Industrial designer Carl Gustav Magnusson, was born in Sweden and grew up on a farm in Canada. Early life was informed by wide open spaces and a natural curiosity about cars and industrial farm equipment. After engineering and architecture degrees he got straight to work with Charles and Ray Eames, and then logged 30+ years with Knoll. He’s spent his life dedicated to contributing to society’s needs in a thoughtful way. Along the route, he’s worked with the greats, and birthed many iconic designs.

Take a look at more of Carl’s work at cgmdesign.com.

What is your earliest memory?

Opening the refrigerator in Sweden looking for a small boat that propelled itself by a CO2 capsule. Found it.

How do you feel about democratic design?

Design has a responsibility to be as democratic as possible to solve problems for many. That’s why the industrial revolution and design grew up together and this responsibility continues now with the digital revolution.

What’s the best advice that you’ve ever gotten?

Persevere to discover your talents and skills then apply them to bring ideas into reality.

How do you record your ideas?

By pen sketches in a pocket book so I have no excuse but to record them.

What’s your current favorite tool or material to work with?

The iPhone is a good reference medium but as a useful tool I use the Muji 0.38 pen which forces me to be creative. It also allows the ideas to be sketchy and layering the ideas on top of each other leaves a memory.

What book is on your nightstand?

Gardens in Art by Getty Museum.

Why is authenticity in design important?

Design contributes culturally when it is authentic and worthy of attribution.

Favorite restaurant in your city?

Raynard in Williamsburg and Torre de Pisa in Milan.

What might we find on your desk right now?

Carpenters flat pencil, iPad pencil, caliper, imperial/metric SS ruler, A4 ruled paper pad, Air Force grey colored Leica camera and a snapshot of the family.

Who do you look up to and why?

Many in my career path but mainly Leonardo Da Vinci, The Eames and Dieter Rams—all of which mentally expand the possibilities of design and its impact on society.

What’s your favorite project that you’ve done and why?

An image lecture “3500 years of design in 2000 seconds flat” consisting of 225 images tracing the influence science and culture have on the history of design. It forced me to study the history of science, inventions and art to feel confident that I understood its impact.

What are the last five songs you listened to?

Chet Atkins & Les Paul: “ I want to be happy”
Matt Monro: “on days like this” sound track to “The Italian Job” #1
Handel: Zadok the priest. Coronation anthem #1
Bach cello concerto #1 in G major by Yo-Yo Ma
Rolling Stones “ you can't always get what you want…”

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Founder and CEO of Canoa, Federico Negro, was born in Uruguay during a time of political turmoil and lived in four countries by age 14. As a teenager in Chicago, he used music as a means of learning English, and during college became fascinated by forensic architecture, which informed his fixation with “how we build with what we build.” An Architect, designer, toolmaker, and entrepreneur, his first company, CASE, was acquired by WeWork. From there he served as the Global Head of Design for Wework during the company’s rapid expansion, and witnessed first-hand the pain points and environmental challenges that could be mitigated with better tools. So in 2019, he founded Canoa, an AI-driven, collaborative software aimed at revolutionizing the interior design and furniture industries by addressing environmental issues and becoming a tool to help us build a better future.

Ep. 218: The Exquisite Love, Magic and Maximalism of Londubh Studio

Custom surface artists Lisa Donohoe and Brynn Gelbard met and fell in love in the queer underbelly scene of San Francisco in 2002, a time before bi-national same-sex marriage was legal. Self-proclaimed party animals, their diverse community was built on love, curiosity and celebrating each other's differences. In an evolution that was equal parts organic maturity and cosmic intervention, Brynn and Lisa moved to Los Angeles and founded Londubh Studio, specializing in elaborate and maximalist hand-applied surface designs. Now the duo, oft considered the design world’s secret weapon, are translating their wildness, love, magic, and the sacred, through exquisite artistry and pristine craft, into visual celebrations that vibrate with love and emanate joy. Turns out these former revelers are still going full-blast on life.

Ep. 217: Design Researcher Amanda Schneider on the Art of Contextualizing the Data

Founder and President of ThinkLab, Amanda Schneider, grew up outside of Chicago, inspired by a blend of engineering and design. Now a self-described “designer by degree, journalist by accident, and researcher by choice” at the helm of ThinkLab, she examines the ecosystem of the design world, unearthing and synthesizing the social and cultural shifts and drivers that impact the interiors industry. Together with her team, she offers insights and context that can empower better decision-making while also bridging the communication gap between creatives and the business sector. A keynote speaker (catch her recent TEDx talk) and the host of the podcast Design Nerds Anonymous, Amanda shares her wisdom on topics like communication strategies, storytelling, and the future of work.

Ep. 216: Clever Extra - Interior Designer Kerrie Kelly on Uniting Beauty and Function

Interior designer and lifestyle expert Kerrie Kelly is known for her distinctive California-inspired design philosophy. She got her start at Ralph Lauren Home and then moved to Del Webb Corporation where she was a boots-on-the-ground high-volume designer of homes, before founding her multi-faceted design studio, Kerrie Kelly Design Lab, in 1995. A graduate of both design and business school, she blends both of these skill sets in her work as an interior designer, trendspotter, and brand partner. She’s driven by a commitment to bringing thoughtful design into everyday life, which for Kerrie means blending beauty with functionality and translating that through a palette of luxurious and organic materiality.

Ep. 215: Kinfolk’s Idris Brewster Uses AR to Empower Collective Memory Building

Artist, creative technologist, and educator, Idris Brewster grew up in Brooklyn, being filmed for a documentary about his education as a black student at a prestigious, primarily white, school. His coming-of-age, only partially caught on camera, included a lot of basketball and hands-on artistic development. A grant awarded in college gave him early access to VR technology which opened a path to combining all of his talents and interests and expressing them through new media. Now, as co-founder and Executive Director of Kinfolk Foundation, he’s harnessing augmented reality, location-based technology, and community to engage in placing digital monuments in public spaces, memory building, and foregrounding the Black, Brown and Queer histories that have been intentionally silenced.

Ep. 88: Industrial Designer Carl Gustav Magnusson

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Ep. 88: Industrial Designer Carl Gustav Magnusson

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Ep. 89: VP of Google Hardware Design Ivy Ross

Ep. 87: Costume Concept Artist Gina DeDomenico Flanagan

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