We Create Massive Change

Bruce Mau is a visionary and world-leading innovator. As Chief Creative Officer of Bruce Mau Design, he proves that the power of design is boundless, and has the capacity to bring positive change on a global scale.

Mau founded his studio in 1985, and his first project was the celebrated Zone Books series. A decade later he produced S,M,L,XL, an award-winning compendium developed in close collaboration with Rem Koolhaas. In 2003 Mau founded the Institute without Boundaries, a studio-based postgraduate program that was formed out of the conviction that the future demands a new breed of designer. This became the engine for Massive Change, an ambitious traveling exhibition, publication and educational program series that mapped out the power and possibility of design. In recent years he also worked on !Guateamala!, in collaboration with business and cultural leaders of Guatemala, to design a galvanizing movement to realize a positive future of their country.

Throughout the years, Mau has gained an international reputation for his commitment to interdisciplinary and purpose-driven innovation. As the creative force driving studios in Chicago and Toronto, he recognizes that the complex challenges of the future demand innovation across disciplines and industries. In the fall of 2009, Mau was given the distinguished Louise Blouin Foundation Award at the Global Creative Leadership Summit for his exceptional creative achievement. In 2007 Mau was presented with the AIGA Gold Medal for communication design. He was named the Bill and Stephanie Sick Distinguished Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His clients include: Frank Gehry, MTV, New Meadowlands Stadium, Coca Cola and the 11th Hour. Through his design practice, Mau continues to pursue life’s big question, “Now that we can do anything, what will we do?”

— Bruce Mau Design

Perfect timing seeing the new site for Bruce Mau Design and reconnecting with his work and greater design philosophy. Currently amassing thoughts and dialogue about a (potential) new effort going forward with some engaging collaborators. Cultural centers must facilitate connection, discussion and passion, and the by product can be movements in the arts and design. Paradigms of who art and design serve and the basis for the practice must be shifted from the (im)personal to the communal and relegated in no certain terms other than positive change and doing good.

Raise an Imaginary Skull for Your Alma Mater

Crank it to eleven.

2's & 3's and 23's

Another year down.

Annual Birthday Wish List*

Alden High Work Shoe Indy Boot


Moscot Nebb Brown Crystal Fade glasses


Wood Wood leather pencil case


Opening day tickets to Target Field / season tickets to Target Field


Dry erase paint. A whole wall / counter for ideas!


R. Buckminster Fuller I Seem To Be A Verb


Apartamento Magazine


Daytimer watch


Leica D-Lux4


Eames LCW (Lounge Chair Wood)


My own copy of Annie Hall


The ability to visit New York / specifically the Lower East Side constantly (be that through proximity from a job or someone who has great hook ups on flights)

*Obvious emphasis on wish.

Waiting

Waiting. Type sketch / inside joke. FALL / 2009.

Three days away from my birthday. Please make all checks payable to Dylan C. Lathrop.

Us & Our Places

I & MPLS. A sketch for a broader idea, FALL / 2009.

I want to create a set of contextual posters about us and our places. The idea being that where the "I (heart) New York" illustrates a fondness for a city, while also becoming a hallmark of tourism — and inversely, the "I (bike) MPLS" transforms the city into a utilitarian transit host — that the "I & ____" campaign would be a signifier of just you and the place. It would not resolve to define your relationship, which often is amorous, but can sometimes be not so fun. "Us & Our Places" would just set up the linkage that we inhabit a place, and that we can show allegiance by stating our inhabitance, but it draws on no sentimental or your practical iconography / ideas. It is rather just a state of being between who we are and where we are.

Maurice Binder

Maurice Binder's opening sequence to the film Charade, 1963.

Little is on the internet about film title designer Maurice Binder. The Wikipedia page states:

Maurice Binder (August 25, 1925 – April 4, 1991) was a famous title designer best known for his work on 14 James Bond films including the first, Dr. No in 1962. He was born in New York City, USA, but worked mostly in Britain from the 1950s onwards. The Bond producers first approached him after being impressed by his title designs for the 1960 Stanley Donen comedy film The Grass Is Greener.

I find this interesting. Considering the iconic nature of his work on the Bond films, which by proxy we could extrapolate to a large influence on film title sequences to this day, how is there not a more comprehensive biography on this man on the internet? I've also done small searches on various booksellers and I'm unable to find any print collateral on Binder.

Now, I am a very big fan of Saul Bass, and it's evident how far his influence has reached not just on film, but also on design. Binder's work — especially in the above Charade opening — contains such vibrant and fun form play, reminiscent of Bass' work, that I'm just boggled by this lack of substance around him.


Opening sequence to the film Dr. No, 1962

Perhaps it was just the lack of diversity in Binders work, or maybe there is something about his character that doesn't warrant the type of comprehensive biography as we've seen with Bass and others. I'm not sure. I did unearth this blog post from The Mid-Century Modernist, and it seems they have about the same level of information as I do on Binder.

Regardless, his work is great. It exemplifies a time in film graphics that I think some of us wish was as prevalent in contemporary movie design. If you, or anyone you know, or anyone you don't know has more info on Binder, please keep me posted. I'm interested.

The Preferred Aesthetics of the AFL Throwback Jerseys

Above: Denver Broncos kicker Matt Prater in the AFL 50th Anniversary throwback jerseys.

This year, the NFL is celebrating the American Football League's (AFL) 50th Anniversary. The original teams in this league were as follows: Boston Patriots (now the New England Patriots), Buffalo Bills, Dallas Texans (now the Kansas City Chiefs), Denver Broncos, Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans), Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers and the Titans of New York (now the New York Jets). To celebrate this anniversary, these original teams have, in varying games, donned jerseys that commemorate and celebrate the tradition of 50 years ago. The one thing I wasn't fully expecting from these jerseys: how much I want to see them full time.


Above: Tennesee Titans quarterback Kerry Collins in the original Houston Oilers uniforms.

I have never been privy to hiding my love for my (relative) hometown heroes, the Denver Broncos. In 1998 the Broncos switched from their iconic D logo with a bronco breathing steam in its counter form to the somewhat lackluster — in my opinion — "cyber horse". I quickly lost my issues with that logo / uniform switch because that very year the Broncos brought home the Lombardi trophy for the first of two back to back Super Bowl victories. Still though, the sore feelings of losing that beloved logo lingered on. I always wanted to see some sort of historical resurfacing of that look, but the Broncos this year did me one better: by unveiling and playing in the yellow and brown unis of their first few seasons. These uniforms have been pretty much universally panned by NFL analysts, but how can you argue with such bizarre and amazing color choices? How can you argue with those socks? It's not that they look weird, it's that they look nostalgic. By and large, I feel, the Broncos uniforms hearken to a bygone era. They feel like, if photographed in black and white, you wouldn't for a second question that it's ‘59, not ‘09.


Above: Oakland Raiders tight end Zach Miller.

The other class acts and standouts of this retro revival have to be the Raiders, Titans (Oilers) and Bills. I should have included a picture of the Chargers as well, considering how amazing the powder blue throwbacks they wear are, but the Chargers have been playing this game longer than the other teams, with them playing in those uniforms for the past few seasons in a handful of games. The Bills, too, play in their throwbacks fairly often, but they haven't been featured in as many higher profile games as much as this season (which is a shame considering they can't capitalize and are floundering this season). The Raiders — through all my disdain for that team — look so good in the black-stroked-silver-numbered uniforms, it almost makes me want to root for them. Almost. And how good do the Titans look losing all those games in those Oilers throwbacks? They might be cursed, but they sure do look crisp.


Above: Buffalo Bill cornerback Leodis McKlevin.

I just want this feel and look to stay. I don't want to go back to the gaudy, technocentric look of the NFL continues on. Give me these simple, classed up, and complete looks on the field. Ditch the vertical stripes that run up into the armpits of most teams. Lose the extended, cyber type, unnecessarily outlined on sideline hoodies and micro mesh shirts. Put the coaches in suits, put the players in high striped socks and let the officiating crew look as though they should be handing out candy more than throwing flags. The aesthetics of sports (outside of baseball [for the most part]) are so atrocious that it's no wonder the creative set has ditched these games. Make the design of teams smarter, and maybe the game will feel smarter and more inclusive as opposed to catering to the common white hatted bros that inundate the stands across all games.

All photos come courtesy of FanIQ.