PHILIA MAGAZINE

Sizar Alexis is a Swedish-Iraqi designer based in Eskilstuna whose practice explores the relationship between material, identity, and cultural memory. Drawing on his Chaldean heritage and a deep appreciation for Brutalist architecture, he creates collectible furniture and sculptural objects that convey a sense of stillness through bold geometries and the inherent beauty of natural materials. His work reflects an ongoing dialogue between Scandinavian design principles and the architectural legacy of ancient Mesopotamia.

Trained in both engineering and fine arts, Alexis combines technical precision with a material-driven approach, working primarily with wood, steel, and leather. Through handcrafted processes and carefully considered forms, he investigates how objects can embody both personal narratives and collective histories, resulting in timeless works distinguished by sculptural presence, tactile authenticity, and quiet monumentality.

La Fabrique Noire is a French design studio whose practice explores the intersection of architecture, furniture, and collectible design. Rooted in a strong appreciation for craftsmanship and material experimentation, the studio creates sculptural objects and interiors that balance functional clarity with a refined artistic sensibility. Through a careful dialogue between form, texture, and proportion, its work seeks to evoke quiet emotion while celebrating the expressive qualities of natural materials.

Working across limited-edition furniture, bespoke commissions, and spatial design, La Fabrique Noire develops pieces that blur the boundaries between art and design. Guided by a commitment to artisanal production and timeless aesthetics, the studio creates contemporary works distinguished by their tactile presence, understated elegance, and enduring relationship with materiality.

Maria Tyakina is a Rotterdam-based furniture and object designer whose practice explores sensorial perception through sculptural forms and material experimentation. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, she develops collectible pieces that challenge habitual ways of engaging with objects, balancing expressive gestures with refined craftsmanship. Working across materials including stone, metal, wood, and glass, Tyakina creates a distinctive design language where form, gravity, and texture become central to the experience of each piece.

Guided by a deep curiosity for the physical qualities and narrative potential of materials, Tyakina’s work investigates balance, movement, and the relationship between object and user. Through close collaboration with skilled artisans and manufacturers, she transforms raw materials into timeless collectible furniture and objects distinguished by architectural clarity, tactile richness, and sculptural elegance.

Andy Kerstens is a Belgian interior architect and designer, and the founder of KERSTENS, a multidisciplinary design studio based in Antwerp. Established in 2015, the studio works across interiors, furniture, and collectible objects, developing projects distinguished by architectural clarity, refined materiality, and a strong sensitivity to atmosphere.

Guided by a pursuit of aesthetic purity and craftsmanship, Kerstens creates spaces and objects that balance restraint with richness, combining natural materials, tactile surfaces, and carefully considered proportions. His work explores the dialogue between architecture, collectible design, art, and material expression, resulting in environments that evoke a sense of serenity, timelessness, and understated luxury.

Working across residential and hospitality projects as well as collectible design, Andy Kerstens has developed a distinctive visual language rooted in coherence, detail, and the emotional qualities of space.

Nazara Lázaro is a Spanish designer and artist from Tenerife, based between Berlin and Barcelona. Working across collectible furniture, interiors, and spatial design, her practice explores the relationship between craftsmanship, geometry, and material experimentation. Drawing from her background in industrial design, traditional woodworking, and years of international experience, she creates sculptural works distinguished by clean architectural forms, tactile materials, and a restrained yet expressive aesthetic.

Balancing function with artistic inquiry, Lázaro’s work reflects an ongoing dialogue between contemporary design and artisanal making. Through a careful consideration of proportion, texture, and construction, she develops timeless pieces that celebrate material honesty while encouraging a quiet, sensory interaction with the objects and spaces they inhabit.

Marc Dibeh is a Lebanese architect and designer whose multidisciplinary practice spans architecture, interiors, and collectible furniture. After studying architecture in Paris and product design in Beirut, he founded his eponymous studio in 2009, developing a body of work distinguished by refined proportions, material sensitivity, and a thoughtful dialogue between object and space. Moving fluidly across disciplines, Dibeh approaches design as a process of storytelling, creating pieces that are both functional and deeply rooted in their cultural context.

Guided by a philosophy of timeless simplicity, Dibeh collaborates closely with skilled artisans to produce furniture and objects that celebrate craftsmanship, material honesty, and understated elegance. His work balances sculptural clarity with everyday usability, resulting in collectible designs that reveal a quiet sophistication while reflecting the rich creative landscape of contemporary Lebanon.

Lisa Allegra is a French designer and ceramic artist based in Barcelona whose practice explores the relationship between sculpture, furniture, lighting, and everyday objects. A graduate of the École des Arts Décoratifs in France, she approaches design through drawing, material, and craftsmanship, creating handcrafted collections that investigate balance, proportion, and the quiet presence of form.

Working primarily with clay alongside wood and textiles, Allegra develops timeless pieces that combine minimalist aesthetics with warmth and tactility. Guided by a fascination with material and the poetry of everyday life, her work celebrates thoughtful making, refined simplicity, and the enduring beauty of handcrafted objects.

Ben Barber is a British artist and designer whose practice explores the intersection of sculpture, material experimentation, and functional design. Working across furniture, lighting, and collectible objects, he creates pieces distinguished by their expressive forms, tactile surfaces, and strong sense of craftsmanship.

Drawing on an intuitive and hands-on approach to making, Barber embraces the inherent qualities of materials, allowing process and experimentation to shape the final outcome. His work balances sculptural presence with functionality, resulting in objects that feel both contemporary and deeply rooted in materiality.

Brajak Vitberg is a multidisciplinary art and design studio founded by architects Petra Brajak and Robert V. Bijelić in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Working across collectible lighting, furniture, and objects, the studio is known for its experimental approach, combining craftsmanship, material exploration, and a distinctive visual language inspired by the idea of “incomplete perfection.”

Through limited-edition and handmade pieces, Brajak Vitberg creates works that balance architectural rigor with poetic expression, exploring light, color, and form through contemporary collectible design.

Novocastrian is a British design and making studio founded by architect and designer Richy Almond in North East England. Rooted in the region’s industrial heritage, the studio creates handcrafted furniture, lighting, and bespoke metalwork that combine architectural precision with traditional craftsmanship. Guided by Almond’s creative direction, Novocastrian celebrates the beauty of honest materials and refined detailing, drawing on generations of local manufacturing expertise to create works of enduring quality.

Working across collectible design and bespoke commissions, the studio explores the relationship between material, process, and function through pieces that balance sculptural presence with everyday utility. Characterized by a restrained aesthetic and meticulous craftsmanship, Novocastrian’s work reflects a deep respect for British making traditions while reimagining the industrial legacy of North East England for a contemporary audience.

Soft-Geometry is a Los Angeles–based design studio founded by Indian designers Utharaa L. Zacharias and Palaash Chaudhary, whose practice explores softness as a cultural, emotional, and material condition. Established in 2019, the studio creates collectible furniture, lighting, and sculptural objects that merge contemporary forms with slow, hand-worked processes. Drawing on their Indian heritage and an ongoing dialogue between tradition and experimentation, their work investigates how objects can embody intimacy, ritual, and human connection through form and material.

Working across collectible design, installations, and functional art, Soft-Geometry continuously explores new materials, techniques, and scales of making while remaining committed to handcrafted production and material research. Their sculptural works are distinguished by tactile surfaces, organic geometries, and layered textures, transforming traditional craft practices into contemporary expressions that celebrate imperfection, slowness, and the quiet poetry of everyday life.

Laura Pasquino is a ceramic artist based in Amsterdam whose work explores the quiet dialogue between material, form, and the natural world. Having developed her practice in Kyoto, Lisbon, and the Netherlands, she brings together diverse cultural influences through a sculptural language rooted in simplicity, balance, and craftsmanship. Her vessels and sculptures embody a restrained aesthetic, where subtle textures and organic forms evoke a sense of calm and timelessness.

Working intuitively with clay, Pasquino embraces the material’s spontaneity, allowing each piece to develop its own unique character through touch and process. Inspired by natural landscapes, geological formations, and the quiet rhythms of everyday life, she creates objects that exist between art and function. Alongside her personal artistic practice, she collaborates on commissioned works for exhibitions, architectural spaces, interior projects, and selected design brands.

Panorammma is the Mexico City–based design practice of Maika Palazuelos, whose work explores the relationship between functional objects, memory, and material experimentation. Rooted in her background in fine arts, the studio creates collectible furniture and objects that transform everyday use into narrative experiences, blending sculptural forms with conceptual storytelling.

Through an ongoing exploration of diverse materials and artisanal processes, Panorammma reimagines familiar typologies as evocative objects that challenge perceptions of function and domesticity. Balancing historical references with speculative narratives, the studio develops works that blur the boundaries between art and design while inviting new ways of experiencing everyday life.

Matthew Fisher is an American artist and designer based in New York, whose practice spans collectible furniture, lighting, and sculptural objects. Working primarily with stone, metal, and natural materials, he creates timeless works that reinterpret classical forms through a contemporary lens, balancing refined craftsmanship with a deep respect for material heritage.

Guided by extensive research into historical objects and traditional stoneworking, Fisher collaborates closely with quarry owners and artisans to transform rare and reclaimed materials into unique collectible pieces. His work reflects a thoughtful dialogue between antiquity and modernity, celebrating the enduring beauty, cultural significance, and expressive potential of natural stone.

Bodo Sperlein is a German-born designer and creative director based in London whose work bridges contemporary design and traditional craftsmanship. Working across furniture, lighting, tableware, and collectible design, he creates objects distinguished by their refined materiality and timeless aesthetic.

His work has been exhibited internationally and is held in museum collections, including Die Neue Sammlung in Munich.