The Beauty Bias

We are?currently?buzzing at a small studio because of a project we are working on. John would call it a dream project because it's something big for the skyline of Cleveland, Ohio (his hometown and the designated HQ of a small studio). It's an architectural marvel for which we have the?distinct?privilege of collaborating with the visionary founder to build its visual and verbal identity from the ground up. Upon completion, it will transform the perception of a rustbelt city roaring back to life, and we are so here for it.

This project (which we can't wait to spill the tea on) involves blending beautiful design with function like never before. It will deliver sustainable spaces that are not only seen but genuinely experienced. It has inspired this edition of Ding! Let's face it: Beauty has transformative powers- a natural force that tends to captivate and connect while functioning.

Dostoevsky (novelist) once said;?"Beauty will save the world."?And we believe firsthand that things must be beautiful while serving a purpose. So, we always find innovative ways to merge beautiful design with practical applications. Let's look at some moments through time where beauty and function intersected seamlessly to save the world (in some little-big ways).

Stefan Sagmeister, commissioned by the DUMBO Improvement District in partnership with Two Trees Management Co and the NYCDOT Urban Art Program,?designed the iconic 80-foot-long murals on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway underpass, featuring a simple yet powerful "YES" that transformed a mundane transit space into a cherished landmark. The mural, illustrated by the multitalented?Yuko Shimizu, did more than beautify a space; it made it a destination, enhancing its value and meaning to the community.

Similarly, the High Line in Manhattan transformed an obsolete rail track into a vibrant public space, another prime example of beauty melding with utility. What was once a dilapidated structure and high-crime area is now a living-breathing urban oasis with a crime rate that has plummeted to nearly zero. The High Line didn't just bring greenery to an industrial part of the city; it spurred a wave of development around it, proving that beautiful design catalyzes?urban regeneration.

It's impossible not to also spotlight London's famed 'The Shard'. When it was proposed, it faced many naysayers who doubted its necessity and debated its potential to overshadow the rich historical tapestry of London. Yet, upon its completion, it did not just transform the London skyline; it redefined it. Towering over the city at an impressive 309.6 meters,?the?tallest building in the UK and a beautiful beacon of modernity. The English Heritage (a charity that cares for over 400 historic buildings and monuments, preserving the story of England) said it would be “A shard of glass through the heart of historic London”. Ironically, Renzo Piano, the Architect, found this criticism inspiring and named the building ‘The Shard’, implying a "shard of glass" piercing the sky. Honestly, it is a metaphor that perfectly captures the building's sharp, sleek lines, which slice through the horizon, reflecting the city's ever-evolving nature.

Every project we have mentioned, and the one we are currently executing on in Cleveland, Ohio, which we are bursting at the seams to share, epitomize our belief that design must live, breathe, and function within the ecosystem it inhabits.

Design must live, breathe, and function within the ecosystem it inhabits.

The first set of words you see when you land on our website are; "A design partner as steady and efficient as your breathing," and those words sum up our approach of executing naturally for all our partners- something we do with a bias for beauty that serves.

Stay beautiful inside and out!??

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