Ten Years at The Design Office

In conception this book sounds wonderful, but in execution the insights felt abbreviated. I wanted to learn more about each member's personal history—what brought them to The Design Office, what projects they were most proud of, what they struggled with, and what they've gone on to after leaving—but each entry is around 500 words or less. Just enough space for a platitude about collaboration. Oddly enough, I felt that the more insightful and personally revealing stories came from members who spent the least amount of time at the office.

The elegant layout design feels inline with the ethos of the space—a clean, simple structure that carries throughout the book. I also enjoyed the photography, which is interspersed in a way that provides illustration to some of the stories. At standard paperback size the book is very portable and feels like an intimate conversation. I just wish enough space was provided for that intimacy to carry through in the writing.