What’s Happening: One year out from the first whistle, the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics unveil an elegant torch designed by hometown luminary Mathieu Lehanneur, who imbued the emblem with Parisian lore and clarion calls for equality.

The Download: Olympic torches often reflect the current narratives and sensibilities of their home city. Cherry blossoms informed the 2020 Tokyo torch, which Tokujin Yoshioka envisioned as a symbol of rebirth following 2011’s Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. The 2000 Sydney Torch took cues from the Sydney Opera House’s haphazard forms; a German eagle was etched into the 1936 Berlin Torch in a cocky display of pre-war nationalism. So when Mathieu Lehanneur won the competition to design the torch for next year’s games in Paris, he wove in nods to sustainability, peace, and equality, themes affecting his hometown and the games at large.

They coalesce in a champagne-hued steel torch imbued with Lehanneur’s signature whimsy and tempered with an elemental rigor. What appears to be two mirrored bottles—one smooth and matte, the other rippling and reflective—fused together at their bottom is a poignant statement on equality. The Paris Games marks the first in history to feature an equal number of male and female participants, as well as the first time the Olympics and Paralympics share the same torch design. The lower half nods to the River Seine; peace manifests via soft curves. “It plays on perfect symmetry, speaking to us more clearly about equality,” Lehanneur says. “I wanted it to be pure, iconic, almost elemental.”

Perhaps not immediately clear is the torch’s strides toward sustainability, a top-of-mind issue for a city faced with shutting off its sparkling national symbol, the Eiffel Tower, as an unprecedented energy crisis ensnared Europe this past fall. Unlike most host cities, Paris opted to use 95 percent existing or temporary venues to curb the Games’ staggering carbon footprint—and avoid a cityscape littered with abandoned venues. These issues were of importance to Lehanneur, who envisioned a simple design necessitating fewer components to make for easy assembly and disassembly. Only 2,000 torches will be employed along the route (as opposed to 12,000 normally) and they’ll all be made of recycled steel.

In Their Own Words: “We were looking for a strong message bearing in this case, of course, the message of peace and unity, but also a symbol of parity,” Joachim Roncin, the Paris 2024 head of design, told WWD. “We had something in mind [that] it’s not only about a shape, it’s also about something—a message we want to share with the rest of the world.”

Surface Says: We can’t help but see a giant vape.

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Honolulu-based studio The Vanguard Theory has breathed new life into a Brutalist building, transforming it into the vibrant Wayfinder Waikiki that pays homage to Hawaii’s multicultural fabric. The hotel’s décor is a blend of Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Filipino, and European influences, creating a distinct Kama’aina style throughout the 228 guest rooms and public spaces.

Blending concrete surfaces, leather furniture, plants, and floral prints, the lobby is the place to fuel up on beans from Maui roaster Social Hour Coffee. Guests spend languid days by the 70-foot saltwater “lagoon” pool, then head to the all-day restaurant Redfish for authentic Hawaiian poke. Don’t miss Lost + Found, the poolside tropical speakeasy turning out elevated takes on classic tiki drinks like the Sparkling Mai Tai and Tomkha Milk Punch.

Today marks the first day of “Create – 21st Century Architecture and Design,” the latest online auction hosted by Simon De Pury, known as the auction world’s “Mick Jagger.” It channels the multi-hyphenate’s passion for architecture and design into a veritable showcase of today’s top talents, ranging from established names like Rick Owens and Ron Arad to up-and-comers like Ifeanyi Oganwu. Three percent of proceeds will be put aside to support MoMA’s Architectural and Design Department, the first curatorial department of its kind. Among the highlights are an aluminum Trilobal table by Ross Lovegrove, bronze Boudoir Ekorce candleholders by Ingrid Donat, and a set of Sea Anemone lamps by Pia Maria Raeder.

Mesmerized by videos of gastrointestinal surgeries viewed over her mother’s shoulder as a child, the Chinese painter rhythmically abstracts the body inside and out in all its dark, enveloping glory.

Here, we ask an artist to frame the essential details behind a recent work.

Bio: Zhang Zipiao, 30, Beijing

Title of work: Spider 02 (2023).

Where to see it: LGDR, New York, until July 28.

Three words to describe it: Intimate, grotesque, fierce.

An interesting feature that’s not immediately noticeable: The way the legs are structured. I find spiders fascinating for their beautiful form—it allows you to deconstruct and you can go even further from my painting.

Known for its modern apothecary-style products, Malin + Goetz recently expanded with a new store in New York’s Moynihan Train Hall and an exciting collaboration with art collective Brain Dead. To celebrate the 16th birthday of the brand’s cannabis scent, originally inspired by co-founder Matthew Malin’s time in Amsterdam, they teamed with Brain Dead on a limited-edition, bright green candle featuring heady illustrations and a companion perfume oil. The candle combines bergamot, black pepper, cannabis, magnolia, patchouli, and sandalwood to evoke the essence of hazy afternoons immersed in music. $68

Imagine a universe much older than previously believed—not merely 13.7 billion years, but a grand 26.7 billion years old, as revealed by a study conducted by Rajendra Gupta, an adjunct professor of physics at the University of Ottawa. This discovery challenges our fundamental understanding of the universe and may solve the enigma of the “impossible early galaxy problem.” By reinterpreting redshift phenomena and considering evolving coupling constants, Gupta’s model stretches the galaxy formation time, offering a more accurate picture of the universe and shedding light on some of its greatest mysteries.

Gaggenau is a German manufacturer of high-quality home appliances. Founded in 1683, the company is one of the most important names in kitchen design and is represented in more than 50 countries with showrooms around the world.

Surface Says: There’s a reason few brands in the high-end kitchen appliance arena are more revered than Gaggenau. It comes down to an unrivaled combination of engineering and style.

NYC Bodypainting Day transformed all types of bodies into a public canvas.

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