Design For Action – design thinking, in it’s murky, undefinable glory, is on the cover of Harvard Business Review. As design has moved further from the world of products, its tools have been adapted and extended into a distinct new discipline: design thinking. Arguably, Nobel laureate Herbert Simon got the ball rolling with the 1969 …
I saw this project today, and I was fascinated by it. It’s called Not Granola, by Aaron Rappaport. It’s a Panton Chair. But it’s made out of grass and clay. Does that fundamentally change the nature of the chair? I know that there are physical differences between clay and plastic, and the way they feel …
Strictly speaking, innovation isn’t a requirement of outdoor furniture. There are plenty of terrible benches and tables and streetlights in the world. However, when people actively choose to innovate, great things can happen. Landscape Forms is a furniture manufacturer that is astoundingly focused on design thinking. They design outdoor furniture, and you’ve probably seen their …
The Art Institute of Chicago is fantastic. It’s on par with the DIA in terms of awesomeness and significance of collection. The layout of the museum feels like it’s evolved through several additions, and it’s not particularly easy to navigate. They have a lot of well known works, like A Sunday Afternoon on the …
When I was a young’n, I became interested in Eames furniture, like so many young people do. This led me to mid century furniture, which led me to the whole of furniture, which led me to the whole of design. It’s a gateway drug, Eames furniture. It just seemed so perfect, everything was molded plywood …
In my ideal office, I have a Nelson Swag Leg Desk. I keep nothing on this desk, because I have no irrelevant desk rubble. All I have is my computer and a few Mad Men style desk accessories. I don’t even have a power cord for my computer, it just has infinite energy. It’s a beautiful system. …
TEDxGR was this past Thursday, and I happened to be there as a volunteer. Most of what I saw were the exhibits and lunch that happened at Kendall, but I got to watch a few talks on the video feed as well. Steelcase sponsored an exhibit of their furniture arranged in sitting areas, with their …
Marc Newson is a pretty big deal.He’s a $1.5 million Lockheed Lounge kind of big deal. I’m amazed by him, not by his designs (although they are amazing) but by the influence he’s had over contemporary design and the size of his career, overall. Everything he touches turns futuristic and otherworldly, and that’s the same aesthetic …