Namita Gupta Wiggers, Curator, Museum of Contemporary Craft, details the history, current exhibits and the raison d’etre of a very unique museum in the Northwest.
Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix during the summer months can be summarized in one word: heat. Not being able to walk down the streets of downtown was unfortunate as we would have liked to take a closer look at the stunning local architecture.
Sleek buildings over a background of dry and sandy desert mountains is a combination that makes Phoenix a rather unique city.
Some of the architectural highlights from Phoenix are the Museum of Art, the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, the Clarendon Hotel, the Valley Ho and Marlen Grove.
The Valley Ho is a mid-century modern hotel located in neighboring Scottsdale. The building has recently been re-opened to the public and offers an eclectic mix of modern and contemporary designs.
Greg Esser from Made boutique is one of the individuals behind the Roosevelt Row initiative: a dynamic, walkable mixed-use cultural district connecting historic neighborhoods with the urban core of downtown Phoenix.
Charleston City Profile
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Keywords – Heritage, Elegance, B&B, Tourism, Beach, Multicultural
Population: 720,695
Founded: 1670
Nicknames: The Holy City, The Palmetto City, Carolopolis (Latin), Chucktown
Tourism / Place branding / Historic Landmarks
Design businesses
Creative initiatives
Local businesses
Articles / Blogs / Other
Knoxville/Chattanooga City Profile
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Keywords – Roots, Folk, Comfy, Food, No-hype
Population:
Settled:
Nicknames: Scenic City (official), River City
Tourism / Place branding / Historic Landmarks
- Chattanooga Choo Choo
- Tennessee Aquarium
- Hunter Museum of American Art
- Chattanooga Market
- Sunsphere (World Fair 1982)
Design / Craft businesses
- Yeehaw Industries (Knoxville)
- Young Monster (Chattanooga)
Creative initiatives
- Create Here (Chattanooga)
Local businesses
- Mag Pies Cupcakes (Knoxville)
- Litton Burgers (Knoxville)
- Rhythm & Brews (Chattanooga)
Institutions / Organizations
- Museum of Appalachia (Knoxville)
- Hunter Museum of American Art (Chattanooga)
Art and Design Schools
- UT Knoxville – School of Architecture and Design
- UT Chattanooga – Art Dept
Lexington/ Louisville
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Keywords – Historic, Growth, Bluegrass, Manufacturing, Visionary, Bourbon
Population: 436,684
Founded: 1775
Nicknames: Horse Capital of the World, Athens of the West
Tourism / Place branding / Historic Landmarks
- Bondurant Pharmacy
- Gratz Park Historic District
- Kentucky Horse Park
- Ashland: The Henry Clay Estate
- Lexington Public Library
- 21c Museum Hotel (Louisville)
Urban development
- The Henderson Project* – “This project is about a small town in America trying to stem the flow of its young people from not returning to their hometown after college. We want to enable them to design their future so they feel invested in it. This is a problem throughout our country and we hope we can make a difference and provide a model for other communities to explore with their youth.” –Mark Bethel
Design / Craft businesses
- William B Cook (Wood – Craft)
- The Weavery
- Jan Peters (Jewelry)
- Parenthetic (Louisville)
- Powerhouse Factories (Newport)
Institutions / Organizations
- Southern Artistry
- Bourbon Heritage Center (Bardstown)
Art and Design Schools
- University of Kentucky Lexington – College of Design
- Dept of Historic Preservation
Articles / Blogs / Other
Washington D.C./ Baltimore City Profile
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Keywords – Politics, Walkable, Marble, Debate, Capital, Monuments
Population: 5.3 million
Founded: 1790
Motto: Justice for All
Tourism / Place branding / Historic Landmarks
- 1600 Pennsylvania
- US Capitol
- Lincoln Memorial
- Embassy Row along Massachusetts Avenue NW
- The Smithsonian’s Kogod Courtyard
- Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall
- I. M. Pei’s East Wing of the National Gallery
- Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Design businesses
- Design Army, DC
- Tilt Studio, Baltimore
- J Abbott Miller / Ellen Lupton
- Design Writing Research
- Post Typography, Baltimore
Creative initiatives
Local businesses
Institutions / Organizations
- Smithsonian Folk Art
- Center for Folk Art and Cultural Heritage
- National Postal Museum
- Art and Design at the Smithsonian
Art and Design Schools
- MICA – Maryland Institute College of Art
Articles / Blogs / Other
Buffalo City Profile
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Keywords – Architecture, Border town, Niagara, Chicken Wings
Population: 1,254,066
Settled: 1789
Nicknames: The City of Good Neighbors, The Queen City, The Nickel City, Queen City of the Lakes, City of Light
Tourism / Place branding / Historic Landmarks
- Mansion district
- Guaranty Building – Louis Sullivan
- Gothic Revival Erie Community College
- Art Deco at City Hall
- Darwin Martin House complex – Frank Lloyd Wright
- Kleinhans Music Hall – Saarinen
Design businesses
Creative initiatives
Institutions / Organizations
Art and Design Schools
- Roycroft campus (Artisans classes) – East Aurora
Articles / Blogs / Other
Detroit City Profile
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Keywords: Automobile, Music, History, Regeneration, Industrial
Population: 4,425,110
Founder: 1701
Nicknames: D-Town,The Motor City, Motown, Hockeytown, Rock City, The D
Motto: We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes
Tourism / Place branding / Historic Landmarks
- The Henry Ford – The largest indoor-outdoor museum in North America
- General Motors Technical Center – Eero Saarinen
- Garden Bowl in the Majestic Theater Center
Design businesses
- Design 99* – (architecture, retail, publishing)
Creative initiatives
- Power House Project by Design 99
- Detroit Tree of Heaven Woodshop
- Celebrate Michigan – AIGA Detroit
Local businesses
- The big 3 – Automobile
- GM, Chrysler, Ford
- Paul Kotula (gallery)
Institutions / Organizations
- Motown Historical Museum
- MOCAD
- Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit
- AIGA Detroit
- AIA Michigan
- IDSA Michigan
Art and Design Schools
Articles / Blogs / Other
- Mies van der Rohe – Lafayette Park
- Detroit House: $100 – Bold new ideas for the city: Priceless
- Designing Detroit
- Chief Culture Officer: fixing Detroit now
- North American International Auto Show
