The business of architecture
Who is he? An italian architect and "urban change agent"[1] who divides his time between Carlo Ratti Associati, the innovation and design studio he runs from Torino, and SENSEable City Lab, the research laboratory he leads out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston. Ratti's design and research work overlap significantly, both focussing on the transformative effect of new technologies on... Continue Reading →
Sir Thomas Gresham by Anthonis Mor van Dashorst (1565) What is it? A paraphrasing of Gresham's Law, an economic principle proposed in the 16th Century by adviser to Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Thomas Gresham. The law, bad money drives out good, described the devaluation of the precious metal content in circulating coins. When new, low... Continue Reading →
The objective: This is the sixth in a series of posts showcasing the sublimely utilitarian. To qualify, a product must understand and address its purpose perfectly, must comprise nothing that isn’t essential. But it must also go beyond the expected - it must suprise, pleasure and delight. It must respond to this great saying: “Only do something... Continue Reading →
The objective: This is the fifth in a series of posts showcasing the sublimely utilitarian. To qualify, a product must understand and address its purpose perfectly, must comprise nothing that isn’t essential. But it must also go beyond the expected - it must suprise, pleasure and delight. It must respond to this great saying: “Only do... Continue Reading →
What is it? Once upon a time, there was a dedicated team of medical researchers developing a new drug. To make sure the drug cured what it was supposed to cure, and was safe while doing so, the team subjected it to a battery of tests, first on animals then on humans. After many years,... Continue Reading →
The Model T Ford, the first vehicle mass-produced on an assembly line What is it? Just In Time (JIT) manufacturing is an approach to manufacturing that reduces the stockpiling of parts and products to an absolute minimum, instead fabricating them only as required. This methodology necessitates a tightly integrated workflow of all aspects of production, yet... Continue Reading →
What is it? A short film released a few years ago by Corning, speculating on how a day in the near future may look, if it can be augmented by the interactive capabilities of high-tech glass. Corning is the manufacturer behind Gorilla Glass, the high-durability glass that fronts approximately 600 million iPhones, iPads and other... Continue Reading →
What is it? One in a series of scale models by plastic brick toy maker, LEGO, as part of their LEGO Architecture line. Farnsworth House, by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1951), accompanies eleven other scale models including Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright (1935) and the Sydney Opera House by Jørn Utzon (1973). Better understood as artistic interpretations... Continue Reading →
The objective: This is the fifth in a series of posts showcasing the sublimely utilitarian. To qualify, a product must understand and address its purpose perfectly, must comprise nothing that isn’t essential. But it must also go beyond the expected - it must suprise, pleasure and delight. It must respond to this great saying: “Only do something... Continue Reading →
What is it? Every now and then, someone invents something so engaging and persuasive, we can't help but want one. It doesn't matter if the design is frivolous or dangerous or even wasteful, we can't help but want one. When the kernel of the idea is powerful and its execution intuitive, we find our imaginations... Continue Reading →