Seek is a one day design conference held on Wednesday November 2 2016, at Morningstar and the Chicago Design Museum, in Chicago Illinois. Featuring presentations by April Greiman, Rick Valicenti, and Eileen Tjan. Workshops by IA Collaborative, Fjord, a Risograph workshop and a walking architecture tour.
FULL CONFERENCE EXPERIENCE SOLD OUT
EVENING SESSION ONLY TICKETS AVAILABLE
$75
Evening session starts at 4:00pm at Morningstar Auditorium and features April Greiman, Rick Valicenti, Panel Discussion and the After Party at Chicago Design Museum.
PRESENTATIONS
Featured presenters are:
April Greiman, Rick Valicenti and Eileen Tjan.
WORKSHOPS
Walking Architecture Tour, Chicago Loop Area
Starting location will be Morningstar in the morning or Chicago Design Museum, across from Latinicity, in the afternoon.
Jonathan Mekinda, University of Illinois at Chicago.
The architecture of Chicago has influenced and reflected the history of American architecture. Chicago features prominent buildings in a variety of styles by many important architects. Experience this walking tour of significant architecture in the Chicago loop area led by the modern architecture history expert Jonathan Mekinda. Learn the stories behind the buildings and the architects who designed them. This is about a 1.6 mile walk. Weather prediction is 70 degrees and partly cloudy. A perfect fall day for a walk in the city. Rain or shine this will happen.
Design Innovation Workshop at IA Collaborative
Rebecca Gimenez and John Foust, Design Directors
Becky Sanders and Katie Manikins, Designers
IA Collaborative works across design disciplines to create solutions that deliver on the ideal user experience. In this design innovation workshop you will learn how to apply exploratory and evaluative research methodologies throughout your process—from concepting to final design. Through a series of hands-on exercises, you will experience what it is like to work in this dynamic space and apply these techniques to your own work in real time.
Future Designer at Morningstar Training Room, 7th Floor
22 West Washington Street, 7th Floor
Dre Szymczak of Fjord, Design and Innovation from
Accenture Interactive.
In this hands-on workshop, Dre will focus on the ever-evolving role of designers and future trends, in an ecosystem where the needs of people and the goals of businesses intersect. The participants will have an opportunity to role-play and test-for-fit several emerging design disciplines, as they collaborate with their teams to conceptualize solutions for a design challenge.
Risograph Workshop at Chicago Design Museum
108 North State Street, Block 37, Third Floor
Tanner Woodford and Matthew Terdich
In this workshop, you can expect to learn Risograph basics, including how to prepare files, operate the machine and troubleshoot problems. We will also discuss advanced Risograph techniques, using multiple colors with multiple images to achieve different aesthetics. Risograph finds its roots in mimeograph technology. The machine is designed to create a master on wax-like paper, almost like a stencil, and stamp it onto the pages, creating a “live ink” look. The machine uses soy-based ink and can offset print runs of hundreds at 150 pages per minute.
LUNCH AT LATINICITY
108 North State Street, Block 37, Third Floor
Available from 12pm to 1pm only.
This is right across from the Chicago Design Museum. It’s all you can eat, choosing from 10 kitchens with a wide variety of menu offerings. Special "charge card" will be provided. See conference brochure for suggested food items. Alcoholic beverages not included.
AFTER PARTY
At Chicago Design Museum
108 North State Street, Block 37, Third Floor
The after party will feature stand up comedian Mike O’Keefe.
Beer, wine, and light snacks will be available. Use your drink tickets.
LOCATIONS
Morningstar
22 W Washington St. Chicago IL 60602
7th Floor
The conference starts here.Check-in desk here.
Check-in will be at Morningstar, 7th floor, and the initial presentation will be in the Morningstar Auditorium. The evening presentations and panel discussion will also be at Morningstar. One workshop will be here too.
Chicago Design Museum
108 North State Street, Chicago IL 60602
Block 37 Third Floor
The Chicago Design Museum, just around the corner from Morningstar, will host a Risograph workshop, you may view their current exhibit, and the After Party will take place here.
Latinicity
108 North State Street, Chicago IL 60602
Block 37 Third Floor
This is the lunch location, and is right across from the Chicago Design Museum.
Other Locations
Other activities you may participate in will have you touring the city, or visiting a design office. The city is our oyster! : )
GETTING HERE, PARKING, HOTELS
Metra
Metra train service from the various Chicago suburbs will get you to the Chicago Loop area, and the various downtown stations, such as Union, Oglivie, or LaSalle. From there you can either walk for about 15 minutes or take a taxi, or Uber. Taxi stands are common at all train stations.
CTA Train
CTA service from areas closer to downtown can be taken. The Blue Line Washington station would be closest to Morningstar.
Driving
If you drive it is highly recommended you carpool and leave very early. It will be rush hour in the morning. (Metra is really the way to go, and then you don’t have to concern yourself with parking too.)
Parking
If you must drive, use the parking app SpotHero to find and reserve parking spots at garages around the conference venue (22 W. Washington Street, Chicago IL). SpotHero will give you reduced rates, up to 50% in some cases.
Hotels
Hotels are plentiful in the area, though they can get a bit pricey. For a lower price option, and for those in the student or frugally minded category, check out Hi Hostel Chicago.
SOCIAL MEDIA #SeekCon2016
Use #SeekCon2016 on Twitter or Instagram to participate in our live feed, or post to our Facebook page. The feed will be projected at different moments during the conference, and feature related posts on the following social media platforms:
SCHEDULE
The conference schedule is subject to change!
8:00am to 9:00am
Check-in at Morningstar, 7th Floor.
Check-in is required of all conference attendees to get your credentials and allow access to various venues. Workshop registration will occur at check-in.
9:00 to 9:10am
Welcoming remarks, conference orientation.
At Morningstar Auditorium
9:10 to 9:50am
Eileen Tjan presentation.
At Morningstar Auditorium.
10am to 11:50am
Workshops as noted above at various locations.
12:00pm to 1:00pm
Lunch at Latinicity, in Block 37, across from
The Chicago Design Museum.
1:10 to 3:00pm
Workshops as noted above at various locations.
3:15 to 4:00pm
Break Time
Check out the Chicago Design Museum Exhibit,
City of Ideas: Architects' Voices and Visions.
4:00 to 4:50pm
Rick Valicenti presentation and interview.
At Morningstar Auditorium.
5:00 to 5:50pm
April Greiman presentation and interview.
At Morningstar Auditorium.
6:00 to 6:45pm
Panel discussion with most conference presenters.
At Morningstar Auditorium.
7:00 to 9:00pm
After Party at Chicago Design Museum.
Featuring a performance by comedian Mike O’Keefe.
Beer, wine and small snacks will be available.
Use your drink tickets.
THANK YOU!
Morningstar for their generous support of Seek in the use of their facilities, and Chad Allen for his assistance.
Aaron Draplin for the use of his cool Seek hand lettering logotype.
The Chicago Design Museum staff, Tanner Woodford, Lauren Boegen and Matthew Terdich, for their support and advice regarding the conference plan, the use of their space, their positive spirit toward Seek, and their willingness to lead a workshop.
Matt Torres for his efforts in shooting the original videography featured in the Seek trailer.
Doug Brand for his assistance with the Social Media Feed.
The presenters and contributors to Seek 2016: April Greiman, Rick Valicenti, Eileen Tjan, Rebecca Gimenez, John Foust, Becky Sanders Katie Manikins, and Marketing Director Lila Trickle at IA Collaborative, Jonathan Mekinda, Dre Szymczak, Latinicity, and Mike O‘Keefe. Thank you for your time and efforts in helping make Seek a great experience!
The Seek Team Members, who help make the conference day run smoothly: Ali Helton, Libby Rutan, Megan Small, Caleb Dietz, Devin Moore, Bailey Balentyne, Julio Ruiz-Santana, and Oscar Barrales.
QUESTIONS?
Feel free to email me, Steve Quinn, the Seek conference director.
seekconference.niu@gmail.com
Conference Director
Steve Quinn
Logotype Courtesy
Aaron Draplin
Draplin Design Co.
Seek is sponsored in part by
Morningstar and the
Chicago Design Museum
Copyright 2016
Steve Quinn