Have Fun!

Design is fun. Really. We forget that simple notion sometimes. The joy on a clients face, people smiling as they experience your work, and making good things. So fun. And while we are pretty serious at times, and invest ourselves to an absurd degree in our work- we dance, sing and smile too.

Fraser Design Newsletter is up!

Career Days

I had the opportunity to present to two career day events recently. ASID career day for Interior Design Junior and Senior college students, and Washington Henry Elementary School Career Day. Both were extremely enlightening and the student engagement was fantastic. 

What did I learn? 

The Generation Effect- the many discussions I hear about millenials and their focus are spot on. There were typical questions about resume and portfolio perfection, but many more about vision and alignment. Most were focused on character and culture as primary interest for a job. One person of over one hundred asked about money.

The amazing power of youth- kids are electric, enthusiastic, and given a small moment to create, just do not want to stop. As I turned on the faucet of interactivity, I could not turn it off. Relentless new ideas could have kept me there for a full day.

And...

I realize our clients that our mid to large businesses struggle to effectively communicate to the emerging class of creative professionals.

I realize elementary school is a great place to start preserving creativity, but wish the middle and high schools would engage similarly.

College Design Students

Results of one of five sessions with elementary school kids

I realize this sort of activity gives me crazy energy and profound reward. I should do this more often.

What do you see?

My daughter is working with Agriberry CSA this summer. It gives me a chance to see- really see the agricultural community that is imperative to our world. We easily distance ourselves from the tactile reality of goods when we consume. A few hours in the sun with the sounds, smells and touch of the earth have priceless value.

News and Interesting Stuff

What do you see?

Taking the opportunity to snap some images on the way to a meeting at VCU, I thought about what we see. As adults we filter much of what is presented in the visual spectrum- there is just too much competing for attention. I am amazed by how perceptive my children are, picking up the most minute shapes, objects and arrays. We should all look at bit more, I think. These are some of the things I saw on the way. What do you see?

Syracuse University Department of Design

I took a quick jaunt up to New York this week to visit some friends doing remarkable work shaping a vision for design education at Syracuse University. The facilities afford the tools, environment and culture of creativity and collaboration. The faculty and leadership are relentless creatives committed to the next generation of design leaders and the students are inquisitive, engaging and do some great work.


In my one hour talk- a combination of soapbox manifesto, call to action and invitation to greatness, the 70 or so students sat wide-eyed and engaged. One question to the group- do you consider yourselves leaders- yielded a nearly unanimous hands-up yes! I was beaming- my experience is that design students consider themselves followers rather than the emerging cultural leadership in the world. These guys are already there.


Keep your eyes on this school- with Lucinda, Jen, Ruth and Zeke building a vision, remarkable work will happen.

804um- the future of Richmond

 Last week I was among the presenter at the HYPE Richmond 804um half day conference. The take away for me, the next generation is inspired! The buzz after the event was electric and the conversation clearly centered around a greater vision, both on an individual basis and as a city. I look forward to connecting with this crowd again- as I call them GEN-I or Generation Innovation.

CASE STUDY ONE- VISION

See Think Make

Our studio, The Marvin Lang Building is a wellspring of creatives and we have banded together to initiate an educational forum. The 1623 School will provide professional education in vision and brand development, design, photography and leadership. We are seeking to expand and diversify as well, the more the better. Your success is our success- and we want to raise the bar of creative professionals in this great city.


Look us up at www.1623school.com

The most significant architecture in Petersburg

Went for a trip for the afternoon to visit Battersea last week. We were invited to work in a charrette to help envision the future of this most significant villa. The place is quaint and unassuming- but quite an architectural masterpiece. Empty and in a bit of a deteriorated state, the proportion and elegance are impressive nonetheless.

Battersea has great opportunity- its legacy beginning in 1760, the proximity to Petersburg, the adjacent river and the expanse of land are a foundation for a great experience. I look forward to participating in its future.

A Study in Contrasts

Wow, what a weekend. Imagine you could experience the cultural spectrum around a single, unified passion. Imagine too, that you shared the passion-to some extent-at each intersection. That was my weekend.

Started with a visit to the Team Natures Path/3Sports criterium at the Richmond International Raceway. A hundred or so riders showed up for an early season race. We watched our friend Dave from Endorphin Fitness keep his break on the pack to win the race and watched the guys from Richmond Pro Cycling take off in the 1,2,3 race.

Moving on, we ventured to the National Handmade Bike Show, where we were seduced by the craft an artistry of the most beautiful and inventive bicycles in the country. Sure these bikes perform, but really we were well into the art of it at the show. Saw our friends from Tektonics, Alan, Engin and lots of builders I have never heard of.

The trifecta was the Cog Magazine/Kazani bikes aftershow party at my studio. With an energetic crowd and more fixies than I have ever seen in Richmond, the place was like a club, the beverage of choice was a few kegs of PBR. Almost everyone arrived on bikes- and you could tell they truly used these bikes in the most literal way- transportation, livelihood, lifestyle.

Richmond has a robust cycling community spanning diverse interests and demographic profile. Its a great part of our city.