An e-zine’s design for stylish living

The e-zine is not a design encyclopedia, but its scope and implicit goal -- to be a 21st century crossroads for modern and contemporary design -- is encyclopedic nonetheless. Organized in seven vertical columns with such straightforward titles as “Education,” “History” and “Interviews,” it’s perplexing at first. Is it a pictorial review of international design festivals? A showcase for interviews with notable designers, architects and artists? A provider of readable (and understandable) synopses of design movements? Is it offering online classes? Yes, on all counts.

The breadth makes Designboom.com as entertaining as it is informative. It is, however, the online classes, also known as “design-aerobics,” that make the site (at www.designboom.com) more a living cyber-salon than Internet data morgue.

Directed by Designboom.com editor in chief Birgit Lohmann, who has collaborated with such notable designers and architects as Achille Castiglioni, Enzo Mari and Renzo Piano (who’s rebuilding LACMA), the courses include jewelry, table and cutlery construction and cost $59 for 35 lessons over eight weeks.

-- Andrew Myers