WEEKLY EMAIL: OCTOBER 06, 2011

FEATURED THIS WEEK : KEVIN WALKER

Design Research and Research Design

For the past seven years I had been a designer in a room full of researchers; in January of last year, I found myself with a group of new students — many of them better designers than I ever was — and I had to teach them how to be researchers.
READ MORE

PLACES : BRIAN ULRICH

Is This Place Great or What

A decade ago, in response to the post 9/11 equation of "shopping with patriotism" — which seemed to him incredible — photographer Brian Ulrich began his ongoing project of exploring the sites of contemporary consumer culture. Here he focuses on so-called "dark stores" — big boxes and whole malls that have gone under, collateral damage of the crash.
READ MORE

OBSERVATORY : CHERYL YAU

Rediscovering A Stereoscopic World

The Eames Office loft, scattered with molded plywood prototypes and rolls of craft paper. Click. The model of the Kwikset House furnished with two Eames storage units, upholstered chairs and dark orange carpet. Click. A table full of English muffins, strawberries, hardboiled eggs and a glass carafe of coffee set in front of a fiberglass shell chair. Click.
READ MORE

FROM OUR SPONSORS

Learn to be a design critic through SVA's D-Crit program. Design as subject matter, criticism as a literary genre and the range of tools with which to practice design criticism.
Watch videos of presentations by the Class of 2011 >>
The D-Crit Program >>
SVA Website >>

Felt & Wire Shop, a curated marketplace of designer papergoods, gifts and also an industry blog. Shop here for beautiful unique gifts, journals, note cards, posters and stationary. Bessie Anderson, recent college grad and major lead-head, at the Ladies of Letterpress conference in Asheville, N.C..
The Felt & Wire Shop >>
Bessie Anderson >>
Full Circle Press >>

OBSERVERS ROOM : ALEXANDRA LANGE

What Makes Architecture Useful?

How good could come of a biennial on the theme Useless.
READ MORE

CHANGE OBSERVER : JULIA COOKE

Cuba Libre: Contemporary Architecture in Havana

Havana is renowned for its faded elegance. It’s a stately wreck of a city stuck in the past, but Claudia Castillo and Orlando Inclán have a different future in mind.
READ MORE

OBSERVERS ROOM : JOHN THACKARA

Carrot City: Design's New Shtick

A splendid new book from Monacelli Press marks the coming of age of urban agriculture — at least for the design world. Carrot City: Creating Places for Urban Agriculture is a timely reflection on design and urban food systems, and on the ways that agricultural issues are once again shaping urban spaces and buildings.
READ MORE

PLACES : ALEXANDRA LANGE & MARK LAMSTER

Lunch with the Critics: Supertall

In the latest installment of Lunch with the Critics, Alexandra Lange and Mark Lamster travel to Lower Manhattan to view the exhibition Supertall! at the Skyscraper Museum. After touring the show, they walked north to the Winter Garden in Battery Park City, where they composed this dialogue in the shadow of New York City's rising entry into the supertall field, One World Trade Center.
READ MORE

OBSERVATORY : JOHN FOSTER

Accidental Mysteries, 10.02.11

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 : DEBBIE MILLMAN

Alex Bogusky and John Bielenberg

In this audio interview with Debbie Millman, Alex Bogusky and John Bielenberg discuss branding in the age of global warming, impact entrepreneurs and their new project, “Common,” aimed at changing the corporate world.
READ MORE

OBSERVERS ROOM : ROB WALKER

Pictures of the Familiar

The tools of the time make the slightly absurd practice of re-photographing extensively documented icons and monuments. And that's inspired some pleasing work.
READ MORE

BECOME A FAN ON FACEBOOK | FOLLOW US ON TWITTER

Wix is a do-it-yourself website builder: a free online tool that lets you create your own websites.
Check out Wix here >>

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 >>

From Mohawk Fine Papers a curated marketplace of designer papergoods and gifts.
Browse the Shop >>

AUDIO: DESIGN MATTERS ARCHIVE

Ze Frank

Ze Frank is a writer, designer and host of The Ze Frank Show.
Listen >>
More Design Matters Archive >>

CHANGE OBSERVER: PROJECT ARCHIVE

Rock Girl Benches

Rock Girl in Cape Town offers real and symbolic safe places for girls and women.
READ MORE

OBSERVATORY ARCHIVE

Ham Radio

Design Thinking?

Eames the Typeface

PLACES ARCHIVE: WINTER 2008

The New U.S. Embassy in Berlin

In creating a new U.S. embassy in Berlin, architectural design is just one of the challenges.
READ MORE

CHANGE OBSERVER: RESOURCES

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

RECENT BOOKS RECEIVED

Post-it Note Diaries: 20 Stories of Youthful Abandon, Embarrassing Mishaps, and Everyday Adventure
Arthur Jones

Pastoral Capitalism: A History of Suburban Corporate Landscapes
Louise A. Mozingo

Rebus

Rebus
James Jean


WEEKLY EMAIL: OCTOBER 06, 2011
FEATURED THIS WEEK : KEVIN WALKER Design Research and Research Design For the past seven years I had been a designer in a room full of researchers; in January of last year, I found myself with a group of new students — many of them better designers than I ever was — and I had to teach them how to be researchers. READ MORE
PLACES : BRIAN ULRICH Is This Place Great or What A decade ago, in response to the post 9/11 equation of "shopping with patriotism" — which seemed to him incredible — photographer Brian Ulrich began his ongoing project of exploring the sites of contemporary consumer culture. Here he focuses on so-called "dark stores" — big boxes and whole malls that have gone under, collateral damage of the crash. READ MORE OBSERVATORY : CHERYL YAU Rediscovering A Stereoscopic World The Eames Office loft, scattered with molded plywood prototypes and rolls of craft paper. Click. The model of the Kwikset House furnished with two Eames storage units, upholstered chairs and dark orange carpet. Click. A table full of English muffins, strawberries, hardboiled eggs and a glass carafe of coffee set in front of a fiberglass shell chair. Click. READ MORE FROM OUR SPONSORS Learn to be a design critic through SVA's D-Crit program. Design as subject matter, criticism as a literary genre and the range of tools with which to practice design criticism. Watch videos of presentations by the Class of 2011 >> The D-Crit Program >> SVA Website >> Felt & Wire Shop, a curated marketplace of designer papergoods, gifts and also an industry blog. Shop here for beautiful unique gifts, journals, note cards, posters and stationary. Bessie Anderson, recent college grad and major lead-head, at the Ladies of Letterpress conference in Asheville, N.C.. The Felt & Wire Shop >> Bessie Anderson >> Full Circle Press >> OBSERVERS ROOM : ALEXANDRA LANGE What Makes Architecture Useful? How good could come of a biennial on the theme Useless. READ MORE CHANGE OBSERVER : JULIA COOKE Cuba Libre: Contemporary Architecture in Havana Havana is renowned for its faded elegance. It’s a stately wreck of a city stuck in the past, but Claudia Castillo and Orlando Inclán have a different future in mind. READ MORE OBSERVERS ROOM : JOHN THACKARA Carrot City: Design's New Shtick A splendid new book from Monacelli Press marks the coming of age of urban agriculture — at least for the design world. Carrot City: Creating Places for Urban Agriculture is a timely reflection on design and urban food systems, and on the ways that agricultural issues are once again shaping urban spaces and buildings. READ MORE PLACES : ALEXANDRA LANGE & MARK LAMSTER Lunch with the Critics: Supertall In the latest installment of Lunch with the Critics, Alexandra Lange and Mark Lamster travel to Lower Manhattan to view the exhibition Supertall! at the Skyscraper Museum. After touring the show, they walked north to the Winter Garden in Battery Park City, where they composed this dialogue in the shadow of New York City's rising entry into the supertall field, One World Trade Center. READ MORE OBSERVATORY : JOHN FOSTER Accidental Mysteries, 10.02.11 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 : DEBBIE MILLMAN Alex Bogusky and John Bielenberg In this audio interview with Debbie Millman, Alex Bogusky and John Bielenberg discuss branding in the age of global warming, impact entrepreneurs and their new project, “Common,” aimed at changing the corporate world. READ MORE OBSERVERS ROOM : ROB WALKER Pictures of the Familiar The tools of the time make the slightly absurd practice of re-photographing extensively documented icons and monuments. And that's inspired some pleasing work. READ MORE		BECOME A FAN ON FACEBOOK \| FOLLOW US ON TWITTER Wix is a do-it-yourself website builder: a free online tool that lets you create your own websites. Check out Wix here >> 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 >> From Mohawk Fine Papers a curated marketplace of designer papergoods and gifts. Browse the Shop >> AUDIO: DESIGN MATTERS ARCHIVE Ze Frank Ze Frank is a writer, designer and host of The Ze Frank Show. Listen >> More Design Matters Archive >> CHANGE OBSERVER: PROJECT ARCHIVE Rock Girl Benches Rock Girl in Cape Town offers real and symbolic safe places for girls and women. READ MORE OBSERVATORY ARCHIVE Ham Radio Design Thinking? Eames the Typeface PLACES ARCHIVE: WINTER 2008 The New U.S. Embassy in Berlin In creating a new U.S. embassy in Berlin, architectural design is just one of the challenges. READ MORE CHANGE OBSERVER: RESOURCES Academic Programs >> Competitions >> Conferences & Events >> Fellowships & Prizes >> Organizations >> Programs & Initiatives >> Publications & Websites >> Social Networks >> RECENT BOOKS RECEIVED Post-it Note Diaries: 20 Stories of Youthful Abandon, Embarrassing Mishaps, and Everyday Adventure Arthur Jones Pastoral Capitalism: A History of Suburban Corporate Landscapes Louise A. Mozingo Rebus James Jean
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