Between the mass production of accessible, timeless car designs, and the artistic innovation that pushed the automotive industry into each new age, Detroit’s influence on American car design, technology, and manufacturing has remained since the turn of the 20th century when Henry Ford touched down his Detroit Automobile Company and Charles Brady King test drove the first self-propelled carriage along…
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Systems of design
“People find their own ways of using things regardless of how prescriptive it can be,” said Lee Fletcher, principal and co-founding partner of Fig40, an award-winning, multi-service, industrial design firm based in Toronto, Ontario. “We need to have a sensitivity to that.” This intention to the intrinsic human nature of design underscores the Fig40 portfolio, which Fletcher has been building…
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The Den
Since its establishment in 1980, the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa of Acme Township, Michigan has helped define northern Michigan hospitality, with its picturesque location near Grand Traverse Bay atop nearly 900 acres that host the fresh fairways of its three championship level golf courses, clubhouse, golf academy, and grille. The resort itself holds nearly 600 room suite ensembles, and…
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The new restful
The craft and curation of a restful, residential atmosphere is often a foundational priority for design professionals, and in many ways, it has become even more relevant with a global pandemic as new stressors on the body and mind arrive at home in lockdown. Along with a changing notion of home, one valuable resource—sleep—has changed as well. Interior design professionals…
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Material craft
For the small team of artisans at Edgework Creative, a furniture, millwork, and metalwork studio in Columbus, Ohio, growth has been swift and fast ever since their DIY effort at creating a new kitchen table seven years ago erupted into requests for custom furnishings from their surrounding community. Their portfolio now includes hundreds of custom projects in the commercial and…
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Storied time
The history of the wristwatch is a storied one. Even before the creation of sundials in ancient civilizations across the globe—Egyptian, Chinese, Roman, Greek, and Islamic—when time was told through shadow-lengths, there has been gravitation toward associating time with memory, place, and people. The watch, as a tool, has played a vital role in the human experience, whether in organizing…
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Accessibility in design
For the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Sunday, July 26, 2020 marked its 30th anniversary. It is an exemplary piece of legislation that continues to strengthen and evolve in field, from architecture and interior design to public policy. In the design industry alone, the introduction of the ADA 30 years ago resulted in standard changes for newly built public…
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Contribution in landscape
Since its founding in 1899, the American Society of Landscape Architects has been in place to advance landscape architecture in areas like sustainability, education, and advocacy. Each year, the society inducts several fellows to further this mission, as awardees are chosen based on their exceptional contributions to landscape architecture. This year, Brenda Williams, PLA, ASLA, NOMA, principal and director of…
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Crafted collection
Room & Board, the iconic Minneapolis-based furnishings designer, throughout the years has pulled inspiration from revived design movements like Arts and Crafts, and Shaker styles as it creates furniture with tried-and-true design principles reinterpreted for modern living, as well as commercial markets. Its residential offerings range from mattresses and ottomans to wall clocks and chandeliers, and they also contain conscientious…
