Educated Guess :: A Liberal Arts School for the Future

Lütjens Padmanabhan Architekten was established by Oliver Lütjens and Thomas Padmanabhan in 2007. The recent work of the practice focuses on housing in the residential districts surrounding the cities of Zürich, Basel and Munich. Despite their love for a more refined, urbane architecture, Oliver Lütjens and Thomas Padmanabhan have light-heartedly embraced the fact that most of their commissions are set in the mundane anonymity of suburbia. Their interest in complex architectural expression has distanced the practice from the craft-oriented mainstream of Swiss architecture. The current projects explore the impossible task of reconciling the autonomy of the exterior facade with the typological uncertainty of interior spaces and loose urban contexts. After teaching assignments at ETH Zürich and TU Munich Oliver Lütjens and Thomas Padmanabhan are currently teaching as guest professors at EPF Lausanne.

Established in 2007, UnderConsideration is a graphic design firm generating their own projects, initiatives, and content while taking on limited client work. Since 2002, they have been publishing content online, starting with the design blog Speak Up, that ran through 2009 and was one of the most active, entertaining, and well-regarded blogs, even earning a spot in the Cooper-Hewitt’s National Design Triennial in 2006 — the only blog included in the exhibition. Their most popular blog, Brand New, was launched in 2006 and has grown to be the leading site for opinions on logo and identity redesigns with a readership of over 1.25 million page views a month and, like its predecessor, it was also the only blog included in Graphic Design: Now in Production, co-organized by the Walker Art Center and Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. Active blogs in their network include Art of the Menu, FPO (For Print Only), and Quipsologies. Learn More about UnderConsideration Subscribe to our Newsletter Follow Us on Instagram

Robert Newman is a painter, director, and designer. After graduating from Morehouse College in 2014, Robert moved to Harlem to continue both his career as an artist and his career on Wall Street (Morgan Stanley and Neuberger Berman). His work has been featured in galleries, events, and museums across the city of New York and internationally. In addition to producing his own shows, he has also worked with a number of global organizations to advance the arts. Some of the organizations include, but aren't limited to: Verizon Media The Museum at Fit Big Brothers and Big Sisters of NYC Broadway Advocacy Coalition Wignall Museum of Contemporary Art And More Shop Robert's Work Follow Robert on Instagram Follow Educated Guess on Instagram Subscribe to the Educated Guess Newsletter

Curry Hackett is a transdisciplinary designer, public artist, and educator. His practice, Wayside Studio is formerly based in Washington, DC, and currently operates out of Knoxville, TN collaborates with communities and organizations to engage matters pertaining to culture, infrastructure, ecology, and the public realm. Noteworthy work includes the Howard Theatre Walk of Fame, the DC High Water Mark system, the DC Clean Rivers Project, and his ongoing research project Drylongso, which explores the relationship between Blackness, food, plants, and land. He has lectured at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Carleton University, Howard University, Fashion Institute of Technology, and Maryland College Institute of Art. Currently, Hackett is an adjunct architecture professor at University of Tennessee after spending several years teaching at his alma mater, Howard University, Yale, and Carleton Universities in Spring 2021 in partnership with the anti-racist design justice school, Dark Matter University. Wayside Studio Subscribe to Our Newsletter Follow Us on Instagram

Why aren't we able to be decisive? How come it takes us such a long time to mull over critical decisions? And, why do we choose to procrastinate in hopes of receiving some grand revelation in the future? In this episode, we uncover a critical rule of thumb that will help you overcome guilt, decision fatigue, and low self-esteem. Claim Your Salonnière Discount Code Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to our Newsletter

Commitment is not a decision--it is a lifestyle adjustment. If you were to look back at your life for the past 10 years, then you'd probably find that your only regrets seem to come in scenarios when you weren't able to keep a promise to yourself. Why is it that we have such a difficult time keeping our own promises? Why are pledges different than commitments? And, why can every creative problem related to a life problem? Claim Your Salonnière Discount Code Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to our Newsletter

Born and raised in Switzerland, Daniel Baer is a partner at the design studio No Plans. Fascinated by design through code since the MySpace era, Daniel has worked in digital design for over 15 years. In 2014, Daniel co-founded No Plans alongside Daniel Pianetti—with Andrew McCarthy joining as a third partner in 2018. Together, the dynamic trio creates websites that are original and useful for some of the world’s biggest clients. Some of their clients include Givenchy, Bodega, Fantastic Man, Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, Tom Dixon, Sotheby’s, and Christie’s. For over an hour, we speak with Daniel about a variety of topics, including, but not limited to: How to get client buy-in when proposing new ideas How to fill the pipeline with potential clients How to make corporate processes work for small studios How the Denim Tears project came together Why it’s important to sharpen the intellectual diet How the filtering system was created for the Chen Chen + Kai Williams project Follow No-Plans on Instagram Follow Us on Instagram Claim Your Salonnière Discount Code

Most people believe that passions are the impetus for everything we are now. We determine our success as an artist by how closely aligned to our "passions" we seem to be. Yet, why is it that when we feel aligned, we still are still desiring something more? In this lecture, we'll cover the delusions of following one's passion. Claim Your Salonnière Discount Code Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to our Newsletter

Bodega Ltd. is a multi-disciplinary creative studio. Creating worlds through integrated strategy + communications, creative direction + branding, interior design, and product development is what they do. Some of the topics covered in this episode include, but aren’t limited to: Dealing with the intersection of art and melancholy How to capture the soul within a building How to delegate, schedule, and "manage" day-to-day studio activities Why great art and design studios always cut against the grain of common practice You can find out more about Bodega's body of work and story at http://www.bodegaltd.com/ Claim Your Salonnière Discount Code Follow Salonnière on Instagram Follow Bodega on Instagram Subscribe to our Email Newsletter

How often do you spend time thinking of ways to avoid pain you've felt in the past? Maybe it was a deal that fell through. Maybe it was a partnership that didn't work out. Or maybe your self-belief has run its course. This lecture is dedicated to artists who feel trapped by their own thoughts. Claim Your Salonnière Discount Code Follow Us On Instagram Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Most people think that the life they want to live will magically appear in their future. The truth is a bit different...Tune in for one of the most candid lectures ever published on this platform. Claim Your Salonnière Discount Code Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Our Newsletter

John Maeda has a long list of accomplishments that are in some way related to design. Some of these accomplishments include serving as President of Rhode Island School of Design, board member at Sonos and W+K, and teaching at MIT for over a decade. Yet, perhaps the most fascinating aspect of this conversation is the equanimity John seems to find in the midst of living a "creative life". Some of the topics covered in this episode include, but aren’t limited to: Art's imperfect relationship with the public John's childhood in Seattle Advice he received about what makes a great art school student One of the most important lessons he learned from Patrick Henry Winston You can find out more about John's body of work and story at https://maedastudio.com/ Claim Your Salonnière Discount Code Follow Salonnière on Instagram Follow John on Twitter Follow John on Instagram Subscribe to our Email Newsletter

How often do you spend time thinking about your future? In this episode, we'll go in-depth and provide you with useful tools to navigate the uncertainty of the next decade of life. Claim Your Salonnière Discount Code Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to our Newsletter

If you ever wonder why some people fall off and some people seem to succeed at whatever they do, then this is an episode meant for you. Claim Your Salonnière Discount Code Subscribe to our Email Newsletter Follow Us on Instagram

Andy Pressman is currently a resident of Portland, Oregon. And, according to his Instagram, he is very clearly NOT an Art Director. Yet, I think you might find it interesting that he is the former head/founder of the design studio Rumors . While running the studio, they had the joy of taking on clients like Sci-Arc , Microsoft, Clif Bar, and more. Andy is now a Creative Director at Upstatement and just so happens to run an incredibly insightful Twitter page. Some of the topics covered in this episode include, but aren’t limited to: The realities of starting, running, and closing a design practice Finding a through-line from time as a Cooper Union Student to now Selling to clients without doing work for spec Reflecting on the dreams and realities of running a New York design studio You can find out more about Andy’s body of work and story at twitter.com/andypressman Claim Your Salonnière Discount Code Follow Salonnière on Instagram Follow Andy on Twitter Follow Educated Guess on Instagram Follow Bodega on Instagram

All summer long, we're bringing you the brightest minds in design, philosophy, and life. The bedrock of Educated Guess is the eternal pursuit of an integrated life--where life and art become one. So, this summer is dedicated to this exact aspiration. This episode gives more background on the purpose of the lecture series and what you stand to gain from sticking with us throughout the summer. One more thing, we've partnered with multidisciplinary design studio Bodega, LTD (based in Minneapolis, MN). to bring you exclusive access to their new trend & philosophy experience-- Salonnière . If you're a small business owner, creative director, or even freelancer, then you'll for sure love what they're bringing to the table. Unlike other research tools, Salonnière brings you the exact methods, frameworks, and insights Bodega has used for clients like Nike, HighSnobiety, and Business of Fashion. The same insights that marketing directors pay lump sums for are being brought to you for a fraction of the price. Claim Your Salonnière Discount Code https://www.instagram.com/bodega_ltd/ https://www.instagram.com/salonnierepaper/ https://educated--guess.com/

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Most multidisciplinary artists tend to feel like they are fighting a losing battle as time goes on. Too often, we find ourselves in a victim mentality as if the "market" or the "boss" isn't responding to our true desires. This lecture is about the nature of those desires and how the market forces have stayed the same for centuries. Subscribe to our Newsletter Follow Us on Instagram

James is a Virginia-bred, self-taught multidisciplinary artist based in Atlanta. Over the years, Williams has operated within multiple disciplines but is currently focused on strengthening his studio furniture and sculpture practice. Before honing in on his current practice, Williams explored multiple fields including garment construction, activation design, and art direction. He prides himself on intentionally resisting a linear curriculum, in many ways, this has aided him in developing a unique approach to his work. Williams’ work explores the intersections of identity, space, and emotional health. Ultimately, he strives to produce works that serve as communal sites for inner and collective dialogue that encourage abstract thinking, expression, and liberation. https://rongpage.com/ https://www.instagram.com/_rong_/ Subscribe to our Newsletter Follow Us on Instagram

Imagine working for years on "finding your style" only to realize that your life and work have essentially become their own echo chamber. Maybe you find yourself looking at a ton of work, but you tend to gravitate towards the same types of artists and references to study. The good news is that curation and focus is an important part of the puzzle. Yet, there's much to be said on the topic of consuming things we don't care for at all. Subscribe to our Newsletter Follow Us on Instagram