content Archives

When stars (and stripes) align: finding common ground to uphold the right to vote

In today’s increasingly polarized society, there are scarce few things our country’s major political parties can agree on. But a recent study by the Civic Responsibility Project and the Center for Election Innovation and Research in partnership with Civic Alliance may have uncovered some common ground: stadium voting. Let’s hear it for the home team […]

Jul 7 2022 by The Otherwise Team in Editorials

“The neighbor comes before the house”: finding affinity in Tunisia

On June 6, a group of 19 gathered in our hotel lobby in Tunis. And what was planned as a trip of art patrons to Tunisia was the setting for learning, illumination, friendship and the rare experience to see what political, cultural and social change looks like up close — and in real time. This […]

Jun 28 2022 by Nancy Lerner in Editorials

POV: Your Hours Spent Scrolling on TikTok Finally Paid Off

There’s nothing more escapist than lying down on your couch after a long day and sifting through the infamous app that has had the majority of us entranced since the early days of the pandemic: TikTok. What was once merely a source of cheap entertainment during the darkest of times has now evolved into one […]

May 9 2022 by Hunter Ellis in Editorials

A Case for Chicago Winters

“Winter came and the city turned monochrome — black trees against gray sky above white earth. Night now fell in midafternoon, especially when the snowstorms rolled in, boundless prairie storms that set the sky close to the ground, the city lights reflected against the clouds.” — President Barack Obama, Dreams from My Father: A Story […]

Jan 14 2022 by Madeline Rosemurgy in Editorials

Second first impressions: Reflections on naming at Otherwise

We founded our studio in 1992 under the name Otherwise, which went against the tide of naming conventions at the time. Lifetime devotees of language and grammar — and unafraid of doing things differently — the name Otherwise revealed itself naturally, signaling not only two forces coming together (design as “other” and ideas as “wise”), […]

Nov 11 2021 by The Otherwise Team in Editorials