architecture – DesignApplause

the design of me by ron kovach. peek #1.

Feb 22, 2024

i wanted to let you know I’ve written a book. it looks like a design book and reads like a memoir. it’s an 11 X 11 inch, over 300 image in a 450-plus page art object book geared towards anyone who has had a stake in design and architecture and appreciates design-related storytelling. here are some pages from the beginning of the design of me and from select pages.

above> front cover of my book // below> inside front spread.

about this book — this is my first book. i wrote it to chronicle my own history. that’s what you do if you care about who you are and/or what you did, and when you get an incurable rare cancer diagnosis. writing a memoir might seem self-serving, especially when the title is the design of me. i’ve concluded it is. unless you add content that you deem driven to inform your readers, something useful to them, content that will benefit them rather than just info all about you.

as the book materialized, i found solace in thinking about my potential audience, that it didn’t matter if they knew me or not. i told myself that someone will find what i say more useful than useless. that’s all the motivation i needed.

i bring to this enterprise a 50-year design career, 30 years of which have made me an expert in my field. at least i think so. however, in the past 10 years, my thoughts, beliefs, and ideas defining what a designer does have greatly changed. so have my opinions about what constitutes good design.

i’ve also been a teacher of design. my interactions with students, me teaching them as well as them teaching me, caused me to rethink how to teach as well as what to teach.

and lastly, as i’ve shaped design, with its unusual expansion of touching so many walks-of-life endeavors, i’ve learned about how design ultimately shaped me as a designer and as a person.
~ron kovach

above> photo artist david rosen casts me in an homage to maxell’s blown-away man

above> structured around nine chapters the design of me was developed with three objectives in mind. 1] to communicate through the eyes of a designer 2] to tell a unique and compelling story 3] to be appropriate, useful, and educational.

above> an at-a-glance navigational aid of my networking during my 50-year design career.

above> throughout the book there is original fine art, pivotal graphics, captivating photography, and notable words. original and unique, the design of me was written to entertain, enlighten, and inspire those people drawn to design. And it raises a reflective question. design hugely impacted my life. how might it affect yours?

the design of me offers glances at worldwide design shows as seen through my eyes. here are images from london while at london design week 2018 and milan design week 2018 as featured in DesignApplause. above> because DesignApplause covers design events around the world, i’ve been exposed to different cultural aesthetics, such as this efficient london bus stop and [opposite] beautiful tube stop near the victoria & albert museum. below> another off-site venue celebrating the 25th anniversary of surface magazine with visitors united around a quintessentially american concept: the diner. designed by american architect david rockwell and the lab at rockwell group. renowned design studio 2×4 created the project’s graphic identity.

the design of me presents over 300 powerful examples of visual communication. above> a graphic created by me using turner duckworth packaging graphics exemplifying how brand graphics can stand out more in a competitive marketplace than the coca-cola wordmark by itself. below> a 2024 mural proposal to the american cancer society also created by me while undergoing cancer treatment.

prominent contributors to the design world are featured in the design of me. above> walter and elizabeth paepcke, design patrons, commissioned eero saarinen to design the tent for their aspen design conference, large enough for a full orchestra and an audience of 2,000 people. below> the most powerful, elite, and intimidating brand identity designers ever assembled were invited by me to jury sta trademark usa2. front from left—walter marguiles, robert vogele [sta president], walter landor, saul bass. back from left—ivan chermeyeff, john massey, me [co-chairman], and wayne webb. i was very disappointed that design legend paul rand pulled out after he saw the jury. he felt he wasn’t needed, that this jury didn’t need another opinion. photo ron gordon. 1983.

innovative and memorable design concepts are presented throughout the design of me. above> as a judge at the inspired home show competition in 2016, i found these visible measuring spoons designed by pam daniels and brandon williams for welcome industries to be award winners. bottom> when i ask design students to create one-page info sheets about themselves in order to assess their abilities i look for high concept solutions such as these. l to r—info sheets from jeff stark, kora kopieniak, christian terzich, kora kopieniak.

the design of me celebrates people who impact design and architecture. seven creative masters are specifically showcased because of their attention to creativity, technology, environment, social impact, sustainability, and climate in their design—yves behar, guillio cappellini, formafantasma, jeanne gang, nicolae halmaghi, jasper morrison, and jean nouvel. above> chicago architect jeanne gang designed the st. regis, a mixed-use skyscraper that undulates as it rises and looks like an art object. at 1.9 million square feet and 101 stories, it is the tallest building in the world designed by a woman. below> tokyo designer jasper morrison designed 1-inch chairs for always sustainable emeco.

because one goal of the design of me is to foster learning, design education is featured. above> in my brand identity class, student serafin lopez learned about the importance of a persuasive presentation. below> when in college, i learned about the importance of design philosophy from professor victor papanek. shown here are his infographics from design for the real world, illustrating some of his revolutionary ideas that are still relevant today, that design is a tool for political transformation and should consider social and ethical points of view.

below> recognizing some of the people and companies who inspired and collaborated with me through my design career.

below> The synopsis of the design of me. How design shaped me and in turn I shaped design.

epilogue
to quote mark twain, “the two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” when creating the design of me i didn’t think much about the day i was born, but did reflect a lot about why. one of my goals in writing this book was to tell the world what i knew and felt about design and how i came to obtain this knowledge. i wanted to explain how design shaped me and in turn how i shaped design.
when i think about my own design forages, the japanese philosophy ikigai comes to mind. ikigai is about one’s reason for being. in its westernized rendition, ikigai is what gives your life worth, meaning, or purpose and is composed of four interrelated elements. your ikigia is at the intersection of these four elements.

1. what you love = your passion
2. what you are good at = your vocation
3. what you get paid for = your profession
4. what the world needs = your mission

i love design. it is truly my passion. however, my life didn’t start out with me loving design or feeling passionate about it. as a matter of fact, i had no exposure to design until professor victor papanek approached me at a college party because he wanted the marine corps jacket i was wearing. however, within a few minutes he started recruiting me to become part of his new product design department at purdue university. what he said intrigued me. so what did the professor really want—my jacket or a new design student? whatever the answer, this was certainly a key moment in my life; it’s when i decided to follow the pathway of design.

i graduated from college with a degree in product design and entered the job market, in my opinion now, with a marginal design education, an unfabulous portfolio, and little business knowledge. but i had some sales experience and was a very good networker. i was also six years older than the normal graduate as i had been in the marines prior to college. so with effective networking and lots of luck, i landed my first job as a designer. that’s when my design education really started. that’s when my love affair with design began too.

from my first design job to being second in command at a significant corporation, from freelancing to partnerships, from running my own design offices to teaching design. that’s how i learned about navigating the design universe. i worked with incredible designers who i admired and learned from, who helped me formulate my own design philosophies. i was presented with opportunities to discover and use my visual skills to the best of my creative ability. i collaborated on significant exhibits and installations which made me feel like i was part of and contributing to a very important community. and i got to travel internationally, learning about worldwide design.

through my 40-plus years as a designer, my vocation—what i’m good at—and my profession—what i got paid for—grew, developed, and evolved. my design talent blossomed as well into mostly satisfying fruits of my labor. and along the way my mission—what the world needs—was being defined too. if my mission was to make a real impact in my design work, how could i best do it? the answer came as i learned about and promoted sustainability and social responsibility. my strongest endorsements of products and designers now are those that demonstrate the ability to combine creativity, technology, environments, social impact, sustainability, and climate issues in their design.

yes, i won design awards. and yes, those awards brought national recognition to me and to chicago as well. i also wanted to preserve design history. so i co-founded and conceived the chicago design archive, an online repository of chicago graphic, product, and experiential designers and their work. additionally, i wanted to promote the best design in the world. so i created and launched DesignApplause, an online design and architecture publication. the reward for me was international recognition as a design curator. and finally when i felt that it was important to pass on significant design information to potential new designers, i taught college design classes. to feel that i contributed something significant to the design world has really given me some proudhearted moments.

writing the design of me has been a revealing experience. a journey that helped me recognize the incredible significance design has had on my life. a process that has revealed my life’s purpose, that design is at the heart of who i am. did design shape and impact my life? definitely. do i feel that what i did for design was worthwhile? i hope so. did i choose design or did design choose me? i’m not sure.
and that is the design of me.

below> back cover of the design of me

peeks of the design of me will be appearing in DesignApplause. also, keep an eye open for our launch announcement of the printed book!

lissoni new york introduces lissoni architecture.

May 29, 2023

above> pierro lissoni photo veronica gaido

a new studio offering comprehensive architectural services in the us piero lissoni is pleased to announce the establishment of lissoni architecture, a dedicated new york-based studio offering comprehensive architectural services for the united states.

led by renowned architect piero lissoni and ceo stefano giussani, the mercer street studios will now integrate interior and architectural expertise, providing a distinct and unique approach to projects.

previously focused on interior projects for the luxury hospitality and residential markets in the americas, lissoni new york has now expanded its operations to include lissoni architecture, marking a significant milestone in lissoni’s interdisciplinary history and presence in the us market. the new architecture studio aims to offer a 360-degree service, transforming the scale of lissoni’s operations in the us.

“here we are america, we’ve arrived! we can finally be architects here too!” remarked piero lissoni.

stefano giussani adds, “this achievement, eight years after the interiors studio was founded, represents both a remarkable milestone and a crucial challenge in this market. with new resources and boundless inspiration, we are poised to provide innovative solutions to our existing and future clients who share our design philosophy.”

the launch of lissoni architecture reinforces lissoni new york’s commitment to delivering exceptional design solutions, now encompassing both interiors and architecture.

a man for all reasons brit architect/designer david chipperfield wins 2023 pritzker architecture prize.

Mar 7, 2023

civic architect, urban planner and activist, sir david alan chipperfield has been selected as the 2023 laureate of the pritzker architecture prize, the award that is regarded internationally as architecture’s highest honor.

truly a man for all reasons. whether it’s a museum, a spoon or a lounge chair, either modern or traditional, his effort is subtle yet powerful, subdued yet elegant, he is a prolific architect and designer who is radical in his restraint, demonstrating his reverence for history and culture while honoring the preexisting built and natural environments, as he reimagines functionality and accessibility of new buildings, renovations and restorations through timeless modern design that confronts climate urgencies, transforms social relationships and reinvigorates cities.

“i am so overwhelmed to receive this extraordinary honour and to be associated with the previous recipients who have all given so much inspiration to the profession,” remarks chipperfield. “i take this award as an encouragement to continue to direct my attention not only to the substance of architecture and its meaning but also to the contribution that we can make as architects to address the existential challenges of climate change and societal inequality. we know that, as architects, we can have a more prominent and engaged role in creating not only a more beautiful world but a fairer and more sustainable one too. we must rise to this challenge and help inspire the next generation to embrace this responsibility with vision and courage.”

above> procuratie vecchie, photo courtesy of richard davies // below> procuratie vecchie, photo courtesy of alessandra chemollo

above/below> royal academy of arts masterplan, photo courtesy of simon menges

above> royal academy of arts masterplan, photo courtesy of the royal academy of arts

above/below> amorepacific headquarters, photo courtesy of noshe

above> amorepacific headquarters, photo courtesy of noshe

above/below> america’s cup building ‘veles e vents,’ photo courtesy of christian richters

above> america’s cup building ‘veles e vents,’ photo courtesy of christian richters

above/below> the hepworth wakefield, photo courtesy of iwan baan

above/below> saint louis art museum, photo courtesy of simon menges

above/below> james-simon-galerie, photo courtesy of ute zscharnt

above/below> inagawa cemetery chapel and visitor center, photo courtesy of keiko sasaoka

above> inagawa cemetery chapel and visitor center, photo courtesy of keiko sasaoka

above/below> river and rowing museum, photo courtesy of richard bryant / arcaid

[ about the prize ]
to honor a living architect or architects whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent, vision, and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built environment through the art of architecture.

the international prize, which is awarded each year to a living architect/s for significant achievement, was established by the pritzker family of chicago through their hyatt foundation in 1979. it is granted annually and is often referred to as “architecture’s nobel” and “the profession’s highest honor.”

the award consists of $100,000 (us) and a bronze medallion. the award is conferred on the laureate/s at a ceremony held at an architecturally significant site throughout the world.

jay and cindy pritzker believed that a meaningful prize would encourage and stimulate not only a greater public awareness of buildings but also would inspire greater creativity within the architectural profession.

the prize takes its name from the pritzker family, whose international business interests are headquartered in chicago. their name is synonymous with hyatt hotels located throughout the world. the pritzkers have long been known for their support of educational, scientific, medical, and cultural activities. jay a. pritzker, (1922-1999), founded the prize with his wife, cindy. his eldest son, tom pritzker, the chairman and president of hyatt foundation, explains, “as native chicagoans, it’s not surprising that our family was keenly aware of architecture, living in the birthplace of the skyscraper, a city filled with buildings designed by architectural legends such as louis sullivan, frank lloyd wright, mies van der rohe, and many others.”

he continues, “in 1967, we acquired an unfinished building which was to become the hyatt regency atlanta. its soaring atrium was wildly successful and became the signature piece of our hotels around the world. it was immediately apparent that this design had a pronounced effect on the mood of our guests and attitude of our employees. while the architecture of chicago made us cognizant of the art of architecture, our work with designing and building hotels made us aware of the impact architecture could have on human behavior. so in 1978, when we were approached with the idea of honoring living architects, we were responsive. mom and dad (cindy and the late jay a. pritzker) believed that a meaningful prize would encourage and stimulate not only a greater public awareness of buildings but also would inspire greater creativity within the architectural profession.”

many of the procedures and rewards of the pritzker prize are modeled after the nobel prize. laureates of the pritzker architecture prize receive a $100,000 grant, a formal citation certificate, and since 1987, a bronze medallion. prior to that year, a limited edition henry moore sculpture was presented to each laureate.

[ sir david chipperfield awarded pritzker architecture prize ]

founder editor dezeen marcus fairs leaves great legacy at age 54.

Jul 6, 2022

marcus fairs passing is a big loss to all of us. he was a big inspiration to architecture and design. a visionary. although 20-plus years my junior, i consider him a mentor. he founded and authored a great resource in #iconmagazine and in #dezeen that will carry on I’m sure but not be quite the same without him.

marcus fairs launches dezeen as a blog in 2006. the site not so great. the content on the other hand was relevant, opinion-filled, and the best of examples. the most current mission statement in fair’s own words with anders holst podcast was to be the most influential and popular design website in the world. mission accomplished.

above > icon cover recent issue

fast rewind, fairs launches icon magazine in 2003. as editor the magazine readership soars. in fact the magazine and fairs himself was awarded launch of the year and journalist of the year in 2004. in his own words, “a great publication in the golden era of print.” then fairs publishes a significant book, twenty-first century design in 2006 with a foreword by marcel wanders for which he is fired by media 10. he was fired because he didn’t clear the book with his bosses. both the first thru third editions of fair’s book can be found on amazon. the firing, which can also be heard in holst podcast, is strange because you would think the publisher, media 10, would be proud, not pissy, to have a visible expert editor publishing a book. but fairs had an internet something up his sleeve, “i can do this!” yes marcus, indeed you can.

above> the cover of first edition

[ dezeen ] @marcusfairs #iconmagazine #dezeen

i followed dezeen from the get-go and felt honored that he followed DesignApplause. we also met in milan in 2018 and vowed to have a drink at bar basso. sadly i have yet to go to bar basso.

nine yard studio creates a masterful minimal cabin concept.

Nov 25, 2019

a local architecture firm, nine yard studio serves up a modern cabin concept of three buildings: the main structure, a bunkhouse and wood store. as described by the architect:

the three cabins include a main residence, a half size bunk house for guests and a small shed for storage. the shed showcases an inset feature wall for wood storage that greets you as you approach the site. the main residence is only 600sqft and features a double height open concept living, dining, & kitchen and a loft master suite framed by a large human scale skylight looking out onto the water. this structure opens up entirely to the stunning water views while maintaining privacy to the neighbors with a solid back façade.

the main house interior is clad entirely in white washed spruce boards up to the asymmetrical roof peak giving it a soft and cozy feel. the minimal european wood stove warms up the main space and provides a focal point to the living zone. a black book case acts as a guardrail up the main stairs to the loft and pays homage both to the dark black kitchen and the moody exterior of the building.

at the end of a long rural dirt road in central prince edward island facing out towards the calm wheatley river sits the river cabins. the cabins take their inspiration from the groupings of traditional gable farm buildings typical of rural pei and exhibit a modern take on a classic lean-to shape so common to this landscape.

the steep slope of the asymmetrical roofs functionally provide space for loft sleeping zones and extend toward the sky with the black peaks blending into the landscape of the evergreen tree tops. the grouping of the cabins was dictated by the small site and angled property boundaries. this grouping provides varying angled views of open and solid facades and allows glimpses of framed landscape views out to the river. the cabins are clad in black standing seam metal siding and black stained vertical pine boards up the gable ends on each side elevation.

architect > nine yard studio
owners> silva stojak and neb kujundzic
builder> paynters construction
photographer: > dear addie photography

what is radical today? 40 positions on architecture at royal academy of arts.

Oct 2, 2019

above > lucy mcrae compression cradle 2019

this free display brings together 40 radical visions on how architecture can respond to today’s rapidly changing world.

the 1960s and 1970s were tumultuous decades of political unsettlement and social upheaval. from the construction of the berlin wall and the french students’ riots of may 1968, to the vietnam war and anti-nuclear protests, these years occupy a remarkable place in recent history. radical ideas set out to unseat existing conventions and practices in various spheres of life, including architecture.

over this period, a number of architecture practices and collectives emerged and challenged the visions established by modernist architects reclaiming, through their radical ideas, the transformative power of architecture to change lives, cities and thinking. today it could be said we are living in a similarly turbulent period of global changes with environmental, political and social upheaval. this display in the architecture studio questions what today’s practitioners are responding to by inviting 40 emerging and established architects, artists and thinkers to present their visions of what is most radical in architecture today.

from legendary names involved fifty years ago in the radical movement, through collectives such as archizoom and archigram, to new and emerging practitioners, this display presents bespoke contributions by a number of international participants, all listed below.

architecture & design film festival (adff: ny).

Oct 4, 2018

the 10th season of the architecture & design film festival – the nation’s largest film festival devoted to the creative spirit that drives architecture and design – will kick off in new york city from 16 > 21 october at cinépolis chelsea. with dozens of humanistic documentaries about creative visionaries, including design legend dieter rams and the engineer of the twin towers, leslie e. robertson, stimulating talks with filmmakers and architects, a pop-up bookstore, and interactive installations in the festival lounge, adff:ny is the perfect fall activity for design-loving new yorkers.

[ architecture & design film festival ] @adfilmfest #adfilmfest

ticket price:
opening night: $75
general admission: $17
members of aia, asid, and iida: $14
students: $12.50

adff short films walk (adff:sfw) in soho design district.

Oct 1, 2018

architects, designers, and design lovers are invited to pop in and out of 13 of soho’s top design showrooms where festive libations and a unique curated selection of short films will take place in each showroom. the event is free, but rsvp is required.

@adfilmfest #adfilmfest

‘no more free space?’ asks the pavilion of singapore. 2018 venice architecture biennale.

May 24, 2018

under the direction of lead curator dr erwin viray, head of pillar, architecture and sustainable design at singapore university of technology and design, no more free space? exhibition responds to singapore’s unique environment: densely populated, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic island city-state. the exhibition comprises twelve singapore-based architecture projects, spanning residential, commercial, private and public buildings, each demonstrating how to turn constraints into opportunities for ‘free space’ by re-imagining what a highly compact city can be. each project incorporates light, air, greenery or water to create oasis and delightful free spaces in dense urban environments, bringing joy and connectivity to the community. the centerpiece of the exhibition will be an interactive installation – an ethereal cloud of handcrafted acrylic knots with multi-sensory sounds, light and image projections, re-creating the experiences of singapore for the audience. singapore pavilion is commissioned by the designsingapore council of the ministry of communications and information and the urban redevelopment authority.

‘no more free space?’ asks the pavilion of singapore at the 16th international architecture exhibition la biennale di venezia

national pavilion of greece – the school of athens. 2018 venice architecture biennale.

May 24, 2018

curated by xristina argyros and ryan neiheiser (neiheiserargyros.com), and entitled the school of athens the project examines the architecture of universities and academia around the world, focusing on the common spaces outside of the classroom, and addressing their importance as informal spaces of debate, exchange and ultimately, learning. the curatorial duo reimagines the greek pavilion as its own kind of learning ‘freespace’, adopting the architectural trope of the stepped landscape. dotted around the stepped elements, almost 60 3-d printed architectural models of common spaces within academic buildings, both realized and non, will be on display. the models include spaces across the five continents, and across history, in recognition of the common space – un-programmed spaces for impromptu conversation, casual gossip, heated debate, pop-up lectures networking and informal teaching – as vital to academia’s continued relevance and vibrancy. spaces that demand and deserve intelligent critique and update. the project is delivered in collaboration with architectural courses at architectural association in london and the university of athens.