I want to share some notes on the 2012 Summer Design Fellowship poster and some thoughts on design communication. But before I do here’s just a brief introduction for those who are new to the program. Years ago the firm established a ten-week paid Design Fellowship for an exceptional architecture student to work with us over the summer. The application is open to all students who are, at date of submission, enrolled in an accredited professional degree program in the field of architecture.

At some point, to keep things fresh we ...[more]

In a provocative blog post on beauty in architecture, 2012 Summer Design Fellow Amrita Raja commented upon the reluctance of many contemporary architects to discuss the role of beauty, relying instead on more purely rational justifications such as performance. It reminded me of the 2009 NY Times article about Douglas Bowman who very publicly left his position as Google’s top visual designer because, in his words, “at Google design lived or died by data.”

Amrita’s post also reminded me of the scene in the documentary film Helvetica, where Michael Place from UK-based design firm Build talks candidly about how, for him, design is primarily ...[more]

Picking up where our annual posters left off, we designed and developed a series of bookmark-like cards for our 2010 annual mailing. They feature inspirational quotes on one side and architectural photo details on the other. The cards are die-cut with slots that allow them to interlock for assembly into a basic structure. These cards can also be used individually as bookmarks or pinned up for a daily dose of inspiration. A PDF of the cards can be downloaded here.

The format was inspired by the Eames House of Cards designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1952. The original 32 interlocking cards featured ...[more]

Welcome to the redesign of our primary website (www.shepleybulfinch.com) and its new interactive partner site (http://inside.shepleybulfinch.com). Links at the top right of both sites allow you to toggle back and forth between the two.

We’ve come a long way since our last major redesign in late 2006. Our online portfolio now includes more than 70 select projects and communicates the depth and breadth of our work. The site is now a primary research tool for current and potential employees, clients, consultants, and journalists.

Now it’s time to turn a good monologue ...[more]

The new Shepley Bulfinch website, designed by Fuego5, LLC, received a “Best in Class” award for its design, development, and implementation by the Interactive Media Awards (IMA), sponsored by the Interactive Media Council. In a format that is clear and easy to navigate, the site provides visitors with detailed information about the firm’s projects, awards, and history, as well as the design professionals and vision that are among its greatest assets.

The award recognizes that the redesigned website met and surpassed standards of excellence that comprise the web’s most professional work. Among the criteria considered by judges were the site’s design, usability, innovation in technical features, standards compliance, and content. To ...[more]