‘We have a moral obligation to experiment’: Bas Smets unveils Vitra’s new Water Garden
Bas Smets’ Water Garden at the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein features a pond, flower gardens, micro-forests – and three sharks designed by Hella Jongerius
ICON 220 : Autumn/Winter 2026
This autumn, ICON looks at what’s happening in design and architecture around the world, from finding new uses for old buildings in Greece to exploring why materials matter
Wood for the Trees: AHEC brings an exploration of forests to Shoreditch Design Week
What happens when we look beyond timber as a finished material and consider the forest it comes from? That is the question at the heart of ‘Wood for the Trees’, an exhibition by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), coming to London this September, 15th to 20th, as part of Shoreditch Design Week
‘My approach is intimate’: Stefania Zanetti on photography, food and the body
Ahead of her participation in London’s Food Art Fair, photographer Stefania Zanetti discusses her intensely personal photographic practice, which explores food, desire and the body
Architecture
‘We have a moral obligation to experiment’: Bas Smets unveils Vitra’s new Water Garden
Bas Smets’ Water Garden at the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein features a pond, flower gardens, micro-forests – and three sharks designed by Hella Jongerius
Open House Festival opens hundreds of London buildings this September
From hidden homes and historic landmarks to recording studios, power stations and private archives, London's popular festival offers nine days of free tours and access, giving visitors a rare glimpse inside some of the capital’s most intriguing and overlooked spaces
The contemporary Magdalen House in Quebec brings a new perspective to coastal architecture
Rooted in the Magdalen Islands' building traditions, Atelier L'Abri creates a modern home that feels inseparable from its surroundings
Design
Wood for the Trees: AHEC brings an exploration of forests to Shoreditch Design Week
What happens when we look beyond timber as a finished material and consider the forest it comes from? That is the question at the heart of ‘Wood for the Trees’, an exhibition by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), coming to London this September, 15th to 20th, as part of Shoreditch Design Week
‘My approach is intimate’: Stefania Zanetti on photography, food and the body
Ahead of her participation in London’s Food Art Fair, photographer Stefania Zanetti discusses her intensely personal photographic practice, which explores food, desire and the body
Opinion
‘We need to talk more about trees’: David Venables of AHEC continues his quest for the preservation of forests and the people behind them
Returning to 3daysofdesign with an exhibition titled ‘Wood for the Trees’, the American Hardwood Export Council partnered with Benchmark and Mitre & Mondays to reaffirm the case for responsible forestry. ICON caught up with AHEC’s European Director David Venables to find out more
ODD Voices by ICON takes Milan Design Week
OddVoices by ICON captures Milan Design Week through the people who shape it — from bar culture to curators, production to publishing
Connection and community emerge as prevalent topics across London Design Festival
From engaging conversations to immersive events and a run club, the desire to strengthen our creative communities was apparent at this year’s London Design Festival
