George Nelson Exhibition at Vitra Design Museum

Anyone who reads my blog with any frequency knows I am a Herman Miller and specifically George Nelson admirer. In fact as I watched this video, I felt a real connection with him for the way he thinks, and his passion for the integration of design into all areas of business. He was a lifetime educator in and out of the classroom. He was a leading writer on design. He was also a designer. And an architect. And to me the most value he added to the world at large was his abilities as a thought leader. He was so ahead of his time. I suspect part of what made him successful was Herman Miller's leadership and their desire to have someone of his caliper involved in the decisions of the company. The rest of his success I'm sure can be chalked up to vision, passion, intensity, and a spirit to innovate that I bet was really contagious. Hope you enjoy this video as much as I have.



( via whatwedoissecret )

Blaise Aguera y Arcas: Seadragon; Photosynth.

On the 4th of July, 2007, I posted about this incredible video and the incredible Photosync and Seadragon technologies. I came across it again, and wanted to repost it with the idea it may have got lost in the shuffle of the holiday season. When I think of the way the new Apple iPhone's pinch navigation works to enlarge and shrink web pages, and how the new Amazon Kindle eReader (and competitive products) will alter the way we interact with books in the future, I can't help but visualize opportunities for Seadragon in this mix. If for nothing less than to inspire interactive designers. Blaise Aguera y Arcas makes the most complicated issues seem interesting as a result of his intelligence and enthusiasm. His enthusiasm is contagious.
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Microsoft, in typical fashion, has aquired (purchased) the brilliant thinking of Blaise Aguera y Arcas and his Seadragon and Photosynth technolgies. Photosynth changes how we look at and interact with images and information. Seadragon's aim is to change the way people use screens (wall-sized, mobile devices, etc.) so visual information can can be smoothly browsed regardless of data amount involved or network bandwidth.

Both technologies blow me away.

( via ChuckGreen's PagePlane Blog )

BDDW: heirloom quality solid wood furniture

BDDW—A small company in Williamsburg Brooklyn, creating highly crafted and timeless furniture designs, one at a time, each by hand. Constantly producing new and innovative work, Tyler Hays (painter and sculptor) and Joshua Vogel (architect and craftsman) are known for their heirloom quality solid wood furniture, traditionally joined, in select domestic hardwoods. Beautiful stuff at prices I'm sure to not be able to afford. Worth a look.