By Design 2011-05-18

We need to 'pivot': Joichi Ito, MIT Media Lab, says why. 'Pivoting' says Joichi Ito is the skill we all need to acquire. Serendipity is also important. Meet Joichi, the new director of MIT Media Lab. Joichi is recognised as one of the world's leading thinkers and writers on innovation, global technology policy, and the role of the internet. He is chair [formerly CEO] of Creative Commons, sits on the board of Mozilla Foundation, and was an early investor in Twitter and Flickr. Profile: Ilse Crawford, designer with soul Ilse Crawford is a designer sought after worldwide. She runs her own company, studioisle, and holds the rather intriguing post as Head of Department for Man and Wellbeing at the renowned Design Academy, Eindhoven. She has walked an intriguing path from her very early days as a sub-editor at the Architects Journal, followed by the World of Interiors — then catapulted into the job of launching Elle Decoration, in the UK, that went on to change the world of design magazines. She advises many of the world's big design companies — Ikea and Volvo, for example — and has a list of private clients. Micromansions: The Hutwheels Project. In Trends this week we´re looking at a new push to encourage people to downsize into smaller homes, and an interesting project to reinvent the mobile home as an affordable and sustainable housing form. Listeners' Letters Here is an audio clip of this week's Listeners' Letters. Enjoy. AA Gill on ingredients, restaurants and food culture Adrian Anthony Gill is restaurant reviewer and TV critic for the The Sunday Times in London and a frequent contributor to GQ and Vanity Fair magazines. He also writes for Australian Gourmet Traveller. Frequently controversial, he is a writer of noted and acerbic wit.