Philia
Magazine
Keiji Kadota
Keiji Kadota is a Japanese architect and interior designer who founded UNC STUDIO in 2020, following his architectural studies and experience at architecture and interior design firms. Working across interiors, architecture, and furniture, he pursues a thoughtful exploration of natural materials, seeking to create lasting character through simple interventions. His designs develop through an understanding of each site, conversations with clients, and close collaboration with craftspeople, with bespoke furniture often forming an integral part of the space.
An early project, Loose Kyoto, helped shape this approach through hand-selected timber, a restrained material palette, and custom-designed benches and tables. At CHALLE, Kadota brought Japanese and Mexican influences together within a traditional Kyoto machiya, using a deep crimson finish made from persimmon tannin and red iron oxide. These projects reflect his interest in the expressive possibilities of materials and in giving existing spaces a new purpose while preserving their architectural memory.
Noz Nozawa
Noz Nozawa is a San Francisco-based interior designer and founder of Noz Design, a studio she established in 2014 after leaving a career in the corporate world to pursue her passion for design. Her practice is rooted in the belief that interiors should reflect the individuality of the people who inhabit them, creating expressive, personal spaces that encourage a sense of belonging. Rather than following a particular aesthetic, she embraces unexpected combinations of colors, materials, and details to create environments that tell the stories of her clients.
Her work has earned recognition from Architectural Digest’s New American Voices, House Beautiful’s Next Wave, Sunset Magazine’s Best of the West, and the Luxe Magazine Gold List. Alongside her design practice, Noz is committed to fostering a studio culture centered on kindness and putting people first. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics with a minor in Art History from the University of Pennsylvania.
escapefromsofa
escapefromsofa is an Istanbul-based multidisciplinary design studio founded in 2009, working across architecture, interior and product design. The practice develops residential, hospitality and commercial projects, bringing together contemporary design with a strong sensitivity to context, materiality and craftsmanship. With an approach that balances aesthetics and functionality, the studio creates spaces that are both distinctive and deeply connected to the people who inhabit them.
At the heart of escapefromsofa’s practice is an exploration of natural materials, textures and the relationship between architecture and everyday life. Drawing inspiration from art, nature and its cultural surroundings, the studio combines refined detailing with a thoughtful use of colour, light and form. Through close collaboration with clients and craftspeople, escapefromsofa seeks to create timeless, welcoming environments that reflect the character of each project while offering a meaningful spatial experience.
Tala Fustok
Tala Fustok is an English-Palestinian interior designer and founder of London-based Tala Fustok Studio. Drawing on her multicultural heritage and architectural training at London’s Architectural Association, her work combines diverse influences with an intuitive approach. After working in Paris on projects including Hôtel de Crillon, she returned to London, where she designed the award-winning Mandrake Hotel before establishing her own practice. Her studio was named to the AD100 in 2025.
Through Tala Fustok Studio, she creates immersive residential, hospitality and commercial interiors shaped by art, collectible design, materiality and architecture. Her projects span residences and hospitality spaces internationally, including Laylow in Notting Hill and projects for The Mandrake. Characterised by raw and refined materials, experimental colour and unexpected details, her interiors balance atmosphere, comfort and function. In 2026, Fustok is expanding into furniture and lighting with her first collection, developed with artisans in the UK and southern Italy.
