Journal
Sharing the same vision and values, we teamed up as friends — Joko in old-Japanese — and started an online journal to portray inspiring places, objects and people. An initiative that naturally led us towards the beginning of Studio Joko.
Studio Joko Book Launch
Citrus fragrances, vibrant colors, and warm hospitality – our recent book launch took us back to those joyful Moroccan moments. Hosted at The White Door Studio, the event was a memorable gathering to celebrate our travel publication, Marrakech, Morocco – A visual travel essay by Studio Joko.
Dar Sabra, Marrakech
Today’s free-spirited travel zeitgeist encourages us to discover places otherwise missed, guiding those in the know to gems like Dar Sabra, a boutique resort nestled amongst palm trees in La Palmeraie. Surrounded by extraordinary sights, a sense of allure and artistry will hold you in its charm.
Santorini, Greece
Santorini, the balcony of the Aegean, is a small archipelago belonging to the Cyclades. Its origin story reads as an eternal interplay of man and the realm of nature; volcanic eruption shaped the geology of the islands.
Egypt, North Africa
Called by the alluring Saharan sands and ever fascinated by MENA cultures and architecture, we recently travelled from Amsterdam to Northern Africa to visit the sacred land of Egypt for a visual exploration.
Lrnce, Marrakech
Colors, graphics and materials. Those are the words that pop up when we think of the talented Laurence Leenaert, who designs textile-and-more with her label LRNCE. Her work reminds of the traditional artisanship of the Middle East and North Africa, and that is not without a reason. In fact, every blanket, pillow and porcelain cup is handcrafted in one of the most beautiful cities of Morocco: Marrakech.
Yoli & Otis, Canggu Bali
Yoli & Otis is a delightful celebration of minimal design and aesthetics sourced from nature. Dreamed up a couple of years ago by Lena Catterick and her partner, out of a love for sustainable design and natural materials. With parents that were among the first drift of hippie travellers to visit Bali, it was only a matter of time before the couple opened up a brick-and-mortar store in the south coast of the island.
Legzira Coast, Morocco
Turning our lenses to a sight of rust coloured stone arches, formations shaped by water and wind. The whimsy and wonder of Morocco’s sweeping coves leaves us in awe – a feeling that challenges our understanding of the natural world. Its forceful presence opposed to our insignificance feels strangely comforting.
Coffee Sometime, Amsterdam
A singular spark of Scandinavian minimalism settled down in the heart of Amsterdam. Persuaded by the fragrant aroma of freshly brewed coffee in the air, we slow down our pass to warm welcome this new local charm to the city’s café culture.
Mansur Gavriel, New York
In the dapper Soho neighbourhood, one can enter the dreamy world of Mansur Gavriel - elegant, sophisticated and pink. Dazzling pink. Established by founders Rachel Mansur and Floriana Gavriel, the store opened its doors in 2016 as a pop-up venture, but decided to keep their sign on the wall until recently. Feeling happy to have visit the store just in time, as Mansur announced their closing date a couple of days ago.
Museo LagOmar, Lanzarote
César Manrique's love affair with Lanzarote has been a long and abundant one. The legacy of his work holds an eternal allure, defined by his sculptural architecture and his respect for nature. Lagomar - a true home away from home - is one of César’s finest gems. Fueled with his adoration for Lanzarote’s rugged landscape, the property is formed around the same rocks from which it was built. Embracing its natural labyrinths, caves and solidified lava against a backdrop of tropical flora.
Corfu, Greece
Greece, an almost ethereal country with its mythological history. When we visited Corfu, one of Greece's most greenest gems, we only had eyes for one element the island had to offer: the mesmerizing nature.
Fundació Mies van der Rohe, Barcelona
Right at the base of Barcelona’s Montjuïc hill, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe built a minimalist marble framework that plays with material, light and openness. When stepping inside the monument, you might find yourself wondering what space exactly you have entered. An elegant aesthetic and rich materials give away its importance, but the lack of decoration will make you think twice about this intriguing piece of architecture. The true function of the building dates all the way back to 1929, when Mies van der Rohe was asked to build a meeting place for the International Exhibition of Barcelona.
Red & Rose valley, Cappadocia Turkey
Turkey is home to a wide variety of stunning landscapes and geographical wonders. This summer, the country sparked our wanderlust with one of its natural wonders: the dreamy Red & Rose valley of Cappadocia. Created in the early miocene era (10 million years ago), the pastel-toned and organic shaped valleys were sculpted by the eruptions of volcanoes. They were formed by erosion of the tufa layer, as a result of wind and flood water running down the slopes of the valleys.
Atelier Paradis, Amsterdam
Welcome to Atelier Paradis - a studio, boutique and the creative world of Dutch designer Patricia Hofstede. Atelier Paradis is housed in a small space, complemented by the charm of Amsterdam's oldest neighbourhood: the Jordaan. Greeted by a palmtree outside the store, we enter the place in awe. As we wander around, we suddenly feel this tendency to experience and touch every object, and every material.
Fundación César Manrique, Lanzarote
Adrift in the endless navy surface of the Atlantic Ocean is Lanzarote; an island with the most extraordinary geology we've ever been able to admire. Almost as intriguing as the lunar landscape, is one of the island’s most renown figures: César Manrique (1919 – 1992). He was a painter, sculptor, architect, ecologist and monument preserver; he was a visionary artist who defined Lanzarote as it stands today.
Lanzarote, Spain
Lanzarote is beautiful in the wildest sense of the word. Visiting the Canary island, we were offered an extraordinary palette of colour and texture, of ash black sand and rust red soils. The landscape covered in black and reddish rocks, craters and volcanic cones, remind us of how imposing nature can be.
Jardin Majorelle, Marrakech
In a city where almost all buildings are painted red, the Jardin Majorelle is a blue enlightening that is unique in its kind. Created by the French artist Jacques Majorelle, the garden looks like it is composed and colored like one of his orientalist watercolor paintings.
Jnane Tamsna, Marrakech
Beyond the dusty red city walls of Marrakech, a prominent yellow coloured guest house is hiding out. Set on nine acres of landscaped palm-dotted gardens, Jnane Tamsna is the ultimate sense of colour, space and light.
La Pause, Marrakech
Just about half an our drive from the busy Medina of Marrakech, there is La Pause – a place so secluded even some Marrakchi haven’t heard of. Surrounded by infinite red arid hills that are part of the Agafay desert, the eco-resort covers a green valley of Olive and Argan trees.
Marrakech, Morocco
“There are certain places on the surface of the earth that possess more magic than others, and one of those places is Marrakech" - Paul Bowles
In the middle of the 11th century Marrakech consisted only of a fortress, the Kasbah, founded by an Amazigh tribe from the Atlas mountains. Brick by brick a city carrying a mythical sort of magic arises, with red-tinted houses that reflect the light like rose quartz gems. With this one underlying design principle named red sandstone, remarkable squares, gardens and mosques were build and Marrakech became the Red City.