Cross Cultural Collaboration in Design

The October issue of Metropolis Magazine has two stories of artisans being paired across cultures to create unique creations for the marketplace.

In Pragmatic Idealism, Belinda Lanks interviews Docey Lewis. Now a design consultant for
3form, Lewis has over 20 years experience working with Aid to Artisans a non-profit that matches traditional crafters with international consultants and merchants.

Lewis shares her experiences coordinating collaborative projects and discusses some of the challenges that arise when balancing the demands of business, humanitarian efforts and design across countries such as Nepal, Senegal and Jordan.


Making Connections describes Andrew and Anna Hellman as professional matchmakers. As co-founders of Teroforma, a tableware company launched in August, the Hellmans travel the world seeking out talented designers whom they connect with traditional artisan studios. Andrew is quoted,"It's that relationship that we want to build and those stories that we want to tell through the work. There's a depth behind the pieces."

photo via Metropolis