The Lines That Divide

Can't "art" and "design" approaches coexist simultaneously in our practice? Why are we so eager to create a cut-and-dry dichotomy between the two? These questions lie at the center of the debate as the selection process continues for a new Head of Department for the Communication Art & Design course at London's Royal College of Art.
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CHANGE OBSERVER : PHIL PATTON

One Car Per Family

A highlight of last month's Greener Gadgets conference in New York was a cute, emerald-colored product designed by Yves Béhar of FuseProject that is aimed for citizens of the developing world who might never have dreamed of possessing such an object.
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CHANGE OBSERVER : JASON ORTON

Tinder Boxes

Unfortunately, planners and developers frequently see landscapes likes these as blank canvases that can be cleared or leveled flat.
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OBSERVATORY : DIRK WACHOWIAK

Dirk Wachowiak Interviews Peter Bilak & Satya Rajpurohit

German typographer Dirk Wachowiak recently caught up with the Czech-born Peter Bilak and Indian designer Satya Rajpurohit to discuss both their recent collaboration — the Hindi version of Bilak's Fedra.
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PLACES : ALAN THOMAS

Open Secrets: Photographs of Japan

Earlier this week we featured Robert Taylor's review of Fumihiko Maki's Nurturing Dreams and Shigeru Ban's latest monograph. Here we present a portfolio of photographs by Alan Thomas, of images of Japanese cities. These photographs, says Thomas, "take the measure of Japan's spaces where they are most easily overlooked: the vernacular architecture of its backstreets, the layered density of neighborhoods, the ephemeral effects of constant building and rebuilding."
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OBSERVER MEDIA : DANIEL STEPHENS, BROOKE BREWER

Aspen Design Summit: Film

This short film by GoodFocus Films captures participant perspectives (and the working atmosphere) at the Aspen Design Summit in November 2009. Chronicled on Change Observer (link to programs page), participants included leading designers, NGOs, experts and foundations working together on large projects in the area of education and healthcare.
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PLACES : ROBERT TAYLOR

Words and Pictures

Architects Fumihiko Maki and Shigeru Ban have each recently published books. Maki's Nurturing Dreams is an essay collection by a stellar member of the postwar generation that played a central role not only in rebuilding Japan but also in defining contemporary Japanese architecture. Ban's 1985–2007 is a mid-career monograph by an influential practitioner in the generation that followed. In his review, Boston-based architect Robert Taylor notes that the books represent different traditions of architectural bookmaking, and each, he says, merits our attention.
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OBSERVATORY : ERIC BAKER

Today, 03.13.10

Here are Today's images.
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AUDIO: DESIGN MATTERS ARCHIVE

Spoken Word Broadcast

All spoken word show featuring poems, prose and a short story.
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CHANGE OBSERVER: PROJECT ARCHIVE

Sustainability Posters

Six leading designers make posters of the word Sustainability.
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OBSERVATORY ARCHIVE

Ad Reinhardt

Stephen Doyle

Hiroshima: Lost Photographs

PLACES ARCHIVE: FALL 2001

Village Vices: The Contradiction of New Urbanism and Sustainability

A critique of New Urbanism focusing not on its traditionalism but on the unsustainability of its planning models.
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CHANGE OBSERVER: RESOURCES

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RECENT BOOKS RECEIVED

ecoDesign: The Sourcebook
Alastair Fuad-Luke

Reinventing the Automobile
William J. Mitchell, Christopher E. Borroni-Bird & Lawrence D. Burns

Rework

Rework
Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hasson


WEEKLY EMAIL: MARCH 18, 2010
FEATURED THIS WEEK : ANDY CHEN The Lines That Divide Can't "art" and "design" approaches coexist simultaneously in our practice? Why are we so eager to create a cut-and-dry dichotomy between the two? These questions lie at the center of the debate as the selection process continues for a new Head of Department for the Communication Art & Design course at London's Royal College of Art. READ MORE
CHANGE OBSERVER : PHIL PATTON One Car Per Family A highlight of last month's Greener Gadgets conference in New York was a cute, emerald-colored product designed by Yves Béhar of FuseProject that is aimed for citizens of the developing world who might never have dreamed of possessing such an object. READ MORE CHANGE OBSERVER : JASON ORTON Tinder Boxes Unfortunately, planners and developers frequently see landscapes likes these as blank canvases that can be cleared or leveled flat. READ MORE OBSERVATORY : DIRK WACHOWIAK Dirk Wachowiak Interviews Peter Bilak & Satya Rajpurohit German typographer Dirk Wachowiak recently caught up with the Czech-born Peter Bilak and Indian designer Satya Rajpurohit to discuss both their recent collaboration — the Hindi version of Bilak's Fedra. READ MORE PLACES : ALAN THOMAS Open Secrets: Photographs of Japan Earlier this week we featured Robert Taylor's review of Fumihiko Maki's Nurturing Dreams and Shigeru Ban's latest monograph. Here we present a portfolio of photographs by Alan Thomas, of images of Japanese cities. These photographs, says Thomas, "take the measure of Japan's spaces where they are most easily overlooked: the vernacular architecture of its backstreets, the layered density of neighborhoods, the ephemeral effects of constant building and rebuilding." READ MORE OBSERVER MEDIA : DANIEL STEPHENS, BROOKE BREWER Aspen Design Summit: Film This short film by GoodFocus Films captures participant perspectives (and the working atmosphere) at the Aspen Design Summit in November 2009. Chronicled on Change Observer (link to programs page), participants included leading designers, NGOs, experts and foundations working together on large projects in the area of education and healthcare. READ MORE PLACES : ROBERT TAYLOR Words and Pictures Architects Fumihiko Maki and Shigeru Ban have each recently published books. Maki's Nurturing Dreams is an essay collection by a stellar member of the postwar generation that played a central role not only in rebuilding Japan but also in defining contemporary Japanese architecture. Ban's 1985–2007 is a mid-career monograph by an influential practitioner in the generation that followed. In his review, Boston-based architect Robert Taylor notes that the books represent different traditions of architectural bookmaking, and each, he says, merits our attention. READ MORE OBSERVATORY : ERIC BAKER Today, 03.13.10 Here are Today's images. READ MORE		BECOME A FAN ON FACEBOOK \| FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AUDIO: DESIGN MATTERS ARCHIVE Spoken Word Broadcast All spoken word show featuring poems, prose and a short story. Listen >> More Design Matters Archive >> CHANGE OBSERVER: PROJECT ARCHIVE Sustainability Posters Six leading designers make posters of the word Sustainability. READ MORE OBSERVATORY ARCHIVE Ad Reinhardt Stephen Doyle Hiroshima: Lost Photographs PLACES ARCHIVE: FALL 2001 Village Vices: The Contradiction of New Urbanism and Sustainability A critique of New Urbanism focusing not on its traditionalism but on the unsustainability of its planning models. READ MORE CHANGE OBSERVER: RESOURCES Academic Programs >> Competitions >> Conferences & Events >> Fellowships & Prizes >> Organizations >> Programs & Initiatives >> Publications & Websites >> Social Networks >> RECENT BOOKS RECEIVED ecoDesign: The Sourcebook Alastair Fuad-Luke Reinventing the Automobile William J. Mitchell, Christopher E. Borroni-Bird & Lawrence D. Burns Rework Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hasson
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