The Observatory

Latest Episodes:

Episode 84: The Politician’s Gaze Jul 12, 2018

Show notes

Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, a White House without culture, John Carreyrou’s Bad Blood, early Ivan Chermayeff book covers

Episode 83: Post-Its and Blocks Jun 21, 2018

Show notes

Design Thinking Wars: Lee Vinsel vs. d.school; Alexandra Lange’s The Design of Childhood; The Incredibles 2; Flash: The Making of Weegee the Famous

Episode 82: Constitutional Sans Jun 08, 2018

Show notes

The president’s lawyer uses Comic Sans, speculative design, Let the Sun Shine In, crazy walls.

Episode 81: American Royalty May 25, 2018

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Prince Harry marries Meghan Markle; Tom Wolfe as design writer, Benedict Cumberbatch as Patrick Melrose; the scent of Play-Doh

Episode 80: Age and Authenticity May 11, 2018

Show notes

The Age of Post-Authenticity and the Ironic Truths of Meme Culture, a Prince George parody account, American house numbers

Episode 79: 1968 at 50 Apr 26, 2018

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Nixon-Humphrey, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The White Album, Laugh-In, LSD… and the meaning of anniversaries

Episode 78: Delete Your Account Apr 05, 2018

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Deleting Facebook, AI and images, Tree Change Dolls, Kurt Vonnegut’s Player Piano, listing for 450 W. Grixdale

Episode 77: Cape to California Mar 23, 2018

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Cape Town’s water crisis, Los Angeles’ first chief design officer, Lubalin 100, Walter Dorwin Teague’s Design This Day

Episode 76: Taking License Mar 09, 2018

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A proposal to license designers, Black Panther, Legally Black movie posters, NASA’s Pluto site

Episode 75: Dressed and Obsessed Feb 23, 2018

Show notes

Phantom Thread, John Perry Barlow, Cleveland Indians to retire Chief Wahoo, Obama portraits, riotous schnauzers