusively through his brainchild – the Six Senses Bhutan (Pg 64).

The rest of the world has so much to learn from Bhutan, which, while in recent years has been modernising rapidly, is still deeply rooted in its protectionist and Buddhist traditions. The Bhutanese continue to approach the world with their holistic methodology, assured that we are all connected – and that if we respect nature and heal people, this will in turn also heal the world. As Sangay tells me, “a country that does not preserve its culture doesn’t have anything,” and that “nowadays we often talk of sustainability, but sustainability was already a common catch phrase in all our policies 100 years ago.” It’s clear this visionary country long had the right laws and priorities in place and it’ll be exciting to see how it continues to evolve and inspire from a design and development perspective.

Our lineup of homes this month put the focus on wellness and bonding, from cookbook author Mandy Lee’s vintage-style oasis in Happy Valley (Pg 80) that commands calm, Carrie Fisher’s reimagined abode in London (Pg 116) to architect William Lim’s environmentally sustainable family sanctuary in Kuala Lumpur (Pg 90) he designed with his two sons, Kevin and Vincent. Report uncovers dynamic duos who are making waves in the design world (Pg 53) while our travel section whisks you to Berlin’s tantalising cultural scene (Pg 130).

We hope there is plenty to keep you inspired and if you are craving for more, please head to our digital platform, www.homejournal.com. From everyone at Home Journal, we wish you good health, prosperity and serenity, wherever it is you call home.