Making It in America
When I was growing up in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the city was best known for what was no longer there. By the early 1990s, steel and other industries had mostly departed, taking with them the economic stability of a large group of people across the entire region. This now well-known narrative has played out in former manufacturing centers throughout the country. But it is important to remember that in pockets of the United States, the design industry still supports many exceptionally skilled workers. Even in Allentown, you can find a Vitra factory producing chairs by Prouvé and the Bouroullec brothers. Knoll makes Barcelona chairs not far away. And from Los Angeles to Detroit, design has become a major force for revitalizing long-neglected parts of the city. With that in mind, our…
