Philia
Magazine
Hamed Ouattara
Hamed Ouattara is a multidisciplinary artist and designer based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. For more than three decades, he has transformed reclaimed industrial oil drums into sculptural furniture and objects that reinterpret the architectural and cultural heritage of the Sahel through a contemporary lens. Working alongside a workshop of skilled artisans, Ouattara combines traditional craftsmanship with material innovation, creating distinctive works defined by intricate textures, rhythmic forms, and a deep connection to place and history.
His work has been exhibited internationally and is held in the permanent collections of several leading museums and cultural institutions. Through a practice rooted in sustainability, craftsmanship, and storytelling, Ouattara continues to expand the dialogue between African artistic traditions and contemporary collectible design, creating works that celebrate material transformation, cultural identity, and enduring craftsmanship.
Lucas Huillet 5 Picks From Philia Collection
Lucas Huillet is a French interior architect, designer, and ceramic artist whose multidisciplinary practice explores the dialogue between objects, spaces, and storytelling. Working across furniture, ceramics, and interiors, he develops projects that move fluidly between drawing and material, creating works that balance sculptural expression with functional purpose. Rooted in craftsmanship and a strong commitment to sustainable production, Huillet has produced a collection of handcrafted ceramic objects in his studio since 2019, while also collaborating with cultural institutions and luxury brands on projects that integrate design, narrative, and spatial experience.
Jay Boggo
Jay Boggo is a Brazilian artist and designer whose multidisciplinary practice spans collectible design, sculpture, visual arts, and fashion. Working with reclaimed native woods, natural fibers, stone, and salvaged materials, he creates pieces that explore the relationship between nature, memory, and cultural heritage. Deeply influenced by the landscapes and communities of the Brazilian Amazon, Boggo approaches design as a dialogue between craftsmanship, sustainability, and storytelling.
Rooted in the principles of circular economy and environmental responsibility, his work reinterprets ancestral knowledge through contemporary forms, transforming raw materials into sculptural objects imbued with a strong sense of place. Through furniture, installations, and artistic projects, Boggo celebrates the connection between people and the natural world, creating works that serve as a passage between tradition and innovation, past and future.
Alva Design
ALVA Design is a Brazilian furniture and object design studio founded by siblings Marcelo Alvarenga and Susana Bastos. Drawing from backgrounds in architecture, fine arts, and fashion, the duo develops a poetic design language that balances structure and fluidity, functionality and emotion.
Rooted in the cultural landscape and craft traditions of Minas Gerais, their work is distinguished by sculptural forms, refined materiality, and a strong sense of atmosphere. Since its founding, ALVA has become a prominent voice in contemporary Brazilian design, creating furniture, objects, and creative projects that celebrate craftsmanship, intimacy, and the poetry of everyday life.
Alva Design Picks From Philia Collection
ALVA Design is a Brazilian design studio founded by siblings Marcelo Alvarenga and Susana Bastos. Drawing from backgrounds in architecture, fine arts, and fashion, the duo creates furniture and objects that balance structure and spontaneity, functionality and emotion.
Rooted in the cultural landscape of Minas Gerais, their work is guided by a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, materiality, and storytelling. Through a multidisciplinary approach, ALVA develops sculptural pieces distinguished by refined details and a poetic sensibility that explores the relationship between objects, space, and everyday life.
Today, ALVA stands as a distinctive voice in contemporary Brazilian design, creating timeless works that evoke intimacy, atmosphere, and human connection.
Jay Boggo Picks From Philia Collection
Jay Boggo is a Brazilian artist and designer whose multidisciplinary practice spans collectible design, sculpture, visual arts, and fashion. Working with reclaimed native woods, natural fibers, stone, and salvaged materials, he creates sculptural pieces that explore the relationship between memory, nature, and cultural heritage. Deeply influenced by the Brazilian Amazon and its communities, his work reflects a commitment to sustainability, craftsmanship, and the preservation of ancestral knowledge.
Through furniture, installations, and artistic projects, Boggo transforms raw materials into poetic objects that bridge tradition and innovation. Rooted in the principles of circular economy and environmental responsibility, his creations serve as a passage between past and future, nature and culture, and Brazil and the wider world.
Agathe Lavaud – VOLTA
Agathe Lavaud is a French architect and interior designer, and the founder of Volta, a Paris-based studio established in 2016. Working across architecture and interior design, her practice is defined by a refined dialogue between contemporaneity and tradition, with a strong attention to detail, materiality, and spatial harmony.
After studying at ESAG Penninghen and the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Marne-la-Vallée, including a period of study in Italy, Lavaud worked with renowned studios such as Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Wilmotte & Associés, Vidalenc Architectes, and Thierry Lemaire Architecture before establishing her own practice. Through Volta, she approaches each project through a sensitive and contextual process, developing spaces shaped by thoughtful research into volume, craftsmanship, and the existing environment.
