Design Culture Now: National Design Triennial

Rating:
Summary: You CAN judge a book by it's cover!
Review: Almost annoying.

I agree about the fluorescent pages. I was really, really surprised that anyone would actually box large clumps of body copy (which by the way were written by someone who exists on a much higher plane of existence that the rest of us!) in to heavy fluorescent frames, which basically served to give me the worst headache I've had in weeks.

I was relieved though, that there was some redeeming content in the book. I appreciated the attention to various art disciplines, however, I would (as a graphic designer), have appreciated a LITTLE more attention to print projects.

I agree that it is perhaps, mis-titled, as I wonder if it truly represents "design culture," but there is much to inspire, and I found it worth having.

Rating:
Summary: spell-check now!
Review: I agree completely with the reviewer from Providence, RI. However, I place the day-glo inks as the SECOND most noticeable flaw. The first is the misspelling of SMITHSONIAN on the spine.

Rating:
Summary: overviews are necessary
Review: i like the book because of its overview and mixed / cross polinated approach. I don't think that vernacular design that informs our culture is any more inspiring necessarily to students than a more avant garde approach. Either way, I did find some mainstream design included and yet a lot was on the edge too. I think students, especially will gain from the survey approach here. They do not have enormous opportunities to see whats out there while they are in school and this resources makes a good effort at bringing it to them and the public. The layout is also fine. I do not fault the organization of the pages or thematic titles used throughout. It is a demonstration of cross fertilization in design that is pushing the envelope and thats the message of the book to me. Design is not complacent and not sitting still - it is pushing frontiers and making new relationships between information and communication, materials and process, environmental impact and human life/style, and so much more is happening all around us. I think its a good project.