i+D - November/December 2018 - 36

4.
2.

Contributors

1. Michele Keith, Beauty and Safety for All
Michele was quite amazed at the colossal number
of faucet designs when working on her article
on bathrooms (p. 54). "Just when I thought
I'd seen them all, up popped another collection.
Goes to prove that we certainly have a wealth
of imaginative people in the design field," she says.
"Also, I felt that the designers I interviewed are
not only on top of all the latest, most important
ADA rules and regs, but truly bent on providing
their clients with the best and most applicable
systems to meet their particular needs and desires."
When it comes to 3D printing and technology
in general, Michele thinks the sky's the limit.
"I do hope, however, that in the future a good
part of [technology] is used to find cures for such
diseases as Alzheimer's and cancer and improving
education around the world. That said," she adds,
"I have always wanted my own jetpack to flit
around the city, although someone would have to
figure out a good way to avoid crashes!"
2. Ambrose Clancy, ICONic Profile: Jamie Drake
"Making of art seems to be an intriguing path
for 3D printing. What's frightening is manufacturing
plastic weapons at home," says Ambrose, when
revealing some pros and cons of the technology
featured in this issue's lead article. There were
only positives, however, during his interview with
Jamie Drake for the "ICONic Profile" series (p. 52).
Ambrose was impressed by "Jamie's sense of
direction, and his belief in not being distracted
when making an important decision, but acting
firmly and quickly," he explains, when citing
Drake's early commitment to attending Parsons
School of Design and his later decision to take

on a partner after nearly 40 years of running his
own firm. Drake surprised Ambrose, however, when
explaining "there are no cut-and-dried strategies
for designing in different regions of the country
anymore." Professionally speaking, but on a more
personal note, Ambrose is editor of the Shelter Island
Reporter, which recently received an award from
the National Newspaper Association for "General
Excellence" for a weekly newspaper. "We're all
happily letting it go to our heads," he declares.
3. Jessica Goldbogen Harlan,
The Future-Forward Kitchen
Jessica attended the Institute of Culinary Education,
so identifying with her article on the design of
kitchens (p. 44) was a recipe for success. "I was really
excited to hear about some of the smart technology
that is finally actually being incorporated into home
kitchens. I first started hearing about smart kitchen
appliances two decades ago...it's been a long time
coming, but I'm glad to see some of these innovations
finally arriving!" she enthuses. Jessica was pleased
to learn about the many options and modifications
available for people with mobility issues, including
small children. "I teach cooking classes to kids
and I see them struggle with counters that are
too high, microwaves they can't reach, and other
obstacles. If parts of the kitchen are designed with
kids in mind, they'll undoubtedly grow up to be
confident, capable cooks," she notes. With respect
to 3D printing, Jessica would love to see more
incorporated into kitchen design. "I think it has
amazing potential for things like custom drawer
pulls, organizers like drawer dividers in nonstandard
cabinetry, or pendant light fixtures and other
decorative touches," she asserts.

i+D - November/December 2018

4. Brian Libby, Fit to Print
"I'm excited by 3D printing's capabilities," explains
Brian, "so much so that I suspect in the future
it may not necessarily be known as 3D printing
because it will have expanded so far beyond its
original purpose to really be an automated building
industry. I was most excited by the variety of
materials that can now be printed, from concrete
and ceramics to metal and glass." Although he
learned a lot while researching the topic for this
issue (p. 38), what most surprised him "is the
rapid liquid printing process that was developed by
MIT and Steelcase. It's really 3D printing 2.0."
His personal wish list? "The college football fan
in me would like a model of the Rose Bowl
stadium," he conveys. In his spare time, Brian
is working on a book: In Search of Portland
[Oregon], "where I explore the city's history and
some of its most famous residents, from painter
Mark Rothko to musician Elliott Smith."
5. Barbara Thau, The China Syndrome
While researching her "Business of Design" article
on tariffs (p. 26), Barbara was particularly surprised
about "the close working, symbiotic relationships
established between the Chinese manufacturing sector
and the North American design community-
one that developed over time, and can't just simply
be replicated in a New York minute." Which, of
course, is a very appropriate comparison from this
New Yorker wordsmith. What does Barbara think
about 3D printing and its developing technology
and opportunities? "I love the idea of using 3D to put
the power of personalized creation in the hands of
everyday consumers," she says.

Image 1: Andrew French/Image 2: Kirk Condyles/Image 3: Erin Brauer/Image 4: Valarie Smith/Image 5: Dan D'Errico

Once relegated to a computer screen as a great visual tool, our current 3D reality resembles
the sci-fi fantasies of generations gone by, with the printing of everything from furnishings
to entire homes bringing once far-flung creative ideas to fruition. The authors in this issue of
i+D offer their perspectives on the wonders of 3D printing, as well as details on the topics
each covered in their articles.

i+D - November/December 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of i+D - November/December 2018