"The handsome Boom Boom speaker by Mathieu Lehanneur for Binauric at the #dod2014 tech pavilion"

The 'Sparks' group design exhibition curated by Adriana Andreeva Dimitrova highlighted regional makers who employ novel approaches to natural materials, sustainable methods, and the re-interpretation of traditional forms. Don't DIY's Plywood Table demonstrated the modern functionality of hand-crafted dining furniture that was striking in its simplicity. Photo courtesy of Don't DIY.

Low-impact materials were also used for the interior design, which is comprised primarily of concrete, glass, stone, wood, and steel. A palette of mostly light and neutral shades puts the attention on the views.

This "local prefab" home on the Isle of Skye is made mostly from materials sourced in northern Scotland. The timber-framed model, meant to evoke the simple agrarian barns of the area, can be constructed on-site in as little as a day and is designed for affordability.

With 5,000 square feet on the ground floor, the structure boasts two capacious exhibition spaces, which the couple use to show their own work, as well as rent out to others for private events.

Black and white kitchen cabinets painted with a triangular pattern add a whimsical touch to this funky kitchen.

Hella Jongerius / Jongeriuslab in Berlin

Dutch design studio Droog adapted pieces from objects in Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum to create a studio space in central Milan with wallpaper designed by Irma Boom.

Raw wood planks were painted white and fitted next to a staircase and banister by Bättig Design. Matching chairs by Thayer Coggin sit atop a Crate and Barrel rug.

Architect Kengo Kuma designed the exhibition, which includes a full-scale model house by each of six architect/corporate teams, plus one 1:5 model apartment complex (not pictured here). The grids of raw lumber lining the walkways will be dismantled and shipped to Fukushima after the show ends to be reused in a factory.

Escobedo's proposal was selected as part of a competition held by the museum to develop a flexible design that could be reused in different iterations, beyond the installation of this show. "It's a very different approach, because it's often the other way around—a very specific design for a specific installation—so we wanted to think of some kind of system that could be continually reinterpreted, not only for other exhibitions, but other types of programs: lectures, screenings, or even a public forum," explains Escobedo, whose previous work includes collaborations with London's V&A Museum, the 2013 Lisbon Triennal, and the 2012 Venice Architecture Biennale. "Jumex has a strong focus on public and educational programming. It's not just about the artwork, but what happens behind and alongside it. I think there's something very special about this institution."

Scan Design_01_b01, 9/1/09, 9:41 AM, 8C, 2834x2957 (711+1521), 75%, Custom, 1/30 s, R105.5, G69.0, B78.3

“The site was beautiful as it is,” architect Eric Tremblay said, and he wanted to build a home that had the least impact on the terrain as possible. The lake can be seen on either side of the house, and natural materials—like the Eramosa limestone coating on the exterior—were a priority during construction.

“For me, an idea can come from anywhere,” says Tim, an artist who has an interest in product design, and often incorporates found items into his work. “I really enjoy the challenge of finding an object and responding to it.”

While the homeowners and their guests have plenty of opportunities to view the outdoors, thanks in large part to windows and doors by Alumilex, an abundance of cedars offers privacy from the outside looking in. “We wanted to cut the least amount of trees,” Tremblay said.

UE Mini Boom by Logitech, $99. Compact and stylish, the UE Mini Boom portable speaker makes the perfect companion for outdoor festivities.

When Abbie and Bill Burton hired Marmol Radziner to design their prefab weekend home, their two requests were “simple-simple, replaceable materials,” says Abbie—such as concrete floors (poured offsite in Marmol Radziner's factory) and metal panel siding—and “the ability to be indoors or outdoors with ease.” Deep overhangs provide shade and protection from rain, so the Burtons can leave their doors open year-round and hang out on their 70-foot-long deck even in inclement weather. They visit the house once a month, usually for a week at a time, with Vinnie and Stella, their rescue Bernese Mountain dogs. Their two adult children occasionally join them. The couple hopes to one day retire here.

"The Balkan Date examined challenging themes such as East meets West, communism meets capitalism, and the desire for material things versus the aspirations for spirituality. In this controversial and dynamic context, a new breed of artists has emerged. They harbor a particular kind of sensitivity and form parts of the puzzle to our cultural identity through design. What's more, they successfully counteract the global tendency towards unified cultural products." – Sofia Design Week curators/organizers Typography by Croatian Designers in the 'In A Nutshell' exhibition at SAMCA during Sofia Design Week. Photo by Abigail Doan.

Nike's Flyknit exhibition designed by the architect Arthur Huang adds a kick to the Palazzo Clerici courtyard.

The stark white cases of Alexandra Gubeli's exhibition design mimicked the work's clean geometry.

The show's exhibition design, by young Mexico City–based architect Frida Escobedo, includes a simple-yet-clever spatial intervention. Playing off of Chipperfield's vaulted, angular ceiling, a series of wooden ramps escalates and narrows at one end of the gallery, carving out unique, shifting perspective points that draw the eye—and body—closer into the artworks. Among the artworks is Carols Amorales's interactive installation, We'll See How Everything Reverberates (Ya veremos como todo reverbera), which invites visitors to play with the forms.

TRANSFORMATIVE The seventh and final section features knitted garments by Laduma Hgxokolo (front); behind them are architectural furnishings by designers Dokter and Misses, which were inspired by painted African houses. "This one comes from a whole village of pieces," says Lupton, "and they all have hidden storage that's part of them."

TRANSGRESSIVE "They're just stunning, weird, otherworldly, and completely intricate," says Lupton of the Afreaks collection by the Haas Brothers, who hand-beaded each piece in collaboration with South African craftswomen, affectionately referred to as the "Haas Sisters."

Also included in the 'ethereal' section is a scent design by Sissel Tolaas, who was commissioned to create a smell based on Central Park. "It's very earthy," says Lupton.

EXTRAVAGANT "This room includes the classic makeup, jewelry, nails, hair—and a ball gown!" says Lupton. "This is what first comes to mind when people think of beauty, but these are all of those things at an extreme form." At center is a couture gown by Giambattista Valli; the portraits at left show otherworldly, bejeweled visages by makeup artist Pat McGrath. The photographs at right show experimental coifs by hairstylist Guido Palau.

"This is all knitted using a 3D-knitting process; the pattern is based on how cells form, but it's also dictated by the tension of the structure," says Lupton of a spatial installation by Jenny Sabin, also included in the 'Emergent' grouping. "It's kind of like a tent held together by the fabric, and the threads are photo-luminscent, so in theory, they collect daylight and release it by night. We've simulated that indoors by having the light cycle from day to night—right now, we're in dawn."

INTRICATE Lively patterned fabrics from African textiles company Vlisco (center) and posters by Iranian graphic designer Homa Delvaray (left) are the centerpieces of works displayed under the "Intricate" heading, alongside a iridescent wallcovering by Colombian collective Hechizoo (right), which is inspired by rain falling on the Amazon. "Intricacy is a traditional area of decorative art, including tattoos, and ornamentation, but also the body," says curator Ellen Lupton, who organized the show with assistant curator Andrea Lipps. "It's an area of fascination that's both primitive, but also very advanced. There are these intricate structures that emerge, often from manipulating a material to create that intricacy. That's really a theme throughout the whole show—stunning details, however they might be produced."

During Dutch Design Week 2015, the Hands Off exhibition was shown in the Veemgebouw building. It included designer Eric Klarenbeek’s experiments with mycelium.

ETHEREAL "This piece is by Tuomas Markunpoika—he took a traditional wardrobe and covered it with welded steel rings, then burned away the wood," explains Lupton. "We love this idea of process, and the story of the making of the object." To the right are headdresses by fashion designer Maiko Takeda.

EMERGENT Among the technology-driven selections in this section are 3D-printed glass vessels by Neri Oxman of MIT's Mediated Matter Group, which transpire Spirograph-like, caustic patterns when illuminated from above. "These are all formal prototypes for a technique [Oxman] developed; it's a really incredible material that has potential applications for smart buildings," says Lupton. "These lines are layers of hollowed glass that are coiled up. At a larger scale, there could be liquid running through them to cool a structure, or wiring for a smart-building system."

ELEMENTAL The 'elemental' grouping collects items that display an elegantly spare use of "essential materials," says Lupton. Among the selection is Michael Anastassiades's Mobile Chandelier (center), made from black patinated brass and mouth-blown opaline glass.

“The roof terrace accessed from the master bedroom is the sunniest place, naturally,” said Tremblay. A custom-made bed by Boom Town, Tremblay’s firm, is outfitted with linens by Kravet. Outdoor seating is by Jardin de Ville.

The concrete wall mimics the slope of the hill outside as a reference to early Maori structures that were dug into the land. The simple kitchen has strandboard cabinetry and an MDF island that conceals a fireplace at one end. The ceramic works on the built-in seat at right are by Raewyn Atkinson and Robyn Lewis.