When We Build

"We make our world what it is and we become the kind of people who live in it." –Wilson Miner on why Designers have such a great job.

Wilson Miner - When We Build from Build on Vimeo.

Designers & programmers – WATCH THIS TALK by Wilson Miner (Head designer of Rdio, Designer & cofounder of EveryBlock, and former designer and developer at Apple). The talk took place at last year's Build Conference in Belfast.

Design is important. As designers, we know this. But, there are people who explore this statement and put it into such eloquent words, it obtains new and more profound meaning. Wilson Miner is one of those people. I took so much away from this talk and I encourage anyone interested in design to take the time to watch it.

Thanks to The Post Family for sharing!

the queen of rage?

I'm not a huge fan of Michele Bachmann (less of a fan of the Republican party at this moment and even less of a fan of the Tea Party ), but I respect her as an elected representative of my follow citizens.

The last time I posted about Newsweek, the Stephen Colbert cover had me grinning from ear to ear. This time I'm a little sad to see an ambitious and dedicated woman portrayed in such a negative light.

Could I design for a company that asked me to produce this?

Click here to read GOOD's short and sweet article about Newsweek's shady history when it comes to featuring female politicians on their covers.

mindlab

Mindlab is a design agency/government innovation unit. WHAT?! I was thrilled to find these two seemingly independent themes wrapped under one creative umbrella.

Since its inception in 2002, Mindlab has evolved into a vehicle for bureaucratic reform.

"We work with the civil servants in our three parent ministries: the Ministry of Economic and Business Affairs, the Ministry of Taxation and the Ministry of Employment. These three ministries cover broad policy areas that affect the daily lives of virtually all Danes. Entrepreneurship, climate change, digital self-service, citizen’s rights, emplyment services and workplace safety are some of the areas they address.

MindLab is instrumental in helping the ministry’s key decision-makers and employees view their efforts from the outside-in, to see them from a citizen’s perspective. We use this approach as a platform for co-creating better ideas."

You can find some great case studies on their website, many concerning the Danish government's "Away With Red Tape" plan. It's interesting to read and compare the citizen/government disconnect in Denmark to that experienced here in the US.

In the June 2011 issues of Monocle magazine, Mindlab's Christian Bason gave some insightful advice...

"The key to longevitiy is having the self-awareness to ask yourself a difficult question: 'Are we still relevant?' If not, you must take your own medicine."

(They have a MindBlog too!)

via Monocle and MindLab, all images via MindLab

The Plus Pool

I don't want to taint this post with grumbles about how one of my favorite ideas was somehow realized by another party, but here goes. My hopes of inventing the world's first floating pool are dashed...(and not just because the clever people at Family and PlayLab have beaten me to the punch...it seems this idea has been around in some form since the early 19th century!) I am happy, though slightly dispirited, to be posting about this outstanding new campaign for a floating pool in the rivers of New York City.

Plans are still in the beginning stages, so there are a lot of important unanswered questions at this point. For example: What affect will this have on the local flora & fauna? How will it be maintained? Is it secured to the riverbed...stable and safe for members of the community? The pool water is filtered river water, is the water that re-enters the river then contaminated by cleaning chemicals or the users of the pool? How could this object be used to better the environment it occupies, can exiting water be filtered in a way that helps to purify the river and reverse the effects of earlier pollution?

You can visit their website to find out more or get involved. It is an ambitious and innovative project. I'm excited to see how it develops and how it inspires the design community.

Re-Binder

I think it's safe to say that designers love office supplies. Organizing is one of my favorite hobbies and now we can all feel a little better about the products we buy to rearrange our clutter. RECYCLED binders, composition books, covers, tabs, pockets, media storage, and labels!

Each year, over 500 metric tons of toxic PVC ends up in landfills as the result of vinyl binders that people use. Today we should expect more. Products should be made in our country, with our workers, out of responsible materials with the intention that no landfill be required. ReBinder meets that demand.

ReBinder is the only true zero waste office supply manufacturer and the brand of choice for customers looking for sustainable, quality office supplies. Assembled by a local, AbilityOne certified disabled workforce, all ReBinder product materials are sourced from responsibly managed forests and verified FSC and SFI certified sources. With each purchase of ReBinder products, solid waste, greenhouse gas, energy, tree and water consumption are reduced.

–ReBinder

And some food for thought...If you already have some of these items, you don't even need to use the ReBinder products, you can make even less of an impact by using the supplies you already have around the office!

via swiss miss and rebinder

Bracket – Hunger

The second issue of Bracket features 16 visionaries who have pursued their hunger to create change in the world.

“Emerson wrote that a man’s ambition is proportional to his abilities, that “the height of the pinnacle is determined by the breadth of his base.” These are the words of a hungry man. And if we follow their logic, then what we have in this issue are snapshots of sixteen motherfucking mountains.”

Excerpt of foreword by Jack Cheng

I found out about Bracket (published by the Republic of Singapore-based think tank Anonymous) while reading the STACK blog today. That foreword excerpt has me so curious. They even interviewed Heydays for this issue! You can purchase the PDF online here, but if you are like me, you probably want to hold (and smell) this beautiful signature of newsprint. I wish I could afford the $25 to ship it to my American doorstep, but I cannot. I will probably buy it anyway.

Design Revolution

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Emily Pilloton
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Fox News

I had never heard of Project H until Dawn of Firebelly mentioned their work last year during camp. A few months ago, I ordered Design Revolution:100 Products that Empower People, only to find that it was authored by Project H founder, Emily Pilloton! The book is completely inspiring and I recommend it to anyone interested in using their design skills for good.

I just stumbled upon this clip of Emily on The Colbert Report and thought I would share.

awww

Oh my goodness! Look at all the baby wind turbines!

You have to admit, they're working pretty hard over there in China.

(Obama was right to address this particular issue in both his state of the union address and his remarks to the House Republican retreat on Friday.)

Though I would love for America to raise the bar and start innovating in the realm of alternative energy, I will say that I am happy this subject has become something important in the world, even to politicians!

I will also say that I appreciate the fact that China is designing their future with my affinity for cute and chubby objects in mind.

(you can read about their progress here at the new york times online)

thanks stefan

-stefan sagmeister

just a little quote to live by.

Heirloom Design

I finally received my first issue of GOOD Magazine this month after a mix-up with my subscription back in September. (sweet!) It's the Slow Issue, containing inside a number of great articles focused around the issue of our quickening lifestyles.

There is a small interview with an inventor named Saul Griffith (He's the founder of Instructables!-and developed designs for energy-producing kites!) The topic of the interview was "Heirloom Design." I was unfamiliar with the term until today, but it's a pretty interesting concept and goes along with the ideas expressed by William McDonough in my previous post.

"An object with "heirloom design" is something that will not only last through your lifetime and into the next generation, but that you also desire to keep that long because it's beautiful, functional, and timeless." -Griffith

The newest issue hasn't been posted to their webpage, so I'm not sure if the interview will be available online. I will share a few quotes that I particularly enjoyed, but if you get the chance, check out the newest issue; it's informative AND it's pretty!

Griffith says...
"We have to do things in new ways and think differently. That's an opportunity for people with their eyes open. Planned obsolescence and fashion seasons are new and constructed problems."

"You can't make a solution for climate change add up unless you address the issue. If you are a young designer today, it might be hard; it might go against the grain. But, the only way you will win in the long run, the only way you will design for the world we all want, is if you design heirloom products. Thumb your nose at the establishment."

(NOTE: This second quote is kind of a definitive statement and I don't necessarily agree that it's the ONLY way to design for a better world, but it seems like a step in the right direction. )

Design is the first signal of human intention.

I haven't updated in a while. Things have been so hectic, and I think I started to lose sight of a lot of the things I really care about. After a minor breakdown yesterday, (My mom would probably argue that the term "minor" used in this situation is a bit of an understatement. She is awesome for helping me get through it; listening to me vent for almost an hour and encouraging me, as my parents always have, to do whatever it takes to be happy.) I sat down, sulking, and clicked through some TED talks to cheer myself up. I've always found these addicting and incredibly inspiring (so stoked that there is a whole category devoted to design).

I chose to post William McDonough's talk because I couldn't sleep after watching it. I'm moved by his ideas of what design can be, and what it should be, but even more so by the resolve with which he has developed these ideas into fruition. I am inspired by his enthusiasm; it takes a lot of determination to breach the boundaries of modern thought, only to re-enter them in an effort to help the rest of us escape.

If you like the talk, you should definitely read his book Cradle to Cradle, co-authored by his colleague, Michael Braungart. Using history, science, modern business models, and the idea of design, they begin to address the question: How do we love all the children of all species for all time? prettyyyyy prettyyyy cool.

Camp Firebelly

I have been home from Camp Firebelly for a week now and I thought it would be appropriate to post some appreciation for all of the people in the image above (and the rest of the team at Firebelly Design of course).

We did so many amazing things during camp (all of which are documented in the camp blog here). But, my fellow campers were incredible and I miss them. Trust me when I say that you can expect big things from all of them in the future.

While we were there, we had a chance to work with Some Odd Pilot, The Post Family, Delicious Design League, AIGA Chicago, and tons of other kind members of Chicago's design community. It was such an inspiring/motivating experience and I'm so lucky to have been part of it. If you are a young designer, I HIGHLY recommend applying for next year's camp, you definitely will not regret it.

^d
sarah

Currently Enjoying

The Idealist.org: Handbook to Building a Better World.

Dawn at Firebelly gave these out as a gift to each of the campers this year. Though I have not finished, I found this quote to be pretty inspiring...

"One of my lifetime goals is to be as generous as I can be. I am not the most brilliant thinker in the world, so I am not going to push forward the frontiers of human knowledge. Nor am I especially ambitious in my career, so I am not going to be the CEO of the next Google. However, I do have moral ambition. I would like to stretch myself to be the most generous person I can be. I think that is in my power. Even if I fail, it can't hurt to try." -Cliff Landesman, donor, volunteer, Trickle Up, Oxfam America, Natural Resources Defense Council, Lake Champlain Committee, Alaska Center for the Environment, WNYC, Pedals for Progress, among others; Brooklyn, New York

Though I'm not totally ruling out the idea of drastically advancing human thought or creating and running my own multi-billion dollar web venture, I can relate to what he is saying here and I appreciate that.

The quote sort of sums up the book as well. It explains every level of involvement with non-profits and emphasizes the importance of giving, regardless of amount. So, I suggest checking it out if you have the time and interest.

Thanks Dawn!
^d
sarah

design and government

"Design Den Haag 2010-2018 researches the relation between Design and Government in Europe within an international context, from cultural, economic and social viewpoints. Starting spring 2010, Design Den Haag will organize a total of five public events biennially in the field of design, architecture and visual communication, with exhibitions, publications, lectures and debates, workshops and documentary films. Each edition will entail a collaboration between Den Haag and another European government Capital: Berlin, Stockholm, Rome, London and Paris. Every edition will be evaluated. The final evaluation of the five editions will be submitted as report to the European Union at the end of 2018. This report will contain recommendations concerning the betterment of relations between design and governance, and on governmental funds for the quality of design, architecture and visual communication."

I had planned on writing President Obama a nice long letter when I graduated about design and its political/social importance in hopes that he would consider increasing its role in government. (and maybe offer me a job! haha)

So, I found out today that an organization called Foundation Design Den Haag in Europe has already started collaborating with the government of Berlin to discuss the potentially dangerous connection between design and government (hmmm). The group started a workshop this week with students to create future political campaigns. Kirsten Verdel, member of Obama's campaign team, even gave a lecture about the campaign and strategy.

It sounds really interesting and I'm excited to see what the future holds for these guys. (The website has a cool feature that takes note of every ip address that visits the site and creates a unique tone from the number combination. they play while you navigate!)

Design.nl will be following all of their events. You can find them here!

^d
sarah

Olsen Haus Vegan Sandal!

Saw these SWEET vegan sandals designed by olsen Haus on inhabitat this morning. They are 100% Vegan and made of sustainable and cruelty-free materials. They are a little pricey, but they're beautiful and it would definitely feel good to know that the shoes you are wearing came from a company with this outstanding philosophy:

"The philosophy of olsenHaus is anchored in the universal truth, respect for all beings, with a dedication to the expression of truth in the material world. We are committed to being 100% animal-free / cruelty-free, producing functional goods, with a high standard of ethical social responsibility in animal rights, human rights, and the environment. Products are made of non-animal materials, in sample rooms and factories that are personally checked for ethical practices & environmental impact."

You can find the shoes here.

jim jarmusch

something to think about
via noquedanblogs.com

Humus

Found this sweet user-generated art project/website, humus, this morning! Anyone can send in work to be posted to each issue (there are currently 12 issues) and everything is displayed within a moleskine-like sketchbook for everyone to see! There are some size specifications that you can find here, but other than that you are free to submit anything you wish.

Humus is a territory where images, creativity, thoughts and expressions have no border line or demarcation line.

I've posted images of work by Milan Grbovic below, titled spamconsumer/Visualizations of Civil Disobedience.

Nick Hum

Found this article on woostercollective. Hum using ethics as the starting point for his business strategy and comes up with some clever ways to distribute his designed tshirts.

"In the Fall of 2008 I was pondering a few things. First thing I was pondering was the question of how ethical is it to sell someone a "Designed" t-shirt for 25-20 dollars? I found myself and to this day find myself perplexed about how someone has the guts to charge someone else that much for a "t-shirt". So I began to think of ways to distribute my t-shirt designs for very little costs. I came up with two ideas:

1. Buying thrift store shirts, printing on them, then charging a small amount because its used clothing
2. Establishing a system where people bring their own t-shirt, pick a design from me, and they only pay for the amount of ink I've use to hand print on them.

But then I came up with an idea that melded the two, a process which I'll explain in steps.
1. Buy 10 white t-shirts from thrift store ($20)
2. Screen print on them ($.25, elbow grease)
3. Return them back to the thrift store "

via

sketch book!

I finally scanned some pages from my Scotland sketchbooks. I thought maybe you guys would be interested. The one above is in the Philly Airport the day I left, the rest were done while I was there. They are mostly observations of the different environment I was living in. It's much easier to pretend you're living in a fairy tale when you're in an unfamiliar place.

i should go to sleep.
^d
sarah

tools for changing the world

Bestuniversities.com, a website that researches and discusses top online schools, recently published this list of 100 blogs which they consider to be the best 100 blogs for those who want to change the world.

The world is full of visionaries and people who want to make a difference in the world, and many of those people share their knowledge online through their blogs. Whether you want to change the world through environment, humanitarianism, business, or any other way, there’s a blog out there that can offer you guidance and inspiration. Read on, and you’ll find 100 blogs that can help you change the world.

Pretty cool! They are broken up into categories and the Art section has a few design sites including the Social Design Blog. You can check out the other 99 blogs here.

^d
sarah