Design Conversations

Where Should We Go from Here? Posted by Kenneth Bailey, on Thursday April 12, 2012 The Social Impact Design Summit was a great opportunity to bring to the surface the controversies and commonalities within our new field of practice. We had representatives approaching design from corporate and nonprofit organizations, along with representatives from academia, with a correspondingly broad array of ideas about what constitutes social impact. social impact, design summit, corporate, non-profit, NGO, client, citizen, collaboration, commonalities, ds4si
The Taxi of Tomorrow is Here Today Posted by Jennifer Northrop, on Wednesday April 04, 2012 Each day, 600,000 New Yorkers hop in the back of a taxi - the iconic yellow cab that is a symbol of New York City around the world. The 2014 Nissan NV200 Taxi, New York's Taxi of Tomorrow, made its global debut yesterday at a special event with New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn. taxi, cab, New York City, NYC, yellow, icon, taxi of tomorrow, Nissan NV200
Sustainability: Visiting the Newtown Creek Waste Water Treatment Plant Posted by Jocelyn Groom, on Tuesday April 03, 2012 According to Jim Pynn, Superintendent of Newtown Creek’s 52-acre water waste treatment plant, the plant’s star architectural feature is eight futuristic, stainless steel–clad “digester eggs.” Tours of the facility began less than a year ago. Newtown Creek, treatment plant, waste water, sustainability, New York City, NYC, tour
Object of the Month: Small Diamond chair by Harry Bertoia Posted by Seb Chan, on Tuesday April 03, 2012 Known primarily as a sculptor, Harry Bertoia designed the Small Diamond chair for Knoll between 1950 and 1952. During that time, rather than do conventional design research, Bertoia conceived of a series of side chairs and lounge chairs for mass production, made of wire mesh formed into seating shells. According to Bertoia, “In the chairs, many functional problems have to be satisfied first. . . Object of the Month, chair, Small Diamond, Harry Bertoia, sculptor, Knoll
24 Hours in America - Thoughts on the Social Impact Design Summit Posted by Kirtee Shah, on Friday March 30, 2012 Going to New York from India for a day-long meeting was absurd to my wife. I was excited: a global meet-up on socially responsible design; one Asian among 50 odd Americans; big names among participants, sponsors, donors and a weekend that would allow me to see the World Trade Center monument. social impact, clients, underserved, sensitivity, affordability, people centered, linkages
Thoughts and Reflections on the Social Impact Design Summit Posted by Dr. Richie Moalosi, on Thursday March 22, 2012 At the recent Social Impact Design Summit in New York, organized by the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, one issue that received attention was the need to build local capacity so that projects can be self-sustainable. Any successful model should be built on local capacity, knowledge, and engagement. social impact, local capacity, self-sustainable, sustainability
Design Ignites Change Award Winners Posted by Monica Harriss, on Monday March 12, 2012 Design Ignites Change, an initiative of Worldstudio, promotes and encourages talented high-school and college students across the country to use design thinking and innovation to develop actual projects that will benefit their own communities while giving them a voice on important social issues. Design Ignites Change, award, winners, students, youth, Teens, social impact, projects, community
4 Questions 4: Kevin Palmer Posted by Seb Chan, on Wednesday March 07, 2012 The latest in our 4 Questions 4 series interview Kevin Palmer, founding partner of London-based Kin Design. Kin Design is perhaps best known for their work for the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, recent work for the National Maritime Museum (London), and their custom covers for Wallpaper* Magazine. 4 Questions 4, Kevin Palmer, Kin Design, interaction, interactive, museum
National Design Library Moves into New Spaces Posted by Stephen H. Van Dyk, on Wednesday March 07, 2012 The Carnegie Mansion on Fifth Avenue, home of the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, is closed for the next two years as it undergoes extensive renovations. The Museum’s National Design Library – established in the 1890s by the Museum’s founders, the Hewitt Sisters, at the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art – has occupied the Mansion’s third floor since the collections were obtained by the Smithsonian in the 1970s library, move, new space, Miller-Fox Houses, state-of-the-art, reading room, stacks
Downtown Design Posted by Debbie Ahn, on Monday March 05, 2012 Paul Johnson, who established Johnson Trading Gallery in 2007, welcomed Design Watch Members for a look into the gallery’s mix of vintage and contemporary pieces by emerging designers. Paul Johnson, Johnson Traiding Gallery, Design Watch, members, tour