Feedback

Design's Next Diva

Linda Tischler's article "The Future of Design" (July/August) was great. Design does matter. In my business, designing and branding retail environments, we see great retailers increasingly interested in great design. In the '90s, consumers were obsessed with value. This trend gave us Wal-Mart and other big-box retailers selling large assortments at seemingly good prices. Today's consumer wants differentiation. Even Wal-Mart shows signs of responding to this with new design initiatives. Your article validates what we're seeing in the retail marketplace.

James R. Tippmann
Cincinnati, Ohio

I am the director of CEDIM, a school of design in Monterrey, Mexico. Fast Company is one of my favorite magazines because you always feature articles about design and innovation. These powerful ideas are some of the main forces behind the economic, social, and cultural developments of our time. I strongly believe that design offers great hope and opportunities to developing countries like mine, so it's great to see a business magazine creating awareness about the power and importance that design has in our lives and in our organizations.

Michael García Novak
Monterrey, Mexico

Thank you for your recent article focusing on furnishings design. In jest, I sometimes call furniture our "silent servants," because furnishings are literally everywhere we go and support almost all activities we perform, yet rarely get the attention or credit they deserve. Your article helps raise awareness that objects can enhance our lives.

You mentioned that the output of High Point, North Carolina, was bland. Although much of the furniture purchased by the public is inspired by design influences that are centuries old, I wondered if you have actually walked the showroom floors of the High Point market? Or the new Las Vegas show? Furniture is a global business: North and South America, the Far East, and Europe all influence the design, manufacture, and marketing of these products at these shows. It seems as though your article really only took into account a relatively small portion of the furniture world.

The world is a big place to furnish. Let's enjoy the variety that's out there and not take ourselves too seriously.

Steve Wilcox
Columbus, Ohio

Aerotropolis

As a person who has read a whole lot of articles about how to fix the city of Detroit, I really enjoyed "Rise of the Aerotropolis" (July/August). Americans are used to having the rest of the world look to us for what to do. Your story shows that we could learn a thing or two by looking to the rest of the world. Economics teaches you over and over again that it's not what you think, but what works. Thanks for publishing this innovative option for revitalizing one of the great U.S. cities.

Andrew McFarlane
Leland, Michigan

Your aerotropolis story raised a compelling question for urban planners and developers: Is it possible for these megacities to embody the livable-city and New Urban theories of Jane Jacobs and Andrés Duany? The aerotropolis has the potential to be an incredibly vibrant destination. The sheer population density creates the demand for retail, restaurant, and nightlife options that could rival those of New York or London. However, if these megacities are not planned well, they could become a larger version of Stamford or downtown Miami--convenient places to work, but not somewhere that you would want to live.

As a Boston-area developer and consultant to municipalities, I would also be concerned about the noise that would come with living near any airport, let alone a global hub. As aerotropoli get built, I would expect the value of real estate in nearby, traditionally scaled neighborhoods to escalate as residents continue to see the charm of a livable, human-scaled community.

Constantine A. Valhouli
Bradford, Massachusetts

"Rise of the Aerotropolis" does a good job of explaining Professor John Kasarda's interesting ideas. However, he falls into all-too-common tropes about New Urbanism. Kasarda is talking about structuring cities for business; New Urbanists talk about making cities livable for people. These two ideas aren't exclusive. Put an airport in the center of town? Fine, but make sure that the areas where the people live are walkable, dense, and mixed use. Or are these ideas too "retro," as writer Greg Lindsay implies?

Tim Halbur
San Francisco, California