A class taught by Hsiao-Yun Chu is a virtual world tour of design, from history to product design and development. The Design and Industry assistant professor considers herself a guide-not an expert-leading a fun experience.

Chu's newest tour involves nearly 1,400 linear feet, the size of R. Buckminster Fuller's personal archive. This semester, students are engaging in a typesetting project of Fuller materials, on the heels of Chu's first book, New Views on R. Buckminster Fuller (Stanford University Press).

As the Fuller archive's assistant curator while attending Stanford, Chu grew interested in Fuller's self-taught, innovative design and utopian, visionary viewpoints. Fuller's geo-dome, she notes, came decades before today's green movement.

New Florabella Lounge Collection Receives Nightingale Award at Healthcare Design 09

We are delighted to announced, Florabella was honored this week at Healthcare Design 2009 in Orlando with a Nightingale Award. The Nightingale Awards, sponsored by Contract Magazine, and The Center for Health Design recognized excellence and innovation in healthcare product design. Each year, a jury of design professionals review entrants based on the following criteria: Contribution to the healing environment, Functionality, Quality and durability, Aesthetics and style, Pricing, and Sustainability/Innovation.

This year a total of five products were recognized, and Florabella was one of only two seating products to receive an award.