Makers Archives - Metropolis

Can Craft Save America?

Namita Gupta Wiggers,

A trio of exhibitions seeks to rediscover something about our nation through the work of its makers and artists.

Meet the Makers Behind the Tufted Rug Renaissance

Leilah Stone,

Tufting is blowing up, and no it’s not just a TikTok trend. Metropolis spoke with the artists and designers who are helping popularize the technique and some who have taken it up during quarantine.

Poplar Works Adams And Sutherland Architects

A Fashion Center in East London Looks to Sustainable Economic Regeneration

Lauren Gallow,

London-based firm Adams & Sutherland has recently transformed a row of underutilized garages into the fashion hub Poplar Works.

Noteworthy: Artist Shinique Smith on Skins

Shinique Smith,

Los Angeles–based visual artist discusses the surface as it relates to painting and assemblage.

Design Cities 2019: Dakar, Senegal

Avinash Rajagopal,

The Dakar Next initiative hopes to change how design and artisanship are valued in Senegal.

Designer Brecht Wright Gander's Work Is Both Elusive and Exploratory

Luke T. Baker,

Gander’s practice is twofold, straddling conceptual and industrial design: He develops restrained commercial editions under a moniker and imaginative sculptural work under his own name.

It's No Basket Case: This Exhibition Wants to Show You a New History of Weaving

Anna Zappia,

Rooted, Revived, Reinvented: Basketry in America at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft chronicles the history of baskets in the U.S., from their humble origins to contemporary art status.

North Carolina Design: This Studio is Tapping Into Asheville's Craft Roots

Joanne O’Sullivan,

The Asheville, North Carolina–based design duo Shelter Collective grounds its practice in the personal and place-based.

The Top 10 Designs and Products of 2017

Metropolis Editors,

From Florence Knoll–inspired textiles to innovative 3D-printed objects, this year demonstrated the breadth and depth of contemporary design.

Good Goods Wants to Change How Designers (and Retailers) Do Business

Zachary Edelson,

The New York–based company just opened its first Soho pop-up store, which will stay open through January.

How New York Designers Like Fernando Mastrangelo Are Cutting Out Gallery Middlemen

Heather Corcoran,

Mastrangelo recently turned his studio into a showroom for up-and-coming designers, though he isn't the only one exploring this new formula.

Metropolis's "T is for Talent" Exhibit Helped Envision the Future of the Workplace

Dora Vanette,

Metropolis showcased four emerging talents in a vibrant installation at NeoCon 2017.

This Nonprofit Empowers Natural Disaster Survivors Through Makerspaces

Audrey Gray,

International aid organization Communitere proposes an alternative model for disaster relief by linking communities with vital tools and technology.

Makers, Users Co-Create Tech Products That Make Disability Manageable

Tamy Cozier,

Tel Aviv-based start-up Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM) hosts maker-marathons to brainstorm a new generation of assisted devices.

Staten Island's First Makerspace Opens to Community

Gretchen Von Koenig,

Hurricane Sandy was the catalyst that inspired artists DB Lampman and Scott Van Campen to transform their studio into a community-oriented makerspace.

BKLYN DESIGNS Builds Up the Brooklyn-Made Brand

Shonquis Moreno,

Starting May 5, the Brooklyn-centric show will feature designers ranging from fresh-faced label Ot/tra to established favorites, like Casa Kids, Think Fabricate, Aimée Wilder, and Todd Bracher.

The Materials & Tools Taking Making Into the Future

Aileen Kwun,

The relationship between digital technology and craft underwent a rapid transformation from antagonistic to symbiotic in the past decade. Now a vanguard of makers, entrepreneurs, and institutions is taking the next step.