New Urban Initiatives Promise to Solve Philadelphia's Chinatown Puzzle
New urban initiatives promise to resolve Philadephia's Chinatown puzzle.
Author: Joseph Brin
Public Workshop's Alex Gilliam Is a "Cheerleader of Possibility"
In advance of his DesignPhiladelphia talk, we chat with the social entrepreneur about his continued commitment to community design.
Raymond Richard Neutra's Hippocratic Oath for Designers
A preview of next month's week-long design symposium
What Do Comics Have to Do with Medicine?
“I believe this medium is the new literacy in this country. Words themselves are not able to keep up with the speed of information. This combination of words and images will continue to grow and it will dominate.” —Will…
Architects Should Study and Learn From Human Cells, Says "Spatial Biologist"
A molecular biologist-turned-designer discusses the intricacies of his research, and what the architecture of the cell has to do with the built environment.
Advocating for Play: Saving Philadelphia's Smith Playhouse
A groundswell of play advocacy in Philadelphia
Reclaiming the Lost Lots of Philadelphia
Ariel Vasquez is dedicated to restoring a sense of community to his neighborhood
Q&A: Drexel Professors on Teaching the Art of Collaboration
Students and teachers learn that working well together is a more complex process than anyone thinks it is
Sustainability Nexus: Max Zahniser Takes On a Sustainable Philadelphia
Trying to pull together Philadelphia's dispersed environmental initiatives
Architects' Village?
Philly's urban experiment in design density
Stick-lets: Bringing Urban Kids Back to Nature
Children are destined to inherit the planet – but they already inhabit our cities. So how can we nurture and protect a child's infinite capacity for play in the big city? “Grasshopper Green” Stick-let In Philadelphia, Stick-lets industrial…
Philly Works' Latest Exhibit Shows What Philadelphia May Become
"The Lure + The Perch" Jason Austin, Jack Fanning, Sneha Patel, and Sally Reynolds/Philly Works 2012 “Philly Works is collaborative of artists, designers, and makers all working towards the goal of bettering Philadelphia. It's a tool for empowering creative individuals…
Stoking the Furness
Philadelphia played a large role in ushering in an age of modernism, and architect Frank Furness was a major part of the movement.
Moonrise Over Architecture
Design me a structure that is open to the sky, partially enclosed, all natural materials, fragile, permeable, no heat, no electricity, no plumbing...and only lasting 7 days. What? Simple structures, complex and rich with meaning can still be irresistible to…
Noguchi Museum Digitizes Isamu Noguchi's Body of Work
Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) Photo: Anzai “Sculpture to be Seen From Mars” Model (left)1947 (destroyed) Photo: Soichi Sunami Isamu Noguchi's prodigious and expansive artworks spanned the world of sculpture in stone, metal, paper, wood, and ceramics. His striking vision conquered territory…
Design as Destination
Hilary Jay presides over DesignPhiladelphia at the University of the Arts and has seen exponential growth in programming as well as attendance since its 2005 debut.
The Prescience of Richard Neutra's Theory of "Biorealism"
Illustration: “Nature Near” Joseph G. Brin © 2012 Talk about biophilia, biomimicry, or biodiversity and another "bio" comes to mind—that of late architect Richard Neutra. He himself coined the term "biorealism" to connote “the inherent and inseparable relationship between man and…
An Uncommon Common Man
Charles A. Bangert, Jr. was the kind of fellow you don't come across every day, possessing qualities you don’t always find in one person. He was down to earth, accomplished, meticulous, organized, humble, good-natured, good-humored, and kind. Charlie was an…
Beautiful End of the World
“Safe Harbor” Joseph G. Brin © 2012 You may have already had an end of the world experience – and just didn't know it. I'm not talking about a disaster by any means. Instead, this is about a soaring, heightened…
Inside NextFab Studio, Philadelphia's Newest Maker Space
We speak to Michael d'Amato, creator of the Fluid Ribbon Chair, about Philadelphia's next paradise for inventor/techno-geeks: NextFab Studio.
