Slow design

How I love all things design. I can't look at a building, a city, a roadway, a magazine, a sign, or a car without musing on how it might have been better designed. If I had my way with the world, it'd at least look a whole lot better.

Because books about design are my business, I spend a lot of time on design websites. One of the very best is the Design Observer. It was there I came across Michael Beirut's essay on Slow Design. Following the cultural trends of the slow food movement and the new urbanism principles about calming cities, it's no surprise that the design industry would have its equivalent response.

Beirut says, "...slow design is not just about duration or speed, but about thoughtfulness, deliberation, and — how else to put it? — tender loving care." We could use all the tender loving care we can get here in 21st Century America.