Author Archives: Michael Spitzer

ESCALATORS: Why are they so BORING?

They all look pretty much the same.  They’re made of metal and (sometimes) glass.  The utilitarian escalator is prevalent in just about every mall and public space.  From the most basic to the most lavish buildings, the escalators are the same.  Why can’t escalators better complement the spaces that they are in?
As an example, [...]

Designing the future of the world

This month’s issue of Fast Company features an article on a company called Participle, a non-profit focused on social change.  It is not just any company, however.  It is a team of designers.
I won’t repeat here what the article says, but the fascinating part about this company is that they are tackling age-old issues in [...]

Thinking about context

When designing something, understanding the context in which it will “live” is important.  I took this photo on a subway platform.  In the context of someone standing on the platform in front of this ad, it is a bit scary.  It was probably not the designer’s intention to put a gun to someone’s head.  Good [...]