Category: Architecture, Communication, Exhibition, Graphics, Minneapolis, Publishing

Different by Design

It did not take us too long to realize that the Walker Art Center is a very different kind of museum. Our first Walker experience took place as we got out of the car and walked through the parking garage surrounded by experimental sounds. The Walker stands out because it uses and integrates design in a museum environment in order to create experiences: physically with the 2005 facilities extension by architects Herzog & De Meuron, visually with the in-house communication design team responsible for the look and feel of exhibitions and publications, and conceptually with exhibitions questioning the role of design in society, past and present (one recent show that particularly caught our interest is Worlds Away, a study on suburbia and its impact on modern America).

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How does the Walker achieve such level of excellence in design? Well, the creative team sitting backstage is rather unusual: since 1980, a small number of young graphic design fellows are selected each year to work with the design director. Keeping the design work in-house is a money-saver and integrating fresh minds is a good way to explore unseen territories and experiment on new grounds. We wonder why more museums aren’t adopting this innovative approach.

Rating 3.00 out of 5

UI Center for the Book, Part 2

Tags: Sustainability

The UICB fine press facilities are made of multi-disciplinary classrooms where writers can experiment with letterpress and calligraphers can collaborate with illustrators. All share a passion for the book. At UICB, narratives and poetry can be triggered in the process of making a book: through typography, graphic layout and images. It is a place where the book goes beyond written words and becomes an integral art piece.

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Letterpress studio and binding facilities at UICB (pictured above) are places where writers like to experiment and discover new territories.

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Sara Langworthy who is an instructor at UICB shows us samples of fine press books by UI Alumni. Attention to detail is a common obsession in book art: from typesetting to engraving.

Rating 3.00 out of 5

UI Center for the Book, Part 1

Tags: Sustainability

The University of Iowa’s Center for the Book (UICB) is a rarity in our digital age. What is the role of the book in our society and how does the book take shape as an art object? From paper to printing and binding, the book is a traditional medium that manages to survive alongside digital content, invites the reader to slow down, reflect and look at the world in unexpected ways.

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The UICB’s paper mill is led by Professor Timothy Barrett who is a leading research scientist in his field and focuses on the history, technique, science and aesthetics of hand papermaking. The paper made at the Oakdale facility is commonly used by American libraries for their archives.

Kathleen Tandy (left) and Liz Munger are both assistants at the paper facility and showed us the various steps in papermaking.

Rating 3.00 out of 5

Omaha, NE

Tags: Regeneration

Some locals in Omaha think that their city is of one of America’s best kept secrets and want to keep it that way. Others wish that more people stopped in Omaha (instead of just flying over it) because there is more to the city than Mutual of Omaha, Omaha Steaks and Warren Buffett: Omaha is also a creative incubator and the Silicon Prairie of the region.

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Omaha is a small city made of contrasted districts in the downtown area. The real surprise for us was to discover the Old Market District after a long drive from Colorado. The Old Market is authentic and delivers an old Western charm that can no longer be found in a majority of American cities.

Omaha seeks to bring its population back on the streets and revive the city center. Inspired dining venues such as M’s Pub or The Boiler Room are local favorites in the area and prove that restaurants that blend design with fine food are an integral part of a city’s appeal. A number of affordable urban living developments surrounding the market are attractive alternatives to suburban neighborhoods.

The world renowned Bemis artist-in-residence center (pictured above), set up by Ree Kaneko in the early eighties has had considerable influence on the creative character of Omaha and helps to diversify the local population (we spotted a couple of young Japanese artists struggling to order steaks at M’s Pub). The recently opened Kaneko Center is another initiative that explores new creative possibilities for Omaha (see our blog post and video), and we heard that a new design school may also be seeing the light of day in a few years time.

Rating 4.67 out of 5

San Francisco, CA

TAGS: None

San Francisco is a small big city that strikes a perfect balance between its beautiful surrounding geography, diverse urban life, vibrant creative scene, open-mindedness, ambitious character and entrepreneurial spirit. During our meetings there, one word was heard constantly: collaboration. Hence, SF is a place that brings together designers, engineers, artists and business people from different backgrounds and walks of life.

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(Pictured above – from top left: Tram on Broadway, Chinatown, Museum of Craft and Design, Jessie Street, Golden Gate Bridge, Alamo Square)

On Jessie Street, we met with graphic designers Martin Venezky (Appetite Engineers), Scott Thorpe (MacFadden and Thorpe) and Jon Sueda (Stripe) in their shared studio space. It was an opportunity for us to take a closer look at their publishing and editorial work and witness the kind of visual experiments that are taking place in San Francisco. Martin, Scott and Jon are from different generations but all three of them are interested in challenging the medium of graphic design and typography. To them design is first and foremost a form of expression. Business is not a priority to them. Their approach to graphic design is very hands-on, using manual printing methods such as silkscreen and a lot of hand crafted techniques that deliver a certain uniqueness in each of their pieces. Martin has a desk away from the computer where he can dedicate himself to his sculptural work (pictured below)

In contrast, although very much related to SF’s identity, the product development company Moto is dedicated to the integration of high technology in everyday life via the combination of engineering and design. Moto works with large companies to provide them with innovative solutions for their future products. Moto creates new devices that have never been experienced before and therefore most of their projects are kept confidential. One of the few pieces that were shared with us was an interactive touch-screen and an E-ink device (pictured below).