rooted in craft - guided by design - made by people
About
People of the Sun is a design brand rooted in craft, place, and materiality. Founded in 2012 by architect Maria Haralambidou, it brings together indigenous skill and contemporary design to shape refined objects that carry the story of their makers — inviting a slower, more intentional way of living.
Maria's story
From High-End Residential projects in london to hands-on work in malawian villages
A journey into Craft and Place
After eight years in high-end architectural offices in London, I felt most alive in the last place I expected — a remote village in Zimbabwe, surrounded by 2,000 basket weavers.
Why? Because something clicked. The human connection, the rhythm of the land and the realisation that design can be such a powerful tool when used with intention. It can preserve culture, elevate skill, and shape new ways of living. Back in 2012, before “social enterprise” became a trend, I saw this as both a calling and a creative opportunity.
I set off for Malawi — walking dusty markets, visiting remote villages, talking with artisans, and understanding how things were truly made. There were no artisan cooperatives and no systems in place — just people creating remarkable things with their hands and ingenuity.
I began building relationships and developing new designs using the same local techniques. Step by step, a network of artisans began to take shape. We weren’t just making products — we were creating a shared language, rooted in craft, collaboration and the spirit of pushing boundaries.
People of the Sun was born from that experience: a design brand shaped from the ground up — rooted in design, collaboration, craftsmanship, and the principles of slow living. Design here isn’t abstract. It responds to place, it grows from craft and it challenges both — to stay alive, to stay relevant, to stay beautiful.
a brand in evolution
Today, People of the Sun is evolving — from a grassroots journey into a refined design brand.
Rooted in its origins, it now looks ahead with a renewed focus on curated collections, capsule collaborations, and storytelling that bridges craft, culture, and design.
the house of sun: a full circle
This year, the journey came in full circle with the completion of the House of Sun — a bespoke home in Rome crafted with Italian artisans.
Rooted in the same values of materiality, slowness, and story, it reflects a continued commitment to design as a way of living — quiet, intentional, and deeply human.
Together, these chapters form a continuous thread. From early days in Malawian villages to the evolution of a refined design brand, and now into architectural space.
Product, place, and story continue to shape the heart of People of the Sun. What began as a journey into making has grown into a holistic design language — where objects, collections, and environments all speak with the same voice.
