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Dec 19, 2024 By Vasia Rigou
Best of Perspective 2024: 5 Can't-Miss Stories
Breakthrough ideas, bold innovations, and glimpses into the future of design
By Vasia Rigou Dec 19, 2024
Published in Perspective

As 2024 winds down, IIDA reflects on a year of thoughtful ideas, insightful voices, and powerful design featured in Perspective, our member magazine. This year, we explored key forces shaping the design world: our spring issue highlighted the next wave of design innovation, from cutting-edge technology to visionary design approaches. Our summer issue, on the business of design, showcased the resilience, resourcefulness, and strategy behind creative success. And our fall issue explored the state of design education, examining how inclusivity and adaptability are empowering future designers—and the essential skills up-and-coming designers need to flourish.

All of the issues above are worth a read, but time is finite, and there’s a lot of great content to keep up with. To help you dive in, we’ve curated our editor's picks—five standout stories that embody influential ideas, technological trends, and unforgettable figures. Settle in and start reading for a healthy helping of actionable insights, inspiration, and a glimpse into the future of design.

Why Faye Toogood Calls Her Team “Misfits”
British designer Faye Toogood discusses her boundary-pushing work across sculpture, furniture, fashion, and interiors. She reflects on her art history background and takes us into her London studio, where her team of creatives (whom she affectionately calls “Misfits”) ”thrive on individuality and the unconventional. Read more

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British Designer Faye Toogood and a prototype for her Squash chair.
British Designer Faye Toogood and a prototype for her Squash chair.

Behind the Scenes of Haworth’s Bold Brand Transformation
From local roots to global prominence, Haworth’s brand evolution is truly remarkable. Kurt Vander Schuur, the company’s global brand director, shares how this family-owned business, once known for its office furniture, has grown into a powerhouse with a vast portfolio—crafting everything from elegant outdoor furniture to Ferrari car interiors. Read more

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Kurt Vander Schuur at Haworth headquarters in Holland, Michigan. Photo by Mitch Ranger Photography
Kurt Vander Schuur at Haworth headquarters in Holland, Michigan. Photo by Mitch Ranger Photography

The Royal Hotel Pays Homage to Its Storied Past
The Royal Hotel blends classic British formality with the relaxed charm of rural Ontario. Once a crumbling Victorian-era railway hotel, it has been transformed into an elevated destination, featuring playful design touches like a dew-dropped mushroom ceiling and “petrified textiles” that nod to its storied past. Take a look

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In the guest room bathrooms, white scalloped vanities evoke a bowl sitting on a tablecloth, and tartan-patterned mosaics draw upon the formal history of the hotel, while embodying the “petrified” textile motif.
Photo by Doublespace
In the guest room bathrooms, white scalloped vanities evoke a bowl sitting on a tablecloth, and tartan-patterned mosaics draw upon the formal history of the hotel, while embodying the “petrified” textile motif.
Photo by Doublespace

Future Now: Advanced Technology Meets Car Design
Can a car have a soul? The answer’s yes, if you ask Julia de Bono, CEO and studio director at BMW’s DesignworksUSA. At IIDA’s Industry Roundtable 26, de Bono shared how Designworks is eagerly exploring advanced technology, including AI, as a design tool, while simultaneously aiming to design cars that feel profoundly human. Read more

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BMW archival photo
BMW archival photo

A Day in the Life of an Award-Winning Rug Designer
Spend a day with Jezarely Miguel, Ind. IIDA, founder of Matiz, an artisanal rug company celebrated for its cultural significance and community impact. Recognized with the 2024 Anna Hernandez/Luna Textiles Award for her outstanding work, the designer offers a behind-the-scenes look and advice for aspiring design entrepreneurs. Read more

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Matiz rug designs are inspired by Oaxaca’s mountainous terrain and vibrant architecture.
Photo by Diana Mata.
Matiz rug designs are inspired by Oaxaca’s mountainous terrain and vibrant architecture.
Photo by Diana Mata.
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