Michael Bierut talks about words, and why design can’t fix bad content. Writing well is a challenge. Initiating Design Observer, his motivation and what he found the hardest. And finally the most important lesson he has learned.

Michael Bierut talks about his particular rituals and obsessions. He compares song writing to design and why it is similar. The most important quality of a designer. His heroes, how he doesn’t collect. His ideologies such as ‘there is always more than one way to solve a design problem’.

Rudi Protrudi explains how the news works in the USA, how the youth movement in the 60s died and more political issues. Rudi is very sure that here is no hope for the US, especially for creatives. And the people in the US do not even care. He ends this episode with telling us how he would like to be remembered. (Recorded at Typeradio’s Sweet16)

Fuzztones frontman Rudi Protrudi talks about his art education and how he came to run his own record label. The last Fuzztones tour was in 2007. What now? After working at Meta design Markus Strumpel moved to India to work as a graphic designer for the Tibetan government in exile and the Dalai Lama. He talks about how this came about, the cultural differences between the West and Tibet and his upcoming projects. Finally he reflects on the current political situation in Tibet and China. (Recorded at Typeradio’s Sweet16)

Graphic designer Markus Strümpel and Fuzztones frontman Rudi Protrudi start off by telling us how they met and how they started working together. Rudi explains why musicians should do everything when running a band, and why he moved to Berlin. He also reminisces about his own ‘sweet 16’ years. Single handedly responsible for the garage rock revival (duly noted), Rudi talks about his influences and the early days of his career. We end this episode with the Fuzztones song ‘Johnson In A Headlock’. (Recorded at Typeradio’s Sweet16)

In what way does Yang Liu think the economic boom affected Chinese graphic design? Teaching both in Bejing and Berlin, in what way are the students different? What city does she consider her ideal city as a designer? Yang Liu talks about her interest in the Bejing Opera and upcoming projects like a book and an exhibit called East Meets West. Is it different to work for Chinese clients? And does Yang work with both western as Chinese writing systems? (Recorded at Typeradio’s Sweet16)

Yang Liu has tried various religions but chooses to be part-time religious. She talks about what inspired her to be a graphic designer. She doesn’t feel more German nor Chinese, she thinks she belongs everywhere. She talks about her favourite dish and her heroes, her poster designs for the Berlin Aquarium, local Berlin hero polar bear Knut and where you can hug a panda bear. What is specifically chinese about her work? Is she considered a foreigner in China? (Recorded at Typeradio’s Sweet16)

Via Malcolm’s first choice of music, early German experimental electronic music, we stumble upon a fascination for all things German. Malcolm feels a little disappointed with current bands, but he does admire Rammstein and Kraftwerk. He explains how this German fascination influences his design work and way of thinking. As he embraced digital technologies early on, going hand in hand with his interest in mass communication, he saw it rather as an opportunity to explore new disciplines and ways of thinking. And things will keep on changing dramatically, also the role of the designer. New media have been democratised. Malcolm doesn’t care about the technology, he is much more interested in how people communicate. (Recorded at Typeradio’s Sweet16)

Malcolm believes that new generations growing up with the latest digital technology will keep surprising us in the future. He foresees that the change of expectations and usage with this generation will stun us all. Malcolm thinks a lot about what he does and why he does things, sometimes too much. He tries to add layers to it. He prefers to think twice and act once, and tries not to think too much about creativity and intuition. Design just something he does. Malcolm talks about current projects like the Dublin Public Transport system and Dynamo London. He finally explains why he doesn’t really care how he is going to be remembered. (Recorded at Typeradio’s Sweet16)

Typeradio talked on the phone to Malcolm Garrett. As religion is the root of all evil Malcolm doesn’t want any part of it. He doesn’t trust himself as he is easily persuaded and difficult to convince. He is weary of heroes and currently questions the value of his possessions, although he does have a quite specific collection. Malcolm was once invited to join a punk band but never aspired to be a musician. Actually, he doesn’t even hold musicians in very high regard. (Recorded at Typeradio’s Sweet16)