In concurrence with the Los Angeles Design Festival, Stockholm-based design brand Hem hosted a festival to celebrate and give back to L.A.’s design community. Hem Fest took place on June 22, 2019, at the Hem and Madera LA Showroom in Los Angeles and featured a variety of activities including a desirable raffle auction, a ping-pong table turned work-station and stick-and-poke tattoos.

The main event starred a raffle auction of reimagined Max Lamb “Last Stools” designed by a pre-selected group of eight local architects and designers: ETC.etera, Kelly Wearstler, LA-Más, Oliver M. Furth, Rapt Studio, Snøhetta, The Archers, and wHY Objects. The proceeds from ticket sales go to LA-Más’ mission to “envision a world where city growth is equitable and self-directed—where the best local solutions are brought to a city-wide scale.”

LA-Más is an L.A.-based non-profit urban design organization that uses a combination of policy and architecture to help lower-income and underserved communities. Founded in 2012 by architect Elizabeth Timme and landscape architect Mia Lehrer, the organizations’ principle is that good architecture and design is not a privilege, but an accessible right. LA-Más is a translator between the people and policy-makers that creates contextual change for growth in L.A. that is fundamentally inclusive.

In the press release, Timme stated the proceeds would support LA-Más’ Backyard Homes Project, “a ‘one-stop-shop’ incentive program that enables the average homeowner to contribute to our city’s affordable housing.” The raffle brought in nearly $3,000.

Hem CEO Petrus Palmer described the brand as “centered around working with vanguard designers to offer future design classics.” In enlisting notable designers with full creative agency, the company aimed to create a fun moment during LADF with a purpose to give back to the city.

Header image: Collection of stools. (Camron NY/Team Camron)