In past centuries sample books served to record patterns and motifs used in decorative arts and were carefully guarded by manufacturers against espionage attempts from competitors. In this panel, held in conjunction with Multiple Choice: From Sample to Product. Cooper-Hewitt invites you to join intellectual property lawyer Harley Lewin, and Susan Posen, CEO of Zac...

Join modern design firms Maharam, Design Within Reach and Tricycle as they share their companies’ approaches for marketing design. Held in conjunction with the exhibition Multiple Choice: From Sample to Product, this panel will explore current marketing trends such as consumer customization and online outreach.

Join the Cooper-Hewitt for a conversation on user-centered design with National Design Award Winners and Finalists who have been recognized for their contribution to the field of Product Design. Moderated by Jesse Ashlock, former Editor-in-Chief of I.D. Magazine. A pioneer of ergonomic design, Niels Diffrient is driven by the need to improve the way existing...

2009 National Design Award winners participate in a panel discussion about their inspiration and drive as designers and the state of contemporary design in America. Moderator: Walter Hood, HOOD Design, Landscape Design Winner Panelists include: Amory Lovins, Rocky Mountain Institute, Design Mind Winner Andrew Blauvelt, Walker Arts Center, Corporate / Institutional Winner Christopher Sharples, SHoP...

Fashioning Felt on view Mar 6 through Sept 7, 2009 at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. This exhibition explores the varied new uses of felt in a range of fields, including product design, fashion, architecture, and home furnishings.

Exhibitions are hard work. At Cooper-Hewitt they are planned years in advance and involve several departments cooperating towards a common goal of creating the best exhibition possible. Once the research is completed, the objects chosen, the didactic panels and brochure text written, and the exhibition design layout completed, there is still one very important step...

One of the themes looked at in the Triennial is the rise of graphic design as a consumer product. It used to be that graphic design was strictly a business-to-business service. Now, everyday citizens have access to professional quality software, fonts, printing services, and more. It’s a whole new world out there. One example of...

On April 19, Robin Petravic and Catherine Bailey spoke here at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum about their work as owners of the legendary California pottery maker Heath, founded by Edith Heath in the mid-1940s. Their presentation had everyone thinking about the role of craft in manufacturing. They explain, “We believe that the craft of manufacturing...