While I am relatively new to the Boston blogging world Gradon Tripp has been blogging about the Boston design scene for over three and a half years. Gradon’s blog Design Boston talks about all types of design work going on in Boston - be it interior design, art, graphic design and product design to name a few. If you read his blog you will have a firm grip on what is going on in the Hub’s design community. I found a recent post where Gradon writes about his projection that the Boston design scene is about to experience a revolution.
Here is what he had to say:
In last Sunday’s Boston Globe, Dushko Petrovich explored how Boston could find itself as the home of a new art revolution. In his essay, Dushko cites all that Boston has going for it: “several great museums, a superabundance of universities, many galleries, a highly educated and increasingly sophisticated audience, and a density that allows for the most important element in cultural life: interaction between creative people.” Dushko makes a pretty convincing job that this revolution is right around the corner, and he’s right. Kind of.
Kind of, because it’s not an art revolution that’s coming, but a design one. It’s been brewing for a while.
In 2006, the public was just starting to educate itself on design. ApartmentTherapy, DesignSponge, sfgirlbybayand others were showcasing creations coming out of New York and San Francisco. Boston had a large, energetic design scene, but people outside of the city thought it was a quaint, stodgy old town, not giving it the attention it deserved. I started DesignBoston to help get that conversation going. Three and a half years later — whether its architecture, interior-, product-, graphic deisgn or more — if you’re offering unique, thoughtful, innovative creations, we want to share it.
Click here to read the entire post.
Do you think Gradon is right? Do you see evidence that the Boston design scene is coming on strong?
Great blog, Leslie! Keep up the great work beautifying New England!
All the best,
Cheryl
p.s. freelancing. Please check out my LinkedIn profile…
Hi, Leslie. Thanks for mentioning my article to your readers!
I truly feel that Boston is becoming the “Hub of Design”. Aside from my site and the few other examples I mentioned in the article, a look at recent and upcoming features of our local shelter magazines reflects the direction we’re headed in: Boston Home showcased “The Hot 50″ next-generation designers in their most recent issue, and New England Home recently awarded their “5 Under 40″ winners.
The financial strength of those magazines — in a segment of the industry that’s been hit rather hard over the last year or so — speaks to the interest in Design around Boston and across New England.
Efforts by non-design specific groups — like Boston World Partnerships and T5Boston — will have a corollary benefit on the design industry: As new businesses move to Boston, or more conventions brought, there will be a corresponding boom in construction for additional office space, convention centers, hotels and more. This can help Boston shake off the “stodgy” image we’ve had for too long.
In (not so) short, I love design, and I love this city, and I look forward to Boston becoming as great as I know it can be.
Gordon – Thanks for your comments and also for your thought provoking blog. As a transplanted New Yorker who has lived in Boston most of my adult life, it has been exciting for me to witness how Boston has changed over the years. Unlike its old “stodgy” image, I see Boston as comparable to some wonderful, dynamic European cities. Boston will never be a New York due to its smaller physical size and population, but it will hopefully continue to develop its strength and sophistication in the arts and design.