Passages

Ralph Caplan, H/IDSA (1925–2020)

 

Ralph Caplan, H/IDSA was an inimitable voice in the design world as a writer and educator, and particularly eloquent on design's role in catalyzing social change. "The designer's mission is to make things right," Caplan said in a Design Matters interview in 2010. "There is a difference between making things right and making things nice."

Mark Dziersk, FIDSA (1959–2020)

 

The Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) mourns the loss of Mark Dziersk, FIDSA, a prominent industrial designer and decades-long supporter, leader, and advocate of our Society. Mark passed away suddenly on January 31, 2020 while traveling abroad in Tokyo. He was 60 years old. Mark is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, and three daughters.

Florence Knoll Bassett (1917 - 2019)

IDSA mourns the loss of Florence Knoll Bassett H/IDSA, a design pioneer and the guiding light of the company that bears the name of her first husband and close collaborator, who died on January 25, 2019 in Coral Gables, Florida. She was 101 years old.

Ms. Knoll Bassett has been an Honorary IDSA member for over 30 years in recognition for her considerable contributions to architecture, furniture design and open-office planning.

"Heart of Industrial Design"

IDSA Fellow William Plumb has passed away at the age of 84 in Piermont, NY. He is survived by his wife of 43 years Catherine​ Plumb, and children Christian Plumb and Abigail Plumb-Larrick. His daughter also works in design and human factors—in software—at Rockwell Automation. "My father believed in the marriage of beauty and usability at the heart of industrial design," his daughter tells the Society.

An Inspiration to All

Lella Vignelli, an architect who became a product designer and entrepreneur, has died at the age of 82. Along with her husband, the design pioneer from Italy formed half of the "first couple of modern design." Both were IDSA members.

"Champion of Modern Design Classics" Passes

Former executive vice president of design at Knoll International and decorated US Army veteran Donald Rorke, L/IDSA, passed away on Nov. 4, 2016. He was 86.

Rorke was born in 1929 to architect Edwyn Rorke and classical musician Florence Rorke. He attended Philadelphia’s University of the Arts, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Syracuse University and completed management and design work at Harvard Graduate School of Design.

IDSA Fellow and Design Pioneer Passes

An IDSA member for nearly half a century who served as Society president and Board chair, and was inducted into the Academy of Fellows, passed away on Aug. 28, 2016. Jim Ryan, FIDSA, was 79 years old. He joined IDSA in 1970.

IDSA Member Remembered for Professional and Personal Endeavors

IDSA Member Craig James Carlson has passed away at the age of 62, after a five-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born in in Brooklyn, New York on October 14, 1954. Carlson became an industrial designer and the owner of InDepth Design in Lawrence, MA which consulted everything from small partnerships/start-ups to major corporations in products and services ranging from medical instrumentation to packaging to cable management and more.

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