Stuart Constantine - co-founder of Core77 & Coroflot

Monkee had the pleasure to have a sit down and chat with Core77 & Coroflot co-founder, Stuart Constantine. See what he has to say about starting one of the biggest design websites in the world, who has influenced him, what we can look forward to in the future, and much, much more!

Can you tell us a little about your background (schooling etc...)?

I graduated from U. of Connecticut with a degree in history. I moved to Boston and lucked into a job as a structural packaging designer for Lotus software (back in the day!). I got that job by a referral from a friend. I worked there for a few years and got exposed to various types of design and production methods. I ended up getting interested in Industrial Design, and went back to school for a graduate degree in ID from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn.

Could you paint a picture of the year and the events that occurred that lead to the creation of one of the biggest design blogs today? 

In the autumn of 1994 I was enrolled in the ID program at Pratt, and had planned to work on an independent project the following spring with a friend, Eric Ludlum. We had no firm plans on what the project would be. In December I went to a holiday party where the company hosts were showing off their new corporate web site. I had never seen one up to that point. The next day I called Eric and suggested that we make a web site for our spring semester project. We decided to use industrial design as the subject matter, and we had a student handbook with some lists of stores, museums and other points of interest in NY. We launched the site in March of 1995, and it took off from there. 

How long did it take for your websites to gain the exposure and have somewhat of a cult following that they have now?

It was quite a long and slow start. For many years Core77, Inc. ran as a design firm, doing interaction design work for clients, while running the web site on the side. I would say the site really started getting some traction in 2001. 

What has given you the biggest challenge since starting the websites?

There have been quite a few challenges along the way. But the biggest challenge is simply one of continual evolution. The technology and environment that we're working in is in a constant state of flux, and is getting more complex every day. Keeping ourselves relevant amid the overflowing sea of options, content, media, and services is a continual challenge for us. 

How have the goals of the website and yourselves changed as the websites have matured?

We constantly ask ourselves what it is that we're trying to achieve, what are our goals, with every new initiative we undertake. Each thing we do moves the company and the community a bit farther along, one way or another. The result is that any new initiative has to be evaluated against where we are at that time, and where we are trying to get to. What this means is that our goals have never been completely straight forward, and have always been very broad. And we're constantly re-evaluating them. 

Do you find time to design as well as run the websites? if so what have you worked on/ where do you work?

Working at Core77 is my full time job. Everything I do here is treated as a design challenge. 

What are your interests in design, what do you hope to see coming from design/area of study in the future?

Of course I'm more interested in media and interaction design these days. The new crop of e-reader devices should provide a huge new opportunity for design and interaction models. This area is very exciting to me. T

What was the biggest misconception about design that you were taught in school? most beneficial?

I can't say that I was taught any misconceptions about design. Certainly many of the specific principals taught during my industrial design education I don't actively use in my work. But the general principals of a design education are of tremendous use on a daily basis. Solving problems, using appropriate technology/materials to address those problems, approaching a problem with an open mind, being willing to entertain creative and non-obvious solutions, empathy for users, understanding who you're working for, and most importantly a huge attention to detail. All of these are great skills and traits that can be applied to work and life on a daily basis, and I try to do so. 

Who has influenced you the most in your work/ who is an idol of yours and why?

It sounds trite, but Charles and Rae Eames are idols. I don't know that they've 'influenced' my work, but I certainly admire them and what they were able to accomplish. The breadth of their work is amazing and truly inspirational. 

Why did you decide to create Coroflot?

We were getting a lot of interest from the job postings we had been placing on Core77 and saw some potential to generate revenue from that. We wanted to offer a broader variety also, and creating another website that covered job listings, as well as all the other things coroflot now offers, allowed us to do so.

What makes Coroflot better then other portfolio websites?

Coroflot is a proffessional level website. The content, while varied is skill level, remains in a proffessional setting, showcasing each designers abilities. The job postings and the strong community we've created also add the users experience.

What made you decide to add the "Likey" feature?

The "likey" app is something we added to engage the community even more. Up till now i'd say it's been somewhat successfull.

What can we look forward to in the near future?

I'll tell you when we get there! 

Have you ever thought of hosting your own workshops?

Not neccesarily in a workshop setting, but we are thinking of converting part of our studio into a sound stage. Set up a nice backdrop, buy a $500 camera and record some interviews.

Any advice for young designers?

A teacher once told me that anything worth doing takes three years. One year to get it going, two years to figure it out, three years to start reaping the rewards. After three years you can reinvent whatever it is you were doing or working on. That is true in many cases and has been great advice to me for a long time.  

Big Monkee love to Stuart for inviting us to the core77 crib. Not that we need to say it, but remember to check out both Core77 and Coroflot for you daily designer needs!