August 22, 2013 14 Oct | John Christakos: “Design from the Inside Out”
Description:
John Christakos is one of the founders and CEO of Blu Dot, which was established in 1997. Their main objective is “to bring good design to as many people as possible.” They work to make pieces for people that work well, cost less, and are what people want. To accomplish all of that they look towards the way they design. Collaboration is at the peak of their design process, working together from the beginning on schematic designs all the way to the way the product is made, built, and packaged. Christakos lecture, “Design from the Inside Out,” focuses on looking at the details, seeing how the pieces can create a whole.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will:
- See the process of design from beginning to end
- Listen to how deconstructing can be just as useful as constructing
- Explore the rewards of collaborating when designing
- Understand why there is no designer names in the work of Blu Dot
Lecturer Bio:
John Christakos is the designer and co-founder of Blu Dot, a furniture firm that offers a complete and cohesive assortment of original modern designs that is inventive in its use of materials, playful sensibility, and fabrication/assembly strategies determined by an economy of means. After graduating with a double major in economics and studio art from Williams College in 1987, Christakos moved to Boston to pursue sculpture, and worked simultaneously as a strategy consultant for Bain and Company. Christakos’ artwork has been shown in several group exhibitions, and in a solo exhibition at New York’s John Good Gallery. In 1993, he earned an MBA from Northwestern University. Afterward, he became Consulting Director of Core Group in Minneapolis, where he advised consumer product companies in marketing strategy and branding. In 1999, Christakos was appointed a member of the ICFF Advisory Board. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of The Walker Art Center, Minnesota.
Video:
Relevant Works:
Suggested Reading:
Students are encouraged to read the “Lecture Series Readings” provided through the “Academics” server. All college faculty, students, and staff have access to this folder.