WDSL Wrap Up

Despite below freezing and sideways-falling snow, turnout at the very first Design Observer conference, What Design Sounds Like, was impressive. After warming up with coffee and pastries in the lobby, which featured a sound installation from Nick Sowers, Jessica Helfand and Michael Bierut kicked off the morning and introduced an amazingly diverse roster of speakers for the day. Looking forward to seeing everyone again next year—stay tuned!

We can’t thank all of the participants and attendees enough! Here’s a Twitter wrap-up of the event. 

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#wdsl pic.twitter.com/xZ1cLwK1Gu

— Adrian Shaughnessy (@AJWShaughnessy) February 21, 2015

Lobby is live with audio at What Design Sounds Like conference. Diffusing a composition by myself and @subtopes #WDSL pic.twitter.com/TbgKOhR41M

— Nick Sowers (@soundscrapers) February 21, 2015

This is what What Design Sounds Like sounds like so far. #wdsl https://t.co/6CDqxRrNVr

— Blake Eskin (@bdeskin) February 21, 2015

#WDSL began with a vibrator giveaway then continued to address topics such as serenading cows and the poss. of Jesus being a baller

— Meagh Cafferty (@meaghcafferty) February 21, 2015

Watching the boss @michaelbierut #whatdesignsoundslike #wdsl http://t.co/6rtvfuGgS5

— Donica Ida (@donicaida) February 22, 2015

#WDSL #SVA Listening to music. Listening to each other. pic.twitter.com/G2rkazl0lL

— Dorothy Dunn (@DD12Hatch) February 21, 2015

DO should make @AJWShaughnessy‘s designers’ playlist quiz a regular feature. Who has Al Green on theirs? Hercules and Love Affair? #wdsl

— DesignObserver (@DesignObserver) February 21, 2015

“@DesignObserver: @nicolatwilley at #wdsl (there’s a joke here somewhere) cows produce more when listening to REM’s “Everybody Hurts”Moosic?

— Joanna Radin (@JoannaRadin) February 21, 2015

“This is what podcasting looks like”–Nicola Twilley at DO’s What Design Sounds Like #wdsl pic.twitter.com/a313eixhvf

— Mary Banas (@marybanas) February 21, 2015

Cows like REM, loathe Jamiroquai. Super fascinating talk on audio foodscapes by @nicolatwilley @DesignObserver #wdsl pic.twitter.com/HJKbGAhuHg

— Anne Quito (@annequito) February 21, 2015

“Design is loud. Design is clear” Exploring scale, materials, message through music. #MikeErrico #WDSL #dsgnfix

— Dorothy Dunn (@DD12Hatch) February 21, 2015

Shapes as melody �—�️🎼�—�️🎼 // Genius passion project by @alexanderchen // #WDSL #designobserver… http://t.co/bFf58QNTGY

— Madalyn Marie (@MadalynMarie) February 21, 2015

I had seen @alexanderchen’s musical subway map before but his Bach cello suite visualization is great too #wdsl https://t.co/52BJX3DR4O

— Blake Eskin (@bdeskin) February 21, 2015

Olympic Games: The sound of defeat for a single athlete is different than the sound of defeat for a team. #WDSL pic.twitter.com/XN5cKsWghs

— Dorothy Dunn (@DD12Hatch) February 21, 2015

The @DesignObserver #wdsl morning was beyond fascinating in topic and, well, tenor. What is the sound of someone crashing the pm session?

— Core77 (@core77) February 21, 2015

. @amirshake talks about the fact that a media platform beyond the creator is the missing perspective #wdsl

— Brittany Loar (@britt_loar) February 21, 2015

Two Soundcloud veterans—@amirshake and @michaelnevensen—on their new spoken work platform #wdsl

— DesignObserver (@DesignObserver) February 21, 2015

EunJin Cho of LSU argues that we are each sound designers of our lives in choices of spaces & music, her analogy milk:oreo::sound:life #wdsl

— Heather (@pemiblue) February 21, 2015

@DesignObserver: Kinchin: John Cale tuned his guitar to the hum of his refrigerator! #wdsl

— DesignObserver (@DesignObserver) February 21, 2015

http://t.co/8y5LD3aWV9 “Nick Sowers shares Brian Eno’s definition of Ambient Music at #wdsl: Something as ignorable as interesting.”

— AlJavieera Saves4L8r (@AJFavorite) February 22, 2015

Nick Sowers @soundscrapers– sound in space, sound making space? most interesting talk of the day #wdsl @SVA_News pic.twitter.com/Q4ntAoZFaF

— A.J. Cerami (@ajdidid) February 21, 2015

The magnificent brilliant Steven Heller at #WDSL @thedailyheller @DesignObserver pic.twitter.com/AoCoyS7xur

— debbie millman (@debbiemillman) February 21, 2015

The Frere-Jones brothers talking music and typefaces at What Design Sounds Like (aka the dream panel) #wdsl pic.twitter.com/02RPNf5UGY

— Matthew Anderson (@matt_anderson) February 21, 2015

“There’s something really powerful about exploring language at a molecular level,” Tobias Frere-Jones on the popularity of type design #WDSL

— debbie millman (@debbiemillman) February 21, 2015

The ultimate ‘sketching on napkins’ story told by Sasha Frere-Jones #wdsl pic.twitter.com/0JI8hvRkoP

— Dorothy Dunn (@DD12Hatch) February 21, 2015

Wow. @DesignObserver #wdsl conference astounding in reframe after reframe after reframe. Brilliant. Treat.

— Allan Chochinov (@chochinov) February 21, 2015

WDSL photography by Montse Zamorano. You can find her online, on Facebook, and Twitter.