Philia
Magazine
OFFHAND PRACTICE
OFFHAND PRACTICE is a Shanghai-based design studio founded in 2019 by Yuan Yuan and Nie Xuan. Working across interior design, exhibition, and spatial design, the studio develops projects defined by a thoughtful balance of experimentation, material sensitivity, and contextual awareness. Their practice embraces curiosity and hands-on exploration, approaching each commission as an opportunity to uncover the essence of a place through careful observation and refinement.
Guided by the belief that meaningful spaces emerge from an ongoing dialogue between people and their surroundings, OFFHAND PRACTICE creates interiors that are understated yet deeply expressive. Their portfolio includes projects such as Aesop Suzhou Cangjie Store, Déjà Vu Recycle Store in Shanghai, and Brownie / Project M50 Gallery, each reflecting the studio’s commitment to authenticity, clarity, and enduring spatial experiences.
Valeria Coster
Valeria Coster is a Brazilian-born architect and founder of Valeria Design Studio, a practice rooted in empathy, human connection, and respect for nature. Educated at the Faculdade de Belas Artes de São Paulo, she began her career in Brazil before moving to the United States in 2003. Her multicultural journey and life-long fascination with people’s relationship to space define her philosophy: design is not about imposing a style, but about listening deeply and creating environments that reflect the essence of those who inhabit them.
Since arriving in the U.S., Valeria has nurtured a long-standing creative partnership with artist Jennifer Radoci, with whom she collaborates on projects that merge art and design into poetic, human-centered spaces. Together, they curate interiors that embody their shared values: love for people, reverence for nature, and the joy of creation.
Marcela Cure
Madeleine Sloback is an interior designer specializing in thoughtfully curated residential spaces that balance functionality, warmth, and timeless design. From early in her career, she discovered a strong passion for residential interiors, finding the greatest reward in transforming collaborative client visions into highly personal homes.
With over a decade of experience, Sloback has worked on hundreds of homes, developing a deeply client-focused approach shaped by her ability to connect with a wide range of personalities and lifestyles. Her expertise extends beyond design alone, drawing from hands-on experience in finishing carpentry as well as multiple personal home renovations.
Leading a team of skilled designers, Madeleine combines creativity with practical construction knowledge to create spaces that feel refined, livable, and tailored to each client’s unique way of living.
Catherine Kwong
Catherine Kwong is an American interior designer known for her refined approach to luxury residential interiors, blending modern architecture with rich materiality, custom detailing, and carefully curated artworks and objects. Her work is distinguished by a balance between contemporary restraint and warmth, creating spaces that feel both sophisticated and deeply personal.
Based in San Francisco, Kwong founded Catherine Kwong Design with a focus on crafting timeless interiors that emphasize atmosphere, craftsmanship, and livability. Often described as “a modernist with romantic tendencies,” her design language combines architectural clarity with layered textures, collected elements, and subtle moments of unexpected beauty.
Before establishing her own studio, Kwong worked closely with renowned designers Bill Sofield and Paul Vincent Wiseman. She holds degrees from Brown University and Parsons School of Design, and was named a “Designer to Watch” by Architectural Digest for her thoughtful and disciplined approach to contemporary interiors.
Studio ŪMA
Studio ŪMA, founded by Michelle Song and Amber Pan, draws deeply from Eastern philosophy and the aesthetics of imperfect beauty. Their work embraces time’s subtle marks oxidised metals, weathered wood, softened edges as signs of life rather than decay.
Each element is quiet but intentional, layered with contrast: stillness and movement, weight and air, the seen and the suggested. Whether it be through the convergence of different textures, or the artful juxtaposition of mid-century furniture, entwined tree vine, and tribal utensils sourced from around the globe, their designs embody a harmonious fusion of elements coming from various cultures and origins.
Their services include architectural planning, listed building consent consultancy, planning application consultancy, remodeling, interior architecture design, and art advisory.
