In an intimate exchange between Foster + Partners Senior Partner Ben Dobbin and artist Sarah Meyohas, moderated by CULTURED Executive Editor Mara Veitch, The Dalmore brought together leading San Francisco gallerists, designers, and the culturally curious for a conversation over smooth single malt whisky. Earlier this year, Dobbin, who leads the firm’s local office, was tapped by the 180-year-old whisky distillery for the third iteration of its Luminary series.
He’s the latest in a line of architects (previous collaborators include Melodie Leung of Zaha Hadid Architects and Kengo Kuma and Mauricio Mucciola) to partner with the brand on a new design object and signature whisky. For Dobbin, this meant a collaboration with Master Distillers Gregg Glass & Richard Paterson OBE, to create two new limited edition whiskies, Luminary 2025 Edition – The Rare, housed in a unique bronze sculpture and Luminary No.3 – The Collectible, presented with a bespoke case also designed by Dobbin.
The Scene: The Dalmore’s private panel discussion took place at Studio at Mission Rock, a new event venue and flexible workspace by Tishman Speyer. The naturally light-filled space, furnished with comfortable lounge seating, offered a relaxed backdrop for conversations that ranged from architectural constraints to the legacy of art and corporate aesthetics.
The Locale: San Francisco’s design and art crowds gathered within Mission Rock, which offered views of the San Francisco Bay and Bay Bridge, setting the stage for a deep dive into the latest edition of The Dalmore’s Luminary Series.
The Crowd: A precise mix of artists, gallerists, designers, and more—all drawn to the intersection of fine art, commercial practice, and design. Guests included gallerists Aaron Harbor, Jackie Im, Ye-Bhit Hong, and Jen Loman; artist and patron Dorka Keehn; artist Jesse Schlesinger; designers Homan Rajai and Michael Hilal; and architects Simone Martin and Peter Sokoloff, who all avidly tuned into the discussion.
The Occasion: Dobbin and Meyohas traded insights on moving across disciplines and how their work contends with time, space, and corporate culture. The conversation echoed and expanded on their recent feature in the latest issue of CULTURED. “One of the cool things about being an architect is that you’re constantly working across professions … You’re always learning. Every time you’re exposed to something new, it’s a new set of fingerprints on your brain,” Dobbin told the magazine.
Memorable Moment: Guests raised thoughtfully-poured glasses of curated Dalmore cocktails and sipped the maker’s varied range throughout the evening, including Dobbin, who slyly brought his beverage up on stage.
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