Flowers for Algernon

Written By Sean Adams

Walt Disney World Preview Center 1971

This week, Jessica Helfand and Michael Bierut were in town for the Design Observer Taste conference. I had dinner with Jessica and she kindly came to school to discuss her new book. If you don't know Jessica personally, you need to understand that she is fast, smart, and hilarious. She also is humble, sweet, and filled with energy. The downside is that I need to stay on my toes. I can't skirt by with funny comments and swearing. This is the big leagues of smart.

On that note, I felt that a post today should engage the reader and focus attention on issues such as the state of the profession, the intersection of fine art, architecture, business, and design, or how stupid the term "design thinking" is. But I was sidetracked by these two brochures from Walt Disney World.

One is from a magazine after the park opened. The other was handed out at the WDW Preview Center before the 1971 opening. These may not challenge the epicenter of design or critical thinking, but the colors are nice. And I'm a sucker for a fancy layout, ochre and purple buildings, and random closeups.

Sean Adams

Sean Adams is the Dean of Visual Art and Communication at ArtCenter, founder of Burning Settlers Cabin studio, and on-screen author for LinkedIn Learning/Lynda.com He is the only two term AIGA national president in AIGA’s 100 year history. In 2014, Adams was awarded the AIGA Medal, the highest honor in the profession. He is an AIGA Fellow, and Aspen Design Fellow. He has been recognized by every major competition and publication including; How, Print, Step, Communication Arts, Graphis, AIGA, The Type Directors Club, The British Art Director’s Club, and the Art Director’s Club. Adams has been exhibited often, including a solo exhibition at The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Adams is an author of multiple magazine columns, and several best-selling books. He has been cited as one of the forty most important people shaping design internationally, and one of the top ten influential designers in the United States. Previously, Adams was a founding partner at AdamsMorioka, whose clients included The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Disney, Mohawk Fine Papers, The Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Richard Meier & Partners, Sundance, and the University of Southern California.

www.burningsettlerscabin.com
Previous

Joan Crawford or Richard Neutra
Next

Gnarly Dude