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This Google office captures New Zealand’s Indigenous heritage

Google partnered with Indigenous communities for a more inclusive workplace at their Auckland office. Designed by Warren and Mahoney, it showcases and represents local people and traditions without being appropriative, New Zealand

Google Aotearoa Office. Designed by Warren & Mahoney, New Zealand

Google Aotearoa Office. Designed by Warren and Mahoney, New Zealand

New Zealand – The technology giant has partnered with Indigenous communities for a more inclusive workplace in Auckland. Centring on the theme of Te Tai, which translates as ‘the tide’, the design of the Google Aotearoa office integrates influence from the natural landscape of Aotearoa – the Māori name for New Zealand – with Google’s brand identity.

Created by architects Warren and Mahoney, the space includes a wooden centrepiece made from locally sourced timber sheets, alongside an immersive digital ceiling playing footage of New Zealand. The design process was conducted in close partnership with cultural adviser Anzac Tasker and local iwi (tribe) Ngāti Whātua. By working directly with Indigenous communities, Google has sought to showcase and represent local traditions without being appropriative.

‘Google Aotearoa’s new home wears a narrative woven around place, featuring stories of land, people, and culture – each bringing the richness of Aotearoa, New Zealand to its users,’ says Scott Compton, interior design principal at Warren and Mahoney. In this way, the company shows how workplaces can be designed in a way that celebrates the identity of its workers and the area they’re based in.

Strategic opportunity

Companies with a global presence should consider the unique traits of the regions they’re operating in. Think beyond customer-facing cultural nuances and invest in your internal culture

A24’s cookbook blends horror and haute cuisine

Horror Caviar by A24, US

Global – Demonstrating how the worlds of food, drink and entertainment are further colliding, independent film company A24’s first cookbook, Horror Caviar, is a highly stylised tome of recipes and essays inspired by its gory movie releases.

Recipes in Horror Caviar, which take cues from films such as Midsommar, The Shining and The Witch, were designed by creatives such as food stylist Laila Gohar and artist Chloe Wise. Among methods for lamb chops with marigold jelly, fish stews and herbal sipping broths are a selection of essays on film, food and culture.

In this way, the book caters for movie fans and foodies alike, and demonstrates the potential for sectors to cross over, not only as a marketing strategy, but also to highlight a more raw – if not macabre – take on elevated eating at home. Exercising creativity through cooking and film, Horror Caviar breathes new life into the Home Eatertainment trend.

Strategic opportunity

Spurred by social media and broadening tastes, creative food styling is having a moment. Engage with audiences by offering food experiences that are not only inventive but visually stirring

Ganni launches eco-venient fashion alterations

UK – In a bid to help people achieve a better fit and extend the lifecycle of their clothing and accessories, Danish fashion label Ganni is partnering with repair app Sojo to make fashion alterations more convenient.

Ganni customers can book free alterations via the brand's website, which operates an eco-friendly pick-up and drop-off service by bike. Piloting in London, the initiative is due to be rolled out across the UK.

Through this frictionless method to help customers repair their clothes, the companies are using a strategy similar to those we explore in Eco-venience Retail. ‘Online shopping has a huge environmental cost attached to it due to the amount of returns that are made – with the majority of returns being due to poor fit,’ says Josephine Philips, founder and CEO of Sojo. ‘By partnering with Sojo to offer local tailoring, Ganni is reducing environmental impact and also creating clothes that fit customers perfectly, which will then be loved for longer.’

Such initiatives also set an example to other clothing retailers in how to take control of their stock through repair and resale services.

Ganni, US

Strategic opportunity

Companies must begin taking responsibility for the full lifecycle of products. Brands in industries from fashion to interiors should take inspiration from this partnership and similarly find ways to create seamless repair services for consumers

Stat: The NFT art market has a diversity issue

Burberry Art Show by Tom Artist, US

Global – According to a new report from ArtTactic, just 16% of non-fungible token (NFT) art sales are of works by women artists. The report includes both primary and secondary sales over the past 21 months on digital art auction platform Nifty Gateway.

The research reveals just how pervasive existing power structures are in the art world, despite digital art offering space for disruption and diversity. Indeed, this extends beyond gender. Just 5% of artists – the equivalent of 16 individuals – account for 55% of NFT art sales, and 90% of the total value stored in NFT art rests in the work of the top 25% of artists, predominantly white men from the global north.

The findings point to the importance of young innovators such as Paul Hill and Black Beyond, who are using tech to destabilise art world elitism by democratising access and showcasing diverse talent. Their offerings are also better aligned with Gen Z’s values and principles, which will increasingly guide the global understanding of value in art and beyond.