Design Synthesis
Before I started studying first year design at Victoria University, the knowledge of design and art as well as issues surrounding the theory and and practise of design history which I had, was very vague. I had never studied art or design in an academic context and so feel that my knowledge was very fragmented. This course, which I found to be very logically laid out, helped to bring together these separate pieces of knowledge and consolidate my understanding. The topics which we have covered have definitely helped me to form a clearer understanding of what it means to be a designer today, what skills are needed and the different ways of approaching situations. I do not feel like I have already developed my own personal design position, but am aware of the fact that knowledge of the area is essential in the creation of an individual style. I have definitely found this course to be useful, in the way it provided a base knowledge of design themes and issues relevant to design.
Post Modern Remix
The Ontario Provincial Building, which was designed conjointly by Arthur Erickson and Reginald Nalizetti in 1987 is a post modern building with extensive influence from past architectural styles. The historical quotation in this building is characteristic of the Post Modern movement which rejects the rational and minimalist aesthetic, and strict rules of the modernists.
Classical Roman and Green influences are evident in this Erickson and Nalizetti design which combines old and new. The functionality and formalised shapes of the classical movement have been adapted to create something new, eclectic and somewhat unexpected. Classical columns were originally structurally essential, however although contemporary technological advances mean that these columns are no longer necessary, this designers of this Ontario Government building have still included them in the design. The pillars create a façade which is impressive, demands attention and a focal point on the road, thus suggesting value of the building in society. The inclusion of these columns and the fact that they have been made of metal, is suggestive of the rejection of the modernist concept of material truth and minimalism.
This building seeks exuberance through arguably unnecessary size and scale (with particular reference to the columns), strong angles and use of unexpected materials teamed with references to some of the most significant and well known buildings in the classical era as well as a strong focus on aesthetics.
Design and the Ideology of Perfection
Sexuality is one of the most powerful tools used in marketing, advertising and design today. Humans are naturally curious about sexuality and for this reason, sex sells. Historically, attractive people, typically women have been used to prompt consumerism in society. The sexualisation of men and women in advertising is the catalyst for the current day ideals of the ‘perfect’ body, which instills somewhat false ideas into the minds of the pubic.
The use of sex in advertising and design does not only sell a product or attract attention, but also promotes several values and attitudes concerning sex. Designs using sex, often objectify women, suggesting that they come with a product, or that through use of a product the user will become more attractive and ‘sexy’ to the opposite sex. Sex is present in a wide range of promotional material and this abundance leads to the idea that perfect appearance is normal and achievable. This prompts both men and women to feel negatively about themselves, when in fact, the perfect models they are exposed to on a daily basis have been airbrushed and modified to be unnaturally flawless. Sex is not only used to sell appearance related products such as clothing, cosmetics and fragrances (Calvin Klein advertisement pictured above), but also also for products not traditionally affiliated with sex (Vacuum Cleaner advertisement pictured above).
This over-sexualisation of men and women in order to gain the attention of the public and ultimately sell, links to the current day ideology of perfection. As media puts more pressure on the individual to be sexy and attractive, people are becoming increasingly obsessed with body image. This idea of perfection is not only limited to appearance and sex but also with consumerism in general, with the materialistic idea that buying and owning new products brings happiness and fulfilment.
Design and Identity
I feel that answering the question of who you are as a designer, is as hard as answering the question of who you are as a person. The issue of personal identity has always been hard for an individual to define or understand, and I feel this is no different when specifically design related. Our unique backgrounds, including the way we have grown up, our cultures, religions, genders and life events, all shape the way we behave and this translates into our work. However I don’t believe we always understand these influences and the effects they have on us as ‘designers’ until later on in our lives.
I was born in the UK and feel lucky to have had the opportunity to live, work and travel overseas. I look forward to further investigating and drawing ideas from this cultural diversity I have experienced and feel that I am constantly noticing and learning more about how my background seeps into my design work. I don’t feel worried that I don’t fully understand this yet, as I am of the opinion that we have only just started our long design pathways, and as time goes and we form stronger ideas about who we are as people, our personal stories will become more and more apparent in our design ideas and work.
Technology and Progress
The Bauhaus, or ‘The School of Building’ is the one of the most well known design schools in the world and known for its revolutionary principles of teaching, methodology and style. Founded by Walter Gropius in 1919, the school aimed to combine the artistic creativity and expressiveness of fine art, with the processes and functionality of craftsmanship and technology. This goal to disregard the conventional distinctions between the two, lead to a innovative pedagogical style which has since influenced design and teaching around the world.
Today, almost all design and art institutions have the adopted the Bauhaus model of a preliminary foundation course in which students experiment with fundamental design and art ideas. The broad first semester, or ‘Vorkurs’ as is was known as at the Bauhaus school, focused on bringing together many different disciplines, processes and techniques. This introductory course, lead by Johannes Itten, encouraged a “new way of seeing” and is very similar to the First Year Design (FYD) programme at Victoria University Faculty of Architecture and Design. The FYD programme encourages the same sensory exploration as the Bauhaus School, through feeling, thinking, trusting and engaging intuition and intellect and practising expression and construction.
The ‘Vorkurs’ helped students to develop a base understanding of design theory and practise these skills, ensuring that decisions concerning a design specialisation were not made too early. This notion is similar to FYD as all students study the same papers in the first year and choose between Culture and Context, Media and Industrial Design in the second year. Assignments for the FYD students focus on conceptual experimentation, exploring ideas such as rhythm, balance, symmetry, contrast and movement, and illustrate clear links to the teaching methods of Itten.
Both design schools have very intellectual undertones in comparison to other schools which have a more hands on focus. This academic approach, inspires forward thinking and promotes the idea that design can be utilised for the betterment of society. The Bauhaus movement is associated with the advancement of German culture and design and the reaffirmation of status after the First World War. The Victoria University design programme encourages this same idea of design being instrumental in the betterment of the world in a time of uncertainty and turmoil.
Modern Vision
In ‘The work of art in the age of Mechanical Production’, Walter Benjamin voices his opinions on individuality and the affects of mechanical reproduction on art. Up until the invention of the camera, value of art was linked to it’s uniqueness and the ‘magic’ surrounding the piece, but nowadays what gives art it’s value does not seem to be so clear. The destruction, or at least attenuation of this ‘aura’ due to the rise in mechanical production, signals a transition from appreciating art for its unobtainable nature and almost divine, traditional properties often linked to religion, to the new and evolving materialistic desire of the contemporary masses to bring things closer, obtain and hold at a very close range.
Benjamin associates photography with this decline of an ‘aura’ or authenticity of art. Photography has no original. it’s reproducible nature, due to the negative, means that an image is easily accessible, there is no difference between the first developed photograph and the latter developed. Photography meant that for the first time, the middle and lower classes could appreciate and own art works and feel a sense of social standing.
Today, value does not seem to be as closely related to ‘aura’ as it used to be. However, I believe there is still demand for the authentic. The unique existence of an object has been substituted for a plurality of copies, but the role of the authentic still exists. Aura can be compared to nature, for example the dappled shadow of a tree perceived in a unique moment. A photograph can be taken of this moment, but without the feeling of presence, without actually being there, the aura does not exist in the ‘soulless’ image. People do realise this, if this realisation and desire for the original was not present in today’s society, original pieces of art would not be sold. Possession of rare or original objects will always be associated with success and wealth. Interaction with these originals brings about a strong sense of excitement, a feeling which is not experienced in such a way through the viewing of a copy.
Design and Craft
As awareness of current environmental issues increases, so does pressure on manufacturers and designers to produce environmentally friendly, yet functional products. Fumi Masuda is an industrial designer extremely concerned with the environment. He works on research projects concerning eco-design and attempts to apply the philosophy of design for sustainability to all his design practise.
His beautifully crafted ‘Pile Chair’, pictured above, is hand built out of discarded wooden furniture. Masuda endeavours to look at all recycled or ‘second hand’ objects as raw materials for new designs, instead of the end product. His very holistic approach to design, creates beautiful furniture and highlights the fact that it is possible for well crafted designed to be made of materials previously though of as junk. ‘We should come back to learn from nature. There is no waste in nature. Everything just goes in circles, everything is recycled…It is our responsibility to reuse products again and again.’ Masuda’s works such as ‘Pile Chair’ offer inspiration to designers, encouraging sustainable design and craft and setting the standard for eco- design of the future.
Beauty and Utility
Jones argues in The Grammar of Ornament (1856) that the primary function of design should be the purpose and that decoration should be of secondary importance. This idea came about in the late 19th Century after the time of the Industrial Revolution which brought about a massive social, political and economic shift to society. With the machine age came a massive surge in production with no rules to adhere to and the birth of the middle class, a class very keen to mimic the wealthy.
Jones’ idea reflects the attitudes of the reformists, a group of upper class men who wanted to re-define the separation between themselves and the lower classes and bring a sense of regularity to the design world. These influential and powerful men devised a set of design principles and believed that unnecessary embellishment of design should be avoided, leaving design to be functional and simple. The image pictured above features a lamp which has been made to resemble a tree. It is an example of decoration being constructed and is an object which would have been opposed by Jones and other reformists. Jones was of the opinion that representation should not be entirely realistic but rather of an abstract nature in order to keep the design ‘pure’. This new style was different to popular culture and was an acquired taste intended to re affirm the difference from the upper class to that of the general public.
To a certain degree I agree with Jones’ idea, function should most definitely be of paramount importance. There is no point having a beautifully decorated object which does not serve it’s purpose. However, the principles of design which these men developed did not not seem entirely clear. Pugin, a designer who played a crucial part in the design reform, did not adhere to these set of very restricting ground rules himself. The idea that decoration should not be constructed is valuable in ensuring the function of an object is not forgotten due to unnecessary decoration, however I find these construction laws to be somewhat creatively suppressive and misleading.
The Sensual Impulse
In the Classical era of the mid 5th century BC design functionality was thought to be of paramount importance, with designs being rationally developed and aesthetics being of secondary importance. This period in history, associated with ‘yin’, masculinity and aggression, was evident up until the 16th century AD .
The political stability in certain areas of Europe during the late Renaissance, presented an opportunity for artistic experimentation. Artists such as Michelangelo started to stretch boundaries and challenge societal expectations, bringing about a more feminine or expressive aesthetic, or ‘yang’.
This transition, from an intellectual and logical design precedence to more emotional and irrational priorities, was the start of a new artistic movement. A new, somewhat controversial aesthetic emerged, which combined organic forms found in nature ,with luxurious and expressive embellishment, creating art and design which is sensually alluring, sometimes referred to as the sensuous impulse. This embodiment of feminine curves and seductive creativity is evident in the Baroque, Rococo and Art Nouveau movements.
Throughout history aesthetic predominance has swung back and forth between being rational and masculine (Bauhaus, Neo-Classicism) and irrational and feminine (Baroque, Rococo, Art Nouveau).However despite a recent prevalence of more rational and masculine design, interest in sensual, feminine style is still evident. The piece of furniture pictured, a buffet and wine rack designed by Axis FormLAB, is a fusion of fluid, natural curves and modern, geometric minimalism. Designers today look to this sensuous impulse, finding inspiration in nature’s expressive, feminine beauty in order to fulfil the human subconscious desire for sensually pleasing design.
Antipodes water
Despite the rise of the environmental movement in the 1960s and 70s, it is only recently that the general public has become aware of the extent of the problems surrounding the environment. Unfortunately being environmentally friendly still often has negative connotations. Designs such as ‘Antipodes’ water bottles, which are beautifully designed and made of hard wearing, reusable and recyclable glass, make being eco-friendly more fashionable and prompt people to think about the future and what they can do to make a difference.
