#HTE

Remembering Ralph Caplan

This past weekend, the design world lost a giant. Ralph Caplan, at the age of 95-and-a-half, had to close out his discourse with the world.

Ralph was a huge friend to Core77, and in trying to figure out a way to pay tribute this moment, we recalled that in 2004—now 16 years ago—we published a “double-issue” (yes, we actually called it that!) to mark the republication of his seminal book, By Design.

As we re-read through it this week, we remembered how much we loved Ralph, what he meant to the world of design, and how many design luminaries similarly adored him.

We figured that we would republish it for you here again (the microsite was programmed in Flash, so pretty inaccessible), so that many more people could enjoy his writing and his reflections.

Please enjoy this double-issue, dear readers, and think fondly of this extraordinary man as you do.

Part 1: An Introduction Learn about the book and its republication

Part 2: A Conversation with Ralph An interview about design with Allan Chochinov

Part 3: Designers’ Reflections Design luminaries sing Ralph’s praises

Part 4: Before and After What changed between the original and the revised books