Appropriate Architecture: The Ecology Center

I attended a really great event last night at The Ecology Center here in Orange County.  Mathew Miller from Appropriate Architecturespoke about two projects he was involved in during grad school and as an instructor at RISD. 

Appropriate architecture is a design-build agency dedicated to providing architecture and construction services to nonprofits and NGOs as a means to teach and implement high building standards in underserved communities worldwide.  Matt’s been all over the world teaching those in need how to build structures that are “appropriate” for the surrounding environment (not to be confused with “sustainable architecture”).  The goal is to teach local craftsmen the skills they need to continue building long after Matt has left.  A recent project for a new elementary school in Uganda is proof this model is working.

Another project he discussed was the construction of a home in a Detroit suburb for a family in need.  After two years of backbreaking work, the job was completed and the family moved in.  Mathew returned periodically to the site to observe how the family was adapting to their new home. He was shocked to see most of the innovations he included to make this home special and functional were not being utilized.

Large, energy-efficient windows designed to deliver tons of natural light to the upstairs loft were framed with dark curtains drawn 24 hours a day.  Smaller ventilation windows downstairs were also covered (with pillows) creating a dark, damp, claustrophobic environment for the tenants.

 Within a few short months, unfortunately, the family couldn’t afford the cost of living even with heavy government subsidies.  As a result, the family was evicted and a new family moved in.  Then a new family.  And then another.

This “revolving door” of occupants got me thinking about how the essence/value of his work seemed to diminish with every new occupying family.  My question is, “Whose responsibility is it to pass on a buildings story to future tenants?” 

In some cases (particularly with new construction), the builder is the one communicating since he’s managed the project since day one and has intimate knowledge of the process/outcome.  In other scenarios it’s the home owner or realtor telling the story.  The problem with this is a potential buyer may view this story as a biased “tool to sell the home” and not an honest way to accurately communicate a homes story.

I’m not sure what the answer is.  Historic neighborhoods typically have a dedicated panel responsible for overseeing any change to a home in their community.  The ultimate goal is to ensure the integrity of the structure is maintained and kept consistent with the time period in order to preserve the story of that particular neighborhood.  Why not develop a similar model for projects like Matt’s or the guy up the street who’s converted his energy-sapping 1940’s bungalow into a modern-day “green marvel” capable of generating more energy than it uses?

Whatever the answer, I think it all comes back to knowledge.  If the new tenants/owners aren’t informed about the story of their new home, are they at fault for hanging black curtains and stuffing pillows in window vents?  Whenever you buy a new car, typically someone will go through the process of teaching you how everything works so you feel comfortable driving of the lot.  Why isn’t there a similar system in place for home buying? Or is there?

A rose by any other name…is still a rose.

Ah Freshjive….the former skate/surf brand from the 90’s turned streetwear brand has decided to take an about face, throw two middle fingers in the air and drop their brand name and logo from all products beginning Spring 2010.  According to owner/designer Rick Klotz, “when I see kids wearing company logos it reminds [me] of people who are trying to be a part of a “tribe” or “gang”, as if they need to be part of something, which seems to go against the idea of individualism in style.”

I admit, I’ve always liked the Freshjive ethos.  As a surfer for close to 20 years in the mecca of surf culture (Orange County) I’ve watched many clothing companies come and go.  Some, like Quiksilver, have “whored out” their brand to virtually no end (Roxy shower curtains anyone?) while others try so hard to be different they actually end up looking just like everyone else (Volcom).

Freshjive dabbled in the action sports market for several years in the 90’s but didn’t truly find a home until it’s shift to streetwear.  Fashion forward graphic t’s and knit tops seemed to define the brand, enabling it to stand out from the sea of cookie-cutter garbage that littered shop stores from coast to coast.  Their stuff was ahead of it’s time and, well…fresh.

However, this latest stunt of dropping the logo/brand is a complete laugh.  The irony, of course, is that if it wasn’t for the Freshjive brand/logo being a cultural fixture for the past 15 years, Rick would be in no place to “drop” it and still have a company to work with.  Okay, so the brand is no longer labeled ”Freshjive” yet all clothing will still include an identification tag–in this case a black tag with white box.  In short, the brand is still there…it just looks different.  Customers will still refer to this faceless line of clothing as Freshjive and I imagine some of the less pretentious clothing retailers will too.

In an interview with The Hundreds, Rick was asked “how is this expected to sell?”  His response…

“I’m only gonna rest on the laurels of our relationships with stores, customers, and the design of the actual pieces in the line.”

Translation:  “I’m going to bank on our established brand equity to carry us through this transition and basically re-purpose the brand instead of starting from scratch.”

The bottom line is, if you work this hard to control your company image–regardless if it has a name/logo–you still have a brand. 

I guess my problem with this move is Rick’s attitude about how “punk rock” he is for making this choice.  Really?  Stripping the logo from your already established line of clothing makes you a rebel?  Did the perception of Price, or the artist formally known as Prince, or The Artist, or “symbol” change the essence of what he was creating?  Nope.  It just made the guy look a bit douchie.  You want to be punk rock?   Try starting a line of premium priced, blank garments using a vertically integrated manufacturing model.

Finally, the idea of kids buying clothes to feel part of a tribe or gang.  Give me a break.  If you’re really behind this idea of individualism, why produce/sell more than one t-shirt design?  Shouldn’t all your products be one-of-a-kind?  Furthermore, why would you design a t-shirt that glorifies a local sports team’s playoff run if you want to preach the idea of being an original or individual?

Look, this will no doubt be a successful move for the clothing line formally known as Freshijive.  As I mentioned before, Rick’s designs kill and he has a solid reputation for delivering quality threads.  But please get off the pedestal and stop pretending this is some “statement” that will send shock waves through the streetwear industry.

Designers Accord Town Hall: Continuum LA

Core 77 posted a thorough summation of the event last week.  This was my first Designers Accord Town Hall and expectations were definitely exceeded.  Special thanks to the folks at Continuum for hosting.  I’m looking forward to learning more about designing for change at school this fall.

It’s the experience, dummy!

 

This is great article from Tammy Erickson at Harvard Business Review illustrating the all too familiar frustrations that follow a poor user experience.  As I read her words, I couldn’t help but think about some of my own experiences with brands that just don’t get it.  Now don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of insightful companies out there that really understand their customer and offer a memorable, relevant experience–it’s just more fun to write about the ones that fail miserably. (Take note Brand Managers of the world)

In her article, Erickson describes the confusing and totally inefficient process for wiring money by way of her local bank.  Most of us would agree that there is nothing “personal” about personal banking and, I admit, banks are an easy target.  But in an industry where user experience is your opportunity to differentiate, you’d think there would be a greater effort made to innovate/refine/enhance this experience. 

Below is just one example of how two different companies offering a similar product handle an experience they:

a. have in common with every one of their competitor s

b. have complete control over

In college I drove a very used BMW.  This vehicle was 10 years old, had racked up 200,000 hard miles, and had a bumper held together with duct tape I spray painted white.  Despite being cosmetically challenged, impractical for carrying surfboards or mountain bikes, and a bit cramped for my 6’ tall frame I loved this car.  I mean, passionately loved this car.  The reason?  Every time I pulled it into the local dealership for routine service or a scheduled oil change I was treated like a BMW owner—not a third generation driver who scored a great deal on a high mileage clunker.  I was greeted instantly by a service technician who had a clearly defined role.  I was then handed off to a customer service representative who walked me through the process telling me what to expect and when to expect it.  Finally, after every service visit the car was washed inside and out whether it was a $30 oil change or $300 transmission service.  I, quite simply, felt as though I was being taken care of.

Compare that to my experience with Ford.  At 80,000 miles the transmission on my Explorer went out on the freeway requiring me to drive to the dealership at the comfortable (and not dangerous at all) cruising speed of 28 mph.  I arrived to a crowded service center and waited a half hour before anyone even approached me.  I was told it would be two days before they could assess the total scope of the damage plus another week to fix the transmission (if that was the issue).  I was then left on my own to coordinate a ride home and a rental car for the next week.  Not only did the process take more than two weeks—“Uh, we’re waiting on a part that has to be flown in from Texas”—but when they finally brought the car around it was beyond filthy.  Really? $1,600 on a new transmission and you can’t take a half hour to wash the car?  Thanks Ford, I’ll be back never.

Imagine how different my perception of the Ford brand would be today had that service center taken the time to simply wash my car and deliver better customer service?  I’ve purchased three cars since that Ford and needless to say, none have been Fords.  Whenever a friend says they’re thinking about buying a new Ford, I always share my story with them.  Always.

MIT’s Trash Talk

This is a really interesting project through the MIT SENSEable City lab.  The Trash Track Team asks, “What if we knew exactly where our trash was going and how much energy it took to make it disappear? Would it make us think twice about buying bottled water or “disposable” razors?”

There are some great opportunities for some powerful data visualization here.  Not to mention, this model can be applied to any number of systems to show consumers exactly what it take to get a  product to market. 

Patagonia has a great tool called The Footprint Chronicles that tells the story of how a particular item arrives on store shelves.  Other brands are using RFID technology to monitor their supply chain and search for ways to improve inefficiencies.