Design Better Rewind: Paola Antonelli: How design shapes culture
Oct 1, 2025
Paola Antonelli, senior curator at MoMA, dives deep into how design shapes culture and our daily lives. She discusses the intertwining of digital and traditional materials, like code and wood, and highlights key design movements of the last century. Paola reveals fascinating design artifacts, such as the @ symbol and Creative Commons icons, exploring their cultural significance. She also addresses the evolving tension between human craftsmanship and technology, and the importance of sustainability in design. Antonelli’s insights showcase the profound impact of design on society.
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Design Is Goals Plus Means
- Paola defines design as the coming together of goals and means, where means can be materials or code.
- This definition lets design span from ancient tools to modern software without contradiction.
Declare A Collection Viewpoint
- Curators should declare a clear viewpoint for their collection and stick to it.
- Let the public hold that curatorial personality accountable to maintain clarity and purpose.
The @ Symbol Anointment
- Paola narrates acquiring the @ symbol for MoMA and tracing it from medieval ligatures to Ray Tomlinson's email usage.
- She calls the acquisition an anointment because the symbol is public domain and belongs to everyone.
