Comments on: Dispatch from Alabama #1: Cynics Need Not Apply

By: Jennifer Dunlop Fletcher

Jennifer Dunlop Fletcher — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:46:27 +0000

I’m so glad that the Rural Studio is still going strong and inspiring designers. I grew up in Auburn and have hometown pride in Mockbee’s ingenious project.

Bringing it back to SFMOMA, please do check out William Christenberry’s photographs of Hale County. SFMOMA has several in the permanent collection (but I don’t see images of them on the museum website). They caption the lush yet dilapidated dichotomy of the area really well.

By: Julian Myers

Julian Myers — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:18:05 +0000

I’ll second Tim’s question, and add to it – were the big 20th century movements in design historically urban and suburban? There have been various “back to nature” moves, but any design movements who took rural design as a central concern?

And, if you’ll forgive a tiny sprig of cynicism in the soup of positivity – must we choose between urban-abstraction and rural pragmatism? Might that clichéd dichotomy be under any pressure from increasing networking and “exurbization”? Even in the farthest reaches of Alabama. I recall trailers with satellite dishes; the women of Gee’s Bend have a website; etc.

By: Tim Belonax

Tim Belonax — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 05:13:36 +0000

Something very inspiring about Project M is its ability to attract amazingly creative and intelligent individuals—both as participants and advisors. These people donate their time, intellect, and (as Eric aptly points out) a lot of sweat. There are many great reasons to draw someone to participate in Project M, but I’m curious, why didn’t something like this happen in design earlier?

By: stephanie clayton

stephanie clayton — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:58:00 +0000

Refreshing indeed. It’s wonderful to see such a project in a rural area of my beloved home state. I’m wandering over to The Rural Studio link for more info.