- Interior
A visit to Quarters, a gallery tucked away in a loft in Tribeca, New York, offers much more than just a design experience; it is a dive into the refined craftsmanship of In Common With. Founded in 2018 by Felicia Hung and Nick Ozemba, the Brooklyn-based lighting studio stands out for its unique balance between artistry and functionality.
Every piece that leaves their studio is not just an object, but the result of a subtle interplay between material, maker and light. In Common With operates at the intersection of design, technology and traditional craftsmanship. The founders have a background in industrial design, but their approach is deeply human-centred. They believe in the emotional power of light – how it can define space, evoke atmosphere and reveal texture. Their collections often blur the boundaries between object and atmosphere, resulting in lighting that feels both timeless and experimental. 
Their latest collection, Strata, is a striking example of this. Here, light is not seen merely as a source of illumination, but as a material that can be shaped, sculpted and carefully layered. Two advanced techniques are central to the collection. The first technique applies ground glass powder to a glass surface using screen printing tools, creating subtle variations in transparency and light intensity. The second technique draws on traditional mosaic work, bringing together glass shards to create compositions that celebrate imperfection and tactility.
An encounter between technology and tangibility, between precision and poetry
The aesthetic character of Strata reflects a careful dialogue with history and art. The designers draw inspiration from Bauhaus principles – clean geometry, honest materials and the unity of form and function – and at the same time from the rich, handmade tradition of Gee's Bend quilts, crafted by generations of African-American women in a small village in Alabama known for its powerful textile art.
Through this synthesis of innovation and tradition, In Common With shows what lighting can be: an encounter between technology and tangibility, between precision and poetry. Experiencing the studio's work at Quarters feels like seeing light become tangible – a silent, luminous dialogue between craftsmanship and imagination.
In Common With - Villa Borsani © William Jess Laird
Text by Elke Aerts