Scratching the Surface 186. Deyan Sudjic
May 5, 2021
In this engaging conversation, Deyan Sudjic, a renowned design critic and former director of the Design Museum in London, shares insights from his illustrious career. He discusses the balance between journalism and criticism, emphasizing the evolution of architecture criticism for mass audiences. Sudjic reflects on curating design as storytelling through objects and the imperative for museums to engage diverse audiences. He also explores the tension between celebrity architects and the bureaucratic nature of firms, alongside his concerns for cities in a post-pandemic world.
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Design Reveals Identity
- Deyan Sudjic saw design as a way to communicate identity and belonging from childhood experiences between London and Yugoslavia.
- He realized objects and architecture reveal cultural messages about roots and identity.
Make Criticism Accessible
- Entertain readers while you inform them to make architecture accessible to a mass audience.
- Avoid jargon and use a personal, conversational tone to bring outsiders into architectural discourse.
Blueprint's Humble Beginning
- Blueprint began as a temporary cooperative conceived by publisher Peter Murray and launched with ten issues planned.
- The magazine aimed to explain design irreverently and showcase a new generation of writers and makers.
