Redlines is a collection of interviews with editors that make today's most provocative architectural publications come to life. While architecture is traditionally concerned with buildings, materials, and scale, their importance and historical impact are recorded through words, books, and images that are often organized, published, and disseminated. Redlines seeks to understand the pedagogical and design frameworks that shape this process.

In this session, we look at CLOG, which was formed in 2011 by Kyle May, Julia van den Hout, PLAYLAB INC., Jacob Reidel, and Human Wu.

What is the history of the publication?

CLOG was formed in 2011 by Kyle May, Julia van den Hout, PLAYLAB INC., Jacob Reidel, and Human Wu. When we started, we wanted to start a platform for discussing architecture. Over the year the idea was being formed and the first issue started, we solidified our position as being a form of slow-media – slowing down the pace of discussion and saturation that was happening online to focus on what we deemed the most significant issues within architecture. We published 14 issues within the realm of architecture before transitioning to topics outside of architecture. We are currently working on our second issue of the new phase of CLOG, what we call CLOG X.

Who runs the publication?

The publication is run by Kyle May (Editor in Chief), Julia van den Hout (Editor), Jeff Franklin and Archie Lee Coates IV of PLAYLAB INC (Design + Creative), and Jacob Reidel (Editor). Human Wu is a co-founder and editor emeritus. Of course, all of our amazing team make the issues possible (Dorin Baul (Research), Luiza Dale (Design), Emma Le Lesle (Research), Melis Uğurlu (Editor), and Nate Patrick (Editor, Distribution Manager).

How are the issues constructed?

Each issue is a compilation of many different single-spread texts (500 words limit), graphics, and images that tell a different part of the larger story. We call it a multi-biased approach. We don’t want the subject matter to be grey – a mix of each side, but heterogeneously colorful – each individual viewpoint or bias contributes to a larger understanding of the issue.

Is there any other medium to it but the printed object?

Alongside every issue, we organize events – discussions, debates, movie nights, activities, book sales, tours, dinners, etc. These are in-person events where we can interact with our audience and promote the work of the contributors and our team to an even larger audience. The printed issue is a starting point for discussion, but we know that the discussion will happen face-to-face in the world, so we try to kickstart that. 

The printed issue is a starting point for discussion, but we know that the discussion will happen face-to-face in the world, so we try to kickstart that. 

We will likely expand our use of different types of media as we evolve. We’ve discussed this, and continue to discuss this, at length. We also sell tote bags for transporting the printed object and looking good while doing so. We are currently on version 2.0.

How often is it released?

As an architecture publication, it was quarterly. As a cultural publication, we are now publishing yearly. We find the larger issues to be more complex and immersive, and therefore have chosen to spend longer researching.

How are the editors organized?

The editorial team is divided in three groups – General Editors, Targeted Editors, and Research Editors. The Targeted Editors coordinate content from select people we feel we need to include in the issue – experts on the subject – that we reach out to directly. The Research team compiles existing research and generates new original research material for the issue. The General Editors work with our open-call contributors as well as editing the work generated by the “targeteds” team. We meet in person every week to update each other, weigh in on other work, come up with new ideas, and eat pizza.

What is the long-term goal of the publication?

CLOG will continue to provide excellent multi-biased content to the public and become a key influencer in complicated subjects that effect every member of the human race.

What has been the most interesting issues in your eyes so far?

Our latest issue of CLOG delves deep into the gun, a topic that is deeply rooted in certain cultures and is very polarizing. The gun is a pivotal issue of our time. We see this as the future of the publication, being able to actively engage in these difficult to discuss arenas and become an active participant in public discourse.

We see this as the future of the publication, being able to actively engage in these difficult to discuss arenas and become an active participant in public discourse.

What weaknesses does the publication have?

Being in print limits audiences today. At the moment, none of our content is online. 

What is the role of publications today?

Publications are ways of communicating today, and small gifts for future generations.

What is the most recent issue focused on?

The issue we are currently working on is AI – Artificial Intelligence. This emerging field has the ability to strike fear and awe. Some call it the end of humanity, some think of it as the savior. 

Tell us something someone would not know from turning the pages of the publication itself.

Nate currently ships all the issues out of his basement in Columbus, Ohio, much to his fiancée’s chagrin (Thanks Amy!).

Jeff still wants to do an issue on Disney. Nate currently ships all the issues out of his basement in Columbus, Ohio, much to his fiancée’s chagrin (Thanks Amy!). When we launched CLOG: Apple, in one day we sold twice the number of issues we had printed. We have a CLOG-logo shaped table made from steel. We ate a lot of Papa John’s meat-lovers pizza in the first year of CLOG. Someone once said CLOG looked like it was designed in PowerPoint, so we are trying to work that into our workflow now. People keep stealing our LOGO (looking at you Uber, The Circle movie). And lastly, the perceptive readers might have noticed, our logo is hand-embossed onto each issue.