It’s a packed first episode of the year at By Design and we have a big guest: Ikea’s Juvencio Maeztu gives his first major interview since taking over as CEO. It’s a deep, candid conversation about his philosophy on affordability, life at home, and how Ikea’s business structure allows it to have motives that aren’t all about profit. 

But first, the news: We go deep on global design editor Mark Wilson’s profile of Joe Gebbia, Airbnb’s design co-founder who now begins his new role as the nation’s chief design officer. Gebbia is now tasked with reshaping the government in President Trump’s image. Mark and senior editor Liz Stinson also talk about Apple’s major deal with Google to use Gemini for Siri and Apple Intelligence products, a major victory for a company trailing in the AI race. We’ll also talk about a trend you might not realize you're seeing: meme wear. 

And to close the show, producer Cody Nelson joins for Hot or Not. Mentioned this time: Honda 2.0, brick-and-mortar Turbo Tax, new Legos, a pen lamp, and more.

What defined design in 2025? For our December episode, we look back at the seven most significant design trends of the year.

This time, Liz and Mark are joined by some special guests, as they discuss growing movements ranging from vibecoding to ragebait advertising. They ask questions like, is craft dead in the age of AI? And, when did everything in design become so political? 

Tune in for the best analysis of our year that was from some of the sharpest minds in the industry, and stay for hints to what’s coming next in 2026.

As AI companies pour trillions of dollars into building infrastructure like data centers, one non-tech sector is seeing a boom of its own: Architecture. 

This month on By Design, our guest is Jordan Goldstein, the co-CEO of Gensler, the world's largest architecture firm, which is seeing skyrocketing demand for data center design. He explains how AI has transformed the firm and how Gensler approaches designing facilities for computers, with the human experience in mind. 

We also discuss the biggest moments in design from the past few weeks:

The opening of Netflix House and why the streamer is betting on real-life experiences

The Stream ring and why it might be a breakthrough for AI hardware 

The Department of War’s $2 billion rebrand

And we’ll close the episode with hot or not — including the Issey Miyake iPhone pocket, Naked Cheetos, Starbucks’ bear cup, and more.

You might not know the name Tyler Evans, but you’ve definitely seen his work. He designed Zorhan Mamdani’s iconic campaign poster, led design for Bernie Sanders’ campaign, and was the Teamster’s creative director. Now the creative director for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Evans has a front-row seat to some of the biggest players in progressive politics. 

This week on “By Design,” Evans shared his takes on modern political designs including the “shameful” rise of AI in politics and why the left haven’t been able to counter the MAGA movement. 

We’ll also cover the latest in design news (AI slop, Nike, White House demolition) and play our hot-or-not game.

Brian Niccol is on a mission to change how you get your morning coffee, and on this episode, we learn how in Niccol’s first public interview since taking over as Starbucks CEO a year ago. 

We also run down the latest news on NikeSkims’ first lookbook, Apple’s Liquid Glass launch, and Amazon’s settlement over its deceptive UX — the “Iliad Flow.” 

Then, we close the episode with a new game: Hot or not…but for design. 

President Trump just created the National Design Studio and tapped Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia to lead the charge. Cracker Barrel has offended or enraged just about everyone with its new logo. Figma hit Wall Street with a bang. 

It’s been a big month for design. And on this episode of By Design, hosts Liz Stinson and Mark Wilson give the rundown of the latest news before talking with Figma Chief Product Officer Yuhki Yamashita just after the company’s super successful IPO. 

Yuhki shares where Figma goes from here and how he’s thinking about design products in the age of AI and vibe coding. 

Then, we’ll round things out the best and worst designs of the month as Teenage Engineering, Apple, A24, and AOL battle for the crown (or not). 

There have been 11 Superman films released in the past 50 years. How do you make a new one that stands out? 

On this episode of By Design, hosts Liz Stinson and Mark Wilson interview the production designer for the latest Superman film, Beth Mickle. They discuss her collaborations with director James Gunn and share how she developed the latest Superman aesthetic. Plus, she explains why her team chose the more difficult route of relying heavily on practical effects. 

Liz and Mark also discuss the latest in design news including the vibeless summer , Meta’s tent city, and a certain copycat in the New York City mayoral race. 

And at the end of the episode, Liz and Mark debate their best and worst designs of the month: MAGA Coke, Sam Altman’s sunglasses, and Anne Hathaway are all in contention.

Welcome to the first episode of By Design, our new show for news, interviews, and criticism from the wide world of design.

Our first guest is Michael Bierut. He has been the brains behind some of the most iconic design work in recent history. Mastercard, Slack, Saks Fifth Avenue, and countless more came from Bierut’s desk as a partner at Pentagram. 

Now, as Bierut steps into (semi) retirement, he sat down with By Design hosts Liz Stinson and Mark Wilson for a thoughtful reflection on his legendary career and why both humans and technology will need to work together for real design innovation. And yes, they do revisit the infamous “H” logo he designed for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. 

Liz and Mark also give their analysis on the latest in design news. Is Apple’s Liquid Glass any good? Can Sam Altman and Jony Ive make a useful piece of AI hardware? 

Plus, Liz and Mark make their cases for the best and worst new designs before producer Cody Nelson picks a winner.

Design is no longer just about aesthetics—it's shaping the way we live, work, and interact with the world. Join ‘Fast Company’ senior editor Liz Stinson and global design editor Mark Wilson as they dive into the latest innovations in the world of user experience and product and architectural design. ‘By Design’ focuses on the macro impacts of design trends, covering topics like the future of wearable technology, how AI is affecting product design, and, more broadly, how design intersects with business, tech, politics, and culture.