What is Mollusc?
Mollusc is an editorial project about architecture and design providing high quality insightful stories that are fun to read. The newsletter spotlights intelligent creative people doing unexpected things. Whether that be designing spaces, objects or other unspecified delights. Although Mollusc will mostly focus on the smorgasbord of design and designers now – there will be a bent towards life on the coast, coastal seascaping, architecture and lifestyles. And to foster a community around this shared interest.
What’s in a name?
Mollusc, from the latin for soft ‘mollis’, is the scientific name for invertebrates that carry their homes on their back – as is the case for snails, oysters and mussels. These shells tell something of the creature living inside, their environment and experience. They are also very pleasing to look at being sculptural and intriguing. Yet beneath these hard exteriors is something soft and alive. I find this hard/soft life intriguing and productively confusing.
Mollusc is a way of framing our built environment to consider what it might say about us – how we protect and decorate our exterior to keep the interior soft and living.
Why start a newsletter after print?
I love to work on editorial projects. Nothing gives me more joy than speaking with interesting people about their work to learn how experiences, lessons and friends have shaped them. Recently, I was going through old boxes and found a file of magazine covers I had collaged when I was about 10. It’s in my bones – if there are words and images to be curated – I want to be part of it.
You may know me as the recent Editor-in-Chief of Union Magazine – an Australian bi-annual for all that is conceptual, experimental and critical in architecture, as the Founding Editor of Sent – a collection of 100 ideas about design from 100 thinkers or, as the designer of ‘Oysters are Forever’ and its associated artworks.
Mollusc is a continuation of this passion for editorial work. Having worked for a lager masthead, I wish to continue sharing good finds, interviewing compelling designers and giving space for incisive thinking. However, Mollusc will be published in shorter cycles, keeping you up to date and hopefully creating a more immediate and engaged community. The subscription-based model of the newsletter gives me the freedom to share works and ideas that I think are genuinely great and interesting. It’s super exciting.
How does it work?
There are two ‘types’ of editorial work at play on Mollusc.
Editorial Writing: These pieces are sent once a fortnight and feature contemporary critical thought about architecture and design. It provides a platform to share critical thinking, quality journalism and insightful interviews. Writers are paid for their work.
P.O.E.T.S Day: You might know Poet’s Day as an enthusiastic heralding of the week’s end. This post is sent every Friday and features recommendations for Places, Objects, Experiences, Tastes and Swims. It is a weekend-primer for the Mollusc community.
I am acutely aware that my voice will not be the best to tell all stories and so some of the editorial writing will come from the trusted Mollusc community of essayists, writers and interviewers.
Why subscribe?
Free Subscribers: receive the P.O.E.T.S Day weekend-primer every Friday.
Paying Subscribers: receive, in addition to P.O.E.T.S Day, two editorial articles each month, access to the archives and my sincere thanks for supporting this work, the effort is requires and enabling the project to pay its writers.
