Able Quote by Paola Antonelli
“The idea of being able to build things bottom up, atom by atom, has made [scientists] all into tinkerers. And all of a sudden scientists are seeking designers, just like designers are seeking scientists.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Design and Science Convergence, Museum of Modern Art, 2018
Scientists and designers increasingly collaborate, treating creation as a modular, bottom‑up process that blurs disciplinary lines.
In simple terms: Science and design now work together, building from tiny parts.
Foster interdisciplinary teamwork from the smallest components up.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- product development
- educational curricula
- research labs
- startup incubators
- policy making
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What risks arise when focusing only on atomic components?
- How can holistic vision be preserved in modular design?
Over‑emphasis on modularity can ignore holistic system behavior.