Boyd was invited by Eliot Noyes to participate in a panel discussion at the 1964 International Design Conference in Aspen. The conference was held annually in a tent designed by Eero Saarinen.

Physically it is a plateau 7800ft height up with snow-covered peaks around. Snow fell here the first night and it was sub-zero in the big unheated tent, designed by Eero Saarinen 9 years ago, in which the meetings are held. We live in a two-storey motel (Aspen Meadows) designed by Herbert Bayer who also designed the meeting-rooms & gallery building alongside the tent. The motel is precisely Aussie-standard: not higher not lower, except that it costs A₤10.16 per night without meals. There are 22 speakers altogether, most of them Industrial or Graphic designers. Our architects’ panel show was held yesterday. Prepared speeches in the morning, questions and answers in the afternoon. The audience consists of about 800 ‘conferees’, mostly of course American but some from Sweden, Canada… The two stars, P Johnson and P. Rudolf just breezed in for the day they were on, then shot off again to New York. Phillip is a scream all right. He sent regards to you and Diane. But he’s not serious for a second. He prepared no talk for the main panel discussion, just talked gaily, brilliant nonsense, and if picked up on a point said ‘Oh, I always say the opposite of what I mean.’ It was great fun, but a bit ‘flip’ as Paul Rudolf said. Paul hadn’t prepared anything either but spoke seriously and well, if a little uncertainly…” (pdf)