No. 10
Why Design Matters, interviews, Very Good Films, used book shop treasures, and naming things.
Frequent Visitors is a weekly newsletter created to share the things we (over at Frequent Practice) have enjoyed visiting each week. Sometimes related to design, reads, and creativity. Sometimes related to anything else.
Through intimate conversations with some of the world’s most creative people, Debbie Millman not only sheds light on how they create their lives, but demonstrates why design matters time and time again. In addition to her popular podcast, her new book, “Why Design Matters” is available for pre-order now (on sale on 2/22/22)!!
Needless to say, being a fan of Margo Lévêque is one of our favourite frequent practices, and celebrating her most recent typeface launch is no exception! A masterpiece!
While studio visits continue to be a bit on hold, we’ve been loving the in-depth interviews Developments is offering with emerging and world famous independent creative talents.
This Very Good online film catalogue by a couple of brilliant ladies + film lovers.
This incredible guide with ample resources to help you name things. How nifty!!! From an eclectic compendium of “rare, cool, and unusual words” to a crowdsourced thesaurus, there are numerous etymology related rabbit holes to fall down.
During a recent visit to our favourite used bookstore, Massy Books, we stumbled across a copy of ‘Scope of Total Architecture’ by Walter Gropius. We have particularly enjoyed reading the portions regarding the importance of community centres:
I am deeply convinced that the building of community centers is of even greater urgency than housing itself, for these centers represent a cultural breeding ground which enables the individual to attain their full stature within the community.
—pg. 124Why does one core within a town or city attract us as pleasant when another may not? The intricate problem of scale lies at the bottom of this question. A good solution much depends on whether a harmonious relationship has been achieved between the height of the surrounding buildings and the dimensions of the plaza. The actual size of the plaza should barely accommodate the peak hour of activity. If it is too large it will look empty and may never provide the contagious atmosphere and liveliness so essential for its success. Gigantic, undivided open spaces leave most people intimidated rather than stimulated.
—pg. 125
That is all for this week! Thank you for reading and we hope you enjoyed your visit :) We love having visitors as much as we love being them, so it would mean the world if you shared this newsletter with someone you think might enjoy it! As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts + learn about some of your favourite finds by reading your replies to this email.
Your pals at FP