Last evening, we had the opportunity to gather with a select group to discuss concepts for a proposed design museum in our small city. One of the many challenges with such a project remains the preconception of what a museum is and its associated costs, in terms of both capital and perception. That being said, Portland is nothing if not eager to challenge the assumptions established by that very label (Museum, with a rather oversized uppercase "M") and to consider alternative means in which to approach a project of this type. The group was facilitated by organizers Zara Logue, Dieter Reuther, and Karen Korellis Reuther, as well as representatives from Nike, Ziba Design, Second Story Interactive Studios, Portland Spaces magazine, Maxwell PR, and others. LUNARR Co-founder Hideshi Hamaguchi presented a useful model concept to address biases, constraints, and tradeoffs. Fill a room full of designers and every word will be duly scrutinized (read; "destination" and "objects") but an initial working vision resulted in "a destination where people find enjoyment, inspiration, and meaning in exploring authentic objects of design." A very good beginning, we believe.
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