Philia
Magazine
Kieu Tran
Kieu Tran is a Vietnamese American artist based in New York City whose sculptural practice explores the relationship between form, emotion, and material. Working primarily with ceramics, she creates biomorphic works that move between abstraction and figuration, translating internal and psychological experiences into physical form.
Tran studied art history at UCLA before building a career in software engineering in Silicon Valley, while developing her ceramics practice alongside it. A residency at La Meridiana in Tuscany in 2019 marked a turning point, and in 2021 she left the technology industry to dedicate herself fully to art.
Her work has been exhibited at the Bakersfield Museum of Art, Art Miami, and Art Market San Francisco, and featured in Interior Design, Surface, Sight Unseen, EST Living, and Design Anthology Asia. Her sculptures are held in private collections internationally.
Hyungshin Hwang 5 Picks From Philia Collection
Hyungshin Hwang is a Seoul-based designer whose work explores memory, materiality, and structure through furniture and objects. Trained in woodworking and furniture design at Hongik University, where he earned both his BFA and MFA, Hwang develops a restrained visual language that translates everyday experiences and emotional narratives into carefully crafted forms.
Central to his practice is the ongoing Layered Series, first introduced at the Korea International Art Fair in 2007. Through modular construction and layered surfaces, the series reflects the accumulation of time, memory, and lived experience. Hwang’s work has been exhibited internationally at Milan Design Week, DMY Berlin, Design Days Dubai, and Art Beijing, and presented at institutions including La Triennale di Milano and the Korea Craft & Design Foundation.
Nicolas Bossard
Nicolas Bossard is a Paris-based architect (HMONP) and founder of Nicolas Bossard Architecture, established in 2018 following his experience with LVMH and Studio Vincent Eschalier. His practice is rooted in transformation, engaging with projects that present both structural and contextual complexity, where existing conditions are reinterpreted through a precise and contemporary architectural language.
Working across a wide range of scales and typologies, the studio develops projects that span compact living environments, large-scale refurbishments, rooftop extensions, heritage interventions, and mixed-use programs. Each intervention is approached as a dialogue between constraints and possibilities, with a particular attention to spatial clarity, material expression, and the relationship between architecture and its environment.
In 2024, the studio was selected for the Bpifrance Accelerator Architecture & Design – France 2030, further supporting its development within the contemporary architectural landscape. Operating through an agile network of independent experts, Nicolas Bossard Architecture adopts a flexible and collaborative structure, enabling each project to be shaped by a tailored combination of skills and perspectives.
House of Rolison
House of Rolison is a Los Angeles–based design and development studio founded by Amanda Leigh and Taylor Hahn. Working across architecture, interiors, and real estate, the studio develops a cohesive design language that bridges past and present, creating homes that feel both grounded and contemporary.
Their work is defined by a quiet sensitivity to context and material, where each project begins with a narrative—whether restoring the character of a historic residence or introducing warmth and depth to a contemporary space. Through a careful balance of proportion, texture, and tone, House of Rolison creates environments that feel collected rather than composed.
Overseeing each stage from concept to completion, Amanda Leigh and Taylor Hahn approach design as an evolving process. Their work reflects a deep attention to craftsmanship, atmosphere, and lived experience, resulting in spaces that reveal themselves gradually and endure over time.
Kazuya Ishida
Kazuya Ishida is a Japanese ceramic artist based in Bizen, one of Japan’s six ancient kiln sites, known for its traditional unglazed stoneware. Born into a family of potters, he trained at the Bizen Ceramics Center and Kyoto Prefectural Ceramics Technical Institute before completing an apprenticeship under Jun Isezaki.
Following several years in the UK, where he expanded his approach to ceramic practice, Ishida established his independent studio in Bizen in 2013. His work is distinguished by dynamic, spiraling surface marks—an expressive language rooted in rhythm and movement, influenced by his early interest in breakdancing.
Working with natural clay and ash glazes in dialogue with Bizen tradition, Ishida develops contemporary forms that evoke elemental landscapes—eroded rock, shifting tides, and geological textures. Bridging heritage and experimentation, his practice reflects a deeply physical engagement with material, where process, fire, and movement shape each piece into a singular, tactile expression.
Zanini de Zanine 5 Picks From Philia Collection
Zanini de Zanine is a Brazilian designer based in Rio de Janeiro whose multidisciplinary practice spans collectible furniture, interiors, and art. Drawing inspiration from Brazilian culture, craftsmanship, and natural materials, he creates sculptural works that balance organic forms with a refined contemporary sensibility.
Blending artisanal traditions with industrial production, Zanini de Zanine develops pieces distinguished by expressive materiality and a strong connection to place. His work reflects an ongoing dialogue between heritage, sustainability, and innovation, resulting in timeless designs with a distinctive sculptural presence.
Espacio 18 Arquitectura
Espacio 18 Arquitectura is a Mexico-based architecture studio founded by Carla and Mario Avila. Working across residential, hospitality, and mixed-use projects, the studio develops a sculptural approach to architecture rooted in geometry, light, and landscape.
Their practice is guided by a process of reduction, seeking clarity of concept, precision in proportion, and a sensitive response to context. Through a restrained and materially honest language, Espacio 18 Arquitectura creates spaces that feel both timeless and grounded.
Balancing structure and atmosphere, their work reflects a careful orchestration of form and material, where each element contributes to a cohesive and enduring whole.
