As many of our fellow interior design studios will agree, Dezeen is the daily stop off for design news, views, videos and gorgeous imagery. It showcases the very best of what’s new and distinctive and makes us proud to be part of such a richly diverse and an extremely talent lead industry. As well as a magazine, jobs and watch store section, Dezeen now map out the year’s Design Guide to shows around the world.
The blog is moving into an area which is untouched by many – advances in technology. Collaborating with Mini Frontiers such revelations as wearable technology, augmented reality, bio-luminescence and 3D printing are being explored and made.
We speak to Marcus Fairs who set up Dezeen in 2006.
What inspired you to start up?
I was editor of Icon magazine, which before I left, I had my first experience into blogging in 2006 at the Architecture Beinnale in Venice. I was really struck and amazed how quickly you could get information to your audience whereas print was fairly slow. It was really eye opening. I always wanted to start my own magazine one-day, so I thought the internet was a way to do that.
The daily magazine brining up to date news and design stories
How big is your team?
There are 16 of us now. We have our video crew, watches store and jobs team. We’re expanding quite quickly into a brand.
You’ve been named best blog in the world for design and architecture – Are there other blogs that inspire you?
I don’t really like the word inspire. I’m a journalist so for me it’s about finding information, processing the information and putting it in front of people. We keep an eye on other sites to see what they’re doing. So for journalists it’s more about curiosity that inspiration. You have to be curious. You have to ask questions.
Original and Playful interior by Alts Design
Stunning architecture such as at the University of Monterrey buy Tadao Ando
How many projects to you showcase, and how on earth do you pick them?
We try and publish 10 stories a day, which we would like to increase. We chose them largely on how much they’re beautiful and relevant. We have many submissions per day and it’s a quick process in choosing.
We’ve seen a lot of advancing technology on your news page recently – how do you think this is feeding into architecture and interior design?
Well it hasn’t yet – publishing was one of the first industries to be revolutionized, and more recently the Internet, social media and music. Retail is just going through it now – suddenly what’s a shop for?! Interior design hasn’t really had that revolution yet.
If you compare a home to a car; central locking, good safety, electric windows, they tell you when they need to go to the garage. The home is bricks and wood and the kitchen is about as high tech as it gets apart from the computers we carry around with us. Google just bought Nest last week, and we’re now able to control our heating from our phone but it’s still far behind even the car. Things will become smarter, and people will start to pursue space in a different way.
Dezeen & Mini Frontiers collaborating with musician Imogen Heap demonstrating wearable electronics
Does Dezeen have a preferred style?
We try to mix it up and surprise our audience. By and it is large contemporary but avant-garde. We do like to be on the cutting edge of things. I choose things that intrigue or excite me visually, which is usually what’s ahead.
Design News: Jaime Hayon’s new Analogue Table showcased on Dezeen, April 2nd
We love original design, and seeking out new trends. I understand you partnered up with Mini to discover more around the world– can you tell us what trends really stood out?
The collaboration with Mini we did last year – a world tour, was an adventure and insight into the architecture and design scenes in many countries. The thing we learnt most of all was the phenomenon of technology and design coming together; it’s the most exciting story at the moment. The project we’re doing this year with Mini is all about exploring the frontiers between the traditional design disciplines of architecture and interiors, industrial design and high technologies. We’re launching that in a couple of weeks.
Have you got a favourite designer or artist?
I do have a favourite artist – Jean Michel Basquiat. I can’t explain why but when I see a Basquiat I find it really powerful. I think with architects the person I admire the most has to be Rem Koolhaas, a towering genius of our time who can do no wrong.
Seattle Central library by Rem Koolhaas
Have you got a favourite spot in London?
I love Church Street; I adore it around here. Sadly we’ve moving office but we’d love to stay in the area.
Do you have a favourite quote?
Not so much but I do like to live by “What’s the worst that could happen?!”
Many thanks Marcus!
Visit Dezeen here for daily design news
See their Mini Frontiers collaboration stories here
