Brian Libby | The Slowdown

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Brian Libby

Brian is a Portland, Oregon-based architecture and arts writer as well as a photographer and award-winning filmmaker. He has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Architect, and Dwell, among others. His podcast and upcoming book, In Search of Portland, explore the city’s architectural and cultural history.

Brian's Articles

Courtesy Strange Attractor Press — A New Book Explores How, Via X-Rays, Banned Albums Made It Into the Cold War–Era U.S.S.R.
2 minute read

A skate park designed by Saario in Columbus, Indiana. (Photo: Hadley Fruits. Courtesy Janne Saario) — Janne Saario Subtly Integrates Skate Parks Into Landscapes and Cities
4 minute read

Courtesy The University of Chicago Press — A Commemoration of AACM’s Legacy in Experimental Jazz
3 minute read

Francis Kéré’s “Yesterday’s Tomorrow” installation at the 23rd International Exhibition at La Triennale di Milano. (Courtesy La Triennale di Milano) — In Milan, This Year’s Pritzker Prize Winner Takes a Victory Lap
4 minute read

J. Pierpont Morgan’s Library, viewed from 36th Street. (Photo: Brett Beyer. Courtesy the Morgan Library & Museum, New York) — At the Morgan Library, a Long-Overlooked Garden Gets a New Life
4 minute read

The Rebirth Brass Band in a still from “Take Me to the River: New Orleans.” (Courtesy “Take Me to the River: New Orleans”) — Songs from the Big Easy, Recorded by Top Musicians Across Generations
3 minute read

English electronic musician and producer Jon Hopkins — An Original Soundtrack for the Intersection of Hallucinogens and Mental Health
4 minute read

“The Perfect Sound: A Memoir in Stereo” by Garrett Hongo (Courtesy Pantheon Books) — The Poetry of Building the Perfect Sound System
3 minute read

Slow’s Slow Jo 17 watch. (Courtesy Slow) — Streamlined Watches Designed to Slow Down Time
2 minute read

“Signals” exhibition at Galerie Kreo — For Designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, the Cone Is “Perfect Geometry”
2 minute read

Byredo's Olfactive Stéréophonique — These Scent Diffusers Enhance a Room in More Ways Than One
3 minute read

Skyscraper Page website — For a Website Tracking the Tallest Buildings in the World, Size Matters
3 minute read

A Podcast That Unpacks What It’s Like to Be an Immigrant in America

Snowy landscape — Why the World Gets Quieter When It Snows
2 minute read

Cassina's Radio in Cristallo — A Beautiful Bare-Bones Radio, Designed by an Architect Who Strove for Simplicity
2 minute read

Craft & Forge artisan — Spare Home Accessories, Informed by the Artisans of Colonial Williamsburg
3 minute read

Musician Brian Eno — With EarthPercent, Brian Eno Helps the Music Industry Address the Climate Crisis
3 minute read

Tumi Continuum — Tumi’s Latest Fragrance Conjures Up the Curiosity of Contemporary Explorers
3 minute read

The San Jose Museum of Art’s clock tower — An Unsettling Sound Installation Blasts Cold, Hard Facts Into Downtown San Jose
3 minute read

Alien Listening Book — Why Aliens Could Be Able to Listen to NASA’s Golden Record—Even If They Don’t Have Ears
7 minute read

Man wearing a Sheltersuit — A Fashion Designer Transforms Deadstock Textiles and Upcycled Sleeping Bags Into Wearable Life-Saving Shelters
4 minute read

Brad Golden's Drip sculpture — This Spare Sculpture Creates a Subtle Background Scent for Your Home
2 minute read

“Sonic Bloom” outdoor sculpture by Yuri Suzuki — In London, a Big Bouquet of Horns Brings People Together Through Sound
3 minute read

Silicone earplugs against a blue velvet background — Protect Your Hearing With These Otherworldly Earplugs
3 minute read

Zuma Lumisonic speaker — This Discreet Speaker Combines Mood-Enhancing Lighting With Superior Sound
2 minute read

Two speakers made from cast iron. — Vintage Loudspeakers, Restored and Transformed Into Aural Works of Art
2 minute read

A map detailing the global locations of Sounds of the Forest’s audio postcards. — This Open-Source Library Captures the Magic of the Forest Through Sound
3 minute read

A screen shot of the Drive & Listen website — Real-Time Radio and Street Sounds Bring These Virtual Driving Tours to Life
2 minute read

A glass speaker by Sugahara — This Elegant Glass Speaker Magnifies Sounds From Your Smartphone
2 minute read

A ball used to make ice cream sitting on a picnic table — Fix Frozen Treats at Home With These No-Nonsense Ice-Cream Makers
2 minute read

Four bottled drinks on a tiger — In Detroit, Botanical Extracts Inform These Tasty Small-Batch Sodas
2 minute read

An illustration of a man wearing headphones — A Musician Who Immortalizes Luminaries Through Songs on His Podcast
2 minute read

A man standing in a building looking out the window — Symphonic Masterpieces in Better-Than-Ever Fidelity, Mixed by a German D.J.
2 minute read

A white ceramic kettle on a white background. — A New Film Highlights Fashion Designer Margaret Howell’s Admiration for Understated Japanese Objects and Materials
2 minute read

A bench with a gold plaque on it. — This Public Audio Installation Helps Listeners Take the Long View on Life
1 minute read

Poster for the Lost Tapes of the 27 Club — These A.I.-Generated Songs Raise Awareness About Mental Health in the Music Industry
2 minute read

A Numero Group illustration in black and white. — This Chicago Music Label Is on a Mission to Unearth Lost Sounds
2 minute read

A bottle of Byredo Mixed Emotions perfume on a white background. — Byredo’s New Perfume Captures the Experience of a Roller-Coaster Year
2 minute read

Installation view of a room inspired by furniture from the book "Goodnight Moon" — A New Immersive Exhibition Brings Interiors From the Book Goodnight Moon to Life
2 minute read

Four yellow and orange bottles of Unified Ferments teas on a white background. — This Brooklyn Fermented Tea Brand Brews by Its Own Rules
2 minute read

A red Powell's by Powell's book on a wooden table. — A Unisex Fragrance That Smells Like Old Books, Created by a Portland Bookstore
2 minute read