Hasta La Ideas

By Ron Goldin / Studio Akko

CONTEXT

This February, Studio Akko, a NYC user experience and design agency, kicked off a quarterly event series we’ve billed as “Artifacts.”

Instead of a fluorescent-bathed conference center with endless rows of chairs or a homogenous “networking mixer” at a bar with likeminded people, we sought to create an intimate happening where creative and innovative people, especially those whose work has transcended the box of traditional disciplines, can drop the pretense and posturing and connect and inspire others with short, visual bursts of inspiration, using the rich and diverse content as an excuse for libation-fueled people engage with people that “don’t do what you do.”

Slide of curator Elizabeth Lapp‘s featured artists’ work

Our practice has many names depending on who you ask—user experience design, interaction design, technology innovation. At its core, our work is about connecting with people, and taps into the social sciences, creative and technical disciplines. At the convergence of left brain and right brain, people that are great in this field have to widen the pool from where they seek inspirations.

When I went to school, I studied design, art history, the fine arts, psychology, computer science, and didn’t know there was a job that in the world that encompassed all of those things. I wanted to create an event that not only showcases work that doesn’t fit into a discipline box, but also sparks new opportunities for people who would typically never cross paths to have a conversation and maybe make an interesting creative connection.

Norwood’s sultry, quirky vibe feels both mysterious and cozy

We chose Norwood as the venue because of its distinct vibe. As a members-only arts space, it is frequented by a mixed crowd of creative types such as commercial directors, actors, designers, writers, entrepreneurs and visual artists in a restored multistory Chelsea townhouse. Norwood founder Alan Linn calls the space “a home for the curious,” noting that “we wanted it to seem that when you walk in the door, you’re somewhere else.”

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