The Art of Poetry

I still own the first copy of Poetry magazine I ever bought; the May 1981 issue aptly titled “First Appearances.” The simple two-color cover, once a fluorescent sea-green, is now badly faded, and the line drawing of a flying horse (Pegasus) illustrated by James Thurber is largely obscured by what looks like an ugly oil-stain.
READ MORE

PLACES : TIM CULVAHOUSE

Stoop, Balcony, Pilot House: Making It Right in the Lower Ninth Ward

For years now the rebuilding of the Lower Ninth Ward after the post-Katrina floods has been a fraught and controversial process — undercut by political incompetence, environmental concerns and scarce funding. Started by movie star/architecture buff Brad Pitt in 2007, the Make It Right Foundation has been the most visible catalyst for repopulating the neighborhood. Architect and author Tim Culvahouse, who is writing a book on New Orleans, assesses the progress of the program, and how well its various house models, designed by a dozen or so prominent architects, fit the strong and distinctive culture of the city.
READ MORE

CHANGE OBSERVER : JOHN WATERS

Design Ethos: A Bugle of Change

For too long now the ethos of graphic design — the fundamental sentiment that guides the practice of design and the activities of designers — has been understood as a link between suppliers and consumers. It's time to change that view.
READ MORE

OBSERVATORY : ADAM HARRISON LEVY

The Wood Stacker

Elwood Shaler has been stacking wood for 75 years. His wood piles are the envy of the valley in which he lives. They are unlike the squat pragmatic designs you often see when driving the back roads of New England. They are monumental.
READ MORE

CHANGE OBSERVER : KAOMI GOETZ

The Utility Collective

Look around you. Let your eyes rest on the first object you see. Do you know how it was made, and where? The answer is most likely no. And up until a few years ago, it might even have been followed with a “Who cares?” or “Who cares as-long-as-it’s-cheap?”
READ MORE

PLACES : INTERBORO PARTNERS

What's Going On in the Garment District?

Fashion design has become big business and mass entertainment — witness the recent semi-annual extravaganza of Fashion Week and hit shows like Project Runway. But fashion design is also local industry, skilled craft, design practice, urban texture. One of its epicenters is the Garment District in Manhattan. As part of a project commissioned by the Design Trust for Public Space, the Brooklyn-based Interboro Partners spent months studying the district, trying to figure out what makes it work. We are pleased to present the interactive section that the firm has created as an extension of this project, which takes us into the world behind the brick facades and the wholesalers' shop windows, and explores what's going on in the garment district.
READ MORE

OBSERVER MEDIA : DEBBIE MILLMAN

Stephen Doyle

In this audio interview with Debbie Millman, Stephen Doyle reviews his career and discusses working for Tibor Kalman, renting his soul to the devil, fear of failure, magazines, metaphors, working with his hands and much more.
READ MORE

BECOME A FAN ON FACEBOOK | FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

AUDIO: DESIGN MATTERS ARCHIVE

Barbara Kruger

Barbara Kruger is an artist whose work has been exhibited in major museums throughout the world.
Listen >>
More Design Matters Archive >>

CHANGE OBSERVER: PROJECT ARCHIVE

One World Futbol

Report on One World Futbol produced by Hope Is a Game-Changer.
READ MORE

OBSERVATORY ARCHIVE

BART's Makeover

On Velvet Touch Lettering

On Signage in LA

PLACES ARCHIVE: WINTER 2009

Reclaiming the Ruin

CHANGE OBSERVER: RESOURCES

Academic Programs >>
Competitions >>
Conferences & Events >>
Fellowships & Prizes >>
Organizations >>
Programs & Initiatives >>
Publications & Websites >>
Social Networks >>

RECENT BOOKS RECEIVED

Culinary Ephemera: An Illustrated History
William Woys Weaver

Caca Grande
Carlos Amorales

Window Display: New Visual Merchandising
Tony Morgan


WEEKLY EMAIL: OCTOBER 01, 2010
FEATURED THIS WEEK : DEBBIE MILLMAN The Art of Poetry I still own the first copy of Poetry magazine I ever bought; the May 1981 issue aptly titled “First Appearances.” The simple two-color cover, once a fluorescent sea-green, is now badly faded, and the line drawing of a flying horse (Pegasus) illustrated by James Thurber is largely obscured by what looks like an ugly oil-stain. READ MORE
PLACES : TIM CULVAHOUSE Stoop, Balcony, Pilot House: Making It Right in the Lower Ninth Ward For years now the rebuilding of the Lower Ninth Ward after the post-Katrina floods has been a fraught and controversial process — undercut by political incompetence, environmental concerns and scarce funding. Started by movie star/architecture buff Brad Pitt in 2007, the Make It Right Foundation has been the most visible catalyst for repopulating the neighborhood. Architect and author Tim Culvahouse, who is writing a book on New Orleans, assesses the progress of the program, and how well its various house models, designed by a dozen or so prominent architects, fit the strong and distinctive culture of the city. READ MORE CHANGE OBSERVER : JOHN WATERS Design Ethos: A Bugle of Change For too long now the ethos of graphic design — the fundamental sentiment that guides the practice of design and the activities of designers — has been understood as a link between suppliers and consumers. It's time to change that view. READ MORE OBSERVATORY : ADAM HARRISON LEVY The Wood Stacker Elwood Shaler has been stacking wood for 75 years. His wood piles are the envy of the valley in which he lives. They are unlike the squat pragmatic designs you often see when driving the back roads of New England. They are monumental. READ MORE CHANGE OBSERVER : KAOMI GOETZ The Utility Collective Look around you. Let your eyes rest on the first object you see. Do you know how it was made, and where? The answer is most likely no. And up until a few years ago, it might even have been followed with a “Who cares?” or “Who cares as-long-as-it’s-cheap?” READ MORE PLACES : INTERBORO PARTNERS What's Going On in the Garment District? Fashion design has become big business and mass entertainment — witness the recent semi-annual extravaganza of Fashion Week and hit shows like Project Runway. But fashion design is also local industry, skilled craft, design practice, urban texture. One of its epicenters is the Garment District in Manhattan. As part of a project commissioned by the Design Trust for Public Space, the Brooklyn-based Interboro Partners spent months studying the district, trying to figure out what makes it work. We are pleased to present the interactive section that the firm has created as an extension of this project, which takes us into the world behind the brick facades and the wholesalers' shop windows, and explores what's going on in the garment district. READ MORE OBSERVER MEDIA : DEBBIE MILLMAN Stephen Doyle In this audio interview with Debbie Millman, Stephen Doyle reviews his career and discusses working for Tibor Kalman, renting his soul to the devil, fear of failure, magazines, metaphors, working with his hands and much more. READ MORE		BECOME A FAN ON FACEBOOK \| FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AUDIO: DESIGN MATTERS ARCHIVE Barbara Kruger Barbara Kruger is an artist whose work has been exhibited in major museums throughout the world. Listen >> More Design Matters Archive >> CHANGE OBSERVER: PROJECT ARCHIVE One World Futbol Report on One World Futbol produced by Hope Is a Game-Changer. READ MORE OBSERVATORY ARCHIVE BART's Makeover On Velvet Touch Lettering On Signage in LA PLACES ARCHIVE: WINTER 2009 Reclaiming the Ruin READ MORE CHANGE OBSERVER: RESOURCES Academic Programs >> Competitions >> Conferences & Events >> Fellowships & Prizes >> Organizations >> Programs & Initiatives >> Publications & Websites >> Social Networks >> RECENT BOOKS RECEIVED Culinary Ephemera: An Illustrated History William Woys Weaver Caca Grande Carlos Amorales Window Display: New Visual Merchandising Tony Morgan
Privacy Policy \| Contact Us You are subscribed as \| Unsubscribe Copyright © 2009 Observer Omnimedia LLC. All rights reserved. Design Observer, P.O. Box 159, Falls Village, CT 06031, USA