Episodes
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Zone Zero
Berkeley’s celebrated hillside design grew from the Hillside Club’s arts-and-crafts ideal of houses integrated into dense gardens, but that same design left homes vulnerable to embers and fast-moving fires.
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100 Objects #22: AOL Disc
Jan Brandt’s AOL disc campaign solved a marketing problem that explanations could not: giving people a free, trackable trial let them experience the Internet and produced response rates as high as 18%, compared with the 1–2% common in direct marketing.
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Doktoro Esperanto
L. L. Zamenhof designed Esperanto after witnessing ethnic, religious, and linguistic hostility in Bialystok, hoping a shared second language would reduce mistrust and lead toward peace.
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100 Objects #21: Window from the House of D
The design of the women's prison windows unintentionally created channels of communication that fostered resistance and community building.
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Audio Guide of the Imperfections of a Perfect Masterpiece
Frank Lloyd Wright’s concept of organic architecture was about the metaphor of a living organism, not just the building’s seashell shape.
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Tony Hawk's Real-Life Willy Wonka
Indie Austin's experience design is based on creating personal stories and challenges through a series of intentional 'stepping stones.'
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The Problem With Football Helmets
The guardian cap is designed to absorb impacts and reduce concussion risks, but it is criticized for its appearance and limited acceptance among players.
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(Not Just) Another Brick in the Wall
Bricks are a fundamental and universally recognizable building material that has persisted through centuries because of its simplicity and conveyance of permanence.
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100 Objects #20: AA Sobriety Chip
Alcoholics Anonymous has deeply influenced American culture and perceptions of sobriety, but it is rooted in Christian and culturally specific traditions.
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Tootle of a Devilish Song
Yodeling likely originated in the Alps around 400 AD, initially used by cattle herders for communication or ritual purposes.
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100 Objects #19: Western Electric 500 Series
The Western Electric 500 series telephone was designed to provide a reliable, durable, and repairable connection, lasting over 30 years because it was built for rental and long-term use.
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The Rocky Statue
The iconic scene of Rocky running up the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps helped cement the statue as a symbol of resilience and grit in the city’s identity.
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100 Objects #18: Hair Relaxer
A significant majority of Black women in the U.S. have used chemical relaxers, which played a role in both economic empowerment and cultural standards of beauty.
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Doves Type
Friendships can deeply influence artistic and professional collaborations, but they can also end painfully and dramatically.
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100 Objects #17: M43 Field Jacket
The development of the M43 jacket represented a major shift towards scientific innovation in military clothing, prioritizing functionality over tradition or aesthetics.
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Kobuk the Destroyer
Effective product testing is crucial for safety and reliability, but traditional methods often fall short in real-world scenarios.
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100 Objects #16: Wheel of Fortune Dalmatian
Game show prizes have historically mirrored American societal values and dreams, shifting from merit-based promises of wealth through knowledge to symbols of consumerism and material comfort.
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1-800-PODCAST
The invention of the 800 number by AT&T in the 1960s revolutionized consumer access to businesses and shaped modern retail and customer service cultures.
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100 Objects #15: Bundy Clock
The concept of standardized time was driven by practical needs like train schedules, but it also facilitated a shift toward uniformity that affected everyday life.
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Spolia
Reuse of building materials has a deep historical precedent, dating back to Roman times, where it was used as both a practical solution and a form of political or cultural messaging.
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