In Brief
Deal the Colors of the Rainbow with a New Playing Card Deck
Centuries of use haven't changed the standard deck of playing cards much. A new version designed by Fredericks & Mae puts all 54 cards on the color spectrum in a fanning rainbow.
Design
Art
The Diverse Designs of "Do Not Disturb" Signs
As the son of a hotel manager, Edoardo Flores spent his childhood around objects many of us associate solely with the niceties of vacation.
Art
After Three Decades of Obscurity, Helvetica's Successor Reemerges
When Haas Unica was introduced in 1980, it was intended as an illustrious successor to the highly popular sans-serif Helvetica.
Art
Human Nests and Other Highlights of African Design
Designer Porky Hefer's organic capsules are part of Grains of Paradise: Contemporary African Design in collaboration with Southern Guild, a group exhibition at a gallery specializing in contemporary design.
Art
New LA Parking Signs Are Good Design
Last week, the first of 100 signs that are part of an initiative to rethink parking was installed in Los Angeles by Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Art
The Beautiful Mercy of Corita Kent's Screenprints
Sister Corita Kent's tenacity as a feminist, civil rights activist, and antiwar demonstrator belied her prim black habit and fueled the silkscreens she made up until her death in 1986.
Art
An Atlas Gathers the Most Creative Contemporary Maps
Considering how long the earth's been around, you'd think it would have already been exhaustively charted. But in recent years, mapmaking has exploded.
Art
Sketches for First Mac Icons Acquired by MoMA
When Susan Kare sketched the icons for the first Macintosh computer back in the early 1980s, she only had basic black-and-white pixels to create a universal user language.
Art
An Online Sanctuary for 30 Endangered Species
Designer Bryan James was inspired to create the online project "In Pieces" as a "reminder of the beauty we are on the verge of losing as every moment passes."
Art
New Permanent Installation Blooms at the Rijksmuseum
When the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam debuted its renovated Philips Wing in November, curious modern flora bloomed over its 18th-century staircase.
News
Boston Unveils Finalists in Competition to Retrofit City for Rising Waters
Following on the heels of New York, London, and many other urban centers, Boston is the latest city to envision how best to manage the certainty of rising water levels due to global warming.
Art
Burn a Soy Sauce Candle in Tribute to the Late Kenji Ekuan
As condiment containers go, there's yet to be a design that matches the elegant simplicity of Kenji Ekuan's soy sauce bottle.