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Design Observer

@designobserver.com
452 followers 78 following 440 posts

The best conversations in design — expert-led, multidisciplinary, and for the curious mind. Essays, podcasts, and events that inspire and connect. designobserver.com

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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 28/09/2026
They'll sell you shapewear. They'll also make you furious. Both, it turns out, are by design. (Yup, we're talking Kardashians.) Writer and media theorist MJ Corey, aka Kardashian Kolloquium, has built a whole career analyzing the family's media machine, tune into the full interview:
designobserver.com
The Kardashians will make you cringe, but first they’ll sell you shapewear - DesignObserver
Writer and Media Theorist MJ Corey, aka Kardashian Kolloquium, on making a career out of taking the Kardashian’s influence seriously
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 23/09/2026
"Every minute of every day now, you’re interacting with letterforms that someone drew, someone designed, someone made decisions about..." We asked Sara Soskolne, Executive Creative Director at Monotype what she wishes people understood about typeface design: bit.ly/4jkkdzR
bit.ly
Sara Soskolne is a typeface designer who thinks of herself as a craftsperson - DesignObserver
We’re surrounded by letters created by the human hand, and this “micro-nerdery” is what makes the viewer feel something
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 14/09/2026
Ira Blossom, senior UX research manager at Google and founder of Sunday Club, spent years listening to people talk about their relationship with technology — and heard the same thing over and over. So he built a games-only, print-only newspaper. Needless to say, we're loving it. More below:
designobserver.com
Ira Blossom created a games-only, print-only newspaper — and it’s sold at a newsstand in New York City - DesignObserver
Being a UX research manager at Google showed how much users are seeking balance between the digital and analog, and he's meeting the moment
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 02/09/2026
Gary, Indiana, remains dark nearly two weeks after powerful storms ripped through Northwest Indiana. Currently, some 20,000 residents are without power and increasingly, without hope.
wgntv.com
‘Pinching on food’: Gary remains in dark for 11th day as pressure on NIPSCO mounts
GARY, Ind. — Gary remains in the dark for the 11th day after powerful storms went through Northwest Indiana, leaving thousands of residents without power. Nearly 21,000 Gary NIPSCO customers remain…
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 31/08/2026
The U.S. State Department has (again) paused the processing of immigrant visas to retrain immigration officers on new guidance dictating who will be admitted. Anyone who had a pending appointment has been notified (again). www.wsj.com/politics/pol...
wsj.com
U.S. State Department Pauses Immigrant Visa Applications
The latest push to tighten immigration rules comes after the Trump administration said it was reviewing all B-1 business and B-2 tourist visas.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 25/08/2026
The Trump administration ordered warning signs hung outside Smithsonian museums flagging "inaccurate information." For one designer, it hit close to home.
designobserver.com
The Smithsonian was ordered to flag "inaccurate information." I designed a poster series that required complicated truths. - DesignObserver
In July, the Trump administration ordered signs to be hung outside Smithsonian museums warning visitors that exhibitions may contain “inaccurate information.” It has reignited a familiar question for ...
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 17/08/2026
Last year, a client told Siberia's co-founder something about a completed project that that his entire leadership team didn't expect. He wrote about it. 10 do's and don'ts on getting radical collaboration right: designobserver.com/radical-coll...
designobserver.com
Radical collaboration requires friction - DesignObserver
10 do's and don'ts on getting collaboration right, from Siberia co-founder and managing partner
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 14/08/2026
A phrase from Enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant has become a bit of a meme of late; the problem is, he likely never said: “The intelligence of a person is measured by the amount of uncertainty they can bear.” He did introduce other cool ideas, like duty-based ethics and more:
earlymoderntexts.com
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 12/08/2026
Did Coke really need that redesign? Three experts weigh in. (Spoiler: it can work; but it’s hard; uh, yes.) www.creativebloq.com/design/brand...
creativebloq.com
Did Coca-Cola need a redesign? Design experts weigh in on the new look
Small tweaks can have a big impact on a brand identity.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 31/07/2026
Wildfires in France have driven some 250,000 people from their homes so far this summer. The fire is inching toward the Bordeaux region. “The situation remains very unfavorable,” says the French Interior Minister. apnews.com/article/euro...
apnews.com
Wildfires in France drive 250,000 people from their homes and creep toward wine city of Bordeaux
A raging wildfire in southwest France has forced the evacuation of 55,000 more people overnight. This brings the total to 220,000 in one region alone, as flames have crept closer to the wine region ci...
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 29/07/2026
We went from avoiding people who disagree to no longer needing people at all. That's the quiet impact of AI. Helder Santo, CEO for AKQA’s Americas region, on doubt, collaboration, and what happens when the second brain never gets pulled in. designobserver.com/ai-will-offe...
designobserver.com
AI will offer you confidence and conviction. Don't fall for it. - DesignObserver
Doubt is the single most reliable trigger for collaboration we have
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 20/07/2026
Customer experience quality in the U.S. fell to a new low in 2025. Fourth consecutive year of decline. The companies bucking that trend started at the top. Kate Watts on what it actually looks like to treat the customer experience as something worth designing. designobserver.com/the-design-l...
designobserver.com
The design-led business advantage: prioritizing the customer experience - DesignObserver
As customer experience quality declines, the companies sustaining design-led performance stand out
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 10/07/2026
A beloved pop star married a champion football player. The big winner? Jonathan Anderson, creative director of the Parisian fashion house Christian Dior. More here: ww.fashionnetwork.com/news/Dior-be...
ww.fashionnetwork.com
Dior beats Chanel to dress Taylor Swift for New York wedding
In a coup for Parisian fashion house Christian Dior, both Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wore Haute Couture designs by creative director Jonathan Anderson for their wedding in New York.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 08/07/2026
We asked the Design Observer community one question: what book made you a better designer? Check out our full summer reading list... designobserver.com/what-book-ma...
designobserver.com
"What book made you a better designer?" - DesignObserver
Your summer reading list
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 29/06/2026
As America turns 250, Jessie McGuire asks: what does it mean to design belonging? From butterfly ballots to "I Voted" stickers, the tools of civic life were never neutral. Read our latest op-ed: designobserver.com/america-250-...
designobserver.com
America 250: design's role in shaping national identity - DesignObserver
From passports to "I Voted" stickers, design has long helped define the national "we" — and who stands outside it.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 22/06/2026
The reflecting pool from hell. There has been so much breaking news with the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool that the Guardian is now covering it in its U.S. politics live blog. Five people have reportedly been arrested for vandalizing it. www.theguardian.com/us-news/live...
theguardian.com
Federal judge blocks Trump administration efforts to subpoena Minnesota governor Tim Walz and others – live
Judge criticized attempts to ‘harass and retaliate against’ Minnesota officials for refusal to aid federal immigration crackdown
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 19/06/2026
Juneteenth was supposed to mark the end of slavery. But the right to vote was a separate fight — and it took another hundred years. Today, that right is at risk, and the fight is back. Alanah Odoms, executive director of the ACLU Louisiana, explains why on our upcoming podcast, Draw the Line.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 18/06/2026
One Supreme Court case. Ten episodes. The inside story of Louisiana's fight over maps, power, and representation — and why it matters everywhere else too. Draw the Line, asks a simple question: who is fighting for your vote? First episode drops soon, stay tuned. open.spotify.com/show/033ztWe...
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 15/06/2026
Your boss showed up with an AI-generated prototype. Your first instinct might be panic. @davesnyder.bsky.social makes the case that when everyone can make something look real, designers are the only ones who can say "no, that sucks." designobserver.com/your-boss-ma...
designobserver.com
Your boss made a prototype - DesignObserver
Good. The process was never the point.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 12/06/2026
Google has announced new tools to let website owners opt out of AI summaries and search. At the same time, they tout the AI product that’s impossible for people to miss: “AI Overviews now has over 2.5 billion monthly active users...and people are asking Search entirely new kinds of questions..."
blog.google
How AI Mode is changing the way people search in the U.S.
One year after launch, see how AI Mode’s users are shifting from keywords to natural language queries.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 09/06/2026
How technology has changed stage design over the years. “I started by drawing TV studios by hand. I brought my sketch, explained how the stage should work, and then the team built the solution in real life,” recalls Ihor Chupryna on Creativebloq: www.creativebloq.com/professional...
creativebloq.com
How my career in stage design has evolved with technology
From paper sketches to virtual models: the evolution of stage design.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 08/06/2026
Your company is doing AI wrong, example 57,989. Two recent London Business School case studies suggest that finding the right product isn’t the issue, it’s a leadership design problem. www.london.edu/think/why-ai...
london.edu
Why AI strategy is really a leadership design problem | London Business School
Most organisations start their AI journey with the wrong questions. Evidence shows AI success depends less on technology and more on leadership design.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 05/06/2026
Mexican heritage looms large in jersey designs for the World Cup. Hugo Rosas’ new futbol jerseys draw from some of Mexico’s most iconic cultural touchstones, including papel picado, the delicate cut-paper ornaments commonly used during local celebrations. apnews.com/article/mexi...
apnews.com
Mexican designer blends soccer and pre-Hispanic culture ahead of the World Cup
It’s no coincidence that Hugo Rosas’ jersey designs ahead of the World Cup resemble some of Mexico’s most iconic decorations.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 03/06/2026
The 2026 Sustainability Awards’ Community & Social Impact category honors architecture that prioritizes human wellbeing and equity. This award recognizes designs that foster social connection, public health, & universal accessibility. Submit your noms by June 24: www.sustainablebuildingawards.com.au
sustainablebuildingawards.com.au
Sustainability Awards - Building A Better Future Through Knowledge
Australia’s longest running and most prestigious award program dedicated to acknowledging and celebrating excellence in sustainable design and architecture.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 02/06/2026
The boy who flew too close to the sun. You know the story. Jessica Helfand is painting the one you don't. The Icarus Diaries has been unfolding since February. Start from the beginning: designobserver.com/category/the...
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 01/06/2026
Wait, who? A controversial statue of Caesar Rodney, signer of the Declaration of Independence who was never mentioned in Hamilton (but was in 1776) and was a busy enslaver, has been reinstalled in D.C. for America’s 250th birthday shindig. History is complicated. (Also, nobody is going to the party)
theatlantic.com
Trump’s 250th Celebration Is a Fiasco
The president has turned a solemn occasion into a Day of Trump.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 28/05/2026
How the cookout became Black. A smart piece on the deep history of the Black cookout, from Juneteenth origins through the Great Migration. Spoiler: it’s not just about the food. (But it is also about inadequate housing.) From culinary historian Adrian Miller. www.reckon.news/black-joy/20...
reckon.news
How the cookout became Black
Cookouts and barbecues are spaces of resistance through leisure in Black culture.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 27/05/2026
Between us? Designing for fewer people might actually change more. Deborah Khodanovich makes the case that gossip isn't a guilty pleasure — it's a community design practice. Full interview: designobserver.com/in-a-world-t...
designobserver.com
In a world that feels impossible to change, emerging designer Deborah Khodanovich is starting small - DesignObserver
Self-proclaimed gossip lover and creator of a gossip-inspired typeface, this RISD MFA student finds hope in designing local
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 18/05/2026
What if the most important design principle you've never heard of has been practiced in the Andes for centuries? Ayni is the Quechua word for reciprocity — a living principle of mutual care that asks a simple but profound question: what will we choose to give back? designobserver.com/designing-wi...
designobserver.com
Designing with the Andean principle of Ayni:
How Anyi, the Quechua word for reciprocity, gave this design leader new ideas for how to improve his practice
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 13/05/2026
Lines on a map determine who holds power. Who gets heard. Who gets erased.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 12/05/2026
Still sitting on that creative project? May 29th is Release Day — a global collective deadline where creatives around the world ship their work simultaneously. Sam Furness and Creative Mornings made it happen. Who knows, the world might need what you're making...
designobserver.com
Sam Furness got serious about investing in his curiosity. Now, he’s helping others do the same. - DesignObserver
Sam Furness believes in the power of a creative community. He's seen the evidence, and now he's helping creatives complete their work.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 07/05/2026
Prolific production designer Grace Yun has ‘Beef’ to share. Yun, known for her work on Past Lives and Hereditary, is back for a 2nd season of Netflix's anthology series, talking about how she designed sets for Beef with an eye for class, race, and the interpersonal tension that defines the show -->
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 06/05/2026
May is diversity month in Europe, who knew? Well, Lamborghini did.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 05/05/2026
OpenAI has a goblin problem they can’t explain. “Never talk about goblins, gremlins, raccoons, trolls, ogres, pigeons, or other animals or creatures unless it is absolutely and unambiguously relevant.” Look, we’ve all been there. bit.ly/4usoNhR
bit.ly
OpenAI Really Wants Codex to Shut Up About Goblins
“Never talk about goblins, gremlins, raccoons, trolls, ogres, pigeons, or other animals or creatures unless it is absolutely and unambiguously relevant,” reads OpenAI’s coding agent instructions.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 02/05/2026
Designers make better entrepreneurs than many may think, says Vivienne Castillo. “The traits that get pathologized in corporate environments…are the exact same traits that allow entrepreneurs to build things that matter,” she writes.
fastcompany.com
Why designers make better entrepreneurs than they think
Maybe you're not hard to manage. Maybe you're just not meant to be managed.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 28/04/2026
Trailblazing designer and our co-founder @michaelbierut.bsky.social has been awarded the 2026 President’s Medal by the Architectural League of New York. A longtime partner at Pentagram, Bierut has spent more than four decades shaping how architecture is experienced through graphics. archleague.org
archleague.org
Home - The Architectural League of New York
We support critically transformative work in the allied fields that shape the built environment. As a vital, independent forum, the League stimulates thinking, debate, and action on today’s converging...
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 27/04/2026
An autonomous AI showed up at Art Basel, read the crowd's emotions, and made art in real time. No body, no studio, no angst. $333K at auction. Its name is Botto. The questions it's raising don't have easy answers — and that's exactly what makes it interesting.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 27/04/2026
Chicago’s historic Merle Reskin Theater takes a bow at the end of May. DePaul University cites a budget crisis caused by the Trump Administration’s immigration policies, resulting in fewer tuition-paying foreign students. Also set to close: the DePaul Art Museum. chicago.suntimes.com/architecture...
chicago.suntimes.com
Cash-strapped DePaul closes the curtain on Downtown’s historic Reskin Theatre
The landmarked 1,400-seat Beaux-Arts playhouse was designed by Benjamin H. Marshall, one of Chicago's preeminent architects.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 24/04/2026
Sony World Photography Awards has announced its 2026 winners. The competition welcomes submissions from photographers of all levels; this year, there were more than 430,000 submissions from more than 200 countries and territories. Come, look at the world! These images will set you right. Enjoy.
theguardian.com
Sony world photography awards 2026 – in pictures
The Sony world photography awards announce the four overall winners of the 2026 competitions: professional, open, student and youth
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 22/04/2026
Critic, curator, and professor of architecture Ana Miljački has been named the next head of the MIT Department of Architecture -->
archpaper.com
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 21/04/2026
All the cool kids are talking about Claude Design. “Claude Design gives designers room to explore widely and everyone else a way to produce visual work,” is the promise. It works, yes, but you’ll burn through all your tokens in record time, says Ben Patterson at @pcworld.com.
pcworld.com
I tried Claude Design for half an hour. I’m already locked out for a week
With a single prompt, Anthropic’s new design tool created an elaborate webpage design in minutes. Those minutes cost me an entire week of Claude Design usage.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 20/04/2026
Designs for a new gold-tinged “victory arch” have been released by the Trump administration. The plan is to call it, and I’m not kidding here, “Arc de Trump.” Please tag us in all memes and commentary.
bbc.com
Trump's giant gold-accented victory arch design for Washington DC moves forward
The new monument, if approved, would be taller than the US Capitol building and the Lincoln Memorial.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 19/04/2026
Meta is reportedly building an AI clone of Mark Zuckerberg. So, that’s happening. www.engadget.com/ai/meta-is-r...
engadget.com
Meta is reportedly building an AI clone of Mark Zuckerberg
One wonders if the CEO would reliably pass a Turing test.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 17/04/2026
Documentary filmmakers Jessica Dimmock and Zackary Canepari were nominated for an Emmy and a Peabody for “Thoughts and Prayers,” an in-depth look at school shootings and the booming shooter defense industry -->
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 14/04/2026
How do you design a convening that's actually meaningful? ->
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 14/04/2026
London's National Gallery is getting its biggest transformation in 200 years — a new wing by Kengo Kuma. Public reaction is measured, which feels right for an institution whose last expansion was killed after Prince Charles called it "a monstrous carbuncle on a much-loved friend." Stay tuned.
theguardian.com
National Gallery picks Tokyo Olympic stadium architect to design new wing
London gallery to undergo biggest transformation in its 200-year history, with Kengo Kuma’s design called ‘exemplary’
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 09/04/2026
Throughout Larry Miller's career at Nike as president of Jordan Brand, he kept his past hidden. When he was sixteen, he shot and killed a boy whom he wrongly believed to be a rival gang member and was sent to juvenile detention.
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 08/04/2026
Cultural gumbo. A call for climate action. Milan Design Week. Here's what we're observing this week:
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 06/04/2026
Thanks to the war in Iran, online chatter is now dominated by amateur oil flow and tanker experts, typically repeating partisan talking points. Here's where independent, responsible data journalism is actually doing the work to cut through the noise -->
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Design Observer @designobserver.com · 03/04/2026
Resistance observed: the Suffragette Color System. One of the earliest cases of brand strategy for a social campaign — organizers used green, white, and purple on ribbons, sashes, and storefronts to signal solidarity. -->
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