News And Updates

Harvard GSD and ACTAR have recently released GSD Platform 2 (Amazon affiliate link), “a sampling of the most salient research and design explorations undertaken at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) during the 2008-2009 academic year.”

Organized thematically, the publication identifies underlying congruencies among studio work, theses, research, lectures, conferences, and writings to unfold some of the many critical ideas and interests currently being explored in the School. Ranging in scope from detailed material fabrication to large-scale territorial and infrastructural strategies, the work spans a broad and diverse set of geographies and scenarios. In documenting this work, the publication archives and disseminates the rich intellectual momentum of the GSD.

GSD Platform 2 is a chance to look into the work of tomorrow’s design leaders. It’s a hefty book, weighing nearly 2 pounds and containing 300 pages in full color and B/W, in a variety of different papers.

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I want to thank STUFF Magazine and Erin Gates of Elements of Style for including me in their recent article, “Designing By the Book.” For the article, Erin reached out to local design personalities to find what their favorite design books are. For good measure, she had us each send two favorites.

What was my favorite? Well, you could hop over and read the article, or I could tell you what both of my choices were. Oh, all right!

The first choice was “Danish Modern” (not an affiliate link) by Andrew Hollingsworth. I’m not sure if it’s that obvious to you, but I LOVE Danish Modern furniture. This boo is page after page of furniture porn for me.

My second pick, and the one Erin featured, is “Apartment Therapy Presents Real Homes, Real People, Hundreds of Design Solutions” (wow, long title!) by, of course, Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan. I love how, like his blog network, he shows how regular people can create stunning, comfortable, healthy homes. I’m guessing she ran with this one because there weren’t any mentions of, um, adult content with it.

Thanks again to Erin and STUFF Magazine!

…but it’s for a good reason!

When I should have been writing about the great designers I’m coming across, I’ve been working with Joyce — not just a blogger but also a freelance photographer and graphic designer — on designing and programming a new DesignBoston.org.

The basic layout is all set, but there’s still much to be done. We’re hoping to be finished in the next few days. When that happens, the site will be unavailable for a short time while we make the switchover.

In the meantime, I’ll be sure to post as often as I can.

Thanks for your patience!

(Yes, I was dared to put this old school .gif up. )

Recently, interior designer Charise Glasson shared her favorite design maganzines. All over the internet, people have been talking about what changes need to be made to save magazines. What content needs to change? Will advertisers come back to magazines? Will readers? Will they all go online? Even Elle Decor’s Margaret Russell discussed this in last month’s issue.

One group of consumers is putting their money where their mouth is. They want to build a group of support for the magazine industry by having everyone buy a magazine on the same day — tomorrow, February 1, to be precise. They even made a Facebook fan page, imaginatively titled “Save the Magazines!! Make Feb 1st National Buy a Magazine Day!”

I’m not sure if corralling everyone to buy a magazine on one day is going to cure the magazine industry’s ills, but it’s nice to see people wanting to do something to save a media platform they care about. And it’s fun, so why not?

Tomorrow, I think I’m going to buy three magazines — at least one that I wouldn’t otherwise buy — and subscribe to at least one. All design, of course.

I’ll see you tomorrow, in the magazine section.

(photo via Flickr)

Merry Christmas!

Shop where the designers shop this weekend at the Boston Design Center. There will be furniture, wine, cooking demos, shopping, and decoration tips all for free! And if you missed the ‘Domino: The Book of Decorating’ book signing back in October, you’ll have your chance to get it signed here. Or if you haven’t got your copy yet, be one of the first 100 visitors you’ll score a complimentary copy of the book!

Check it out: www.bostondesign.com/ShopByDesign/SBDHome.cfm

Celebrate the launch of domino magazine’s new book, ‘Domino: The Book of Decorating; a room by room guide to creating a home that makes you happy’ (Simon & Schuster) at Louis Boston this Saturday from 2:00-4:00pm.

domino Style Director & author Dara Caponigro, along with Rita Konig, domino contributing editor & daily dose blogger will be signing books, while you enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, live music and more.

Knowing domino, it’s going to be a great event. Be sure you RSVP by calling 800-660-9159.

I may stop in, depending on how up for it my son is. Will we see you there?

Louis Boston
234 Berkeley Street,
Boston, MA 02116

As I mentioned previously, I’m organizing a fund raiser, called Social Media for Social Change. Here’s the basic idea of it:

The social media world has proven that, though still a young and small community within a multitude of industries, we have the power to exact great change.

Social media has broken down walls and created conversations. IBM does product testing in Second Life. Old college classmates reunite on Facebook. Zappos does intra-office communication via Twitter. All great, paradigm shifting events.

But we believe something more is possible.

The event is going to raise funds to benefit Jane Doe, Inc., a Boston-based anti-domestic abuse organization. It’s going to be held Friday, October 10, at the Harvard Club on Commonwealth Ave.

It’s one event, but it’s shaping up to be a movement. One that brings individuals, startups, companies, corporations and the causes we value together to change the lives of those who need it most.

How can my friends in the design world do to help?

For the back story, check out the SM4SC blog.

If you are an individual looking to help out, find out how to get involved now.

If you are a designer, store or firm looking to earn some fantastic karma, check out how to sponsor our event.

And thank you.

60 years ago, eastern Massachusetts primarily consisted of an industrial city surrounded by sleepy farming towns. Fast forward to today: eastern Massachusetts is one of the nation’s epicenters for technology and defense. That change is largely due to the growth of the suburbs.

I grew up in those suburbs. Burlington, MA is two towns away from where I grew up. To this day, if you ask me about Burlington, I can tell you about the mall, the movie theater, and the Barnes & Noble. That’s it. Why would I want to know more?

During his seven years at MIT as an assistant professor of architectural design, Somerville-based architect Paul Lukez looked at historical mapping of Burlington, MA, to develop the Adaptive Design Process, “a method that allows for the organic transformation of communities with their own distinct identity and unique character,” which he explores in his new book, Suburban Transformations, published by Princeton Architectural Press. Using the Adaptive Design Process, Lukez delves into how our suburbs came to be, what their current state is, and how they can be changed from here.

The information he presents is startling. I’m not going to reprint all of them, but here’s a good one: The Burlington Mall sits on top of Burlington’s largest watershed. Because of this, the massive parking lot is continually sinking, and needs to be repaved every few years. Sand, salt, and other pollutants fall from the cars of up to 140,000 visitors per day. It’s examples like this that Lukez uses to show how town planners have been willing to allow developers everything for the increase in town revenue.

After showing us the good and bad of current suburban development, Lukez presents six scenarios of different ways Burlington’s infrastructure (including the interchange of routes 128 and 3), buildings, and processes can be changed to make it healthier, more sustainable, and a better place to live, not just shop.

Lukez also offers case studies on the Dedham Mall area, the Revere Beach area, Amsterdam, and Shenzhen, China.

The thing I like about Lukez’s proposals is that they aren’t anti-growth or anti-development. Rather, Lukez expresses that it is through developing these areas that they will become truly unique destinations.

Suburban Transformations, packed with technical information, will surely become required reading in architecture and urban planning programs. That said, it is light enough that any layperson with an interest in architecture, design, or (sub)urban planning will enjoy it, and get something out of it.