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S+DLH and VASTO Unite Art and Architecture in "Capsule 04"

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The Madrid-based architectural practice SIERRA+DELAHIGUERA (S+DLH) has partnered with Barcelona's VASTO Gallery to present "Capsule 04 · Selected to live inside architecture," a compelling exhibition that challenges traditional distinctions between various creative disciplines. Located at the S+DLH Gallery on Calle Orellana, this project brings together an array of contemporary artworks, unique design pieces, and selections from S+DLH's own extensive archive. The core concept behind the exhibition is to investigate the seamless integration of objects, artistic creations, and the built environment, proposing a shared existence rather than a rigid separation based on conventional categories.

This exhibition marks the beginning of an ongoing collaborative venture between S+DLH and VASTO, a home gallery established by Carmen Riestra in Poblenou. Their partnership aims to redefine the relationship between art and interior design, moving beyond the idea of art as a mere decorative afterthought. Instead, they advocate for a more fundamental intertwining, where works represented by VASTO will organically become part of S+DLH's future residential and commercial projects. "Capsule 04" serves as an inaugural exploration of this unified vision, connecting the two entities through their shared appreciation for material qualities, spatial atmosphere, and the profound impact objects have on how we perceive and experience a given space.

The exhibition highlights the contributions of three distinct artists from VASTO's roster. Pol Agustí, a Barcelona native now residing in Mexico City, crafts pieces that oscillate between tangible objects, ritualistic significance, and a palpable presence, often utilizing clay and repurposed materials to forge forms that are both familiar and enigmatic. His low-fired ceramics retain the marks of their creation—gestures, irregularities, and the kiss of fire—imbuing the material with raw authenticity and elevating everyday forms to a more symbolic realm. Max Milà Serra, based in Barcelona, adopts a more precise approach, incorporating engineering principles, light, and sensory perception into minimalist structures designed to subtly alter their surrounding ambiance. His works aim not simply to illuminate a room but to delicately recalibrate its entire atmosphere. Concurrently, Esther Gatón explores a diverse range of artistic expressions, including sculpture, installation, audiovisual art, and written text. Her recent creations involve hand-dyed linen, produced through meticulous, non-replicable processes, where variations in pigment, time, and human touch are embraced as integral components of the artwork itself, rather than flaws to be corrected.

Beyond the featured artists from VASTO, S+DLH also showcases selections from its own design portfolio, including items being publicly displayed for the first time and pieces retrieved from its accumulated archive. Breaking away from the conventions of a typical showroom, these works are thoughtfully arranged as elements within a larger spatial composition. In this setting, the concepts of individual authorship and strict categorization recede, giving precedence to the interplay of proximity, scale, and material dialogue. Here, a lamp can transcend its functional role to resemble a sculpture, while a sculptural piece might unexpectedly feel perfectly at home within the domestic context.

This deliberate blurring of boundaries lies at the heart of "Capsule 04." Under the evocative subtitle "Selected to live inside architecture," the exhibition proposes a new understanding of collecting – not as the mere accumulation of isolated, impactful items, but as a deliberate process of constructing environments over time. Art, furniture, lighting fixtures, and found objects are allowed to coexist without any rigid hierarchy, culminating in interiors that evoke a sense of thoughtful assembly rather than prescriptive styling. This innovative approach fosters richer, more nuanced spatial experiences, inviting viewers to engage with their surroundings in a deeper, more integrated manner, where every element contributes to a cohesive and meaningful whole.

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Building materials

Jae K. Kim's "Timbercraft" Unearths East Asian Wooden Architecture's Enduring Wisdom

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In an era where timber is re-emerging as a pivotal material in global architectural design, a new scholarly work, 'Timbercraft: Lost Tectonics from East Asia,' offers a timely reflection on the lasting heritage of traditional East Asian wooden constructions. Authored by architect and researcher Jae K. Kim, this book meticulously investigates nine iconic edifices across China, Japan, and Korea, covering a historical span exceeding 1,400 years. It meticulously traces the evolutionary trajectory of these intricate structural frameworks, characterized by their sophisticated joinery, elaborate bracket systems, and interlocking components, thereby illustrating the profound relevance of time-honored methodologies to contemporary architectural endeavors.

To render this rich and intricate body of knowledge accessible to a broad audience, the author has crafted a series of original analytical drawings. These include detailed section perspectives, exploded axonometric views, and in-depth assembly studies. These precise visual representations are instrumental in showcasing the remarkable technical ingenuity that enabled these structures to withstand the test of centuries. Complementing these visuals are insightful essays that furnish historical and theoretical context, exploring the spatial, material, and philosophical principles underpinning these ancient designs. The ultimate aim is to ignite fresh perspectives in modern fabrication, structural engineering, and aesthetic expression, fostering a dialogue between the past and the future of timber architecture.

Published by nai010 publishers and masterfully designed by Studio Joost Grootens, 'Timbercraft: Lost Tectonics from East Asia' successfully transforms intensive architectural research into a lucid and visually compelling narrative. The collaboration ensures that complex historical data and detailed technical analyses are presented with remarkable clarity and coherence. This publication stands as an indispensable resource for architects, builders, and academics alike, effectively bridging the sophisticated structural wisdom of antiquity with the burgeoning future of environmentally conscious timber construction.

This comprehensive volume not only celebrates the aesthetic and engineering marvels of East Asian timber architecture but also serves as a crucial guide for those seeking sustainable and innovative building solutions. By dissecting the structural logic and material philosophy of these ancient masterworks, Kim's book provides a valuable blueprint for integrating traditional craftsmanship with modern technological advancements, ensuring that the lessons of the past continue to inspire and inform the architectural practices of tomorrow.

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Ann Veronica Janssens' '5 Chome 4-1 Ginza, Tokyo' Exhibition at Hermès Ginza Explores Light and Perception

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Artist Ann Veronica Janssens is set to captivate audiences with her debut solo exhibition in Japan, titled "5 Chome 4-1 Ginza, Tokyo," at the esteemed Ginza Maison Hermès in Tokyo. This showcase, running from September 11, 2026, to January 11, 2027, will feature a collection of over ten works, encompassing both new creations and selections from her prolific career dating back to the 1990s. Janssens' signature approach involves transforming spaces by playing with elements that are inherently intangible: light, air, and the very act of perception itself, challenging traditional notions of art and its interaction with the environment.

For decades, Janssens has meticulously investigated how minimal artistic intervention can profoundly reconfigure a room's dynamics. Initially experimenting with materials such as plywood, glass, and concrete, her artistic focus shifted dramatically in the early 1990s towards the ephemeral qualities of light, sound, and artificial fog. Rather than populating architectural spaces with solid objects, her installations are designed to blur their boundaries, employing reflection, transparency, and evolving atmospheric conditions to render the surrounding environment less predictable and more fluid, inviting viewers to engage with space in an entirely new way.

Illuminating the Immaterial: Janssens' Play with Light and Sensory Engagement

Among the compelling works on display is "Rose" (2007), an installation where precisely aimed spotlights pierce through suspended particles, giving dispersed light an almost tactile presence. Janssens consistently operates within this intriguing liminal space between the material and the immaterial, where a light beam can take on sculptural qualities, and an seemingly empty room suddenly acquires depth and substance. Another piece, "Untitled (blue glitter), open sculpture #1" (2015–2026), features blue micro-glitter spread across the floor, meticulously capturing the subtle nuances of changing light and the transient effects of movement, perspective, and the passage of time.

The exhibition further accentuates direct audience involvement with "Swings" (2000–2023), an installation comprising suspended seats crafted from rope and wood. These swings are coated with a heat-sensitive film that reacts to touch, allowing each visitor's interaction to momentarily alter the artwork. Janssens has long championed the idea of the observer as an active participant rather than a passive spectator, integrating movement, interaction, and the collective presence of other bodies as integral components of the exhibited work. In her vision, mere observation is insufficient; true perception demands active engagement and physical exploration of the space.

Crafting Invisible Architecture: Atmosphere and Sensation in Ginza

Additional works, including "Donut," further extend the exhibition's exploration into projected light, temporal experiences, and the less tangible elements that have come to define Janssens' artistic practice. Collectively, these installations meticulously orchestrate light, air, and spatial circulation to create what the Fondation d'entreprise Hermès aptly describes as a form of invisible architecture. This unique architectural experience is not defined by conventional walls and ceilings, but rather by subtle shifts in atmosphere and sensory perceptions. The deliberate use of a precise street address in the exhibition's title, "5 Chome 4-1 Ginza, Tokyo," pointedly anchors this exploration of unstable perception to a very specific and fixed geographical point, creating a fascinating juxtaposition.

Janssens' experimental approach frequently converges with research into the intricate interplay between space, time, the body, and the brain, as exemplified by her co-founding of the Brain Space Laboratory with Nathalie Ergino in 2009. However, at Ginza Maison Hermès, the power of her work lies in its immediate experiential impact, requiring minimal explanation. Visitors witness glitter shimmering with movement, light gaining tangible volume, surfaces responding to interaction, and the architecture itself becoming unexpectedly permeable. The exhibition, offering free admission, invites everyone to immerse themselves in this captivating experience through January 11, 2027, on the eighth and ninth floors of Ginza Maison Hermès.

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