Philia
Magazine

Sander Bottinga is a Dutch designer whose work explores the relationship between light, form, colour, and authentic materials. After more than two decades working across interior and design studios, he established his own practice to create collectible furniture and objects distinguished by refined craftsmanship and understated elegance.

Produced in limited editions and often handcrafted in collaboration with artisan workshops, Bottinga’s creations balance sculptural simplicity with material honesty. His work reflects a deep appreciation for handmade processes, resulting in timeless objects defined by individuality, warmth, and enduring character.

Umberto Bellardi Ricci is a German-Italian architect, sculptor, and designer based in New York, where he founded UBR Studio in 2019. Working across collectible furniture, lighting, sculpture, and interiors, his practice explores the dialogue between architecture and sculpture through a distinctive language of form, scale, and materiality. Drawing on his architectural background and years of teaching, he creates works that balance industrial elements with refined natural materials, blurring the boundaries between functional design and sculptural expression.

Characterized by geometric clarity, meticulous craftsmanship, and a fascination with contrast, Bellardi Ricci’s work juxtaposes aluminum, steel, bronze, and stone with glass and textiles to create sculptural compositions that investigate the spatial qualities of architecture. Through UBR Studio, he develops collectible objects and interiors distinguished by their material richness, structural precision, and contemporary architectural vocabulary.

Lee Sisan (b. 1995) is a South Korean designer and artist based in Seoul whose practice spans furniture, lighting, sculpture, and spatial design. Originally trained in interior design, he developed a deep appreciation for the natural world while studying in a landscape surrounded by mountains and rivers. Fascinated by the individuality of stone and its resistance to standardization, he explores the dialogue between nature and artificiality, tradition and modernity, translating these tensions into contemporary functional objects.

Working across materials including stone, wood, leather, and metal, Lee embraces experimentation to reveal their inherent character and expressive potential. Through a refined design language rooted in material honesty and craftsmanship, he creates sculptural works that balance purity of form with everyday function. Alongside his independent practice, he co-founded the spatial design studio PRACTICE in 2020, extending his multidisciplinary approach across architecture, interiors, and exhibition design.

Evan Jerry is a Canadian-born designer, artist, and the founder of Studio ANANSI, a London-based practice established in 2018. Drawing inspiration from art, architecture, craft, and the storytelling traditions of the African diaspora, Jerry creates sculptural furniture and objects that explore the relationship between culture, materiality, and contemporary design. Named after Anansi, the legendary figure from West African and Caribbean folklore, the studio is rooted in narrative, curiosity, and a desire to foster new cultural dialogues through form.

Through Studio ANANSI, Jerry develops works that balance artistic expression with functional design, combining refined craftsmanship with a strong conceptual foundation. His practice has gained international recognition through collaborations, exhibitions, and collectible design presentations, creating pieces that celebrate heritage, innovation, and the enduring power of storytelling.

Laurène Guarneri is a French designer and artisan based in Paris whose practice explores the poetic relationship between light, reflection, and everyday life through sculptural mirrors. A graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris-Cergy and the École Supérieure d’Arts & Médias de Caen, she creates handcrafted pieces that transform mirrors into contemplative objects, inviting a more sensitive and intuitive way of experiencing space.

Inspired by fleeting moments in nature—the changing colours of the sky, sunlight, rain, and quiet everyday observations—Guarneri develops works that celebrate simplicity, poetry, and perception. Through refined forms and meticulous craftsmanship, her mirrors preserve these ephemeral moments, encouraging viewers to pause, reflect, and rediscover the beauty found in the ordinary.

Studio Yolk is a Copenhagen-based art and design studio founded by Pernille Iben Linde and Morten Linde. Creating collectible furniture, lighting, and sculptural objects, the studio combines contemporary Scandinavian design with playful forms, tactile materials, and meticulous craftsmanship. Rooted in an experimental and collaborative approach, Studio Yolk develops pieces distinguished by organic forms, refined materiality, and a warm, human-centred sensibility, resulting in timeless works that balance artistic expression with everyday functionality.