We are all familiar with kintsugi, the Japanese technique of fixing broken ceramics with gold as a way to turn something imperfect into something precious, a practice that is in fact part of a wider Japanese philosophy called wabi-sabi, which sees all imperfect and incomplete things as possessing a beauty of their own. Wabi-sabi also appreciates irregularity, asymmetry and transience, hence its love for natural materials and shapes: a pebble, a branch, a handmade clay vessel, all these things share a certain roughness, simplicity and uniqueness that makes them beautiful, despite their imperfect shape and texture.

Ukrainian architect Sergey Makhno brings together Japanese aesthetics with the tradition of his country in this stunning penthouse apartment he designed for his own family. The two-storey apartment boasts a carefully designed interior that is in stark contrast with the concrete cityscape outside: all the walls have been finished with clay in a technique used for old Ukrainian houses, while the rough wooden beams that support the ceiling and doorways are another rustic reference. Despite its rural look and feel, the apartment is equipped with contemporary amenities that guarantee a comfortable lifestyle for its inhabitants.