a tough field.

Posted on December 13, 2008

The design field is a tough one right now. It’s been a few months since I began searching, and have seen very few job postings for junior/intern/beginer architects.

It leaves you in a tough position. I want to be somewhat choosy as to where I apply, so as to not just accept or work where the job is, but to work somewhere that I’m interested in [although, my once standing requirement that the office has to work on the Mac platform, I've eased up on some].

——-

Do design fields translate within one another? I’ve been doing some graphics work and web design. Should these fields not be considered when looking at my portfolio work as an architect? Seems like they should.

Graphics, symbols, brands

Posted on July 10, 2008

Most likely, it’s what we recognize most. We remember words, names, etc. but graphics, symbols, and visual images are usually what we can most often recall. They evoke something in our mind about a specific experience, place or even a person. We usually associate them with branding, though.

Two stories.

Thailand.
We were in the back of a taxi trying to get to the hospital. We didn’t know how to tell the taxi driver “hospital” in Thai, we knew the name of the hospital, but he couldn’t understand us and we had forgotten to bring the address or name written out to show him. So, we grabbed a piece of paper and drew and drew the red cross, an internationally recognized symbol. He immediately said, “Oh, hospital” (in Thai). Amazing.

China.
We were eating in Subway (Yes, we have them here. Only in real big cities) and I had heard there was a Starbucks nearby so I was curious how to say Starbucks in Chinese. I walked up to the counter and asked a couple of the workers how to say it. Of course when I said “Starbucks” in English they didn’t understand, so in Chinese I asked them how to say the name of the popular coffeeshop from America. They still didn’t understand (probably due to my bad Chinese). I told them I would draw it for them. I took my receipt and drew the word Starbucks as it appears on their sign followed by a simple star, an internationally recognized brand. Immediately they said, “噢！星巴克“ Which translates, “Oh! Starbucks”.

How many others stories like this can you think of?

design

Posted on April 3, 2008

Design is largely an exercise in creating or suggesting contrasts, which are used to define hierarchy, manipulate certain widely understood relationships, and exploit context to enhance or redefine those relationships … all in an effort to convey meaning. Contrast is important because the meaningful essence of any thing is defined by its value, properties, or quality relative to something else. That’s right: nothing has much meaning by itself, which is one reason why design is important. The function of contrast in defining meaning can be explained by comparing fundamental opposites: dark/light, soft/hard, fast/slow. Examples like these are useful because everyone understands the extremes they imply, but while there are extremes, there are no absolutes. The values are merely relative.

Andy Rutledge

Second Life

Posted on March 2, 2008

Stylish Blight

The tale of a couple of architects turning an old automotive garage into an office/residence. While not changing much of the existing

Starbucks + iPhone

Posted on January 14, 2008

This just may have sold me on buying an iPhone when I return. If you know me and my love of coffee, you’ll understand.

Genoco developed this slick iPhone/touch interface for Starbucks so customers can order customized drinks without standing in line, and pay for them using an easy, register-less method.

(Via Joshua Blankenship.)

17 Rules For Designers

Posted on October 29, 2007

Designer Stefan Mumaw (co-author of the wonderful creativity book Caffeine
for the Creative Mind) just sent me a list of 17 rules for designers compiled
from suggestions he received in response to one of the creative challenges he emails
to friends and colleagues every morning.

Here’s the List

Manifestos

Posted on October 11, 2007

READ THEM.

Upstairs, Downstairs in New Haven

Posted on September 10, 2007

A couple found space for expanding lives in an abandoned firehouse.

A Ragtag Neighborhood’s Big, Blue Newcomer

Posted on September 4, 2007

Here’s a pretty good review on a brand new building Tschumi designed in Manhattan.

Architecture Review: “The high-design luxury residential towers marching across Manhattan pose a problem for an architecture critic.”

(Via NYT > Art and Design.)

Milton Glaser on Defining Design

Posted on August 22, 2007

“To design is to communicate clearly by whatever means you can control or master”
Milton Glaser, designer

(Via Joshua Blankenship.)

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