Maggie's CEO Laura Lee may have commissioned more starchitects than anyone else. In this interview, she explains the cancer support charity's approach to picking designs for its buildings.Named after its co-founder Maggie Keswick Jencks, a Scottish writer, artist and garden designer who died of breast cancer in 1995, Maggie's is known for using quality architecture to create welcoming spaces in its support centres, which are always located on the site of cancer-specialist hospitals.Above: Laura Lee has commissioned some of the biggest names in architecture. Photo courtesy of Maggie's. Top: A curved building by Daniel Libeskind is the latest Maggie's Centre to open. Photo by Hufton + CrowSince the first Maggie's Centre opened in Edinburgh in 1996, the charity has established centres across the UK and abroad, designed by some of the biggest names in architecture.This includes a centre in Dundee by Franky Gehry in 2003, one in Fife by Zaha Hadid in 2006, Richard Rogers' west London centre in 2008, the Manchester centre by Norman Foster in 2016 and the latest centre by Daniel Libeskind, which opened last year in London.Lee said Frank Gehry's centre in Dundee put Maggie's "on the map". Photo by Raf MakdaLee reflected on commissioning such high-profile designers and the media attention it brought to Maggie's when the charity was starting out."I never saw them as starchitects," she told Dezeen. "Obviously, Richard Rogers and Norman Foster were highly visible public figures, but I certainly don't see the buildings they've done for Maggie's as starry.""What would be classified as 'star architects', the buildings they've created for us are nothing other than beautiful and functional Frank Gehry's building was a cute little dumpling of a building."Norman Foster designed a timber structure for the Maggie's Centre in Manchester. Photo by Nigel YoungBy 2003, Canadian architect Gehry had achieved worldwide fame for his deconstructivist buildings, but Lee says this is not why he was chosen to design a Maggie's Centre."Frank was a personal friend of Maggie and had worked with her on a landscape design in the States we weren't thinking, let's have him because he's a big name," she continued."His was the third building that we opened, and he did put us on the map. The paparazzi weirdly turned out for that, which I don't think they do for building openings anymore."High-profile architects "helped shine a light on the importance of the built environment"Lee argued that the media attention around starchitects in the past brought with it interest from the public, who were more engaged in discussions about architecture compared to now."The climate 25 years ago with Norman Foster, Frank Gehry, Richard Rogers brought an interesting engagement from the general public to the role of architecture and the built environment," she said."There's no question that they helped shine a light on our work and the importance of the built environment."Lee argued that high-profile architects like Richard Rogers brought public attention to architecture. Photo by Richard BryantThat level of public interest has waned in the years since, she said."One of the things that worries me is that interest in architecture and the value of what buildings can do, beyond just giving a place for things to happen, has diminished in the public eye," Lee added."We need spokespeople to make sure the value of architecture doesn't get lost or unrecognised."Rogers completed a Maggie's Centre in London in 2008. Photo by Richard BryantBut the shift is not all bad, in Lee's eyes. While a small number of starchitects still generate public buzz, the architectural landscape today allows for a wider range of studios to create meaningful projects, she believes."The good thing is that 30 years ago, there was a handful of innovative and incredible architects coming out, whereas now we've got a wonderful range of architects who are design-focused," said Lee. "But maybe that also means that there's less of a public debate about it."When considering a new architect or studio to design a Maggie's Centre, she explained, sensitive designers are sought after rather than those wanting to make bold statements with their buildings.Read: Studio Libeskind encloses Maggie's Royal Free with slanted wallsAlthough each Maggie's Centre has its own site requirements, the overarching architectural brief has remained largely unchanged since the charity's establishment requiring architects to create welcoming buildings at a domestic scale."We're looking at architects who are well-developed in their emotional thinking and who can handle the emotional side of our brief," Lee said."We're not looking for architects who want to make an architectural statement, but architects who are able to put their ego aside and really respond to the emotional context of the brief."Steven Holl's experience with listed buildings is why Lee invited him to design Maggie's BartsLee recalled a conversation she had with architect Piers Gough, of CZWG, while setting out plans for the second Maggie's Centre. Gough advised her not to commission the project through competitions a piece of guidance she has followed with all Maggie's Centre commissions ever since."Piers Gough's advice was that we needed to not be what he described as 'a lazy client', going down the route of competitions and inviting people to apply, and that we should instead think about who we want to work with and visit the architects' work," said Lee."He was telling us to not be lazy, and also to be respectful of the fact that when architects are invited to interview and do competitions, that's a lot of cost and energy."Lee looks for architects who are "well-developed in their emotional thinking"Rather than invite architects to submit their proposals through competitions, Lee and the Maggie's team find architects they would like to work with and, based on the architect's previous works, choose who they think would best respond to the particular Maggie's site."What we've done going forward is we have a long list of architects who we've seen, read or heard about and when a new Maggie's site comes along, we think about which architect could give the best response to the site conditions," Lee said."Steven Holl is a beautiful example of this, as he had a lot of experience building alongside Grade-I listed buildings in New York."Lee visits architects' previous buildings to gauge whether they can create the friendly and architecturally impressive design she is seeking for Maggie's Centres.Although Maggie's Centres are predominantly healthcare buildings, she explained that architects don't necessarily have to have previous experience in healthcare.Read: Steven Holl completes luminous Maggie's Centre next to Britain's oldest hospitalFor Niall McLaughlin, who is designing the upcoming centre in Cambridge, Lee was impressed by the "humour and energy" of his first built project, the Carmelite Monastery in London."When you go to people's work, we're looking to see if it has that kind of magical surprise element," she said. "Is it something that when I come in, do I feel less anxious? We're looking at people's work through the emotive lens.""A lot of Niall McLaughlin's recent work is very spiritual and deep, but we also said to him that we liked elements of the very first building that he worked on, which had a real sort of humour and energy to it," she continued."For our Cambridge centre, we asked him to think about bringing his younger self into the design process."McLaughlin's Maggie's Centre has recently been submitted for planning permission. Construction is expected to commence in 2026 and complete in 2027.Dezeen In DepthIf you enjoy reading Dezeen's interviews, opinions and features,subscribe to Dezeen In Depth. Sent on the last Friday of each month, this newsletter provides a single place to read about the design and architecture stories behind the headlines.The post "Interest in architecture has diminished in the public eye" says Maggie's CEO Laura Lee appeared first on Dezeen.

Dezeen will launch Dezeen Dispatch, a print publication featuring our pick of the best events, exhibitions and hotspots during next week's Stockholm Design Week.Available to those visiting Sweden's capital city for the annual Stockholm Design Week (SDW), the 40-page, newspaper-style publication is the first of its kind to be published by Dezeen.Dezeen Dispatch will provide readers with a succinct snapshot of the events, exhibitions, talks and hotspots worth visiting during the week (3-9 February).Written by the Dezeen editorial team, features in the newspaper include an exploration into the recent shifts in Sweden's design scene. We also talk to designers across the country experimenting with alternative and inventive ways of making furniture and products.Read: Dezeen Events Guide launches digital guide to Stockholm Design Week 2025"Dezeen's content usually lives within our digital ecosystem; creating this print product gives readers a new interaction with Dezeen's event-specific content during an acute moment in the year like Stockholm Design Week," said Dezeen editorial director Max Fraser."Produced in a handy 'grab-and-go'format, design-hungry readers will hopefully enjoy Dezeen's editorial perspective on the design week across these printed pages. The 'here today, gone tomorrow' nature of a newspaper lends itself perfectly to the short period of the event."Co-CEO Wai Shin Li added: "we like to do things a bit differently at Dezeen and so launching a print newspaper in an increasingly digital world is exactly the kind of move we love! Dezeen Dispatch gives us a physical presence at a major design event and the opportunity to connect even more deeply with the architecture and design community and our wider audience."For those attending Stockholm Design Week, pick up a free copy of the newspaper at Stockholm Furniture Fair and at select venues that are part of the SDW event programme. A digital version will be available to read on Monday 3 February.Read: Ten unmissable exhibitions and installations at Stockholm Design Week 2025The newspaper includes an interview with this year's Stockholm Furniture Fair guest of honour, British designer Faye Toogood, about the importance of storytelling and the need to reinvent how we manufacture products.Norwegian entrepreneur Celine Sandberg tells us about the much-needed natural foam that her company Agoprene is developing from seaweed, helping to break the furniture industry's reliance on fossil fuel-derived polyurethane foam.For those navigating SDW, Dezeen Dispatch includes our roundup of 20 must-see exhibitions, installations and events across Stockholm. These include a pop-up bistro by Form Us With Love, a private gallery in a curator's home and furniture made from 300-year-old trees. Their locations are plotted onto the centre-spread city map.We also spotlight some of the highlights at SFF, featuring six emerging designers to keep an eye out for as well as information about the design disruptorstalk series that Dezeen is staging as part of the fair's talks programme.For those who may have some spare time in the city, we have spoken to various local Stockholm designers. We include their recommendations of favourite restaurants, bars and cafes, as well as cultural spots to visit and some of the best-kept secrets to enjoy during the design week.Stockholm Design Week 2025 takes place from 3-9 February in locations across the Swedish capital. See Dezeen Events Guidefor more architecture and design events around the world.The post Dezeen to launch Dezeen Dispatch at Stockholm Design Week appeared first on Dezeen.

Dallas has long been known for its bold identity, and a crucial part of that is its iconic logo. Designed in 1972, the citys emblem features concentric D shapes with a stylized tree at its center, representing growth and progress. However, this symbol of civic pride is now at the center of a legal dispute. The city is challenging an apparel brand, Triple D Gear, which trademarked a similar logo in 2014, claiming it causes confusion. This case raises compelling questions about logo design, visual identity, and the nuances of trademark law.Breaking Down the Design ElementsVisually, both logos share a core structure: concentric D shapes that form a layered, curved design. The city of Dallas logo utilizes three parallel lines to construct the letter, creating a sense of modernism and continuity. Inside the D, a green tree symbol anchors the composition, representing the citys commitment to sustainability and nature.Triple D Gears logo adopts an almost identical structural approach. Three concentric D lines shape the mark, but instead of a tree, the center features a bold, five-pointed star. This star, a common Texan symbol, evokes themes of unity and pride. The logos color scheme is different, with Triple D Gear opting for monochromatic applications that lean toward sportswear aesthetics.At a glance, these two marks feel similar because of their shared frameworkboth use repeated D shapes to establish a distinctive visual rhythm. However, subtle yet meaningful differences exist. The city of Dallas logo feels governmental and institutional due to its tree emblem and green and blue tones, which signify growth and stability. Triple D Gears logo leans into Texan iconography, with a dynamic star replacing the tree, making it better suited for apparel and merchandise.Comparison: Is This a Blatant Copy?From a pure design perspective, both logos derive from the same foundational concept: a triple-layered D. But is the apparel companys version a direct copy or an independent interpretation?Similarities:Structure: Both logos are constructed with three parallel lines forming a stylized D.Layering Effect: The repetition of lines within the shape creates an instantly recognizable silhouette.Compact, Minimalist Form: Both maintain a clean and modern aesthetic.Differences:Central Symbol: The city logo features a tree, symbolizing environmental commitment and civic development. Triple D Gears version swaps this out for a star, a far more generic but historically significant Texan emblem.Color Scheme: The Dallas logo is blue and green, reinforcing its municipal nature. Triple D Gear frequently presents its design in black and white, aligning with its apparel branding.Context of Use: The citys logo is used in official government branding, while Triple D Gears version is applied to clothing, emphasizing a commercial angle.The differences, though notable, dont necessarily dispel concerns about potential confusion. The structural foundation remains extremely similar, meaning a casual observer may struggle to distinguish between the two, particularly when both exist within the same regional and cultural space.Applying Trademark LawUnder U.S. trademark law, a logo can be legally protected if it serves as a distinctive identifier for a business or entity. Key factors in determining infringement include the likelihood of confusion, distinctiveness, and prior use. Lets assess how each of these applies to the dispute.Likelihood of ConfusionTrademark disputes often hinge on whether a consumer could mistakenly associate one entity with another. Courts assess factors such as:Similarity of the marks: Visually, these logos are very close in form. Though the internal symbols differ, their layered D structure remains nearly identical.Similarity of the goods/services: Dallas is not in the business of selling apparel, but as a major city, it licenses its branding for various commercial uses, including merchandise.Consumer perception: Because both logos reference Dallas, the potential for confusion is high. Someone unfamiliar with the apparel brand might assume its logo represents an official city initiative.DistinctivenessDistinctiveness plays a critical role in trademark disputes. There are five legal classifications of trademark distinctiveness:Generic: A common word or image with no unique association.Descriptive: A design that directly describes a product or service (less protection).Suggestive: A logo that requires thought to connect it to a business (stronger protection).Arbitrary: A symbol with no direct relation to the product (strongest protection).Fanciful: A completely unique and invented design (highest protection).The citys logo is suggestiveit conveys civic identity through abstract visual language. Triple D Gears version, despite its modification with a star, does not create enough departure from the original, making it susceptible to challenge.Prior UseThe city of Dallas has used its logo since 1972, predating Triple D Gear by decades. However, Dallas did not apply for federal trademark protection until 2020six years after Triple D Gear registered its mark with the USPTO. This lapse could weaken Dallas claim, as Triple D Gear legally established its mark for commercial apparel before Dallas secured broader federal rights.That said, Dallas has strong common law trademark rights, given its long history of use within Texas. Common law protections apply to geographical regions where a mark has been used extensively, even without formal USPTO registration. If Dallas can prove that its logo had widespread recognition before Triple D Gears trademark filing, it could be argued that Triple D Gears design improperly capitalizes on public familiarity with the citys brand.Legal Precedents and Outcome PossibilitiesCourts often look at precedents when deciding trademark cases. Notable past rulings suggest that minor modifications do not necessarily shield a design from being deemed infringing if the overall impression remains too similar.Possible outcomes include:Settlement: Triple D Gear may reach an agreement with the city, either modifying its logo further or ceasing use altogether.Trademark Cancellation: If the court sides with Dallas, the USPTO could cancel Triple D Gears trademark.Coexistence Agreement: The court could allow both marks to remain but restrict their respective applications to different industries or products.Ruling in Favor of Triple D Gear: If Dallas fails to demonstrate that its design had an established commercial identity before 2014, the city could lose the case.Final Thoughts: Is This an Infringement?This case sits in a gray area. While Triple D Gears logo is not an exact copy, its overall structure closely mirrors the citys design. The core challenge is that both marks reference Dallas and rely on nearly identical visual language, which increases the potential for public confusion.Had Triple D Gear made more substantial alterationsperhaps changing the number of lines, modifying the proportions, or using a different typography treatmentthe likelihood of confusion would be lower. But as it stands, the apparel brands mark leans heavily on the citys well-established identity. That reliance, combined with the citys long history of logo use, gives Dallas a strong case.Whether this ends in a settlement or a court ruling, the dispute highlights a key lesson in logo design: when a civic emblem becomes widely recognized, its only a matter of time before its use becomes a legal battleground. Regardless of the outcome, the triple-layered D will remain a defining mark of Dallas, whether in official municipal branding or the citys streetwear culture.The post The Dallas Logo Dispute: Design, Identity, and Trademark Law first appeared on Yanko Design.

Speakers have long been a compromise between function and form. They need to sound good, but they also take up space, often standing out as clunky, boxy contraptions in an otherwise well-designed room. This speaker, however, rewrites that equation entirely. Instead of a traditional box with drivers and grilles, it transforms its entire front surface into a vibrating diaphragm, producing sound in a way that feels almost magical. The result? A speaker thats not just slimits practically a piece of art.The illusion that the DIYR speaker creates is that at first glance, you wouldnt even guess its a speaker. Its ultra-thin profile makes it look more like a decorative panel or divider than an audio device, and thats precisely the point. It can be propped against a wall, used to divide spaces, or simply be placed somewhere as an accent piece, all while filling the space with rich, immersive sound. The fact that it doesnt rely on conventional speaker cones means it disperses audio more evenly, avoiding that directional, pinpointed effect most traditional speakers create. Instead of sound coming from one focused area, it radiates across the entire surface, creating an almost ethereal listening experience.Designer: DIYR.DEVYoud expect the DIYR speaker to come from a predominantly tech company, but their ethos is more around build-it-yourself decor and lifestyle tech. DIYR, also the company behind this innovation, is all about modular, easy-to-assemble products that encourage a hands-on approach. You wont find an over-complicated mess of wires and screws here. Instead, it comes together intuitively, making the act of putting it together feel like part of the experience rather than a chore. That said, this isnt just an exercise in aesthetic minimalismits a serious piece of audio tech.Underneath the sleek design, the speaker boasts high-quality engineering for optimal sound reproduction. Traditional speakers rely on cones that push air in a focused direction, but this one uses exciters attached to a flat panel, turning the entire surface into a sound source. The technology isnt entirely newflat-panel speakers have existed in various formsbut few have executed it with this level of refinement. The result is a sound profile thats not just immersive but also uniquely diffused, almost as if the music is emanating from the air itself rather than a specific point in the room.The speaker is powered by a 40W amplifier, ensuring strong, clear output despite its slim profile. The frequency response ranges from 40Hz to 20kHz, covering a full spectrum from deep bass to crisp highs. Unlike traditional speakers that rely on forward-facing drivers, this one disperses sound in a more even manner, making it ideal for both near-field listening and filling an entire room with audio.Connectivity is as modern as the design itself. The DIYR Speaker supports Bluetooth 5.1 for seamless wireless streaming and also includes a 3.5mm auxiliary input for wired connections. Powering this device is a 7,200mAh rechargeable battery, giving it an impressive 10-hour playback time on a single charge. This means you can move it freely around your space without worrying about cables or power outlets, making it as versatile as it is stylish.The DIYR Speaker arrives entirely flat-packed, so you get to put it together as a part of the experience. Just the act of assembly gives you a very clear understanding and appreciation of exactly how unique the thing is. Ive covered tech for 10 years Ive never assembled a speaker, so the idea of doing so with a flat-panel speaker isnt just refreshing, its entirely new. The process isnt difficult The speakers panel is actually a 4mm-thick cardboard membrane (making it easy to source, budget-friendly, and recyclable) that you cut out. After that, you simply follow the guide and snap the exciters to the left and right sides of the panel, with the wires leading to the processor which mounts on a pole that holds the panel up.Youre probably wondering whether a cardboard panel does a good job of producing music, and its something the DIYR folks point out too, researching a variety of materials before zeroing on the cardboard panel for its budget-friendliness as well as its ability to produce great sound. Plus, cardboard is easy to print on too, which means the DIYR speaker can come in a variety of gorgeous patterns, designs, gradients, and color variants, blending into your space seamlessly as haute decor.This kind of innovation hints at a broader shift in product designone where technology dissolves into living spaces rather than disrupting them. So for those tired of conventional speaker design, this is a glimpse into the future. A future where sound isnt confined to a black box, but instead radiates from a surface as thin as a canvas. Where technology isnt something you have to accommodate, but something that seamlessly integrates into your space. Its rare to find a speaker that excites both audiophiles and design enthusiasts in equal measure, but this one does exactly thatwithout compromise.The post This Ultra-Thin Speaker Disguises Itself as DecorBut Its Sound Will Surprise You first appeared on Yanko Design.

A recent high school graduate and former Neuralink intern has joined meetings to review lines of code and other work history of career public servants, sparking chaos at a major government agency.

President Donald Trump blamed DEI efforts at the FAA for the tragedy. But experts and investigators say open minds are critical to finding out what really happened.

In a meeting with Meta employees on Thursday, Mr. Zuckerberg also doubled down on recent changes to the companys online speech policies and ending its diversity initiatives.

MacworldApples all-important holiday quarter was something of a mixed bag. For one, Apple posted what it called its best quarter ever with revenue of $124.3 billion, up 4 percent year over year. However, the iPhone stumbled a bit as sales in China took a tumble.iPhone sales were down slightly to just over $69 billion and came in under estimates of $71 billion. CEO Tim Cook blamed some of the lower sales on the lack of Apple Intelligence in China, which suffered an 11 percent overall sales decline. Cook said a change in channel inventory was also partially to blame for the sales drop.The biggest performers were the Mac, which posted a whopping 15 percent increase, and Services, which again grew to an all-time high of $26.3 billion in sales. Apple released new M4 Macs in the quarter, including a redesigned Mac mini and refreshed MacBook Pros.iPad sales were also up, with more than $8 billion in sales for the first time Q1 2023. Apple released a new iPad mini in October and many Apple tablets were heavily discounted over the Black Friday and holiday shopping periods. Apple is rumored to be releasing a new entry-level iPad in the spring.The Wearables category, which includes AirPods, Apple Watch, and HomePod, was mostly flat despite the launch of a new Apple Watch in September.Cook noted that Apples installed base of active devices reached a new all-time high.

MacworldOver time, your Mac probably accumulates a lot of cruft. There are applications you no longer use, duplicate and outdated data, a desktop full of icons when you only use fouryou know what I mean. With so many people working from home lately, the problem has only gotten worse.Now is as good a time as any to tidy up your Mac, freeing up storage space and probably CPU cycles and RAM in the process. Here are a few tips to make quick work of your Mac spring cleaning.Optimize StorageOn versions of macOS prior to Ventura, the Storage Management app was the best place to deal with all the cruft on your SSD. Open it either by using Spotlight (Command-space) or by clicking the Apple logo in the upper left of the menu bar, choosing About This Mac, clicking the Storage tab, then Manage.The built-in Storage Management app is the best place to start when cleaning up your Mac.In the Recommendations tab youll see a number of useful options, like Store in iCloud and Empty Trash Automatically. The Optimize Storage solution will get rid of things like old TV shows youve already watched and old email attachments when youre low on storage space.In macOS Ventura or later, this Storage Management app is gone, but youll find the Optimize Storage option in System Settings. Open System Settings, choose General, then Storage. The Optimize Storage option here only affects movies and TV shows from the TV app, but you can click the info button (i) button next to the various categories (Applications, Developer, Documents, etc.) to manage them.FoundryFor more advice about deleting data from your Mac read the following: How to delete system data on a MacHow to delete Other storage on a MacHow to clear cache on a MacTake a look at your Applications and DocumentsIf you have an older macOS version and youre using the Storage Management app, click on the Applications tab in the left column. You can see all your installed applications here and sort them by size, easily deleting apps you havent used in ages.Then, click on Documents in the left tab. There are several sections here, like Large Files and Unsupported Apps, that are worth perusing. Big library files (for apps like Lightroom or Final Cut Pro) are likely to show up here, and you might not want to mess with them. But you may have old large files and documents, or apps that no longer even work on your version of macOS, that you can safely remove.In macOS Ventura or later, head to System Settings > General > Storage and click on the info button (i) next to the Applications, Documents, and other categories. You can sort by size and type and manage these things here. You may be surprised how much stuff you forgot you had on your Mac!Get your desktop under controlIf your Mac desktop is littered with icons, you should probably tidy things up a bit. Right-click (two-finger tap on a trackpad) any open space and choose Clean Up to get things arranged neatly, or Clean Up By to sort them as well. Consider the Use Stacks feature to automatically stack-up files of the same type into a single icon. Just click on that icon to open the stack. This can really tidy up your desktop!These two commands will make quick work of a messy Mac desktop.Use a Mac cleaner utilityPower users that really want to clean out their Macs storage may want to check out a third party app like CleanMyMac, MacCleaner or DaisyDisk (free trials available for all). These apps provide a simple and clear way to see everything on your Mac, or any other attached storage device or drive. They can help you clear out what you dont need.IDGIt may seem unnecessary to pay money for an app that just helps you delete stuff from your Macs storage, but theres a lot of value in disk analyzers. It can really be eye-opening to see exactly whats filling up your Macs SSD. See our roundup of the best Mac cleaner apps (our current best pick is CleanMyMac).If your Mac needs a clean on the outside because its grubby read these tutorials: How to clean a Mac: Keep your iMac or MacBook free of germs and dirt and How to clean a Mac keyboard, display, and more.

Apple's latest iPhones are flying off the shelves in some markets, and not in others. Apple CEO Tim Cook says this all comes down to where Apple Intelligence is available, and where it isn't.Apple IntelligenceIn a recent chat with CNBC ahead of the company's earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook explained that regions where the company has rolled out its AI platform, Apple Intelligence, saw stronger iPhone 16 sales compared to areas that didn't have it.Tim Cook's remarks suggest that Apple Intelligence might have been a key factor in boosting iPhone 16 sales in markets where it's available. However, China has not yet seen the rollout of Apple Intelligence. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums