Episodes
Published 01/31/23
Published 11/22/22
In this episode, Liam speaks with Julian Zigerli, a designer in Zürich, Switzerland creating clothing that allows everyone to decide how what they wear expresses who they are. In the interview, Zigerli describes how the culture of Switzerland impacts his work, what it means when someone asks for "straight" clothes, and how his practice adapted in a time of pandemic. Content warning: In this episode, the word "queer" is used in a reclaimed manner. Find out more about SF Design Week at...
Published 06/08/21
Published 06/08/21
This episode is part of a special series of three interviews, recorded remotely with the winners of the 2020 Material Design Awards, exploring what goes into creating an award-winning app. Moooi, winning the award for Material Theming, focuses on aesthetic fundamentals to create an immersive and expressive experience for their digital flagship. In the interview, Liam is joined by Margot Gabel and Rémy Barthez taking an in-depth look at how Moooi implemented an award-winning themed experience.
Published 04/20/21
This episode is part of a special series of three interviews, recorded remotely with the winners of the 2020 Material Design Awards, exploring what goes into creating an award-winning app. KAYAK has taken their comprehensive price comparison and travel booking experience to the next level by translating their brand into a dark theme. In the interview, Liam learns from Aleksandra Safarova and Mike Scopino how building a dark theme revolutionized KAYAK's entire approach to color.
Published 04/20/21
This episode is part of a special series of three interviews, recorded remotely with the winners of the 2020 Material Design Awards, exploring what goes into creating an award-winning app. Epsy uses motion meaningfully, guiding users living with Epilepsy through critical tasks to better their quality of life. In the interview, Liam is joined by Jennifer Stott and Marco Peluso to break down Epsy's approach to designing - and prioritizing - motion.
Published 04/20/21
In this episode, Liam speaks with BJ Best, a poet who teaches computers to do what humans can’t in the name of art. His network of ArtyBots is part of a vibrant scene of robots creating, sharing, and collaborating with one another on virtual art. In the interview, Best describes the reflective opportunities and editorial impact created by a bot-created body of work numbering in the tens of thousands.
Published 04/21/20
Design Notes is a show about creative work and what it teaches us. In this episode, Liam speaks with illustrator, editorial designer, and author Laurie Rosenwald about how she’s managed to cultivate an aesthetic—and a career—around “making mistakes on purpose.” Learn how chaos and collage can come together to reveal unexpected creative potential, and let Rosenwald help make sure you’re never alone with a blank page.
Published 03/17/20
In this episode, Liam speaks with Kerry Murphy, co-founder of digital fashion house The Fabricant, to learn how ones and zeros are spun, woven, and stitched into virtual couture. In designing couture that doesn’t—or can’t—exist in physical space, The Fabricant also explores ideas of embodiment and self-actualization. Murphy pushes these concepts even further, by interacting with his own “virtual twin,” composed from 3D-scans of his body.
Published 02/18/20
Design Notes is a show about creative work and what it teaches us. For the first episode of 2020, Liam speaks with David Reinfurt, founder of O-R-G, half of Dexter Sinister, and author of A *New* Program for Graphic Design. Together they explore the fluid notions of personal, corporate, and graphic identity throughout Reinfurt’s career, the importance of learning through practice, and the relationship between design and art.
Published 01/21/20
This episode is part of a series of interviews with the winners of this year’s Material Design Awards, exploring what goes into creating an award-winning app. Reflectly, a unique journaling app, won this year’s award for innovation by pushing the boundaries of Material and bringing it to life with animations, a novel elevation model, and custom components. In the interview, cofounder Jacob Kristensen digs into the how Reflectly's experience—from philosophy to specific interactions—came to life.
Published 11/26/19
This episode is part of a series of interviews with the winners of this year’s Material Design Awards, exploring what goes into creating an award-winning app. Ruff is a note-taking app that won this year’s award for theming, building an expressive identity through the application of color, typography, and shape. In the interview, developer/designer Bardi Golriz talks about what it’s like to add new features without losing focus, and how Material Theming impacts the process of developing an app.
Published 11/26/19
This episode is part of a special series of four interviews with the winners of this year’s Material Design Awards, exploring what goes into creating an award-winning app. Trip.com is a travel app that won this year’s award for universality by accounting for users around the world with over a dozen supported languages and custom imagery. The interview unpacks what it’s like to build an app for the entire world, and what makes Trip.com a unique experience.
Published 11/26/19
This episode is part of a special series of four interviews with the winners of this year’s Material Design Awards, exploring what goes into creating an award-winning app. Scripts won this year’s award for Experience, with creative interactions, navigation, and content presentation. In the interview, I spoke with the Scripts team about using a color system to create a unique experience while expressing identity, and building interactions that make users feel accomplished right away.
Published 11/26/19
In this episode, Liam speaks with Bradley Munkowitz, also known as designer/director GMUNK, unpacking Munkowitz’s scintillating psychedelic aesthetic — inspired by actual psychedelic experiences — and why it’s important as a designer to continually challenge and be challenged, maintaining a healthy discomfort with one’s own work.
Published 10/30/19
In this episode, Liam speaks with interdisciplinary artist and creative coder Qianqian Ye in her San Francisco studio. The duo traces her journey from wielding calligraphy brushes to building a hand-holding glove, unpacking the vulnerabilities we all share as humans, how creative intent is communicated, and the importance of imagining other futures.
Published 10/01/19
In this episode, Liam speaks with new media artist Harvey Moon in his San Francisco studio. The duo discuss how Moon’s work reveals unseen properties of the world around us, the process of creating one’s own creative tools, and the kind of art that’s only made possible through collaboration with machines.
Published 09/03/19