Throwback to the days of our product design studio circa 2013. Many risks taken, products sold and lessons learned - one of which was the fun in jumping scales of objects designed.

Throwback - Rush3 Product Design Studio

January 3, 2026

Truth be told, a slow economy, a goal set 10 years prior, and a chance encounter with a vintage bottle opener led to the creation of Rush3 Product Design Studio in 2011. The creative geniuses at Slant made the process of starting a product design company including logo creation, web site development and product branding fun and extremely exciting. Their measured guidance and design expertise was a guiding light especially in the early days. The next several years were a mixture of architecture and product design - using the design process to jump scales and functions. Some highlights of our Rush3 Product Design Studio chapter:

Kebo® - One Handed Bottle Opener

Inspired by the Theodore Low bottle opener from the 1930s, the Kebo Bottle Opener is a modern interpretation that offered better seamless function and classic styling. It was cast of stainless steel and polished to a mirror finish because it needed to feel good in your hand and be a sculptural if not architectural piece. The “Kebo®, short for “bottle key”, won the Innovation Award in the ‘Handtools and Cutlery’ category at the 2012 International Home and Housewares Show. Fun times were had in research and development (yes, we drank a lot of beer) as well as press in Men’s Journal, Core 77, Buzzfeed, Fast Company and the Today Show. Kebo was sold at many local shops, small businesses and even Restoration Hardware (before its glow up to “RH”) and the Museum of Modern Art.

Kebo® The One Handed Bottle Opener is a 2012 International Home and Housewares Show Innovation Award winner.

Kebo Light

Anyone in the product industry knows that before long, knock-offs sprout up. At first when a colleague suggested we do our “own knock-off” we thought it impossible to consider anything other than the pure, stainless steel original Kebo. But when attending industry trade shows we were shocked to see derivations of last show’s newest products be presented as their own fresh ideas. It’s rough out there even with trademarks and patents in place. Enter “Kebo LIght.” A different iteration of the original Kebo with a nod to light beer. It was lightweight (made from aluminum) and available in colors so this captured a lower price point and more of an impulse buy - a bottle opener you would have on the boat or at tailgates.

Munch Stix®

One night when having take-out Chinese for dinner, our then 7 year old asked for chopsticks but mispronounced them saying “chomp” instead. This was a good chuckle, but then we said, what if chopsticks could actually chomp. We had fun introducing “Chum” the shark, “Al” the alligator and “Teri” the Pterodactyl as kid-friendly chopsticks. These were a finalist for the 2013 International Housewares Association Innovation Award and made the rounds on mom-blogs including Cool Mom Picks and A-List Mom. Retailers included kitchen and toy shops as well as the Museum of Natural History and the Georgia Aquarium.

Tre™ Bottle Opener

Returning to the bottle opener space (because beer) the last product Rush3 Studio designed and produced was a sculptural triple function beer opener crafted and contoured for 1) twist-off bottles, 2) pry-off bottles and 3) can tabs. We did a small run of these in 2017 mainly for client gifts and local sales.

Released in November of 2017, TRE is a triple-function bottle opener crafted and contoured out of stainless steel for twist-off bottles, pry-off bottles and can tabs.

Certainly a great education not only in jumping design scales and function from buildings to housewares, but in dipping our toes in the product / retail sector. We have since dialed down the product design studio for now and have been focusing on commercial and residential architecture in both South Carolina and North Carolina.

“If you can design one thing, you can design everything.” Massimo Vignelli

A Love Letter to Massimo Vignelli

January 3, 2026

Back in 2014 we learned of a letter writing request from Luca Vignelli, the son of one of our most revered designers, Massimo Vignelli, as the icon was nearing the end of his life. Designers and students from all over the world took part in something called “Dear Massimo.” People wrote letters directly to Vignelli to thank him and share how his work had inspired them. These letters weren’t about showing off design skills. They were personal messages about how his ideas helped people think differently about design and creativity. The project showed how much Vignelli, often referred to as “maestro,” meant to the design community as a person, not just as a famous designer. Massimo Vignelli believed that design has a purpose: to communicate clearly and honestly - the “Dear Massimo” letters prove that his influence went beyond posters and logos—he inspired people.

Even if you think you don’t know Massimo Vignelli, you probably do. He was born in Italy in 1931 and became one of the most important designers of the modern design movement, in our opinion. Vignelli believed that design shouldn’t be complicated or trendy. Instead, he thought it should be timeless and easy to understand. He loved clean layouts, strong grids, and simple shapes. Vignelli worked on many well-known brands, including American Airlines, Knoll, and the Stendig calendar. One of his most well-known projects was the New York City Subway Map from 1972. Instead of trying to copy real geography, Vignelli used straight lines and bold colors to make the system easier to read. While there was a fair amount of dissenters in part due to lack of representation / realism, it became very influential in the design world. A reproduction graces the wall of our home studio as a reminder to think differently and more creatively.

In May of 2014, Julie Lasky wrote a piece for the New York Times called “Massimo Vignelli: A Master in the Grammar of Design” which memorialized the “Dear Massimo” campaign and last letters (over 1,000) to Vignelli. Suprisingly, Lasky included a portion of a letter sent by RDA’s own Judy Dixon, closing out the piece.

Judy Dixon, an architect and product designer in Mount Pleasant, S.C., for instance, never met the maestro, but she had absorbed his principles and was prepared to quote them back to him. “Mr. Vignelli, ‘If you do it right, it will last forever,’ ” she wrote. “Please know you did it right.”

Click here for a short video which accompanied Lasky’s piece: Massimo’s Last Letters.

Barkitecture 2025

September 21, 2025

It’s that time of year again when we get to mix some of our favorite things - architecture, product design, branding, and dogs - into a design competition entry. The annual Charleston Animal Society “Barkitecture” Doghouse Design Competition aims to blend innovation and design with the comfort and well-being of our furry friends, creating spaces that are both functional and stylish. The entries are currently up for auction and will be displayed at the “Emerald City Gala - Applause for Paws” fundraising event scheduled for Saturday 10/4 at the Gaillard Center in Charleston, SC.

Our 2025 doghouse design, “Dot” is an edited, refined version of last year’s design, “The Dottie”. This collection is intended to offer dual-function, furniture-quality designs to enhance and declutter your shared space. With a quartz top and solid wood construction, this piece can serve family pets and their loving families for generations. See the gallery below for renderings and production progress photos and note our amazing partners below that made it all happen:

Palmetto Surfacing

Robert Thomas Iron Design

Harbor Contracting

Lowcountry Case and Millwork

Rush David Dixon IV Photography

Dave Dixon: Millwork / Assembly

Mr. Tibbits the Whippet: Model + Muse

The auction for “Barkitecture” doghouses is now live with proceeds going to The Charleston Animal Society. Click HERE to see all of the entries. Consider taking a look, bidding, or just donating if you can.

Barkitecture

November 15, 2024

In case you are wondering how to get our attention, find a way to mix four of our favorite things - architecture, product design, branding, and dogs - into a design competition. That is exactly what the Charleston Animal Society did with their “Barkitecture Competition.” In partnership with AIA Charleston (American Institute of Architects), this contest aims to blend innovation and design with the comfort and well-being of our furry friends, creating spaces that are both functional and stylish. The entries are currently up for auction and will be displayed at the “Paws in the Park” event scheduled for Saturday 11/23 at Brittlebank Park. Our design process (moderately supervised by our whippet, Mr. Tibbits) covered many iterations for both interior and exterior shelters, color studies, nods to mid-century modern architecture, etc. and was ultimately memorialized into a catalogue “Mod Pods - Luxury Indoor Digs + Accessories for Pets.” “The Dottie” was chosen to be fabricated for auction with the expertise of our friends at Low Country Case + Millwork. (Special shout out to David Stasiukaitis and Ken Hibner!)

Scroll to the end for a video of the finished product and click HERE for a sneak peak and to start your bidding.

Not Built for This

September 15, 2024

We just passed our 30 year anniversary of living and working in Charleston, SC and have seen quite a change to the built environment in retrospect. While there is much to notate on the changes since 1994 (population growth, multi-industry economic solidification, our ability to not freak out as much at the sight of a Palmetto Bug), one thing that has not changed is watching the tide chart when there is rain in the forecast lest we find ourselves navigating through flooded streets. Flash back to our first landlord ferrying us in his canoe from our attic apartment on Halsey Street to our car parked on higher ground a couple blocks away. Then there was the time we were returning home from a late night in the office and drove through what we thought was a puddle in Hampton Park Terrace to the detriment of our 2000 Volkswagon Beetle’s transmission. We were still learning that water in the streets is a big deal. Throw in multiple mandatory hurricane evacuations due to storm surge threats, heat waves, coastal erosion and the sub-effects of each, and it’s hard not to be thinking about lessons learned and how best to design in the future. Enter a new discovery from Roman Mars and his team at 99% Invisible, one of our go-to podcasts.

The "Not Built for This" series from “99% Invisible” explores the intricate relationship between design, infrastructure, and the unexpected challenges that arise from our built environment. It delves into how many structures and systems, while ostensibly functional, often fall short in addressing the realities of everyday use and unforeseen circumstances. Through engaging storytelling, the series highlights various examples, from inadequate public transport accommodations to the shortcomings of urban planning, ultimately prompting listeners to reflect on the importance of thoughtful design that anticipates human needs and activities. By shedding light on these issues, "Not Built for This" encourages a reconsideration of how those involved in development, design and construction approach architecture and urban development to create more resilient and adaptable spaces. Below is an itemized glimpse at each episode.

Episode 1: ‘The Bottom of the Bowl’ Emmett FitsGerald talks about the devastating flooding that happened in his hometown of Montpelier, VT.
Episode 2: ‘The Ripple Effect’ (Paradise, CA) “This is the story of what happened after the famous fire in Paradise, California, and where many of the survivors ended up. It’s a cautionary tale about a town caught in the cross hairs of both the climate crisis and the housing crisis, and what happened when thousands of displaced people showed up on its doorstep.” NBFT
Episode 3: ‘The Price is Wrong’ illuminates how the literal cost of climate change trickles down to the homeowners in Florida as insurance companies are realizing the risk is no longer paying off.
Episode 4: ‘Unbuilding the Terrace’ shows us the effect an alternative approach to handling flood-prone areas has; instead of homeowners rebuilding and hoping for the best, government programs are helping residents move to higher ground.
Episode 5: ‘The Little Levee That Could’ spotlights a hard won infrastructure project - Hamilton City, California’s levee.
Episode 6: ‘Maximum Temperature’ “The impacts of climate disasters are often measured in terms of property damage. But in places like Phoenix, Arizona, and in hot places all over the world, climate change is wreaking a very different kind of havoc – on living things. In the final episode of Not Built for This, we reckon with the biological limits of climate adaptation.” NBFT

Click here for the series landing page.

Figure Ground Diagram - Charleston, SC [Judy Dixon]

Figure Ground Mapping - A Graphic Study of the Built Environment

April 17, 2024

We came by a love of maps and aerial photography honestly - fascinated by the built environment, scale and the patterns of urban design. Whether gazing out of the window seat on a plane or studying an historic Nolli map, seeing the relationship of buildings and adjacent open spaces in cities and towns provides insight and lessons for our design work. Of particular interest is the ‘Figure Ground Diagram’ which is typically a high-contrast graphic showing built and unbuilt spaces. As Morphocode describes, “A figure-ground diagram is a mapping technique used to illustrate the relationship between built and unbuilt space in cities. Land coverage of buildings is visualized as solid mass (figure), while public spaces formed by streets, parks and plazas are represented as voids (ground). In urban planning, this simple yet powerful graphic tool is used to explore built form patterns and the continuity of open space.” [Read more about the Figure Ground Diagram and its origins at Morphocode’s website here.]

As a way to further study such urban patterns and pay homage to locales where we have lived or are living, RDA architect Judy Dixon created diagrams for Charleston, SC; Blacksburg, VA; and Saluda, NC. Each scale varies and was chosen specifically for that city or town to memorialize the differing urban patterns i.e. a walled city, a college campus and a more rural historic town.

Figure Ground Diagram - Blacksburg, VA [Judy Dixon]

Figure Ground Diagram - Saluda, NC [Judy Dixon]

Bookshelf: Unpacking My Library - Architects and Their Books

January 15, 2024

We were recently gifted a copy of Jo Steffens’ book “Unpacking My Library: Architect and Their Books” published in 2009 by Yale University Press. A book about architecture books, how perfect. The book is launched with Walter Benjamin’s essay “Unpacking My Library: A Talk about Book Collecting” then followed by 10 chapters each focused on a notable architect or duo and their collection. In a spectacular show of comprehensiveness, each chapter has an in depth interview with the architects illuminating their relationship with books, varied sources of inspiration plus details about the physical book case design (manufacturer, number of volumes, linear dimensions, materials of the actual shelves) complete with a wide shot in situ and shelf-by-shelf thumbnails. The summary of each chapter is a list of their Top Ten books. Be still our hearts - we fully understand we are a different breed - equally excited about design inspiration, information sources, furniture design and a peek behind the (bookshelf) curtain of the “greats.”

“ This book captures a representative cross-section of these notable libraries, mapping the intellectual and emotional terrain of present-day architects and scholars…Each architect’s collection is unique and informs its owner’s practice in surprising ways. Tod Williams and Billie Tsien’s library, for example, is remarkable for its archaeological and literary aesthetic, while Liz Diller and Ric Scofidio’s library is imbued with a techno-eclectic and pop-cultural sensibility.”
Jo Steffen

In a surprise to no one, we were not invited to be a part of Steffen’s book, none-the-less here is a glimpse of our own collection and current Top Ten architecture books. Happy reading!

**Dimensions: 15”(h) x 30”(w) each, 30lf total**
**Manufacturer: Custom built-in cabinets by** **Mountain Showcase** **(design by Rush Dixon Architects)**
**Materials: Maple painted** **Sherwin Williams “Iron Ore”**
**Number of Books: about 375**
**Photo:** **Keith Isaacs**

**OUR CURRENT TOP TEN**

**Grain Elevators by Lisa Mahar-Keplinger**
**The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs**
**The New Architecture and the Bauhaus by Walter Gropius**
**Modern Architecture - A Critical History by Kenneth Frampton**
**Between Silence and Light - Spirit in the Architecture of Louis I. Kahn by John Lobell**
**The City Shaped - Urban Patterns and Meanings by Spiro Kostof**
**Rural Studio - Samuel Mockbee and an Architecture of Decency by Andrea Oppenheimer Dean and Timothy Hursley**
**America’s 5 & 10 Cent Stores - The Kress Legacy by Bernice L. Thomas**
**Aldo Rossi - Architecture 1981 - 1991 edited by Morris Adjmi**
**New Homes for Today by Paul R. Williams**

Wing Warping - Design Inspiration for the Camp Hall Trailheads

July 31, 2023

“My observations of the flight of birds convinced me that birds use more positive and energetic methods of regaining equilibrium than that of shifting the center of gravity…they regain their lateral balance…by a torsion of the tips of the wings.” Wilbur Wright

Concept Design for trailheads at Camp Hall [Rush Dixon Architects]

Wing warping was an early system for lateral /roll control of a fixed-wing aircraft. The technique, used and patented by the Wright Brothers, consisted of a system of pulleys and cables to twist the trailing edges of the wings in opposite directions. Birds visibly use wing warping to achieve control. This was a significant influence on early aircraft designers. The Wright brothers were the first group to use warping wings as their first plane mimicked the bird’s flight patterns and wing forms.

Interesting stuff, but why are we researching wing patterns, you ask? If you have been following our journey designing the initial structure’s for Santee Cooper’s Camp Hall Village, you will recall that elements of nature have been the over-arching design inspiration and wing warping is our latest muse.

Santee Cooper’s Camp Hall is a next generation commerce park where “people, nature and productivity connect.” With state-of-the-art manufacturing in a setting of vast natural beauty, the design concept of “Nature and the Machine” permeates the built environment. Like the vehicles and machines produced in Camp Hall, the architecture is intended to embody precision, sleekness and innovation; the building forms are abstract interpretations of the patterns, colors and figures found in nature. The latest example is the design for various trailheads to be erected throughout the campus in which the concept of wing-warping was explored. In this case, the roof planes twist to create offset drainage. Stay tuned for progress photos of the trailheads in the coming years.