above> left to right daniel brady lynch and ron kovach tanner woodford, co-founder of the design museum of chicago, asked me and other chicago designers to create a chicago theatre district banner. my challenge was to represent steppenwolf theatre using only shapes, colors, and textures; no words. tanner provided the words as well a white template to create consistency among the set of banners. the banners will be on randolph, between michigan and wabash. above > l to r david salkin and sophie calhoun // below angela stucky above > l to r janell nelson and john robert hatherly ..read more

mini has revealed the aceman, a new electric-only production model that looks much the same as the aceman concept car. the aceman fits in between the cooper hardtop and the countryman suv in terms of size. it’s not yet confirmed for the u.s. market, but we think it will come here. fully electric go-kart feeling. the new mini aceman is only available with a fully electric drive, giving locally emission-free mobility combined with the driving fun that only mini can give. the new mini aceman will be launched on the market in the mini aceman e version and as the enhanced performance mini aceman ..read more

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, 400-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 cover 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 rar ..read more

above midjourney bot in the eloquent words of buckminster fuller, “a designer is an emerging synthesis of artist, inventor, mechanic, objective economist, and evolutionary strategist.” as we stand at the precipice of the ai era, it’s conceivable that fuller would have woven ‘poet’ into this tapestry of roles. this addition symbolizes the transformative journey of design professionals in the age of artificial intelligence. it was just a matter of time for artificial intelligence [ai] to pay DesignApplause a visit. about 18 months ago we began hearing about a word generating application called ..read more

above> riken yamamoto / tom welsh/the pritzker architecture prize riken yamamoto of japan is recognized for modest designs that inspire social connection and both literal and figurative transparency. above/below> photo courtesy of tomio ohashi yamakawa villa 1977 the architect’s earliest work is a private residence situated in woods, designed to feel entirely like an open-air terrace and enjoyed during the warmer months. the non-prescriptive terrace seamlessly transitions into a living room and dining room, while sleeping quarters and the kitchen are contained in small dispersed room ..read more

“the beginning is the most important part of the work.” – plato all of us are really wanting a fresh new year! this video made in 2019 by tbwa/paris for the national society of french railways (sncf) captures what our mind’s eye was seeking: a celebration of new life, a feeling of hope and optimism. may all your plans bloom and blossom beyond your wildest dreams. the video was a way for the sncf to give thanks to those “preserving the planet” by traveling by train. according to the sncf, trains give off 30 times less co2 than individual cars and 20 times less than planes. thus, the national ..read more

be original americas, the non-profit advocacy organization established to educate and inform design professionals, consumers, educators, students and media about the value of authenticity in designs, begins its 11th year by announcing the formation of three committees. these committees will address the following key strategic areas: developed to increase visibility and develop new avenues for outreach and education. this committee will plan & support the be original americas fellowship and other programs surrounding education. they will also develop opportunities for outreach to architec ..read more

above/below> a detail view of the concept vertical city aptly named “the line” touching the red sea the line, a cognitive city stretching across 105.6 miles [170 kilometers], from the epic mountains of neom across inspirational desert valleys to the beautiful red sea. a mirrored architectural masterpiece towering 1,640 feet [500 meters] above sea level, but a land-saving 656 feet [200 meters] wide. the line redefines the concept of urban development and what cities of the future will look like. a civilizational revolution, its unparalleled livability can be explored at the line exhibition ..read more

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 coo 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 ..read more

above> self-portrait / zanele muholi / southern guild (cape town) booth #217 note: this post in ‘in-progress’ as we await more details… more than 140 leading art galleries from 65 cities in 25 countries show off their stable of talent at expo chicago 2022 which is the perfect confabulation and launchpad to contemplate what inspires the art. in this instance, DesignApplause submits that architecture, design, and engineering are one and the same and art is not. > “what is the difference between art and design? as it applies to graphic design, i will say that the difference between art and ..read more