Civic Life

Bert de Muynck|Essays

Walkie talkie: An architect-turned-tour guide on designing presence in Lisbon

In a rapidly changing Lisbon, where tourists consume more than they observe, tour guides design not just routes, but memory — a subtle authorship of truth.

AI Observer

Sigourney Schultz|Cinema

Dispirited Away: In the wrong hands, ‘Ghiblified’ genAI images erode ethos, empathy, and our very humanity

An art historian who grew up inside Pixar Studios reflects on what we lose when art once rendered through deliberate labor and deep care can be reproduced in seconds — and weaponized just as quickly.

Innovation

Vicki Tan|Books

How can I design at a time like this?

A Pinterest product designer and author helps us each find our answer with a choose-your-own adventure approach to challenging our cognitive biases. Try it out!