Designer Things

I used to think white space was just—well, empty. Then I spent three weeks in Kyoto, standing in front of a 15th-century ink painting at the National Museum

I used to think environmental posters were just, you know, pictures of sad polar bears. Turns out the visual language of climate activism is way more calculated

I used to think brand symbols were just fancy logos—you know, the kind of thing design agencies charge absurd amounts for because they can.

I used to think tattoos were just about aesthetics, maybe rebellion. Then I spent time listening to Samoan elders talk about the pe’

I used to think inclusive design was just about ramps and screen readers. Turns out, the philosophy runs deeper than accomodating wheelchairs or vision

I used to think surrealism was basically just Dalí’s melting clocks and maybe a lobster telephone if you were feeling adventurous.

I used to think Memphis Design was just about those garish colors and squiggly lines you’d see on old MTV bumpers. Turns out, the movement that Ettore

I used to think electric vehicle branding was just about slapping a lightning bolt on everything and calling it a day. Turns out, the visual identity systems

I used to think urbancore was just another Instagram aesthetic—concrete, graffiti, maybe some moody lighting. Turns out, it’s something messier

I used to think empty space in design was just… wasted real estate. Then I spent an afternoon in a cramped Tokyo subway station—you know the kind