By Design

We’re taking a trip to the Bay Area on this very special episode of By Design. We’ll start off by discussing a very big question: What is a design job in 2026? The answer, in part, can be found in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, where Mark Wilson brings a dispatch from his latest reporting trip. (00:00:42) Plus, the latest design job numbers and what they mean. Then, he and Liz Stinson interview one of the most powerful people in the world of AI design—Joel Lewenstein, Anthropic’s design chief. (00:13:50) Joel explains Claude’s personality quirks, why he’s doubling his design team, and more. Finally, we close with a spring edition of Hot or Not. (01:00:30) Mentioned: Coleman’s Snap ‘N Go cooler, the 2028 Olympics branding, and a big Google Maps redesign. Plus, two quick plugs for some great Fast Company stuff: First, check out our 2026 Most Innovative Companies in design. And if you haven’t, make sure to get in your applications for the 2026 Innovation By Design awards — submissions are due April 10.

It’s a packed first episode of the year at By Design and we have a big guest: Ikea’s Juvencio Maeztu gives his first major interview since taking over as CEO. It’s a deep, candid conversation about his philosophy on affordability, life at home, and how Ikea’s business structure allows it to have motives that aren’t all about profit. But first, the news: We go deep on global design editor Mark Wilson’s profile of Joe Gebbia, Airbnb’s design co-founder who now begins his new role as the nation’s chief design officer. Gebbia is now tasked with reshaping the government in President Trump’s image. Mark and senior editor Liz Stinson also talk about Apple’s major deal with Google to use Gemini for Siri and Apple Intelligence products, a major victory for a company trailing in the AI race. We’ll also talk about a trend you might not realize you're seeing: meme wear. And to close the show, producer Cody Nelson joins for Hot or Not. Mentioned this time: Honda 2.0, brick-and-mortar Turbo Tax, new Legos, a pen lamp, and more.

As AI companies pour trillions of dollars into building infrastructure like data centers, one non-tech sector is seeing a boom of its own: Architecture. This month on By Design, our guest is Jordan Goldstein, the co-CEO of Gensler, the world's largest architecture firm, which is seeing skyrocketing demand for data center design. He explains how AI has transformed the firm and how Gensler approaches designing facilities for computers, with the human experience in mind. We also discuss the biggest moments in design from the past few weeks: The opening of Netflix House and why the streamer is betting on real-life experiences The Stream ring and why it might be a breakthrough for AI hardware The Department of War’s $2 billion rebrand And we’ll close the episode with hot or not — including the Issey Miyake iPhone pocket, Naked Cheetos, Starbucks’ bear cup, and more.

Brian Niccol is on a mission to change how you get your morning coffee, and on this episode, we learn how in Niccol’s first public interview since taking over as Starbucks CEO a year ago. We also run down the latest news on NikeSkims’ first lookbook, Apple’s Liquid Glass launch, and Amazon’s settlement over its deceptive UX — the “Iliad Flow.” Then, we close the episode with a new game: Hot or not…but for design.

There have been 11 Superman films released in the past 50 years. How do you make a new one that stands out? On this episode of By Design, hosts Liz Stinson and Mark Wilson interview the production designer for the latest Superman film, Beth Mickle. They discuss her collaborations with director James Gunn and share how she developed the latest Superman aesthetic. Plus, she explains why her team chose the more difficult route of relying heavily on practical effects. Liz and Mark also discuss the latest in design news including the vibeless summer , Meta’s tent city, and a certain copycat in the New York City mayoral race. And at the end of the episode, Liz and Mark debate their best and worst designs of the month: MAGA Coke, Sam Altman’s sunglasses, and Anne Hathaway are all in contention.

Design is no longer just about aesthetics—it's shaping the way we live, work, and interact with the world. Join ‘Fast Company’ senior editor Liz Stinson and global design editor Mark Wilson as they dive into the latest innovations in the world of user experience and product and architectural design. ‘By Design’ focuses on the macro impacts of design trends, covering topics like the future of wearable technology, how AI is affecting product design, and, more broadly, how design intersects with business, tech, politics, and culture.