The purpose of my trip to India in February was to attend a natural dyeing conference. And it took place before COVID-19 changed our lives. Aranya Natural is a natural dyeing organisation under Srishti Trust in Munnar, supported by TATA Global Beverages Limited, which runs programs for the education training and rehabilitation [...]

 
Over the past few years, I have been quite disappointed with design industry's 'slow response' in tackling the sustainability issues, and felt the same way when I visited trade shows and exhibitions at the London design festival. Finally, things have changed this year. Sustainability and handmade crafts became the main focus of [...]

Matt Mullican: The Sequence of Things at Camden Arts Centre
 
I am not a fan of mega blockbuster art exhibitions, often I find them over-hyped and mentally exhausting. There are some smaller and out-of-the-centre art centres/galleries that I love visiting and Camden Arts Centre (in Hampstead) is one of them.
Recently, I went to [...]

The Grade II listed Round Chapel, Hackney
 
Organised by London-based Nobrow Press, the fifth annual East London Comics Art Festival (ELCAF) took place over three days at the Round Chapel and MKII gallery in Hackney.
The festival is designed to showcase some of the most exciting works in comics and illustrations, and it features [...]

Top row: the art deco features at Victoria House: 2nd & bottom rows: The college
 
Like 100% Design, this year, Design Junction moved from its previous location (the Former Royal Mail Sorting Office on New Oxford Street) to two enormous and historical venues on Southampton Row - the art deco Victoria [...]

Facade of 100% Norway at Tent London
 
For some reason, the design trade shows that I attended this year at The London design festival appeared to be quieter than usual. At Tent London, the atmosphere was a far cry from the chaos I experienced last year... not sure if it was the time [...]

100% design's new venue in Olympia; right: Donar
 
Having visited The London design festival for many years, I somehow feel that the festival is losing its spark/edge. The guide is undoubtedly getting thicker and heavier (not sure if anyone enjoyed carrying this design festival 'bible' around for 10 days), yet the [...]

 
A few months ago, I walked past a non-orthogonal shaped brick building in Holborn that caught my attention. Later, I learnt that this striking Riba Stirling Prize-nominated building is London School of Economics' Saw Swee Hock student centre designed by Irish architectural practice O'Donnell + Tuomey (Sheila O'Donnell and John Tuomey) [...]

It's not an exaggeration to say the 'dilemma' that faces many Londoners is not the lack of entertainment/consumption choices, but the overwhelming of choices available. And when it comes to cultural events, we are just spoiled for choice and it's hard to keep up even if you are subscribed to hundreds of [...]

London Metropolitan University Graduate Centre on Holloway Road 
 
Polish architect Daniel Libeskind was in London during London's festival of architecture, though he was not here for the festival, instead he was here to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his London Metropolitan University Graduate Centre on Holloway Road.
I have never been inside this building [...]