Why Urban Matter ?

My project partner, Valeria who is working with me on Silent Lights, asked about the name ‘Urban Matter’. I couldn’t remember exactly why we started calling ourselves that. I did remember that my friend Aaron had brainstormed with me regarding the name, few years ago and I found our chat transcript today. Just realized that his suggestion was ‘urbinform’. I think, it turned into urbanmatter after more conversations around ‘inform’ and ‘matter’. Matter felt more universal and had materiality to it versus inform which felt more data driven. This conversation that happened on 27th April 2009 with Aaron around urbinform is interesting too. Here goes –

5:48 PM me: which name do you like the best? urbanation, urbaninform , urbanmatter, urbanarc

thinking of a name for my company

5:52 PM aaron: hmmmmmmmm

urb-in-form

me: ah

5:53 PM all broken up huh

hmm

aaron: no not really just use dit to show the over laps  sucha as

1) urban form

2) urban inform(ation)

urban in formation (forming)

5:54 PM 4) informing urbanity (implied)

i like!

me: hahaha…me too

i like the urbaninform and iterations of it the best

5:55 PM aaron: yep

me: the domain name for urbaninform is taken

aaron: i think its closer to your attitude/ethic as well

me: so maybe will use an iteration

aaron: thats why i sed urbinform

instead of urban its urbin

sounds the same

5:56 PM and is easier to say thanurban inform

jusst urbinform

me: ah..that might be availbale

5:57 PM haha…rick likes it too

aaron: yep

word

me: thanks

aaron: my pleasure!

thanks for asking me!