Design Tangents

Working at the intersection of user experience, visual communication, creative leadership and systems thinking, Hiroki Asai blends his design talent and love for travel as Airbnb’s Chief Experience Officer. Evan and Josh recently visited San Francisco and participated in the full ecosystem of what the company is offering before sitting down with Asai to talk about skateboarding, modernism, local cuisine and travel adventures. They got a special look at how important and impactful end-to-end design is at Airbnb.This episode is available in video at coolhunting.com/design-tangentsThis Old Ledge: Skate History and Architecture in SFhttps://www.airbnb.com/experiences/5915329Hyperlocal, foraged fare by Clairhttps://www.airbnb.com/services/6068057See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wyna Liu is a puzzle editor who is responsible for creating the New York Times games’ “Connections” and also creates crossword puzzles there, for The New Yorker, and AV Club. When she’s not making her challenging, sharable and meme-worthy games she creates jewelry inspired by crystalline structures, often incorporating magnets pushed to the edge of their tension. Evan and Josh sat down with Wyna recently and learned about her love of puzzles and explore how they play into the wearable jewelry and sculptures she creates.https://www.wynaliu.comhttps://www.nytimes.com/games/connectionshttps://itp.nyu.edu/itp/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple’s Johnny Manzari and Rich Dinh share insights on the new button and how it helps people capture more photo / video opportunitiesFollowing the release of Apple’s new iPhone 16 we sat down with Johnny Manzari, Designer from the Human Interface Team, and Rich Dinh, Senior Director, Product Design, at Apple HQ to dig in deep to the Camera Control button—how it was developed, what it can do, and how it works—all to help you more easily capture the moments you often miss.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jonathan dreamed about being a potter but was thwarted by the advice of others, so after university he started working at a talent agency in NYC, and threw pottery on the side. It didn’t take long for him to listen to his heart and pursue his true calling. Thirty one years later he’s achieved superstar status as a multi-faceted creator and designer with a retail empire and a creative studio that celebrates his unique point of view on living with glamour and style. In this episode Josh and Evan talk to Jonathan about building his eponymous lifestyle brand, the power of yes, flexing vocabulary and keeping it carny.jonathanadler.comInstagram.com/JonathanAdlerDiscover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com.This episode was produced by Rob Schulte.Design Tangents is presented by Genesis.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

During her 22 years at Apple meriko borogove worked on some of the most interesting and transformative products the company has made. If you’ve ever used a camera on an Apple device, then you’re already familiar with some of her work, as she led the camera team for years. A designer, engineer, director and photographer who one colleague labeled a “unicorn” given her epic levels of intelligence, creativity, logic and humanitarianism, she is now leading a future where technology and entertainment increasingly collaborate. In this episode Evan and Josh talk to borogove about the early Apple days, how cameras and photography have evolved, spatial computing, volumetric imaging, live performance and more. Artists and nerds love her and you will too.merikob.comscanlabprojects.co.uk audienceofthefuture.live/projects/dreamDiscover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com.This episode was produced by Rob Schulte.Design Tangents is presented by Genesis.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jonathan dreamed about being a potter but was thwarted by the advice of others, so after university he started working at a talent agency in NYC, and threw pottery on the side. It didn’t take long for him to listen to his heart and pursue his true calling. Thirty one years later he’s achieved superstar status as a multi-faceted creator and designer with a retail empire and a creative studio that celebrates his unique point of view on living with glamour and style. In this episode Josh and Evan talk to Jonathan about building his eponymous lifestyle brand, the power of yes, flexing vocabulary and keeping it carny.jonathanadler.comInstagram.com/JonathanAdlerDiscover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com.This episode was produced by Rob Schulte.Design Tangents is presented by Genesis.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Maximilian is the founder and Chief Creative Officer of MB&F (Maximilian Büsser & Friends), the most radical watch maker in a very traditional industry. Following his successful career at established brands including Jaeger-LeCoultre and Harry Winston during difficult years in the Swiss watchmaking industry, he set out to create his eponymous timepieces showcasing unabashed innovation, whimsy, craft and the never-been-done-before, challenging his “friends” to do things even they didn’t think they could do. He talks with Evan and Josh about his many inspirations, including his childhood love of cars and science fiction, his passion for making mechanical works of art, how therapy helped ground him and why he has legacy on his mind. Reference links https://www.mbandf.com https://www.instagram.com/mbandf https://coolhunting.com/design/chv-mbf https://coolhunting.com/tag/mbf Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode was produced by Rob Schulte. Design Tangents is presented by Genesis. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A master interviewer, Zane Lowe was once called “Pop’s Unofficial Therapist” by the NY Times. He’s Apple Music’s head of artist relations and the lead anchor for Apple Music 1 Radio. Flipping the script and interviewing the interviewer, Josh and Evan chat with Zane about the importance of curiosity, holding space for conversation and finding the balance between diligence and instinct when it comes to preparing for his work. Full of stories and some deep personal moments, this episode is an exploration of how to design an interview and ultimately what we learned was so much more.The Zane Lowe ShowThe Zane Lowe Interview SeriesZane's InstagramDiscover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com.This episode was produced by Rob Schulte.Design Tangents is presented by Genesis.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is it a vibe or is it a discipline? Designing streetwear requires understanding a far-reaching and often unexpected mix of cultural queues. For Jeff Staple, a pioneer in the space, synthesizing these observations is second nature. In this episode Josh and Evan talk to Jeff about his journey of discovering design, disappointing (and then impressing) his parents, mastering product collaborations and more. We also hear some key lessons along the way including a spot-on gumbo metaphor and recognizing the power of 17 year olds. Links: Jeff Staple: jeffstaple.tv Reed Art Department (Creative Agency): reedartdepartment.com Jeff Staple: Not Just Sneakers book with Rizzoli: reedartdepartment.com/shop?rizzoli-jeff-staple-not-just-sneakers Social: @jeffstaple @reedartdepartment Find more podcasts like Design Tangents at SurroundPodcasts.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

COOL HUNTING’S JOSH RUBIN AND EVAN ORENSTEN ON EXPLORING UNCHARTED TERRITORY Josh Rubin and Evan Orensten fell in love at first sight when they met in the office of Razorfish in the 90’s. But before then, Josh grew up straddling Miami and Vermont, where he gained experience navigating different worlds and perspectives. While Evan, growing up in Minneapolis, was bursting with curiosity, learning languages, and pushing to travel as often as possible. Their chemistry and compatibility ultimately led to the founding of COOL HUNTING. Now after 20 years, they are still exploring the edges of art, design, cars, craft, tech and travel, while also leading the charge (custom project with Ferrari blending traditional craft with high-tech luxury) and the conversation (new podcast, Design Tangents) on the design of a meaningful and beautiful future. You can find more episodes of CLEVER at SurroundPodcasts.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At Unnecessary Inventions Matty designs, builds, documents and shares a new product with his millions of followers each week. Pulled from an endless list of ideas he has for gadgets we don’t need but still might be entertained to have, his fans, talk shows and brand partners can’t get enough of his wit. Josh and Evan visited Matty in his new studio in Burlington, VT to see this self-described “evil genius” madness first hand. With his success he could have a staff working with him, yet he prefers to handle everything himself. He shares how he got here, why he has a need to create, how his unusual process makes sense, and that he may have some ideas in a folder that are NSFW that could someday be revealed.@unnecessaryinventions on all social channelsunnecessaryinventions.com (which includes links to all the social channels)Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com.This episode of Design Tangents was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group.Special thanks to the podcast production team: Rob Schulte, Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.Transcripts, show notes, and links for each episode of Design Tangents can be found at surroundpodcasts.com/design-tangentsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It typically takes five years from imagining a new car to bringing it to market. In about that same amount of time, Genesis has created their brand and introduced all new models. The cars and the design leadership have gotten the attention of just about every automotive award around the world, and the brand has fought hard to create its mark in a challenging and increasingly fast-paced market. This is a team effort led by the collaborative dynamic duo of Luc Donckerwolke and SangYup Lee. Josh and Evan traveled to Seoul to immerse themselves in Korean culture and learn how innovation has been accelerated across a range of businesses, including automotive. In this episode they sit down with the creative duo, who they’ve known for the last decade, to hear how they’ve developed the Genesis brand, built a team, design cars that people desire, and bring the brand to life across the many touch points that people interact with. Feel the love and learn about the power of design.Links:coolhunting.com/genesisgenesis.com Genesis Instagram Genesis TwitterDiscover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com.This episode of Design Tangents was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group.Special thanks to the podcast production team: Rob Schulte, Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Whenever Josh, Evan and Jihan Zencirli get together the energy is high and the tangents are profound. Jihan is an installation artist, big thinker and positive pop culture force. In this episode they cover her early days making balloon sculptures, the pageantry of religion, art cults, Donatella Versace and learnings from her time in web3 working with the Doodles.Links:coolhunting.com/tag/geronimogeronimoinspace.comdesigntvbysandow.com/programs/jihan-zencirli-geronimo-cool-huntingSocial:@GeronimoDiscover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Tangents was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group.Special thanks to the podcast production team: Rob Schulte, Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.