Weekendpaper* | Paris Design Week highlights

John Costi is an artist who discovered his creativity while imprisoned for armed robbery. Now, he is about to host a surreal performance piece at Somerset House Studios in London, and also works with prisons and probation offices, encouraging men to see ‘that they’re allowed to engage in art practice’.

‘Bapou’s Bubbles’, opening later this month, finds the multimedia artist grappling with his Irish and Greek-Cypriot heritage – or, rather, his displacement from it. Born to a working-class family in Finchley, north London, he’s always felt at a remove from these cultures. Soundtracked by fractured grime beats, the performance-art piece takes the form of a TV talk show, with Costi and several other actors playing different aspects of his psyche. Across two events, he’ll also interview artists and experts from a cross-section of society (such as social justice advocate Lord Hastings).

Jordan Bassett catches up with Costi in his studio to talk about the show, how he first discovered art, and its remarkable healing powers.

Architecture is an inherently optimistic profession. Architects set out to change the world for the better, often consciously and purposefully, quite literally shaping the environment around us. It’s in this spirit of positivity that we celebrate six architectural winners across two categories of the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2026.

Our Best Use of Material category applauds three contemporary homes whose architects explore one of the many ways in which we can sustainably diversify building design and construction – working with local earth. Discover a rammed-earth house in the UK; a home created using volcanic soil in the USA; and the captivating rebirth of a mud-brick courtyard residence in Saudi Arabia.

We also named three Architects of the Year and, looking for architecture that brings hope and a visceral twinkle, asked each of them about a building that makes them smile. Meet each of our winners and read their answers – Marina Tabassum, Lina Gotmeh, and Je Ahn – and join us in raising an always-half-full glass to a great year in architecture.

Paris Déco Off and Maison & Objet have descended on the city (until 17 and 19 January, respectively), bringing designers, buyers and industry enthusiasts to its bustling streets. Wallpaper* is on the ground, trawling for the most exciting launches and emerging trends of 2026. Our picks across furniture, textiles, objects and more showcase both rising currents and the enduring craftsmanship of the city’s design houses. 

Don’t miss, for example, grand tour-inspired dinnerware from L’Objet, each piece crafted from fine porcelain, enriched with hand-applied 24ct gold and decorated through a complex multi-layer decal process; Baccarat’s radical chandelier, integrating everyday objects – pens, bottle caps, CDs, children’s toys – into its intricate crystal form; and the poetry of global craft traditions as explored in De Le Cuona’s luxurious textiles inspired by natural landscapes. Anna Solomon is in Paris, reporting on these and more highlights.

What do you give a Wallpaper* Design Award winner? A flat-pack paper trophy designed by Formafantasma, of course. Watch our film, made in the studio with designers Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin, to find out how they created this mailable, microarchitectural marvel, winging its way to winners right now.