OBSERVATORY : DIANA O'HEHIR

Home

Somewhere there's a street of empty houses,
Roof after roof, the doors bleached white by memory

Which I, like the force of night, travel over,
Making stairs out of words, sounds too low to hear.
READ MORE

OBSERVERS ROOM : ALEXANDRA LANGE

Reading in Public

Come to the High Line next Thursday to read (and observe) what makes public space work.
READ MORE

FROM OUR SPONSORS

Brought to you by Sappi Productions and the Flo Channel, Off Register is a totally unvarnished and uncoated look at what goes on behind the glossy world of print production. See what happens when the ink hits the fan...on Off Register.
Watch episodes here >>
Find out more about Sappi here >>

Two great MFA programs: The Interaction Design program, which explores the role of design in shaping everyday life and the Graduate Program for the Designer as Entrepreneur.
Visit MFA Interaction Design >>
The Designer as Entrepreneur Podcast >>
SVA Website >>

OBSERVERS ROOM : JOHN THACKARA

From Powerpoint to Permaculture, From Me to We

When I arrived at Angsbacka, the site in Sweden of last weekend's first Future Perfect festival, an alarming array of leaflets was on offer in the foyer: “Shamanic De-Armouring,” “How To UpGreat Your Life” or “Reach The Temple of your Inner Beauty,” “The Journey to Bliss,” “A Cellular Dance of Oneness.”

My first reaction was: Beam me the hell back up, Scotty. My second reaction was: to give the place a chance.

From the Archive: Raging Bull

In an essay for Design Observer, posted in 2005, my colleague Michael Bierut asked a provocative question: “What is the relationship of bullshit and design?” The vigorous dialogue that ensued revealed a surprising tolerance among some designers for the phenomenon. Whichever way you look at it, though, a too-ready acceptance of the idea of bullshit spells problems for design.
READ MORE

PLACES : URBAN WAITE

No One Heard a Thing the Night the Chicken Died

In the spirit of August and the tradition of summer reading, Places will feature short stories throughout the month in which landscapes are central to mood and meaning. Urban Waite kicks off the series with a childhood adventure set on a family farm inside the urban boundary of Long Beach, California. When a golf course replaces the neighbors’ orange field, strange things come out of the grove and ominous signs appear in the sky.
READ MORE

CHANGE OBSERVER : BARBARA FLANAGAN

Sleeping with the Fishes

The Brando. That’s the exclusive resort, opening next year, that will finally realize Marlon Brando’s vision of building an “ecological utopia" on Tetiaroa, the Tahitian atoll he once owned.

Or, so the developers say.

An intriguing new book has arrived just in time to turn those glamorous claims into disturbing nonsense. Ecological? Brando’s vision? Absurdly unlikely on both scores.
READ MORE

OBSERVERS ROOM : ROB WALKER

Ruscha Vs. Street View

Car as medium, rotating motorized camera, a series of contiguous horizontal images of buildings and the street on which they are situated: Considering Ed Ruscha's book Every Building On The Sunset Strip, vs. Google Street View's ongoing project, Every Building On The Entire Planet.
READ MORE

OBSERVATORY : JOHN FOSTER

Accidental Mysteries, 08.07.11

Accidental Mysteries, a weekly cabinet of visual curiosities curated by John Foster, highlights images of design, art, architecture and ephemera brought to light by the magic of the digital age.
READ MORE

OBSERVER MEDIA : RICKY JAY

Celebrations of Curious Characters: Twins

Ricky Jay is an actor, a historian, a magician and a collector. He is also a superb storyteller with a keen eye for the most gruesomely enchanting detail, and he delights in tales of the most delicious oddity.

Design Observer is pleased to share a selection of recorded broadcasts — all read and authored by Ricky Jay — brought to you along with the visual catalyst that inspired its tale. This is the second of four installments.
READ MORE

OBSERVERS ROOM : ALEXANDRA LANGE

Welcome Back, Overbite

An eccentric Greenwich Village neighbor gets a reprieve.
READ MORE

Mayo Clinic: The leading health care conference where design matters.
Register today >>

Learn more now.
Visit MPS/Branding site today >>

A totally unvarnished and uncoated look at what goes on behind the glossy world of print production.
Off Register >>

Almost one billion people don't have safe and clean drinking water
Mohawk & charity: water. Helping to bring clean water to developin g nations >>

AUDIO: DESIGN MATTERS ARCHIVE

Brand Consulting

A discussion about branding, design and cultural anthropology with leading practitioners in each discipline.
Listen >>
More Design Matters Archive >>

CHANGE OBSERVER: PROJECT ARCHIVE

Conflict Kitchen

Report on Conflict Kitchen, a project by artists affiliated with Carnegie Mellon to foster cross-cultural understanding through food.
READ MORE

PLACES ARCHIVE: WINTER 1995

Splendid China

A tour of Splendid China, the "world's largest miniature scenic spot.
READ MORE

RECENT BOOKS RECEIVED

Found, Free and Flea
Tereasa Surratt

Designers Don't Have Influences
Austin Howe

Urban Code: 100 Lessons for Understanding the City
Department Of Architecture ETH Zurich


WEEKLY EMAIL: AUGUST 11, 2011
FEATURED THIS WEEK : MARK LAMSTER An Interview with Laurence King Laurence King is one of the true gentlemen of design publishing, self-deprecating and charming in the classic British manner. An agreement with Chronicle books means that King’s books are now being distributed in the United States under his own banner. With that in mind, I thought it might be useful for readers everywhere to get to know him a little bit better, to hear his thoughts about the state and future of design publishing, and what makes a design book (and book proposal) successful. READ MORE
OBSERVATORY : DIANA O'HEHIR Home Somewhere there's a street of empty houses, Roof after roof, the doors bleached white by memory Which I, like the force of night, travel over, Making stairs out of words, sounds too low to hear. READ MORE OBSERVERS ROOM : ALEXANDRA LANGE Reading in Public Come to the High Line next Thursday to read (and observe) what makes public space work. READ MORE FROM OUR SPONSORS Brought to you by Sappi Productions and the Flo Channel, Off Register is a totally unvarnished and uncoated look at what goes on behind the glossy world of print production. See what happens when the ink hits the fan...on Off Register. Watch episodes here >> Find out more about Sappi here >> Two great MFA programs: The Interaction Design program, which explores the role of design in shaping everyday life and the Graduate Program for the Designer as Entrepreneur. Visit MFA Interaction Design >> The Designer as Entrepreneur Podcast >> SVA Website >> OBSERVERS ROOM : JOHN THACKARA From Powerpoint to Permaculture, From Me to We When I arrived at Angsbacka, the site in Sweden of last weekend's first Future Perfect festival, an alarming array of leaflets was on offer in the foyer: “Shamanic De-Armouring,” “How To UpGreat Your Life” or “Reach The Temple of your Inner Beauty,” “The Journey to Bliss,” “A Cellular Dance of Oneness.” My first reaction was: Beam me the hell back up, Scotty. My second reaction was: to give the place a chance. READ MORE OBSERVERS ROOM : RICK POYNOR From the Archive: Raging Bull In an essay for Design Observer, posted in 2005, my colleague Michael Bierut asked a provocative question: “What is the relationship of bullshit and design?” The vigorous dialogue that ensued revealed a surprising tolerance among some designers for the phenomenon. Whichever way you look at it, though, a too-ready acceptance of the idea of bullshit spells problems for design. READ MORE PLACES : URBAN WAITE No One Heard a Thing the Night the Chicken Died In the spirit of August and the tradition of summer reading, Places will feature short stories throughout the month in which landscapes are central to mood and meaning. Urban Waite kicks off the series with a childhood adventure set on a family farm inside the urban boundary of Long Beach, California. When a golf course replaces the neighbors’ orange field, strange things come out of the grove and ominous signs appear in the sky. READ MORE CHANGE OBSERVER : BARBARA FLANAGAN Sleeping with the Fishes The Brando. That’s the exclusive resort, opening next year, that will finally realize Marlon Brando’s vision of building an “ecological utopia" on Tetiaroa, the Tahitian atoll he once owned. Or, so the developers say. An intriguing new book has arrived just in time to turn those glamorous claims into disturbing nonsense. Ecological? Brando’s vision? Absurdly unlikely on both scores. READ MORE OBSERVERS ROOM : ROB WALKER Ruscha Vs. Street View Car as medium, rotating motorized camera, a series of contiguous horizontal images of buildings and the street on which they are situated: Considering Ed Ruscha's book Every Building On The Sunset Strip, vs. Google Street View's ongoing project, Every Building On The Entire Planet. READ MORE OBSERVATORY : JOHN FOSTER Accidental Mysteries, 08.07.11 Accidental Mysteries, a weekly cabinet of visual curiosities curated by John Foster, highlights images of design, art, architecture and ephemera brought to light by the magic of the digital age. READ MORE OBSERVER MEDIA : RICKY JAY Celebrations of Curious Characters: Twins Ricky Jay is an actor, a historian, a magician and a collector. He is also a superb storyteller with a keen eye for the most gruesomely enchanting detail, and he delights in tales of the most delicious oddity. Design Observer is pleased to share a selection of recorded broadcasts — all read and authored by Ricky Jay — brought to you along with the visual catalyst that inspired its tale. This is the second of four installments. READ MORE OBSERVERS ROOM : ALEXANDRA LANGE Welcome Back, Overbite An eccentric Greenwich Village neighbor gets a reprieve. READ MORE		BECOME A FAN ON FACEBOOK \| FOLLOW US ON TWITTER Mayo Clinic: The leading health care conference where design matters. Register today >> Learn more now. Visit MPS/Branding site today >> A totally unvarnished and uncoated look at what goes on behind the glossy world of print production. Off Register >> Almost one billion people don't have safe and clean drinking water Mohawk & charity: water. Helping to bring clean water to developin g nations >> AUDIO: DESIGN MATTERS ARCHIVE Brand Consulting A discussion about branding, design and cultural anthropology with leading practitioners in each discipline. Listen >> More Design Matters Archive >> CHANGE OBSERVER: PROJECT ARCHIVE Conflict Kitchen Report on Conflict Kitchen, a project by artists affiliated with Carnegie Mellon to foster cross-cultural understanding through food. READ MORE OBSERVATORY ARCHIVE Seeing Ovals Everywhere Prisoners of Logic Stephen Doyle PLACES ARCHIVE: WINTER 1995 Splendid China A tour of Splendid China, the "world's largest miniature scenic spot. READ MORE CHANGE OBSERVER: RESOURCES Academic Programs >> Competitions >> Conferences & Events >> Fellowships & Prizes >> Organizations >> Programs & Initiatives >> Publications & Websites >> Social Networks >> RECENT BOOKS RECEIVED Found, Free and Flea Tereasa Surratt Designers Don't Have Influences Austin Howe Urban Code: 100 Lessons for Understanding the City Department Of Architecture ETH Zurich
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WEEKLY EMAIL: AUGUST 11, 2011

FEATURED THIS WEEK : MARK LAMSTER

OBSERVATORY : DIANA O'HEHIR

OBSERVERS ROOM : ALEXANDRA LANGE

FROM OUR SPONSORS

OBSERVERS ROOM : JOHN THACKARA

OBSERVERS ROOM : RICK POYNOR

PLACES : URBAN WAITE

CHANGE OBSERVER : BARBARA FLANAGAN

OBSERVERS ROOM : ROB WALKER

OBSERVATORY : JOHN FOSTER

OBSERVER MEDIA : RICKY JAY

OBSERVERS ROOM : ALEXANDRA LANGE

AUDIO: DESIGN MATTERS ARCHIVE

CHANGE OBSERVER: PROJECT ARCHIVE

OBSERVATORY ARCHIVE

PLACES ARCHIVE: WINTER 1995

CHANGE OBSERVER: RESOURCES

RECENT BOOKS RECEIVED