Youre likely still recovering from the holidays, but fortunately, you can shop the biggest new year furniture sales from the comfort of your couch. Because most companies release their latest lineup of furniture and decor in the first couple months of the year, theres no better time to save big on current stockfrom luxury dining tables and modular sectionals to accent pillows and unique light fixtures.Most of the time, we see the biggest sales before spring collections are released in February, says Kristin Harrison, the founder of Bungalow 10 Interiors. Shopping new collections in February is ideal, but I always recommend being on the lookout for early sales on pieces that truly fit your design vision.Melissa Van Zee, founder of Van Zee Design Interiors, recommends using this time of year as a reflective period to figure out what your home really needs, especially before items are discontinued and vendor prices increase once new furniture collections drop. I find my clients enter a feather their nest phase in January, she notes. Theyve had the opportunity to spend some downtime in their homes, to entertain, and assess where they have compromised or made do and are ready to reinvest in key pieces like upholstery, rugs, and art.Another popular product interior design experts and their clients are searching for right now? Lighting. Its common this time of year to see people refreshing their lightingpotentially as a response to winters gray skies, Harrison says. Whether its myself or my clients, were often on the hunt for a stylish new lamp, sconce, or another fixture that not only brightens the space but also elevates the rooms overall mood.As you start drawing up your wishlist, take note that furniture isnt the only category discounted right now. In fact, you can save 20% off towels, bath mats, and more, plus up to 40% off bundles at Brooklinen. Below, explore the top sales were shopping to ring in 2025 and trends to keep an eye out for all year.Wayfair: Up to 70% OffThe clock is ticking on the New Year Super Sale: You can take up to 70% off staple furniture pieces like beds, couches, and dining room tables, and there are even bigger markdowns on area rugs and bedding for a limited time. Bookmark the brands daily sales page for more discounts on home essentials.Sand & Stable Scarlett 3-Piece Bedroom SetJoss & Main Amala Upholstered SofaSleep Number: Save Up to $1,000 MattressesCatching zs is a year-round priority, but this is also a good time to snag a new mattress. Sleep Numbers smart beds are marked down for hundreds of dollars off, and the i8 model is a whopping $1,000 off. Plus, you can score up to 50% off luxe bedding now through January 20.Sleep Number c2 Smart BedSleep Number i8 Smart BedCozy Earth: Up to 75% Off Bedding and FurnitureThere are multiple sales happening at once over at Cozy Earth. For starters, you can save up to 25% off select products, and youll get free shipping on all orders over $50. You can also nab up to 75% off select bedding and bath items like duvet covers, towels, and more during the We Made Too Much sale. While they dont have a wide range of furniture deals, were eyeing a 20% off markdown on their Coronado Lounge Chair.Cozy Earth Coronado Lounge ChairCozy Earth Bamboo Duvet CoverAvocado: Up to 20% Off MattressesThe holidays are still underway at Avocado, and theyre offering up to 20% off their certified organic mattresses. The best deals weve spotted are 20% off the ultra-plush Luxury Organic Mattress, and 15% off the classic Avocado Green Mattress (the brands most popular pick).Avocado Green MattressAvocado Luxury Organic MattressAmazon: Up to 40% Off Furniture, Decor, and MoreWe can always count on Amazon for solid savings, and the Winter Sale is on with up to 40% off kitchen gadgets, clothing, electronics, and much more. Furniture and decor are also discounted, and there are deals on design-forward items like an arched floor lamp and a textured dresser.Ambimall Dimmable Arc Floor LampT4TREAM Fluted 6-Drawer DresserDesign Within Reach: 20% Off Select Furniture and Decor ItemsThanks to the New Years Event at Design Within Reach, the retailers luxury pieces are even more accessible. Bring home a new U-shaped sofa sectional or even a Knoll Womb Chair for your living room or home office now until January 22.Knoll Womb Chair and OttomanGeiger U-Series SofaCasper: 20% Off FurnitureCasper is wishing everyone a Happy Snooze Year with 30% off bundles of their bestsellers, 50% off clearance mattresses, and 20% off furniture. You can take advantage of this sale until Tuesday, January 14. One of our favorite bed-in-a-box brands, Casper is chock-full of mattresses that will deliver straight to your doorstep and inflate after unboxing for a simpler bedroom setup.Casper Wood Repose HeadboardCasper Best-Selling BundleSerena & Lily: 20% Off and Free ShippingWelcoming the new year with a toast to new furniture, Serena & Lily is taking 20% off your order and free shipping on everything when you use the code CHEERS at checkout. So youre just a few clicks away from a more Nancy Meyersapproved home now that their signature rattan bar stools and bell pendants and other coastal chic furniture items are all discounted. The sale ends Tuesday, January 7 at 11:59 p.m. PT.Serena & Lily Balboa Rattan Counter StoolSerena & Lily Headlands Rattan Bell PendantRove Concepts: 25% Off and 20% Back in Vouchers for MembersFor their members-only sale, Rove Concepts is taking 25% off everything and giving 20% back in vouchers. Psstthey even have an on-trend curved sofa thats $826 off for non-members and $2,113 off for members. You can become a member today for $200 per year, but youll want to act fast since the clearance sale is winding down. Keep an eye on the brands sale page for even more steep markdowns.Rove Concepts Reya Curved SectionalRove Concepts Gallus Coffee TableLulu and Georgia: Up to 70% Off Select ItemsThere are nearly 500 furniture and decor items marked down at Lulu and Georgia, plus you can filter your search to see new arrivals to the sale section. Whether youre looking for a new nightstand for your bedroom or a white oak sideboard for the living room, theres a little bit of everything discounted right now.Lulu and Georgia Dana NightstandLulu and Georgia Hillard SideboardAlbany Park: Up to 35% OffUnlike most of the other special offers out there, Albany Park is celebrating the new year with a sale running until Thursday, January 23. Armchairs, sectional sofas, and ottomans are all up for grabs, with plenty of upholstery colors available.Albany Park Kova L-Shape + OttomanAlbany Park Lido ArmchairCB2: Up to 60% Off ClearanceDuring the Winter Warehouse Sale, select CB2 furniture, rugs, holiday home decor, and more are all up to 60% off. For even more savings, the semi-annual Design Legends Sale is promising up to 20% off pieces from Gianfranco Frattini, Paul McCobb, Bill Curry, and Evelyn, and Jerome Ackerman. While youre adding these items to your cart, you can also preview (and shop!) the new arrivals for the spring season.Liguria Oval White Marble Coffee Table by Gianfranco FrattiniCB2 Serrat Performance Fabric SofaIndustry West: 20% Off SitewideTheres no limit to what you can save on during Industry Wests New Year sale. Known for its contemporary designs, use the code NEWYEAR25 at checkout to get markdowns on a modern dining set, sofa, and anything else on your list.Industry West Portola SofaIndustry West Aero Stackable Dining ChairInside Weather: Up to 50% Off the Bondi Collection and Free ShippingTheres a variety of customizations available within Inside Weathers Bondi Collection, which comprises chaise sectionals, love seats, armchairs, and more that are up to 50% off right now. To sweeten the deal, youll also get free shipping with your purchase.

0:08:30 Andy Boyd shares updates since his last appearance0:10:10 Growth of Jam: From 25 to 75+ team members0:12:20 Challenges of sustaining commercial work and diversifying projects0:15:15 The state of the film industry and navigating tax incentives0:19:30 Jams niche: High-quality work with limited shot counts0:23:50 Discussing Brothers and creating the photoreal CG orangutan0:29:00 Transitioning to V-Ray and achieving realistic fur rendering0:33:40 On-set challenges and working with actors like Josh Brolin0:39:15 Reflections on Brothers: Blending comedy and realism in VFX0:45:20 The evolution of commercial work in the streaming age0:50:30 Using AI as a tool and balancing creative and technical workflows0:58:45 Future trends in VFX and staying competitive in a dynamic industry1:04:00 Closing thoughts and upcoming projects at Jam

Image: Nintendo LifeNo, you're not misreading the headline video game peripheral maker Hyperkin has released a brand new Guitar Hero controller. In 2025. For the Nintendo Wii.Announcing the news on New Year's Day (spotted via GameSpot), the Hyper Strummer is a retro controller that's based on the company's previous model and compatible with all Wii entries in the Guitar Hero from Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock to Warriors of Rock and Rock Band 2 and 3. We're not forgetting the first Rock Band, don't worry, the controller will not work with the first game in the series.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube790kWatch on YouTube Pre-orders for the controller are open now on Amazon for USD $76.99.Images: HyperkinThe announcement has caused some controversy, however, with many accusing Hyperkin of repurposing and repackaging old stock, and even questioning why the company is releasing such a specific controller for the Wii in 2025.The next day, Hyperkin released a statement on X (formerly Twitter), explaining its decision while refuting claims that this is a recycled controller."While it is correct that this is the same shell mold of a previous Hyperkin release from 2009, that is all it is. We used the mold to make brand new shells, fitted with new 2024 internal components. This is not old stock, nor is it old guitars that have been sitting in the warehouse." The manufacturer writes.With Hyperkin claiming that many similar controllers cost upwards of USD $100, it states that "The new Hyper Strummer was developed to meet the demand for an accessible and budget-friendly solution."Image: HyperkinAs you'd expect, the response to this statement is still mixed it is a little odd to release this in 2025, particularly given that Fortnite Festival, which was made by former Guitar Hero devs Harmonix, is a thing. And while the PlayStation and Xbox controllers are compatible with PC and consoles (and the official Wii ones only with PC), you can't currently use the guitar controllers on Switch.Hyperkin has previously created Switch-compatible controllers based on famous American food and drink fans, such as Oscar Mayer hot dogs, and has also released a "drift-free" N64 control stick.Still, the Hyper Strummer caught our attention for the sheer bizarreness, and hey, if you're looking for a new Guitar Hero controller for your Wii, then this is the product for you.Are you confused about the new Guitar Hero controller? Will you be grabbing one? Give us an encore in the comments. Wish fulfilmentLet there be cartridgePlease note that some external links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.[source x.com, via gamespot.com]Related GamesSee AlsoShare:11 Alana has been with Nintendo Life since 2022, and while RPGs are her first love, Nintendo is a close second. She enjoys nothing more than overthinking battle strategies, characters, and stories. She also wishes she was a Sega air pirate. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesNintendo's Punch-Out!! Series May Be Dead And Buried For GoodAll punch'd outWii Build Of Free Radical's Cancelled 'Star Wars Battlefront 3' Has Been DiscoveredThe build is from a week before cancellation

American consumers will spend a record-breaking $537 billion on new apps, devices, and gadgets in 2025, according to the new one-year forecast from the Consumer Technology Association.But theres a catch, warned the CTAs futurist Brian Comiskey on stage Monday at the groups enormous Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas: Trumps proposed tariff plans, which would raise costs for U.S. consumers, could squash a lot of that spending.The CTA is projecting that there will be record retail revenues for the U.S. consumer technology industry in 2025 with 3.2% growth over 2024. However, Comiskey warned that those projections could change because smartphones and laptops are threatened by President elect Trumps tariff proposals. Tariffs on technology products could lead to a $90-$143 billion billion with a B decline in U.S. purchasing power, he said.In October, the CTA released a report that looked at two tariff proposals specifically: A 10% or 20% tariff on all imports from all countries, and a 60% tariff on all imports from China. It concluded that these proposals could increase prices on laptops and tablets by 46%, video game consoles by 40%, and smartphones by 26%.On stage, Comiskey offered additional color, explaining that spending on tablets and laptops could decline as much as 68%, gaming consoles as much as 58%, and smartphones up to 37%.Without such tariffs, the consumer tech industry is heading towards a spending super cycle as Comiskey called it. This is partly because only the newest PCs, tablets, and smartphones can access new AI-powered features such as Apple Intelligence, or Microsoft Copilot+ on PCs. The CTAs research indicates that consumers want those features. Most consumers say they are familiar with generative AI and many say they have already used it at work.Meanwhile, AI is also juicing up many classic consumer tech categories, from fitness trackers to smart TVs (like a newly announced product from Google), to parent tech like electronic baby rockers.Whether the AI in these products truly makes the gadget worthwhile may not matter. Because the final thing that points to 2025 being a big year for gadgets is the rise in Gen Zs purchasing power. In 2025, 27% of the global workforce is expected to be Gen Z, Udemy predicts. Thats the generation that most loves new tech and enjoys being early adopters.

Toyota Motor Chairman Akio Toyoda revealed Monday at CES 2025 his vision for a living laboratory chock full of startups and technology. His message: Woven City a prototype city on a 175-acre site at the foot of Mount Fuji in Japan is open for business and searching for inventors.Today, I say to anyone in any corner of the world, inspired or excited to make a difference. Make a change or make it count. Please consider this your official invitation to join us at Woven City, Toyoda said on stage. Toyoda said Monday that Woven City is preparing to launch in fall 2025, or shortly thereafter.This summer, the company is launching a pitch competition and will offer scholarships to the Woven City for startups or individuals who need financial support to bring their ideas to life, Toyoda said.Toyoda first shared his vision five years ago at CES 2020. Back then, the plans was to build a utopian city of sorts, where people would live and work amongst all of Toyotas projects, including its autonomous e-Palette shuttles and robots.But Toyodas vision has since expanded. While on stage, he touched on electric air taxis specifically mentioning Joby Aviation, which it recently invested $500 million into autonomous vehicle tech, and rockets. Yes, rockets.Toyoda elaborated on his interest in rockets following the press conference, noting the idea is to use the technology to build robust telecommunications infrastructure, which will be needed to support autonomous vehicle technology. Woven City has made a 7 billion yen ($44 million) investment into startup Interstellar Technologies Inc. and will leverage Toyotas expertise to support the mass production of rockets. Surprisingly, Toyoda isnt even sure if this effort will make money.I know what you are thinking with this Woven City, will make Toyota any money? Toyoda asked the audience. Well, maybe not, but thats okay, because as global citizens, I believe Toyota has a responsibility to invest in our collective future, to share what weve learned with others, and support New ideas.The company broke ground on the project in February 2021 at the former site of Toyota Motor East Japans Higashi-Fuji Plant in Susono City. The first phase includes buildings designed for co-creation activities. Toyoda said on stage Monday that employees, scientists, entrepreneurs as well as retirees will be invited to live at Woven City.Toyota is also renovating a former TMEJ Higashi-Fuji Plant facility into a manufacturing hub. Workers are preparing a site for Phase 2. However, that likely wont start for some time as the company plans to take what it learned from Phase 1 to help it refine its plans for future development. Some inventors have already joined Woven City, including WbyT, as well as external companies, startups, and individual entrepreneurs. Woven City is also in continued discussions with previously announced companies such as ENEOS Corporation, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, and Rinnai Corporation, according to the company.

Japanese automaker Toyota is exploring rockets, chairman Akio Toyoda just announced on stage at CES 2025, while hinting at the idea of moving people through space.Toyoda did not offer any details explaining what he meant. But he showed a rendering on stage of a rocket designed by Interstellar Technologies, a private Japanese spaceflight company thats working on a small launch vehicle made to put satellites into space.Toyoda was in the middle of explaining how he views his companys myriad technologies as invention by kakezan, or invention by multiplication. When it comes to whats possible when you work together, the skys the limit, he said. After a dramatic pause, he continued: And speaking of the sky, were exploring rockets, too. Because the future of mobility shouldnt be limited to just Earth, or just one car company a possible dig at Tesla, whose CEO Elon Musk is also the founder and CEO of SpaceX.Spaceflight is a wild idea to tease at the end of a press conference, though a move like this has some precedent. Sony surprise-announced it was working on an electric car five years ago at CES and barely gave the news more than a few minutes of stage time.Toyota, meanwhile, has been lambasted for years for its overly cautious stance on developing electric vehicles. Not only does that now look like a prescient move as big automakers scale back their ambitious plans for electrification, maybe Toyota simply had its eyes on a much different prize space.Topics

Procedural FX shot techniques with David SilberbauerDiscover how to use Houdini to create a swamp monster emerging from an environment and dripping with mud. This 5-hour workshop by VFX Artist David Silberbauer is intended to be beginner-friendly but is also valuable for intermediate-level artists.This workshop demonstrates how to manipulate attributes, discusses HeightField and MPM solver basics, explains how to use VDB processes to create sources, and covers the FLIP fluids basics, as well as HeightField scattering, Fluid Meshing, and how to use the MPM workflow. Davids guidance is particularly beneficial for artists wanting to dive into various techniques achievable within Houdini.In this tutorial, David provides a wide range of workflows that benefit FX artists and those wanting an in-depth look at creating a full CG environment with animation, effects, and lighting/compositing, from start to finish. Artists can follow along to make a procedural setup entirely in Houdini no other software is required. The process begins by setting up an animation and then describes how to modify it using simple and efficient methods and tools, such as the Point Deform and TimeShift tools.Learn how a semi-procedural setup can simulate mud flowing down the monster and discover how to optimize the flow speed on the fly. David also details how the new MPM Solver can be best used to achieve the required results without getting stuck in iteration loops or hitting roadblocks. Since MPM can be very resource-expensive, David discusses the importance of what MPM is best for and what its not.David demonstrates efficient workflows for building environments using height fields and shows how to scatter vegetation and process those elements using USD. Finally, he walks through the final scene assembly in USD and demonstrates helpful lighting and rendering techniques to create a polished CG shot worthy of your portfolio.This workshop includes the Houdini file with the mud_monster setup as a downloadable project file.WATCH NOW

Clothing & Cloth Sims with Erika LochsMarvelous Designer is quickly becoming an industry-standard software for creating character clothing and cloth simulation in environment art. Erika Lochs is a principal character artist who uses Marvelous Designer heavily in her professional career and strongly focuses on anything fabric-related.This introductory workshop is for artists who have never used Marvelous Designer or are relatively new to the software. Erikas complete introduction covers the essential features in the 3D and 2D windows and details everything you need to know to get started, including how to navigate Marvelous Designer and how to use avatars.With all the basics covered, Erika then demonstrates how to create a basic denim jacket, working with a pattern provided. Artists can follow along with the workflow from start to finish. Additionally, Erika provides a bonus tutorial tailored for environment artists, focusing on creating a mediaeval tent.Erika utilizes abase mesh by Hamza Ben Salahin this workshop. Project files provided with this workshop include Erikas Marvelous Designer material sheet, her favorite Shortcuts sheet, the Marvelous Designer file for the jacket and tent, and her references and props.WATCH NOW

Germane Barnes: Columnar DisorderThe Art Institute of ChicagoThrough January 27Its difficult to remember much about columns from architecture history class. There are three main ordersDoric, Ionic, Corinthianthough some expand the lineup to five with the addition of Tuscan and Composite. (Im not Googling this right now.) Its hard to recall as time has passed and my synapses have weakened, but also because the columns meaning has changed. Encountering a building lined with decorated motifs chiseled in stone is no longer a moment to appreciate Greco-Roman ideals. Instead we have to confront meanings that are, today, more abstracted: Consider the lil Twitter trad boys whose Grecian avatars are rambling on about symmetry and Donald Trumps insistence that federal buildings should be beautiful againmeaning, European again. By returning to such styles, we could transport ourselves, as the fantasy goes, to a time when the problems of modernity werent in the room with us. No longer are columns structural elements of engineering; their presence demonstrates the chasm of our political binaryred tick for yes, blue for no. The column, and all its baggage, registers ones icky allegiance to tradition. Germane Barnes complicates this discourse in Columnar Disorder, his first solo exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago (AIC). Barnes, who leads his own studio and directs the graduate architecture program at the University of Miami, spent his year as a Rome Prize recipient revisiting historic buildings and ruins; his studies of columns have yielded a very different takeneither allegiance nor engineering. Instead, Columnar Disorder, curated by Irene Sunwoo, John H. Bryan Chair and Curator of Architecture and Design, considers the African diaspora as a foundational history of Western European civilization. Through collages and sculptural works, he presents a revision of the classical column, omitting the Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian designations and substituting his own: Migration, Identity, and Labor. By offering up a fresh vision for classical design, hes quietly upending the boisterous discourse of time-traveling conservatism; rather than attending to the divisions between us, hes considering the column as an object that binds us together.Installation view of Germane Barnes: Columnar Disorder at the Art Institute of Chicago, 2024.Located in the AICs Architecture & Design galleries, the exhibition includes three sets of three individual works; each work bears one title of Barness Migration, Identity, and Labor designations. There is one group of small-scale collages, a trio of small-scale column sculptures that sit on pedestals in the gallerys center, and finally, three large-scale columns (appearing as half-round pilasters) on the gallerys north wall. Three other large-scale collages act as a conceptual anchor, providing a referential footnote to the remainder of the exhibited work. By grouping these three sets, Barnes constructs a physical space to explore his themes of migration, identity, and labor with various materials and at different scales. This strategy smartly relays a conceptual framework for his three column typologies by mimicking broader design process: A collage might represent an early design sketch, while the smaller scale sculptures speak to a prototype, and the final forms are executed at 1:1 scale. Across the exhibition, Barnes presents a precise interpretation of these themes: Migration addresses the forced removal of African peoples under slavery, as well as the broader patterns of African migration to Europe; labor speaks to use of chattel slavery to construct many of the buildings and sites associated with classicism; identity refers to notions of beauty. In his large-scale pilasters, which are arguably the exhibitions centerpieces, these themes manifest literally via distinct materials. The Labor column, fabricated by Quarra Stone Company, appears to be in mid-disintegrationperhaps a nod to the attempts to erode public discourse that pins slave labor as foundational to the countrys economic and civic history. The Identity column, a collaboration with Chicago-based fibers artist Shenequa Brooks, is made from synthetic hair and beads referencing familial traditions of hair braiding. Migration, a wood column produced by Navillus Woodworks, speaks to the slave ships that carried stolen people across the sea.Designed by Germane Barnes, fabricated by Navillus Woodworks. Migration Column III (detail), 2024. Courtesy of the artist.Its notable that the sculptures were created in collaboration with other artists and fabricators. In a conversation held for the exhibitions public opening that included architect and author Mabel O. Wilson, moderated by Lisa akmak, AIC curator of Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium, Barnes spoke about why these relationships were so essential. Architecture wants you to be the single author, the person who does the napkin sketch, and you get all [the] accolades, he said. Thats not how I was raised. I was raisedif you didnt bring home food for everybody, you had to eat in the car. Collectivity and togethernessthe us of it allis embedded in the exhibition.Designed by Germane Barnes, fabricated by Endicott. Labor Column II, 2024. Construction was generously provided by skilled union masons with the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Administrative District Council 1 of Illinois with support from the International Masonry Institute. Courtesy of the artist.Germane Barnes and SHENEQUA. Identity Column III, 2024. Courtesy of the artists.For diasporic peoplesand speaking as one, myselfthe deep connections that run through family and community are embedded in survival and identity, yet the sense of us is also, at times, fraught. In his Labor collage, Barnes centers an image of a young Black child sporting a backpack with the Glovo logo (UberEats, in Europe). In the conversation, he noted that when he was in Italy, he observed the difference between himself, an American, and the African migrants, many who arrived there as refugees. Every time I would see another Black person, it would be a migrant who was typically delivering food or [doing] some other sort of low level labor. Over there, I was American. Over there, I wasnt Black, he said. Yet even though he was perceived as American, these solidarities still exist, even abstractly. Throughout his three large collages, Barnes uses Berber script to annotate his drawings, paying homage to the North African migrants who came to southern Italy. He also explained that the AIC conservators discovered that the paper he had printed and drawn these collages uponthe low-quality stuff that usually covers cafe tables in Italywas composed of recycled paper, including old photographs. Theres a metaphor in there: to use a material made up of old remnants with a new projection of Blackness drawn on top of it. Togetherness, then, becomes not just a matter of what is shared interpersonally, but what is shared temporally.Germane Barnes. Pantheon II, 2023. Courtesy the artist and Nina Johnson. (Greg Carideo/ Germane Barnes)I doubt Barnes had Trumps voice echoing in his head as he produced these drawings or designed his thematic columns; hes not on X arguing with the trads, either. So while some of his representations of identity, labor, and migration feel, at times, quite literal, theres something refreshing about shaking off the pastthe domain of bow-tied architectural history professorsand the present, too, to offer up well-known objects with wholly new meanings. We can find ourselves, and find a life-giving community, in relics. I hope the exhibition, which runs until the end of this month, acts as an invitation for visitors to take on such daunting work themselves, to reexamine divisive objects and reimagine them as temporal links to one another.Anjulie Rao is a journalist and critic covering the built environment.

The role and responsibility religious buildings play in dense city centers around the world is always evolving. In New York City, this past century, vast cathedrals like St. John the Divine have taken on new uses; that building once solely hosted Sunday mass but now, its also used for concerts, lectures, and even tight rope walks by Philippe Petit, among other immersive art performances. A similar story of transformation took place recently in the heart of Beirut, Lebanon. Saint Maroun Church in Gemmayzeh has been a staple of the Lebanese Maronite community since it was built in 1875. This past year, the Roman style church was refurbished by interior designer Marine Bustros and Fadlo Dagher of DHP Architecture.Saint Maroun Church was badly damaged by the 2020 port explosion which rocked Beirut. The building suffered structural damage, deficiencies that were later rectified by Dagher. After the port explosion, and throughout military attacks by Israel on Beirut this year, the church has provided food and shelter for those in need, among other communal functions that replenish the soul.The buildings exterior and structure more broadly was rectified by Dagher. ( Marwan Harmouche)Father Richard Abi Saleh, who leads Saint Maroun, considered how the church could take on new uses, beyond that of worship, after 2020. Now, Saint Maroun Church hosts musical performances, community meetings, and even art exhibitions. To accommodate more people, and functions, Dagher and Bustros ideated a new addition to the church, which gives Father Richard more capacity. That addition, on its exterior, touts a mural by George Merheb, a Lebanese mixed-media artist. The old and new buildings were meshed together by Bustros; both volumes feature the same custom furniture, which unifies the spaces.Before the restoration, the building had burgundy red doors and furniture. (Courtesy Marine Bustros)It was important to keep and highlight the nice elements that were already there, Bustros told AN. The aim of this project was to rethink the design of the church, but in a modern way. We wanted to break away from the traditional elements, like the burgundy reds in the floors and chairs, Bustros added. We also wanted to bring in more light and offer a soothing experience. By removing the carpets, we can now see the very nice marble floor, and by highlighting the beams, doors, and benches in blue, and to see these colors echoed in the arches, its nice.Bustros noted that Father Richard has done concerts, at Saint Maroun since the refurbishment, which has offered calm and respite. Hes been helping the community a lot, Bustros said. During the war, he was helping and hosting families in need, and distributing food.The wooden waves in the benches were meant to emulate 19th-century arches from the original 1875 building. ( Marwan Harmouche)Saint Marouns refurbishment came around the same time a number of immensely important heritage sites were under threat in Lebanon by Israeli bombardment, as reported by AN.On a daily basis we are afraid but we are not afraid for the future, because we are building the future, Father Richard recently told a reporter. Even in times of war, we are artisans of construction and civilization, and we believe that we must take action, not only [by] distributing food or clothes when needed, but also with acts of beauty, for example, the work of arts or music concerts.People need more in life than the bare necessities just to survive, they also need to breathe, to dream and to believe that things are still possible, Father Richard continued. I believe that the real resistance in the life of a community is cultural resistance, to say that we can build the future in everyday acts because humanity is still capable of beautiful things.