The two 56-floor towers of the Avenue South Residences, slated to rise 630 feet above Singapore’s Bukit Merah district, will become the world’s tallest prefabricated buildings by the time they open in 2023. Designed by ADDP Architects using Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction, the towers will feature nearly 3,000 vertically stacked “modules” that are assembled nearby in Malaysia. The building method, which has proven popular recently in Singapore, reduces waste and noise pollution on-site, minimizing disruptions to those living nearby.

To create the modules, a series of six-sided boxes are cast in concrete at a factory. The units are then transported to a facility in Singapore to be fitted out and furnished before being moved to the site. Nearly complete upon arrival, the modules are lifted by crane into position and “stitched up” to form a load-bearing frame. Markus Cheng Thuan Hann, an associate partner at ADDP, likens the process to “a car manufacturing concept, but for the building industry,” he tells CNN. “This method helps to reduce noise, and it can reduce waste because the workmanship in a factory is much better controlled.” Fewer workers are needed on the construction site—an added benefit in the wake of Covid-19.

Though the Avenue South Residences will overtake the world’s current tallest prefab, Singapore’s 459-foot-tall Clement Canopy (also designed by ADDP), Hann doesn’t think his firm’s latest project will be surpassed in height anytime soon. “I think 56 stories will be the tallest in Singapore for the time being,” he says. “I don’t think we’ll stretch any further. It’s concrete, and we have to lift it very high. Depending on if new technology or more lightweight construction is developed, maybe there’s a chance we can go higher.”

Have a news story our readers need to see? Submit it here.

At first glance, the paintings of Susan Vecsey evoke both Color Field masterworks and landscapes, though they’re neither one nor the other—each work toes a fine line between abstraction and representation. This quality informs “In Between,” a solo exhibition of 15 of her latest paintings at Berry Campbell Gallery in New York. To create her works, which were inspired by painters like Henri Matisse and Mark Rothko, Vecsey applies multiple layers of oil paint to linen surfaces. The results are compelling compositions that are filled with ideas about perspective, repetition, and arrangement.

According to Etsy’s Q2 earnings report, the online product marketplace drove a staggering $346 million in mask sales, which accounts for 14 percent of total sales across independent sellers. Though the numbers seem promising, Etsy CEO Josh Silverman maintains a cautious optimism about the trend’s long-term sustainability. He called the numbers “pretty volatile” and “hard to predict,” but notes that sales tend to increase when the Center for Disease Control shares new recommendations. Not all masks are created equal, either, and some even provide poor protection—Etsy instructed sellers to not make claims that masks can actually prevent the spread of Covid-19, though they do go a long way.

Reach the design world every morning. Find out more about advertising in the Design Dispatch.

When: Aug. 11–30

Where: Barbican Centre, London

What: Unfurling across the nearly 300-foot-long gallery of Barbican’s The Curve is an epic cycle of 40 new monumental portraits executed in pastel, charcoal, and chalk that explore an imagined ancient myth conceived by Ojih Odutola. Set within a surreal landscape inspired by the rock formations of Plateau State in central Nigeria, the works depict the tale of a fictional prehistoric civilization dominated by female rulers and served by male laborers, investigating the power dynamics at play. A soundscape by Peter Adjaye, meanwhile, fills the surroundings.

Iota is a social project striving to design beautiful handmade objects for the interior while creating jobs for underprivileged women worldwide. Iota’s foundations are based on three fundamentals: the use of handmade elements to create new, unexpected designs; the usage of bespoke yarns manufactured exclusively for Iota; and being a social business guided by conscious commerce principals.

Surface Says: Iota’s artisan-made textiles result in cozy, knit home décor offerings such as rugs, poufs, and—our favorite—swings. Its objective of teaching skills to and employing low-income women falls in line with Surface’s commitment to highlighting innovative, sustainable brands that are moving the needle.

Peeled ceramic bananas are the sculptor Koji Kasatani’s go-to material.

This lightweight helmet mimics the voronoi patterns found in animal bones.

Adrian Martinus transforms old skateboards into sustainable home décor.

Behold a visual essay about gendered physical descriptions in literature.