More online magazine than blog, Design Observer publishes intelligent commentary on eclectic design topics, such as Rem Koolhaas' latest architectural fantasy, Allan McCollum's shape-shifting geometry, and Hitler's obsession with triangles. The thoughtful, well-researched articles often generate reams of comments, thereby creating a rare combination of blog interactivity and intellectual discourse.

Started in 2003, Design Observer embodies the quirky interests of its founders: Michael Bierut designs for the multidisciplinary Pentagram firm; William Drenttel and Jessica Helfand run the design studio Winterhouse; and Rick Poyner is a design scholar and critic. With four additional contributing writers and occasional "guest observers," the site produces two or three lengthy articles a week. The subject matter is unbounded — recurring topics include architecture, product design, typography, and design history — but the emphasis is on unique phenomena that exemplify cultural change.

Recent posts include an analysis of the iPod advertisements bombarding Boston's South Station and a review of Vier5's typography for the digital age. Bierut posts about the new documentary Helvetica, which examines design culture through the history of a font, and shares personal revelations about growing up artistic. Complementing the longer articles are design news headlines, book recommendations, and the hidden gems of the site — curated slideshows, which display oddities such as Bertrand Russell's illustrated alphabet and photographs of handcrafted prison weapons.

-BR