BSA Lecture: New Research on Design Research

[briv]

March 16 ? Boston Public Library?s Rabb Lecture Hall, Copley Square

6:00 pm ? Free

JANE THOMPSON AICP: NEW RESEARCH ON DESIGN RESEARCH

A retrospective of the life of the Design Research stores in Cambridge, New York and San Francisco (1953?1978), this presentation by 2010 National Design Award winner Thompson encompasses the larger story of modernism in architecture and everyday objects, evolving from the 1920s German Bauhaus into the midcentury vocabulary of American buildings, interiors, useful objects, textiles and graphics.

 

[Beton Brut]

^^ Do I smell a meet-up opportunity? There's a good bourbon list at the Charlesmark bar, right across the street...

 

[Beton Brut]

I really enjoyed Jane Thompson's talk tonight, but had to run out before the Q&A.

Anyone else go?

 

[datadyne007]

I really wanted to, but I had my Revit class tonight. Any topics of interest that were raised?

 

[Beton Brut]

Jane Thompson's talk was a brightly illustrated trip down memory lane, much of it before my time. Ben was a big-ideas visionary, and seeing old photos of the beginnings of Design Research through the opening of the sadly vacant location on Brattle was really wild.

Julius Shulman spoke about Modernism in the context of optimism for the future; that genuine sense of optimism was present in Ben's work and ideas. I hope there's a book in the works...

 

[datadyne007]

The Wentworth professors frequently allude to/talk about/show pictures of the D/R store (which they [annoyingly] call the "Crate & Barrel Store"). I really wish I had gone and visited it during my freshman year (2008-2009).

Why did Crate & Barrel leave that spot? Same reason they left Faneuil? End of a 30-year lease?

Wait a sec, Anthropologie moved in?