IDEO Selects: Works from the Permanent Collection
This exhibition was on display from June 22, 2007 to January 13, 2008.
Some objects in this exhibition may not be viewable on the website due to copyright or other usage restrictions, or because there is no digitized image for the object.
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IDEO Selects: Works form the Permanent Collection is curated by the innovation and design firm IDEO. Founded in 1991 in Palo Alto, California, by David Kelley, Bill Moggridge, and Mike Nutall, IDEO calls seven offices on three continents home and comprises more than 500 design thinkers in the disciplines of design, engineering, social science, and business strategy.
For the exhibition, IDEO selected the theme of design thinking, chose works from our collection to illustrate its choice, and designed the installation in which these objects are presentd. Design thinking expresses an IDEO credo: design is a human-centered activity that has the potential to solve problems in business, education, government, and society. It seeks inspiration from the people whom it ultimately serves–the end users–in order to generate meaningful solutions. IDEO's design thinkers regularly conduct fieldwork in places as diverse as the participants' homes, workplaces, and communities, gaining empathy for individuals and contexts in order to solve design challenges. According to Kelley, the firm's approach is "much more about going out into the world not having a point of view, and just finding these latent needs that are obvious...We try to get into the right general area first, rather than just accepting what the problem is."
In creating this exhibition, IDEO reversed its approach. With each object, IDEO invites the viewer to explore how a designer or maker came to understand the end user's environment, pursuits, and needs, and drew upon them to create an object. In contemplating the perspectives and exchange between designer and user, visitors can experience firsthand the elements of design thinking.
IDEO is the first firm to serve as a guest curator in the Museum's exhibition series in the Nancy and Edwin Marks Gallery, devoted to featuring objects in Cooper-Hewitt's permanent collection.
- Sketchbook, Funny Garbage Design
- pen and ink, brush and gouache on paper.
- Gift of Funny Garbage.
- 2000-56-2-1/93
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- There are 7 images of this object.
- Panel, Hand Shadows
- cotton.
- Gift of Ruth Van Norman.
- 1955-119-1
- Bandage, The Vernaid Bandage
- cotton.
- Gift of Milton Sonday.
- 1981-43-1
- Reading Chair Chair
- turned and joined walnut, leather, brass, tin.
- Gift of Mrs. Paul Moore.
- 1960-164-16-a/c
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 8 images of this object.
- Valentine Typewriter And Case
- molded abs plastic, metal, rubber.
- Gift of Barry Friedman and Patricia Pastor.
- 1986-99-40-a,b
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 7 images and 1 video of this object.
- Cane With Pull-out Map (USA)
- wood, metal, coated fabric, plastic.
- Gift of John B. Scholz in memory of Walter Scholz.
- 1987-97-10
- This object was made by In-A-Cane Display Co..
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 5 images of this object.
- Kubus Stacking Storage Container Set
- machine-molded and pressed glass.
- Museum purchase from Sir Arthur Bryan and General Acquisitions Endowment Funds.
- 1990-4-1/18
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 3 images of this object.
- Radiaver Radiator
- glass, crome-plated metal.
- Museum purchase from James Ford Fund.
- 1990-102-1
- This object was made by Saint-Gobain Vetrotex International S.A..
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 2 images of this object.
- Child's Chair (USA)
- molded laminated plywood, red stain.
- Gift of Mrs. Eric Larrabee.
- 1991-144-1
- This object was made by Evans Products Company.
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 6 images of this object.
- Build the Town Prototype Toy Block Set With Cars
- painted wood, painted metal, rubber.
- Gift of Radoslav L. and Elaine F. Sutnar.
- 2000-76-1-1/52
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 2 images and 1 video of this object.
- Landi Chair
- aluminum, rubber.
- Gift of The Lake St. Louis Historical Society.
- 2001-31-5
- This object was made by P. and W. Blattmann Metallwarenfabrik.
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 3 images of this object.
- Cat and kitten Figure
- cast and painted brass.
- Gift of Anonymous Donor.
- 1949-49-35
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 2 images of this object.
- Divisumma 18 Calculator
- abs plastic, melamine, rubber, metal.
- Gift of Barry Friedman and Patricia Pastor.
- 1986-99-41
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 4 images of this object.
- ts502 Portable Radio
- abs plastic, chrome-plated metal.
- Gift of Max and Barbara Pine.
- 1994-59-3
- This object was made by Brionvega, S.p.A..
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 7 images of this object.
- Lite Years Flashlight
- molded plastic, metal.
- Gift of Barbara and Max Pine.
- 1993-133-4
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 3 images of this object.
- Vidor Flashylight Flashlight
- molded plastic.
- Gift of Barbara and Max Pine.
- 1993-133-7
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 3 images of this object.
- Bright Star Flashlight
- injection-molded plastic.
- Gift of Barbara and Max Pine.
- 1993-133-12
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 3 images of this object.
- Flashlight (Thailand)
- chrome-plated metal.
- Gift of Barbara and Max Pine.
- 1993-133-17
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 3 images of this object.
- MityLite Submersible Flashlight
- plastic, xenon bulb.
- Gift of Barbara and Max Pine.
- 1993-133-18
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 5 images of this object.
- Lady bug Flashlight
- plastic.
- Gift of Barbara and Max Pine.
- 1993-133-19
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- Durabeam Flashlight
- plastic.
- Gift of Barbara and Max Pine.
- 1993-133-24
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 6 images of this object.
- Flashlight (England)
- molded plastic, aluminum.
- Gift of Max and Barbara Pine.
- 1994-59-7
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 3 images of this object.
- Mini-Maglite Flashlight
- machined anodized aluminum alloy, krypton lightbulb.
- Gift of Max and Barbara Pine.
- 1994-59-14
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- Snakelight Flexible Flashlight (car model) Flashlight
- abs plastic, thermoplastic rubber, xenon bulb.
- Gift of Black & Decker Corporation.
- 1997-5-2-a/c
- This object was made by Black & Decker.
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 3 images of this object.
- Taxi Wand Flashlight
- molded plastic, led.
- Gift of Julia A. Haiblen.
- 1998-39-1-a,b
- This object was made by Taxiwand, Inc..
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 4 images of this object.
- USALite Swivel-Head Flashlight
- plastic, metal.
- Gift of Max Pine.
- 1999-53-12-a,b
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 8 images of this object.
- Astuccio Ricaricabile Rechargeable Flashlight
- plastic.
- Gift of Max and Barbara Pine.
- 1994-59-13
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 2 images of this object.
- Print, The First Knot (Interlace Pattern with White Medallion)
- woodcut on off-white laid paper.
- Museum purchase through gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt.
- 1944-37-1-a
- This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
- Silver Streak Iron
- molded and emulsion-painted pyrex glass, cast and nickle-plated steel, molded....
- Museum purchase from Decorative Arts Association Acquisition Fund.
- 1996-39-1
- This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
- There are 2 images of this object.
