Designer/provocateur Stefan Sagmeister, Project H founder Emily Pilloton, and innovative lighting and interaction designer Jason Bruges are among the headline speakers for SEGD's Annual Conference + Expo, June 2-5 in Washington, D.C.
"Designing for Change/Changing Design" is the theme of the 2010 conference, headquartered at the Gaylord National Hotel & Resort near D.C.
The conference will explore how change happens-and how design can be used as an agent for positive change in individual projects, in the environment, in universal accessibility, and in personal and business relationships, says Cybelle Jones, creative director/senior associate with Gallagher & Associates and 2010 conference chair.
Stefan Sagmeister shares his down-to-earth worldview in unconventional, often startling ways-using the world (and sometimes even his own body) as canvas. The Austrian-born designer and typographer, based in New York, is also a believer in making personal change. Periodically, he embarks on one-year sabbaticals, refusing client work to focus on personal work and creative self-expression. His latest book, Things I have Learned in My Life So Far, is the result of his most recent sabbatical.
At only 28, Emily Pilloton has authored Design Revolution: 100 Products that Empower People and has appeared on The Colbert Nation. After graduating with a degree in architecture from UC Berkeley, she wanted to create things that are not just well designed, but also have a positive social impact. She created Project H to connect the power of design to people who need it most. Initiatives such as the Design Revolution Road Show have earned her a place on The New York Times Nifty 50.
Jason Bruges' groundbreaking work occupies the space between architecture and interactivity. One of Wallpaper magazine's 10 "world-changing designers," Bruges leads a multidisciplinary studio renowned for its innovative light installations, interactive interventions, and placemaking projects, including recent work for the Victoria & Albert Museum, Toronto subway stations, and the World Wildlife Fund.
The conference's star-studded speaker list also includes award-winning architect Philip Freelon, who is leading the consortium designing the Smithsonian Institution's $500 million National Museum of African American History and Culture, and Robert A. Peck, who, as Commissioner of Public Buildings for the U.S. General Services Administration, has pledged to make U.S. government buildings a "proving ground" for sustainable design. Markus Schneider of thismedia (Berlin) will speak on cutting-edge programmable surfaces, while Richard The of the MIT Media Lab will focus on using computational and generative processes to improve typography.
The SEGD conference is unique in the design world, combining inspirational speakers, dynamic discussion panels, technical workshops, and behind-the-scenes tours of design projects. This year's Workshops on Wheels include the Newseum, the Smithsonian museums, the National Mall, and the USGBC's new LEED Platinum headquarters.
At the one-day Expo, June 4, attendees will have the chance to learn about new products and techniques as they meet and interact with potential collaborators from supplier and fabrication companies.
Other conference highlights include a banquet honoring the 2010 SEGD Fellow and other individuals and clients who have contributed to the betterment of environmental graphic design, and a program celebrating the winners of SEGD's 2010 Design Awards Program.