User Agreement

Welcome to Design Observer, and its related channels, Observatory, Change Observer, Places and Observer Media, which are owned and operated by Observer Omnimedia LLC,(“Observer”, “We” or “Us”)) and are collectively referred to here as the “Design Observer Group Sites.” This user agreement (”User Agreement”), which includes our Privacy Policy, sets forth the conditions for your use of the Design Observer Group Sites. Please read this User Agreement carefully, because by using the Design Observer Group Sites, you consent to these terms and conditions, including our collection and use of information about you in accordance with the Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this User Agreement, you are not authorized to use the Design Observer Group Sites.

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Copyright

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Digital Millennium Copyright Act

It is the policy of Observer to respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement, in compliance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) and other applicable laws. Our response to these notices may include removing or disabling access to material claimed to be the subject of infringing activity and/or terminating contributors. If we remove or disable access in response to such a notice, we will make a good-faith attempt to contact the submitter of the affected material or post, so that they may make a counter notification. We may also document notices of alleged infringement on which we act. Your complaint will also be a matter of record.

If you are a copyright owner or agent thereof and believe that any content appearing on the Design Observer Group Sites infringes upon your copyright, please submit notice, pursuant to the DMCA (17 U.S.C. § 512(c)) to our Copyright Agent with the following information: (i) an electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright; (ii) a description of the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed; (iii) the URL of the location containing the material that you claim is infringing; (iv) your address, telephone number, and email address; (v) a statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; (vi) a statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner's behalf.

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Counter-Notification

In some instances a contributor who has submitted or posted materials identified as infringing may supply a counter-notification pursuant to sections 512(g)(2) and (3) of the DCMA. When we receive a counter-notification, we may reinstate the posts or material in question.

To file a counter-notification with us, a contributor must provide a written communication (by fax or regular mail or by email) that sets forth all of the items required by the DMCA. Please note that you will be liable for damages if you materially misrepresent that content or an activity is not infringing the copyrights of others. If you are not sure whether certain material infringes the copyrights of others, we suggest that you first contact an attorney. A sample counter-notification may be composed using the PDF forms at www.ChillingEffects.org

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Links, Frames and Metatags

We are concerned about the integrity of the Design Observer Group Sites when any of them are viewed in a setting created by a third party that includes advertising or other materials that We have not authorized to be displayed with the Design Observer Group Sites. Neither you nor any third party shall make use of the contents of the Design Observer Group Sites in any manner that constitutes an infringement of our rights, including copyright or that has not been authorized by Us. You may not frame the content of Design Observer Group Sites unless you first obtain our express written consent. You may not use metatags or any other “hidden text” that incorporates our Trademarks or our name without our express written consent. You may link to the home pages of the Design Observer Group Sites as long as the link does not defame us or cast us in a false or misleading light. You may not link to one of our inner pages unless the link clearly identifies the Design Observer Group Sites as the location of the linked pages. To request permission for a use discussed in this section, please send a written request to Observer by email at hello [at] designobserver.com or by mail at P.O. Box 159, Falls Village, CT 06031. (We display our email address in this format to avoid receiving spam. When you email us, please replace “[at]“ with “@”. Design Observer Group Site has the sole discretion to grant or deny this permission.

Comments

We invite your questions, or comments about Observer or any of the issues addressed on the Design Observer Group Sites. You may send letters to Observer at P.O. Box 159, Falls Village, CT 06031, Attn: Letters to the Editor, or via email at hello [at] designobserver.com. By sending a letter to the Editor, you grant Observer a nonexclusive, royalty-free license to reproduce and distribute the letter, in whole or in part, for any purpose, in any media, whether now known or later created. Hard copies will not be returned to you.

Observer takes no responsibility for the comments posted on the Design Observer Group Site. Observer encourages comments to be short and to the point, and to be courteous to others in any exchange of comments. Observer discourages comments that are off-topic, unnecessarily antagonistic or defamatory, or in violation of other’s intellectual property rights. Observer reserves the right to edit or delete comments that do not adhere to these standards.

Advice and Opinions

The Design Observer Group Sites contains facts, views, opinions, and statements of third parties, users, and other organizations (“Third-Party Material”). Observer, its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries (“Observer Parties”) do not make any representations concerning the accuracy or reliability of any Third-Party Material displayed on or distributed through the Design Observer Group Sites. You acknowledge that you rely upon any Third-Party Material at your own risk and you agree that the Observer Parties will not be held responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any loss or damage caused or alleged to have been caused in any way whatsoever related to any Third-Party Material displayed on or distributed through the Design Observer Group Sites.

Third-Party Links

The Design Observer Group Sites contain links to other sites and resources on the Internet controlled by third parties. These links are provided solely as a convenience to our users and do not constitute an endorsement by Observer. Any concerns regarding another website should be directed to the site’s administrator. Observer reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to terminate links with any third parties or other websites that it deems inappropriate or inconsistent with the Design Observer Group Sites. Observer makes no representations about the content, functionality, or practices of these third-party sites and resources, and disclaim any and all warranties, express or implied, related to these third-party sites and resources.

Disclaimers

THE DESIGN OBSERVER GROUP SITES ARE AVAILABLE “AS IS.” TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED UNDER LAW, WE DISCLAIM ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE DESIGN OBSERVER GROUP SITES OR ANY INFORMATION, GOODS, OR SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DESIGN OBSERVER GROUP SITES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE (EVEN IF THE PURPOSE WAS DISCLOSED).

WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE DESIGN OBSERVER GROUP SITES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE. WE DO NOT MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF ANY STATEMENT OR INFORMATION DISPLAYED, DISTRIBUTED, OR MADE AVAILABLE ON OR THROUGH THE DESIGN OBSERVER GROUP SITES OR AVAILABLE THROUGH LINKS ON THE DESIGN OBSERVER GROUP SITES. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CORRECT ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THE DESIGN OBSERVER GROUP SITES. IF YOU RELY ON OUR SITE OR OBTAIN ANY MATERIALS OR GOODS AVAILABLE THROUGH IT, YOU DO SO SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

ALTHOUGH WE INTEND TO TAKE REASONABLE STEPS TO PREVENT THE INTRODUCTION OF VIRUSES, WORMS, “TROJAN HORSES” OR OTHER DESTRUCTIVE MATERIALS TO THE DESIGN OBSERVER GROUP SITES, WE DO NOT GUARANTEE OR WARRANT THAT OUR SITE OR MATERIALS THAT MAY BE DOWNLOADED FROM IT ARE FREE FROM SUCH DESTRUCTIVE FEATURES. WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR HARM ATTRIBUTABLE TO SUCH FEATURES.

Limitation of Liability

WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, LOSS OR INJURY BASED ON ERRORS, OMISSIONS, INTERRUPTIONS OR OTHER INACCURACIES IN OUR SITE, INCLUDING ANY CLAIM, LOSS OR INJURY THAT RESULTS FROM YOUR BREACH OF ANY PROVISION IN THIS USER AGREEMENT. WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST REVENUES OR PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, OR LOSS OF DATA) ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE DESIGN OBSERVER GROUP SITES, ITS SERVICES, OR THIS AGREEMENT, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH LIABILITY IS BASED IN TORT, CONTRACT, OR OTHERWISE.

SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR THESE KINDS OF DAMAGES, SO THESE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

Termination

We reserve the right to terminate any services offered through the Design Observer Group Sites or to terminate the Design Observer Group Sites and this User Agreement at any time without notice, for any reason, including, in the case of the User Agreement, because of your violation of any of these provisions. The Copyright Disclaimers, Limitation of Liability and Governing Law Sections of this User Agreement survive any termination.

Governing Law

This Agreement is governed by and any disputes relating to this User Agreement should be decided under the laws of the State of Connecticut applicable to contracts made and completely performed there.

Severability

If any provision of this Agreement is deemed unlawful, void, or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision is considered severed and will not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions.


Observed


The recent handoff from Joe Biden to Kamala Harris obliged the campaign's designers to launch a new Harris for President logo in just three hours: they also crafted an entire brand refresh—including ads and print collateral AND a website—all of which they built out in just over a day. More on this massive (and speedy) undertaking here.

Our friends at WXY Architecture and Jerome Haferd Studio are among four firms that have won a competition to design a series of cultural venues for historic Africatown in Alabama.

“Our mascot, Phryges, is based on the Phrygian hat, which is a powerful emblem in France on everything from coins to stamps. Phryges is gender-free, which feels appropriate because this is the society we live in. Toys should be for everyone, and not gendered.” An interview with Joachim Roncin, the designer of the Paris Olympics.

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) recently announced that it would eliminate the term “equity” from its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) language. “What organizations like SHRM may or may not realize is that abandoning the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion causes real harm and serious pain,” says Amira Barger. “By sidelining equity, SHRM’s move may unintentionally exacerbate something called ‘dirty pain.’”

“As a person who spent the first part of my career as a graphic designer and art director, I immediately saw the visual power and nearly infinite graphic possibilities of this image.” In today's New York Times, Charles Blow discusses the irrefutable power of an iconic photograph.

In New York City, The Design Trust for Public Space is looking for photographers with “unique lenses on an equitable water future for New York”. Deadline for entry is 11 August. More here.

One artist's (musical) cry for help—or at least, fewer fast-food franchises in North Adams, Massachusetts.

“My design philosophy is to make people happy and comfortable in their environment,” says the 83-year old Irish designer known simply by her first name—Clodagh. “Since I don’t know the rules, I can actually break them all the time.” 

Design for accessibility, blessedly, is on the minds of architects and builders all over the world. Given the fact that an estimated 15-20% of the population is neurodivergent, commercial buildings are increasingly working to become more welcoming, inclusive, and comfortable for all individuals.

“While designers are eager for praise and acclaim and create an aura of ostensibly cultured and intellectual pursuit, often involving awards and accolades, design itself takes no responsibility for what happens when things go wrong.” An excerpt from Manuel Lima's latest book.  

Scientists are designing a space suit that converts urine into drinking water. More here.

Graphology geeks, rejoice! A new book featuring a selection of treasures from the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford is out from our friends at University of Chicago Press.

Sad but true: according to Q1 data collected by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, undergraduates choosing to major in Art History, Visual Arts, Performing Arts, and Graphic Design are associated with the highest rates of unemployment across the nation.

The Underground Railroad Stamps, for the United States Postal Service—released in May— feature 10 portraits of some of the men and women who escaped slavery and/or helped others escape: Catharine Coffin, Frederick Douglass, Thomas Garrett, Laura Haviland, Lewis Hayden, Harriet Jacobs, William Lambert, Jermain Loguen, William Still and Harriet Tubman. Designed by Antonio Alcalá, of Studio A,  the stamp, observes Steven Heller, “has done an important job of teaching American history to the public through these miniature ‘posters’ ”.

Randy Hunt is the new chair of the MFA “Designer as Entrepreneur” program at the School of Visual Arts in New York, succeeding founding co-chairs Steven Heller and Lita Talarico.

At Tulane, architecture students build homes for the homeless.

Cesar Rivera—who leads design for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta—has been named the next board chair of AIGA.

Founded in 1944 by Winston Churchill’s government to help accelerate post-war economic growth, The UK Design Council is on a mission to put the planet at the heart of the sector’s work.

Figma's new AI tool hits a roadblock.

Unlike most of the world, Iceland's design scene skews overwhelmingly female. Nat Barker explores what makes the tiny Nordic nation so different.

"If MoMA is going to get serious about this world, it needs to start by dumping the whole concept of “Latin America” and start getting specific." Carolina A. Miranda skillfully reviews Crafting Modernity, an exhibition about design (yes, in Latin America) that runs through the summer at New York's Museum of Modern Art.

Logo lunacy for the New York Jets!

Professor Nayef Al-Rodhan—a philosopher, neuroscientist, geostrategist, and futurologist who currently leads the Geopolitics and Global Futures Department at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy in Switzerland—holds strong opinions about architecture, which he characterizes as “an intrinsically philosophical enterprise grounded in aesthetics and ethics, including theories of human nature”. And he has something to say about its future, particularly in the age of artificial intelligence.

Co. Design is now Fast Company Design.

From our friends at the MITPress Reader (an occasional newsletter that we can't recommend highly enough), the architect Moshe Safdie offers a beautiful remembrance of steps—and insights on their complexity—that led him to a life in design. (Also in this edition: graphic design enthusiasts will love this story on the design of the original edition of Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown's Learning from Las Vegas.)

At The Design Museum in London, a more "rainbow-hued version of the Barbie universe". 

Right-leaning public interest groups have filed a barrage of federal lawsuits intended to dismantle long-standing corporate and government programs that consider race in job placement. With an alleged goal of “complete race neutrality” (a view of radical equality that, for example, lawyers for the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty think is “in line with the Declaration of Independence”) litigants are chippping away at the use of affirmative action across America.  

As we wind down Pride Month 2024, a look at how queer theory apples to urban design: as theory and practice grows more empathetic towards the needs of its diverse stakeholders, queer urban design brings a broad and holistic shift to understanding identity and community in publicly inhabited spaces, challenging traditional (and often rigid) methods of city planning by applying more inclusive criteria to reflect fluidity and interconnectedness. 

Longevity, by Design: Apple has published a 24-page document outlining its key principles for designing hardware that endures.

Manchester City released a brand-new club font to use on the player’s shirts. But instead of tapping the skills of renowned typeface firms who routinely work with sports teams and brands, the Premier League champions asked former Oasis rocker Noel Gallagher to submit a brief. So he did! And the crowd went wild.



Jobs | July 26