Sometimes, an idea is so good that everyone around can’t help but pitch in. Take the story of stone soup, a folktale about a traveler who convinces an entire village to create a feast out of nothing but a stone and a pot of water. It begins with skepticism, but with a little charm and some shared curiosity, the villagers contribute their carrots, onions, and spices. What starts as a trick becomes a celebration, a collaborative act of creation.
Category: Design
Walking through the Metropolitan Museum of Art, we pass the Temple of Dendur, rescued by Jackie Kennedy before Lake Nasser was flooded after the Aswan Dam was built. Then it’s off to European art to see Picassos and Renoirs. Then we go downstairs to the Design Collection to see… my dining room chair?
That’s the funny thing about design collections. Iconic designs from the past have blended so seamlessly into modern life that we forget their origins. It’s like realizing the guy in the hoodie at the coffee shop is a tech CEO. What was once groundbreaking has become… ordinary.
I really love David Pogue. He is a brilliant Renaissance man who talks about technology but from a very cultivated point of view. I don’t just say that because he went to Yale. I always enjoy the way he makes technology accessible and engaging, offering insights that resonate with both tech enthusiasts and everyday users.
Have you noticed the fly that lives in the urinal? In many urinals, a fly has been etched or printed near the drain as a target. This clever addition is a simple image of a fly that serves an important purpose. The idea is to provide a target to aim at, reducing spillage and keeping restrooms cleaner.
Great design combines a strong artistic vision with the fulfillment of a real-world need. Thomas Heatherwick, the builder behind the Vessel, exemplifies great design. The first time I saw the Vessel, I was biking along the West Side Highway and saw this wonderful staircase being built. Two things went through my head at the same time: “This staircase would be amazing to climb” and “There’s no way that I’ll be able to climb it because it’s going to be part of some new building.” When I learned that this was going to be an interactive sculpture that you can walk through, I had another two thoughts: “This is so amazing! I’m going to be able to climb those stairs!” and “What kind of person would spend $200 million on a bunch of stairs?!”
Categories
My Personal Contact Cards
About a year ago I made my own business cards. I wanted to have a personal expression of who I was rather than just me as an agent of a company. I wanted to make something I was proud of and made this:
It’s based on an Apple Store recruitment card which reads “Your customer service just now was exceptional. I work for the Apple Store and you’re exactly the kind of person we’d like to talk to. If you’re happy where you are, I’d never ask you to leave. But if you’re thinking about a change, give me a call. This could be the start of something great.”
I just left a wedding and I saw the most amazing thing. The bride and groom made sure that people were not going to take pictures during the wedding. It’s mixing enormous amount of sense because:
- They will be taking the world’s worst pictures of the bride and groom.
- It’s also distracting to everyone who sits there.
- They aren’t really even experiencing the wedding there just spending a lot of time figuring out how to take the best picture.
- The bride and groom have hired a professional photographer
This also reminds me of a picture of how people change in the way that they experience life due to mobile phones. When the pope was chosen in 2005 everybody was there actively awaiting the decision. Also it must have been pretty a pretty wonderful experience. Everyone was probably talking to other and being in the moment and just having this wonderful communal excitement. In 2013 when the pope is chosen everybody had their mobile phones out my does it take a picture to post on Facebook. It feels like that moment was memorialized better but at what cost?
You must be logged in to post a comment.