KARIN HIBMA AND MICHAEL CRONAN
CRONAN, BERKELEY, CALIF.
LENGTH OF RELATIONSHIP: 32 YEARS

“For years we had design offices and our solution to having our lives be together was to work together at the office,” says Cronan. “Now we live and have our studios on the same property. Life and work are the same, aren’t they?”

“Michael is as fascinating in his intensity and enthusiasm for his work as he was when I first met him,” says Hibma. What’s changed most dramatically in their 32 years together is the business.

“What was once an art form—research, requiring knowledge of resources, and of course, access to them—is now a simple check of a few search engines,” Hibma says. “What was once a few days to exchange paper documents by mail went through the innovation of fax machines to the immediacy of e-mail. We can meet with our clients and associates online. As a result, for us, design has become less about images and more about strategic thinking and innovation. We’ve worked on all sorts of projects, including designing and marketing our Walking Man clothing.” Another major project for TiVo—naming it—was a great experience for the duo. “TiVo … is a plum because it’s so familiar to both design-world folks and even our friends and family, and it’s become a household word,” Hibma adds.

For inspiration, Cronan and Hibma visit galleries and museums. “We do a lot of brainstorming together,” says Cronan of their work partnership. On the personal front, he says, “I love to cook but Karin is so much better at it, and we live just up the hill from Berkeley’s ‘gourmet ghetto.’”

Is there ever friction as a result of living and working so long together? “Always!” Hibma exclaims. For them, even friction is positive. “Wikipedia defines it as the ‘Energy of friction,’” she says.