Design Goggles

For a few months of the year, Seattle is darker than anywhere else in the country. Living through it year after year, Seattleites have developed a special relationship with light, both natural and otherwise. How can we better take advantage of this special relationship in architecture and design? How can designers integrate light thoughtfully into their work? How come streetlights are so darn harsh? What’s Kelvin, and should we care? (Yes, we should.)

Seattle is undergoing an evolution like no time before in its history, and emotions are high. Is it possible to cheer for growth in Seattle while still preserving the soul of the city? Are Seattle’s most vulnerable voices being drowned out by the speed of growth and change?

Seattle is a notoriously tough dating city, and with native Seattle social culture clashing with all these newcomers, the singles scene is extra complicated! Danielle helps us sort it all out, among many other things: her favorite places to send people on dates, what not to say on a date, and how we all might just be trying to design our perfect match.

This week Rachel and Charles welcome the founder of Board & Vellum, Jeff Pelletier, to sit down and chat about “Working to Live.” We could seriously ask him anything. Charles requests a sushi bar, Rachel deals out Captain Planet references, and most importantly, we chat about lofty work culture goals in the profession of architecture.

This week, Rachel and Charles welcome Duffy of local Seattle art collective Electric Coffin and Ryan Adanalian of Board & Vellum) to discuss collaboration in the creative community. Ryan and Duffy have hooked up on a few projects now, and shared with us some unique insights into their creative process, the challenges all creatives face when collaborating, and the lines where art and architecture bleed together.

Seattle has one of the most vibrant communities of makers in the country. The incredibly supportive craft atmosphere in the Pacific Northwest has a lot to do with that, but what separates a “Maker” from an “Artist?” How does the way in which we create determine what kind of community we belong in, here in Seattle?

Every word we read is created from typefaces, the designs behind every line of every letter we see. There is a fascinating story behind each typeface, and some are unique to the Pacific Northwest. What stories are hidden behind the design of the typefaces we see around us in the built world every day? What do they say about where Seattle is, and where we’re going as a city?

It‘s an understatement to say that Seattleites shop with their values in mind. How does that translate to shop owners both small and large, who are trying to balance creating a unique and authentic local experience for their customers, while still managing the rising cost of operating fairly, sustainably, and profitably? More importantly, what role does design have in balancing those scales?

The definition of vernacular architecture in Seattle is changing as fast as the city itself. Building your home with your bare hands used to be a common occurrence, but these days it’s rare. How do we define vernacular architecture when the rules we live by dictate that the people who build our homes are rarely the people who live in them?

You might have noticed there are some new people in town, and who knows, you might be one of them. With so many new Seattlites with different ideas about the future of Seattle, how can we open a dialogue and make the city of Seattle for everyone, native and newcomer alike?