Kosmos

Well roared, Lion! Many countries have the big cat as their national symbol, but others prefer smaller animals as emblems – some of which are even quite bizarre.

Hamburg likes to call itself “The Gateway to the World”, which detractors say begins outside the city limits … Hamburg does have delicious, cosmopolitan food, though – for instance at Nikkei Nine at the Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in the city center, which was recently awarded two toques by the Gault & Millau restaurant guide.

nikkei-nine.de

Tibetan monks use butter made from the milk of yaks, a type of log-haired cattle, to create intricate works of art. The thick, pasty mass is colored with mineral pigments an kneaded into Buddha, flowers and animals – a feast for the eyes, even for people with no religious belief.

A sauna island, a floating mussel farm or the perfect spot for stargaze? With Copenhagen Islands, architects Marshall Blecher and Magnus Maarbjerg want to revive the Danish capital’s old harbor. The first prototype, a wooden platform with a young linden tree, is already afloat.

copenhagenislands.com

Pedro Estrellas and Filthy Luker need little more than ideas, fabric and air for the fantastical sculptures earning them international acclaim at clubs, corporate events and festivals, and as street art (here in Philadelphia, USA).

designinair.com