Matthew Achariam
Select Work
I spend most of my time thinking about and designing solutions to technical problems. The following is a descriptive overview of my past work.
Select Work
I spend most of my time thinking about and designing solutions to technical problems. The following is a descriptive overview of my past work.
Yorgo Alexopolous creates fine art installations and sculptures using a variety of media and technologies. We've worked on numerous hardware and software projects together which started with his web identity back in 2012.
2015
Almost two years ago, Yorgo filled me in on an ambitious plan for his latest installation. It was an intriguing idea that drew inspiration from a scandal that occurred in the 90’s. If you are curious, Yorgo discusses his motivations in an interview with SF Gate.
Right from the start we knew it was going to be a complex build requiring a combination of skills across many different disciplines. I was tasked with finding the tools and materials to make this sculpture a reality.
After he presented me with his early sketches I proceeded to make a CAD mock up so we could 3D print and experiment with the form of the sculpture iteratively. We built most of the three final sculptures in-house while relying on metal fabricators for the frame.
Once the main structure was in place, there was the task of writing all the custom code to make the server come to life. I worked closely with Yorgo to dial in and create the exact look and feel for the project he was looking for.
This piece was technically and physically rewarding to work on as it perfectly lies at the intersection of art and technology.
Due to the proprietary nature of this build, I cannot share too many of the details. However, if you would like to read an in-depth article on the basic process, I put together a comprehensive overview on hardware prototyping.
2014 - 2015
Designer News was conceived as a side project of the now defunct LayerVault. The founders decided to create this community as a platform to share news about their own product and interesting news within the design industry.
I was hired to lead the project—having the right combination of product design, management and editorial skills required.
As the person solely responsible for Designer News within the company, I was required to wear many hats. I never had a typical work day.
The sum total of my efforts could be realized by several key metrics. When I started, the readership was in the thousands.
At the end of my first year, we were at several hundred thousand readers and driving several million clicks a month. 75% of DN readers visit the site every day.
After LayerVault was shutdown, I remained on as an advisor and helped Designer News find a new home at Metalab where it continues to grow.
In addition to running Designer News, I would often be tasked with work for LayerVault as well. This involved designing and creating product materials, guidelines, internal tools and helping create several new product features. Below is a list that highlights some of the major things I worked on for both DN and LayerVault:
One of the series of showcase projects I designed to demonstrate the features of LayerVault. This project played a role in winning over several enterprise clients including Spotify, Pebble, BBC, and Expedia.
A collection of short films.
A series of experimental vector illustrations.
