In the most exotic VDF video message we received, interior designer Natalie Papageorgiadis explains how she found herself stranded in the Maldives as the world went into lockdown due to coronavirus.

Papageorgiadis is the founder of London-based interior design studio Studio Natalie and appears in the video with its managing director Stuart Trevor on an island in the Maldives.

"We've ended up stranded but it's a really beautiful island and it's virus-free," Trevor said. Papageorgiadis and Trevor came to the island for a project and, despite being stranded there, have continued their work.

"We're using our extended stay to research local materials like driftwood and coral that we've discovered in the local village," Papageorgiadis explained.

Papageorgiadis's video message also features in the VDF launch movie alongside contributions from 34 other architects, designers and artists in lockdown around the world, including Stefano Giovanni, Es Devlin, Ini Archibong, and Bec Brittain. You can watch the full movie here.

She has previously designed several residential and hotel interiors including the Park Hyatt India Tower in Mumbai and the Hilton Hotel and Spa in Kyiv.

Send us a video message

Dezeen invited architects, designers, artists and industry figures to record video messages from lockdown and made a montage of 35 video messages to launch Virtual Design Festival.

We'll be posting an individual video message each day. Check them out here. To submit your own message, see the brief here.

About Virtual Design Festival

Virtual Design Festival runs from 15 April to 30 June 2020. It brings the architecture and design world together to celebrate the culture and commerce of our industry, and explore how it can adapt and respond to extraordinary circumstances.

To find out what's coming up at VDF, check out the schedule. For more information or to join the mailing list, email [email protected].