Civic Life
Jessie McGuire|Opinions
Power is designed
The Epstein files expose how systems are built to shield the influential from scandal. Accountability requires a different blueprint: making power visible and open to scrutiny.
Arts + Culture
Nila Rezaei|Essays
“Dear mother, I made us a seat”: a tribute to the women of Iran
Iran is teaching us anew: the world is shaped by mothers and daughters. In September 2022, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman Mahsa (Zhina) Amini died in a Tehran hospital following her arrest by Iran’s religious “morality” police. Amini was accused of failing to wear her headscarf in accordance with Iran’s compulsory veiling laws. Government officials claimed … Continued
Arts + Culture
Steven Heller|Interviews
Jerseys To Remember
Since 2013, in the wake of the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s killer, the New York based photographer and filmmaker Raafi Rivero has designed a series of basketball jerseys with the team name “Unarmed.”
Dave Snyder
The compound interest of design: what not to build
Editor’s note: This is Dave Snyder’s first opinion piece for Design Observer. Be sure to read to the end. I’ve been designing digital products for 25 years. I remember when the big decision was going from 800×600 to 1024 pixels. I’ve lived through multiple cycles of VR hype, watched the web go from static pages … Continued
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Observed
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Arts + Culture
Ellen McGirt|Interviews
The face, reconsidered
Civic Life
Bert de Muynck|Essays
Walkie talkie: An architect-turned-tour guide on designing presence in Lisbon
Design Juice
Delaney Rebernik|Books
‘Designed Forests’ author Dan Handel says design is behind our experiences in nature
Architecture
Delaney Rebernik|Fresh Ink