DON'T WASTE I: CAPSULE TALKS

Basile Fournier is a French creative director and founder of Studio Basile Fournier, working across art, visual identity, digital environments, and spatial storytelling. His practice develops visual ecosystems for brands, institutions, and independent voices seeking clarity, including Balenciaga, Chanel, Marine Serre, and Off-White.What if design is not about style, but constructing a system that can evolve without losing meaning?Basile’s work is rooted in arts, structure, research, and iteration. From early explorations in graphic language to building flexible visual ecosystems for contemporary brands, his approach resists decoration and focuses instead on coherence over time. He speaks about independence, long-term thinking, and why a visual identity should behave more like architecture than advertising.In this episode, Basile reflects on building a studio without shortcuts, navigating doubt while protecting creative standards, and the tension between intuition and methodology. We discuss discipline, authorship, collaboration, and why visual culture today demands systems that can absorb complexity rather than fight it.

René van Dijk is the founder of Rene.Studio, and a scenographer and visual artist, working at the intersection of music, light, and large-scale live experience. Based in Amsterdam, he creates visual and lighting shows for electronic music artists and festivals, including Camelphat, Charlotte de Witte, Adriatique, and Tomorrowland, as well as for fashion brands like Louis Vuitton and Moncler — from intimate clubs to stages holding tens of thousands of people. What happens when learning takes place in real time — without the safety of pause, reset, or a second take? René’s path moves from a rural childhood in the north of the Netherlands, through gaming and early animation experiments, into Amsterdam’s nightlife — where projection, music, and space collided for the first time. Without formal mentors, he learned by doing, failing, and slowly earning responsibility. A personal breaking point led him away from commercial work and into months of solitude in the Himalayas, where stillness, walking, and self-observation reshaped his approach to creativity and ambition. In this episode, René speaks about intuition over planning, learning through mistakes, and why growth often arrives later than you expect — but stronger because of it. We talk about live decision-making under extreme pressure, trust within teams, losing clients to make space for better ones, and why beauty, emotion, and shared experience still matter in a world obsessed with optimisation and speed.

Ben Wright is the co-founder and creative director of Pretty Soon, working across brand, culture, music, and sport. His path moves from Perth’s tight-knit creative scene to New York’s intensity, to Kuala Lumpur, and by moments that opened doors, including collaborations with brands and people like Nike, Puma, Under Armour and ASAP Rocky. Today, he leads a studio built on instinct, clarity, and care for the people he works with. What if confidence isn’t something you arrive at, but something you rebuild, again and again, as life changes around you? Ben’s philosophy centres on emotional awareness, leadership, and creative responsibility. He believes good work emerges when you understand your limits, recognise the signs, and create from presence rather than fear. His approach is shaped by fatherhood, stretches of self-doubt, and the discipline of learning to trust his own judgement. In this episode, Ben talks about the weight of performance, the years he spent overworking, and the moment he realised ambition needed a new definition. We explore confidence, imposter syndrome, the pressure of raising a studio from scratch, and the quiet work behind rebuilding a creative identity. A conversation about resilience, emotional maturity, and the courage to lead with honesty.

Chiara Tomassi is an architect and designer based between Milan and Rome. Her career spans some of Europe’s most ambitious cultural and fashion projects, from MVRDV, AL_A, and MCA Architects to the Victoria & Albert Museum, Russian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, and Nike EMEA Campus. Today, at 2050+, she focuses on transformation over new construction, creating meaning through restraint, awareness, and time. What if balance isn’t found in doing more, but in learning to do less, with care and intention? Chiara’s story is one of rebuilding and redefining ambition. She shares how she learned to slow down, to stop proving herself to others, and to treat time as a material in itself, something to shape rather than chase. Her perspective turns architecture into a reflection of life: a discipline where awareness, empathy, and adaptability matter as much as vision. In this episode, Chiara speaks about the pressures of performance, the role of presence in design, and the art of finding rhythm between work and recovery. We talk about leaving cities, returning home, and the power of being gentle with yourself, your collaborators, and your process.

Willem de Kam is a Rotterdam-based photographer whose work captures the tension between order and chaos in everyday life — from commercial campaigns and city streets to football stadiums and social rituals. His lens focuses on the spaces where people express identity, belonging, and emotion, from the terraces of Feyenoord to the quiet intimacy of personal moments.What if photography isn’t about control, but about learning to see what’s already there?Willem’s path began in graphic design before he found freedom in photography. Over the years, his work has grown into a study of human behaviour: how we organise chaos, how we perform in public, and how emotion becomes identity.In this episode, Willem reflects on discipline, insecurity, and the balance between being a fan, an observer, and an artist. We talk about documenting football culture from the inside, the power of physical books in a digital world, and why empathy defines great photography.

Thomas Subreville is director of ILL-STUDIO — a post-disciplinary practice operating between art, architecture, fashion, and cultural research. Based in Paris, Thomas has spent the last two decades conceptualising and creating projects that challenge perception and blur the boundaries between commercial and critical work. His collaborations span from Louis Vuitton, Nike, and Chanel to Mercedes-Benz, Graphpaper, and Colette, all infused with ILL-Studio’s signature mix of thought, fiction, and form.What if the most radical thing you can do is think for yourself?In this episode, Thomas speaks about the need to unlearn conventions, protect freedom, and structure chaos. He explains why creativity can’t exist without time, how skateboarding shaped his view of independence, and why work and play are part of the same system. We talk about rejecting traditional education, navigating ADHD, and redefining success not through deliverables but through perspective, trust, and cultural context.

Joachim Baan is a creative director, photographer, and brand strategist based in Utrecht. Together with Christoph van Veghel, he leads Another Everything — a consultancy creating outstanding brands and cultural projects through strategy, design, and execution. His career has moved between independent studios, publishing, and global agencies, with collaborations for Nike, Rapha, KLM, Van Gogh Museum, Red Wing Shoes, Skins Cosmetics, and Atelier Munro. Always guided by controlled chaos and storytelling, Joachim has built an ecosystem that blends aesthetics, strategy, and cultural depth. What if the strongest brands — and lives — are built not on data, but on stories? In this episode, Joachim speaks about resisting hustle culture, balancing chaos with control, and why he believes sameness is killing creativity. He reflects on building brands with history, the struggle with consumerism, and the role of taste in predicting the future. We talk about his health challenges, his project Speed of Solitude, and how long-distance running taught him lessons no studio ever could. Above all, Joachim shows that creativity is not about perfection, but about curiosity, resilience, and the courage to make the world a little more beautiful.

Tom Dorresteijn is Partner and Strategy Director at Studio Dunbar, part of the global DEPT network. His path has been anything but linear: from exploring the possibility of entering a conservatory, to studying and working in communications, to becoming the strategist of the design studio behind brands like OpenAI, Instagram and Spotify.What if the highest performance comes not from forcing — but from loosening up and daring to discover your true core?Tom’s philosophy is rooted in intuition and culture. He believes organisations reach their highest performance when individuals dare to discover their true core — not by forcing, but by loosening up, shedding appearances, and building from authenticity. At Studio Dunbar, this translates into a culture that is both tough and supportive: constant reviews, radical openness, and a demand for quality that pushes people to grow.In this episode, Tom speaks about his own journey and the lessons of working with clients, and the balance between empathy and professionalism. He explains why strategy is never about models or trends, but about reading people, culture, and context — and why without strategy, “life is what happens to you.” If you want to understand how one of the most respected design studios in the world thinks about growth, culture, and the future of branding, this is the episode to listen to.

Daria Zvereva is a creative strategist, cultural connector, and architectural thinker currently working at AMO—the think tank of OMA—alongside Samir Bantal. Originally from Crimea, Daria fled her home twice—first during the 2014 occupation, and again in 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine. With no passport and no guarantees, she crossed borders by bus and train until she reached Rotterdam, where she joined OMA as an intern and carved her path into creative direction.In this episode, we trace her remarkable journey—from dancer and refugee to architect and curator. Daria shares what it means to choose freedom over safety, how hip-hop culture shaped her way of thinking, and why she believes architecture must evolve beyond buildings to serve as a vehicle for systems, curation, and radical imagination. We talk about mentors, identity, decision-making, and why the most powerful form of support is often learning to back yourself, even when you don’t like yourself yet.She reflects on working closely with Samir Bantal, the value of being a dot connector over a title holder, and how she helps others access resources to bring their creative visions to life. This isn’t just a story of resilience—it’s a manifesto for future-making, one bold, terrifying, and beautiful decision at a time.00:00 Introduction and Greetings00:21 Daria's Background and Name01:14 Career Journey and Challenges02:14 Life in Crimea and Moving to Moscow04:57 Architectural Career and Personal Growth07:59 Impact of War and Relocation to the Netherlands10:11 Starting Over in the Netherlands15:22 Personal Reflections and Self-Support20:01 Joy and Inspiration27:32 Authenticity and Future Potential29:45 Exploring the Concept of 'More'30:33 Personal Preferences and Self-Identification31:46 Responsibility and Societal Change32:59 Mentorship and Influences39:53 Career Evolution and Architecture42:00 The Role of Creative Directors46:00 Personal Branding vs. Universe Building47:54 Fashion as a Discipline49:46 Learning from Fashion Mentors58:44 Dreams and Aspirations

Inger Kammeraat is the Executive Director of ULI Netherlands and a strategic adviser on sustainability, equity, and leadership in the built environment. With a background in architecture and over five years as Managing Director at MVRDV—one of the most prominent architecture firms globally. But behind the titles is a deeper story.In this episode, Inger reflects on her journey from Mozambique to Uganda to managing a global architecture firm with over 350 employees. She shares what it means to lead with values, how to find clarity in transitions, and why trusting your gut can be the most strategic decision.We talk about how to build a culture with care, lead without ego, and why intuition is more strategic than we think. She also discusses the power of reflection and journaling and why she focuses on improving this world.This is a conversation for anyone at a crossroads—personally or professionally—seeking more honest leadership, social equity, and sustainable progress.Chapters:Starting the Day: Between Intuition and RoutineGrowing Up in Zeeland and Choosing Architecture Without a PlanEarly Fieldwork in the Bijlmer: Learning Through PeopleDiscovering That Organising, Not Designing, Was Her PathThe Power of Taking Responsibility Early in Your CareerFinding Energy in Building Processes, Not Just BuildingsFrom Working Student to Managing Director at MVRDVLeadership, Trust, and Letting Others GrowStaying Calm When Things Fall ApartMozambique: A Turning Point in Perspective and ResilienceThe Challenge of Leadership During the PandemicThe Compliment Notebook: Holding On to KindnessStaying True to Yourself in Fast-Paced EnvironmentsSustainability as a Lifestyle and ResponsibilityBeing a Human Being First, Always

Telmo Pieper is an image-maker, painter, and mural artist—best known as one half of the internationally acclaimed duo Telmo Miel. His large-scale murals and studio works blend surrealism, realism, and precision, creating visually stunning pieces that can be found across Europe, the US, Argentina, and Australia.In this episode, Telmo shares his journey from skipping art school classes to paint graffiti, to traveling the world for large-scale commissions, and now stepping into a new era of personal artistic exploration. He opens up about the tension between creative freedom and financial stability, the physical toll of mural painting, and how injury pushed him toward new artistic directions. We also discuss the mental discipline behind long-term artistic success, the challenges of working in public spaces, and why every artist needs to embrace uncertainty to grow.This is an episode for anyone looking to build a creative career, find balance in ambition, and redefine what it means to create on your own terms.

Piet Oudolf is one of the most influential landscape designers of our time. Known for his groundbreaking work on the High Line in New York and the Lurie Garden in Chicago, his naturalistic planting style has redefined public and private landscapes worldwide.In this episode, Piet reflects on his decades-long career, from his early days working in a bar to discovering his passion for plants and design. He shares the risks and leaps of faith that shaped his journey, the importance of failure in creative work, and how he has maintained his drive and curiosity well into his late 80s. We also discuss his partnership with his wife, Anja, who played a crucial role in his success, and the balance between artistic integrity and working with clients.Tune in for a rare, intimate conversation with a pioneer of garden design who proves that true creativity is a lifelong pursuit.For more information:dontwaste-i.comoudolf.com