The Monocle Minute
On Design

Monocle’s Grace Charlton kicks off the festivities by exploring the dazzling displays of London’s Christmas lights – and picking up some last-minute presents along the way. We also head to Switzerland to visit a restaurant-turned-skiing museum (pictured), page through a picture-perfect debut monograph and admire a chair built by a Dutch monk in the 1960s. Plus: what happens when you let architects design a gingerbread house.

It is a Yuletide tradition in many colder climates for people to gather with loved ones to construct gingerbread houses. This year the architects at Norwegian firm Snøhetta have added a twist, producing a set of drawings for the construction of an architecturally striking, edible home. The template for the gingerbread house, developed by architect Ingebjørg Skaare, can be purchased as a baking set from grocery-delivery service Oda or online. The design departs from that of the typical edible house. “The shape is fun and slightly unconventional,” says Skaare. “It features a double-height room with a large roof that can be decorated with gingerbread people, animals or trees.”

But this novelty confection is not merely a light-hearted Christmas project from the accomplished practice; it is also a humanitarian endeavour created in partnership with the Norwegian Refugee Council. All proceeds will be donated to the organisation, which provides assistance to millions of people displaced by global conflicts. “There are many dire circumstances in the world right now,” says Skaare. “With this project, we hope that we can bring people together and remind them of what is important.” The result is a sweet idea that shows how architects can engage with causes in meaningful ways, even on a small – edible – scale.
flyktninghjelpen.no; snohetta.com

After more than two years of renovations, Switzerland’s Musée du Ski has finally opened its doors to the public. Located in the village of Le Boéchet in the Swiss Jura, the institution is housed in a former train-station restaurant – an unlikely location that has been transformed into a smart gallery by Atelier Oï. Using a combination of mirrors and lights, the Swiss architecture-and-design studio has created spaces with curved walkways and sloping displays, purposefully mimicking the rise and fall of a ski run.

The museum features wooden ceilings and gentle uplighting, as well as a selection of brightly coloured skis that add vibrancy to the space. Laurent Donzé, the co-founder and curator of the museum, is responsible for the majority of the institution’s inventory, which he has been accumulating since the 1970s. The collection is a sports enthusiasts’ delight, with one of the world’s most important holdings of cross-country skis, alongside boots, bindings and postcards. But the gallery is by no means for experts only – it’s billed as an accessible space and there is much to interest children and adults alike. It’s the perfect place for a stop-off during snowy adventures or for a recap on the history of the sport at its ski library.
museeduski.ch; atelier-oi.ch

Joachim Kornbeck Engell-Hansen first joined his grandfather’s furniture brand, Menu, at age 19. Now in his thirties, he serves as brand and design director. He has also overseen the company’s most comprehensive rebrand since its foundation, including its renaming to Audo Copenhagen, merging with furniture firm By Lassen and relaunching The Audo hotel (the company’s HQ, with guest residences, a shop, café and restaurant) as Audo House. Here, Engell-Hansen shares his vision for the Copenhagen-based company and explains why Christmas is the perfect time to recharge.

Menu was founded in 1978 but began using its new name, Audo Copenhagen, in summer 2023. How did that come about?
We had talked about it for a long time but never managed to come to a decision. We liked the Audo logo, typeface and the palette of muted, earthy tones, which we felt reflected our design language. Our portfolio has moved away from the sleek and modern brand image that we previously had, so it just made sense to do a comprehensive overhaul.

How does having Audo House, a 10-room hotel, fit within the brand’s ambitions?
We constantly work with designers and architects, so having them stay with us is perfect. They get to experience our brand first-hand. My father wanted to create a beautiful place, where we could welcome people and let them experience our brand to the fullest. It wasn’t really a business decision; it was a way to open a space to showcase our designs.

What are you most looking forward to this Christmas season?
I have a wife and three children, so my life outside of work is busy. Christmas is a time for just the five of us. While I enjoy the occasional beer at a traditional julefrokost (Christmas dinner), I mostly like to take things easy.

For more from Joachim Kornbeck Engell-Hansen, pick up a copy of Monocle’s seasonal newspaper, ‘Alpino’ today.

It might be sacrilegious but it’s possible to buy a chair that was designed by a monk and meant to be used by a pastor – and just in time for Christmas mass. Earlier this year, New York-based design gallery Form Atelier organised an exhibition about Dutch monk-cum-architect Dom Hans van der Laan, a design figure who was widely admired by architects and artists such as Gerrit Rietveld and Donald Judd.

The gallery is offering select pieces for sale, including this high-backed chair, which was designed in 1964 to be used by the pastor during mass at Sint-Willibrorduskerk, a Catholic church in the Dutch town of Almelo. The work was thankfully rescued from demolition in 2005 and could now be yours for €23,200. Quite the collectable design item to give to the stylish and pious person in your life this Christmas.

UK retailer and manufacturer Twentytwentyone tapped London-based studio Barber Osgerby for the design of this table light. The compact lamp, made with Japanese lighting brand Ozeki & Co, is composed of a washi-paper lantern, bamboo cane frame and cast-iron base. If you’re looking to try before you buy, then it’s well worth stopping off at Twentytwentyone’s London outpost on River Street in Clerkenwell.
twentytwentyone.com

New York-born creative Ezra Petronio began mixing cultures and influences early in life. Though he grew up in Paris, he moved back across the Atlantic to study at the Parsons School of Design in New York before returning to the French capital to co-found Self Service in 1994, the now-cult biannual fashion magazine. It’s a career that is documented in his debut monograph, Ezra Petronio: Visual Thinking & Image Making.

As a photographer, editor in chief at Self Service, art director and founder of creative agency Petronio Associates, the book captures Petronio’s work over the past 25 years, including collaborations with French fashion house Chanel to American beauty brand Glossier. The monograph also explores his famous Polaroid series documenting artists such as Kylie Minogue, which was first displayed at the Dallas Contemporary museum. As Petronio writes, the key to great image-making is “embracing the idea that the finality is the sum of many parts.” Published by Phaidon, this collection of 1,000 images does exactly that.
phaidon.com