Philia
Magazine
Javier Sánchez
Javier Sánchez is the founding partner and principal of JSa, the Mexico City-based architecture studio he established while studying at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP). Raised in a family of architects, he has developed a practice that spans housing, cultural, commercial, and mixed-use projects, while playing a significant role in the regeneration of Mexico City’s historic neighbourhoods through architecture and urban development.
Over the past three decades, Sánchez has become widely recognised for his work in heritage rehabilitation and for creating resilient, mixed-use environments that respond to the evolving needs of contemporary cities. Increasingly focused on architecture’s environmental responsibilities, his recent work explores self-sustaining design strategies that integrate social, cultural, and ecological considerations. Rooted in the rich urban fabric of Mexico City, his practice continues to demonstrate how architecture can shape more connected, inclusive, and enduring communities.
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 Kallang
Faezah Shaharuddin is a Singaporean multidisciplinary designer and founder of Studio Kallang, whose practice explores the relationship between nostalgia, cultural identity, and contemporary design. Working across furniture, objects, and visual communication, she creates pieces that reinterpret familiar forms through a refined and playful lens, balancing functionality with narrative and emotional resonance.
Trained at the University of Washington School of Art + Art History + Design, Shaharuddin combines a strong graphic sensibility with a material-driven approach to design. Through Studio Kallang, she develops collectible furniture and objects distinguished by thoughtful craftsmanship, subtle cultural references, and a timeless aesthetic, while collaborating with international brands and presenting her work at exhibitions including Milan Design Week and the Asian Civilisations Museum.
Colección Estudio Picks From Philia Collection
Based in Mexico City, Querétaro and San Francisco, Colección Estudio creates objects at a slower pace and with a more humane process that fosters long-lasting emotional connections with the spaces you inhabit. Inspired by stories and techniques rooted in Mexican culture, we translate them into limited-edition furniture, accessories and collectible design for your home. Colección Estudio is made up of three Mexican designers, Andrés Cacho, Daniel Martínez and Manuel López who found a common interest in exploring the intersection between art, design and craftsmanship.
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.
Julian Mayor
Julian Mayor is a British artist and designer whose work explores the relationship between digital technology, craftsmanship, and sculptural form. Working primarily with welded sheet metal, he develops pieces through a unique process that combines advanced computer modelling with meticulous hand fabrication. The resulting works balance precision and spontaneity, transforming industrial materials into fluid, light-filled forms that blur the boundaries between sculpture, furniture, and functional design.
Educated in Industrial Design at the University of Northumbria and later in Design Products at the Royal College of Art under Ron Arad, Mayor has developed a distinctive practice that merges technological innovation with a deep sensitivity to material and making. His works have been exhibited internationally in institutions including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, and MUDAC in Lausanne. Through objects, installations, and public commissions, he continues to investigate how digital processes can give rise to expressive and deeply human forms.
Fernando Mendes Picks From Philia Collection
Fernando Mendes is a Brazilian architect, designer, and woodworker based between Rio de Janeiro and Vale das Videiras. Working primarily with wood, he creates furniture and objects that combine traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design, balancing technical precision with a deep sensitivity to material and form.
After more than two decades in design carpentry and over thirty years of close collaboration with Brazilian design master Sergio Rodrigues, Mendes has developed a distinctive practice that embraces the natural character of wood, including its textures, imperfections, and unique qualities. His work has received numerous international awards, and he currently serves as president of the Sergio Rodrigues Institute.
