Design Intentions

“Design is the first sign of human intention” – Wm. McDonough / TED

William McDonough is perhaps the single most exciting design architect I have come across in a long time. I’ve added his book, Cradle to Cradle:Remaking the Way We Make Things, to my reading list. I first encountered his revolutionary ideas while viewing Design e2: The Economies of being Environmentally Conscious. This program was my first exposure to green roofs, rain-water retrieval, and design of attractive, inviting buildings which gave back, instead of just using up resources.

Unintentional Revolution

The Industrial Revolution simply happened. No one planned it. Even fewer thought of the ramifications of the great forces of invention which were being toyed with. There was no deliberate, purposeful intention to what was being done or made. The human race was simply amazed by its own emerging abilities to make more, and have more. And now, in the twenty-first century this revolution has far outrun its course. We can no longer just hide our dirt under the rug-or the ground for that matter.

Intentional Design

It’s what I’ve always told the creative spirits with whom I’ve been privileged to work; “Design and creativity are free. We just have to come up with it.” More importantly, people like McDonough (TED Talk) ask us to begin, not with the product of our design, but the intention. What do we want this building, this product, this production, or art to do and be? What is our intention?

McDonough and many architects and designers like him are actually building structures which incorporate existing technologies of passive and active solar power, heating and cooling; of wind-power; of grey-water and rain-water retrieval and management. The creative harmonies being discovered and employed in this paradigm are breathtaking.

Carpe Diem

Creativity At Last

“My contention is all kids have talents and we squander them pretty ruthlessly” Sir Kenneth Robinson / TED.

Creativity & Education

In my quest for creative harmonies I search for people involved with innovation, inspiration, and creativity wherever I can find it. I recently bumped into a man who’s been sharing his insights into creativity and education for sometime now, Sir Ken Robinson.

It seems that, in my natural tendency toward so called late-blooming, I’m almost last in line to discover this gentleman, but if you care about the future, about children and what they’re being taught (both positive and negative); if you value creativity, then Sir Ken is someone well worth listening to.

You can find his engaging talk at www.ted.com. He has a great sense of humor, and a powerful message. Just search for him by name. You can also learn more about his work and writings at his website at www.sirkenrobinson.com. You’ll find hot links to both sites in my link-list.

Love of Learning

I’ve been a homeschool dad for some eighteen years now. My wife and I chose homeschooling in part because what we experienced in the government school system impaired us more than it empowered us, and we wanted our children to love learning, not dread it. We wanted our children to pursue their God-given gifts and talents to wherever they may take them. People like Ken Robinson, Cynthia Tobias, and the late Dr. Raymond Moore all remind us that our kids are precious and their creativity needs nourishment if they are to live happy, fulling lives in a world loaded with change.

Enjoy the day!

Convergence

Welcome

This is Creative Harmonies.  I’m your host Lew Curtiss.

Convergence

What really interests me is faith, art, and science, and especially how these three regions of human endeavor converge. What I hope to share are my explorations of these many elegant convergences. I find them everywhere. Some are rather obvious but often overlooked, or even denied by the practitioners of faith, art, and science. There is more unity in these domains than at first meets the eye, and it is in these harmonies that I become enriched.

Nourishment

I hope you find something personally and creatively nourishing, uplifting, exciting, and encouraging in these pages.

Enjoy!