Dwell January/February 2017

We are not afraid of change. To be challenged is the clearest opportunity for progress, for discovering design solutions that prevail over restrictions of budget, time, and material. Through the projects we feature, we present our vision for tomorrow— one that is, in the words of our founder, Lara Deam, distinctly optimistic. With this issue, we present a refreshed look and new narratives that seek a closer embrace of our community— the architects, designers, and enthusiasts who have been with us since day one. No longer do magazines present a one-way broadcast by controlling information and ideas. Today there is a conversation that is constantly unfolding, through online channels and face-to-face communication. It is this give-and-take that makes Dwell strong and relevant, because we are listening and we are conscious…

The same reason you buy a good pair of jeans—authentic products gain quality with age; knockoffs only get cheaper. @_paigemayer on Twitter If the authentic piece genuinely doesn’t offer any advantages over a knockoff, then it doesn’t live up to its name. @ClaudioAlbertin on Twitter Real furniture is the product of designers’ intellect. The research, development, innovation, and ingenuity are worth the cost. They should also be worth our respect. Diana Samper on Dwell I buy real furniture for the same reasons I pay for my music: It’s part of an experience of authenticity that values the designer/creator. Real furniture points beyond itself and is not simply a thing to be consumed. Norbert Haukenfrers on Dwell Is the argument against “exporting jobs” an argument for “authentic design”? Jim Meredith on…

Photographer Joe Fletcher Moving Mountains page 52 Oakland photographer Joe Fletcher has had his work featured in Wallpaper*, The New York Times, and System Magazine, as well as in the books Ranch Houses and Cape May, both published by Rizzoli. While photographing a Mill Valley residence designed by architect Chris Deam, he got to enjoy a sample of the homeowners’ vast record library. “They played some of their amazing, eclectic vinyl collection as we worked,” says Fletcher, who describes one album’s genre as something like “sounds of science fiction from the ’50s.” Photographer Brooke Shanesy Please Cincinnati page 70 Brooke Shanesy is an Ohio-based editorial and commercial photographer who specializes in documenting travel and people. For this issue, she captured upstart Cincinnati restaurateur Ryan Santos as he foraged and harvested…

According to surf culture blog Indoek, a “shack” can take many forms, from a lean-to on the beach to an apartment in the city, but it’s essentially any place where wave-riders reside on terra firma. Surf Shacks, an upcoming book from Indoek, shows how pro and amateur surfers live when they’re not searching for swells. The book will be released by Gestalten in March.…

“ My designs are intended to have a universal appeal. The Shapes collection is a perfect example of this—they’re just forms, but they make the everyday experience of drinking a little more interesting.” Ian Anderson, designer Big news may call for a toast, but usually it demands caffeine first. Perhaps that’s why ceramicist Ian Anderson chose to do a line of mugs to celebrate his expansion into the European market and the launch of his online platform to solicit usergenerated design inspiration. “There are a lot of logistics in scaling up. It’s the ugly but necessary side of being a design brand,” says Anderson, who has personally overseen the creative and financial halves of his Philadelphia studio since 2013. Now he’s partnering with Moxon London to distribute Shapes, a new…

Advances in technology are meant to make us more productive and efficient. But for some users, technology doesn’t just make life more convenient; it changes the game entirely. By focusing on the individual’s abilities, specially devised devices as well as familiar apps are helping break down the physical, social, and attitudinal barriers that have traditionally made access to state-of-the-art tools an insurmountable challenge. Here are some innovative solutions designed to leave no one behind. THINK OUT LOUD WHO: People with autism, cerebral palsy, ALS, and other verbal communication challenges WHAT: The Smartstones team is developing a groundbreaking way to give a voice to those unable to speak by connecting the company’s :prose mobile app to EMOTIV’s wireless EEG headset or a handheld sensory device to translate movements and brain waves…