Design Philadelphia

There is this citywide design thing going on, here...

It is one of those events with loosely connected lectures, open studios and random social events - all supposedly connected to design in some vague form.

A number of bits of the schedule sort of intrigue me enough that I may actually leave the house.

I was, just today, pulled to the car show they had organized.

Located in Old City, where I was headed anyway, I was like a moth to flame...

A celebration of the classic car – an emblem of individualism, personal expression and the symbol of the twentieth century. A look at the automobile as an industrial design object, focusing on evolutionary changes of key models and types.

What is not there to interest me?

Cars, design.

Cool.

Crap, man...

I am glad I had some errands to run in the neighborhood.

Maybe eight cars, maybe there were ten?

The entry form must have read something like:

Must be a car produced by a former Axis Power nation. Must have been produced between 1955-1975. Cars not meeting this criteria will be allowed at the organizers whim, but must be angular/pointy. Condition and originality of cars is not a factor.

There was bubbling paint, aftermarket rims, and a Fiat coupe with a vinyl top.

Most all were drivers - and that is cool, because cars are for driving...

Given the level of the field, the ropes keeping non-existent crowds six feet away made it seem even more sad.

Next time, Design Philadelphia, skip it or actually put some more thought into it.

Perhaps (I can't believe I am saying this) call up some Mustang or Corvette collectors club and round up one of each body style, to view side by side...

You could do the same with some Porsche club, get some 911's, if you can't get past the euro centric thing.

Sure, then it devolves into a collector meet up and looses the edge of designery voodoo. A bunch of single model, angular cars don't really demonstrate anything that insightful, beyond how quickly that styling faded.

Today just seemed random.

Oh, and what the hell is with that logo font?