Get design’s latest: Louvre’s 1st female leader, PoAD opens, & Heatherwick floats Little Island…

Innovation, engagement, and leadership are our watchwords this week.

A Floating Oasis

#DI Speaker Thomas Heatherwick is known for remarkable public works. The latest masterstroke by Heatherwick Studio, together with MNLA and Arup, is a public park above the Hudson River. Eight years in the making, Little Island is an innovative public space encouraging biodiversity, performance and social engagement. It’s a ‘floating’ urban oasis comprising three performance venues and featuring nearly 400 different species of trees, shrubs, grasses and perennials. The undulating ‘landscape’ is built on top of a pier. Read more here.
Follow: @officialheatherwickstudio

The Start of a New Art Era

An announcement that marks a milestone for the famous Louvre museum in Paris, an institution synonymous with heritage and history, is the appointment of Laurence des Cars as Director. She is the first women to head up the museum in 228 years. Her longstanding relationship with the Louvre saw her steer the development of the Louvre Abu Dhabi from 2007 to 2014, an ambitious project which established the French icon of art in the UAE. Her ‘Louvre 2030’ plan aims to place the Louvre at the core of topical debates, and for it to foster reflection on all issues within society. Read more here.
Follow: @museelouvre

Super-Sized Salone

In September 2021, a reformatted Salone del Mobile will take Milan by storm and solidify the city’s status as a centre of design excellence. The ‘Supersalone’ was recently announced and this special 2021 event will see a team of designers working alongside highly regarded curator Stefano Boeri to come up with an innovative itinerary that will foreground projects and products in a setting built on proximity, reflection and sharing. Read more here.
Follow: @isaloniofficial

Raising African Voices

Ini Archibong, a former #DI Global Graduate, has designed the travelling Pavilion of the African Diaspora in three phases, with its first phase on show as part of the current London Design Biennale, which runs until end June 2021. Archibong’s contribution, which takes the form of an architectural folly, ties into the biennale’s theme of ‘Resonance’, which was chosen by Artistic Director Es Devlin (who is also a #DI alumnus). Archibong aims to elevate conversations surrounding the African Diaspora through a series of programmes, educational experiences and events. Read more here.
Follow: @londondesignbiennale