We can think of the process of communicating a design as being analogous to telling a story.
The term “story” is used to describe a sequence of interrelated events. When one “tells” a story, one uses language, writing, acting, dance or some other medium to express those events or occurrences and their relation to each other. When used as a noun, “Design” refers to an intention or conception. When one communicates a design one uses a medium (e.g. wood, pencil, concrete, plastic etc.) to express their intention or conception, a whole made-up of various parts. The noted Renaissance era architect, Andrea Palladio wrote, “The Beauty will result from the form and the correspondence of the whole, with respect to the several parts, of the parts with regard to each other, and of these again to the whole; that the structure may appear an entire and complete body, wherein each member agrees with the other, and all necessary to compose what you intend to form.”[i]
In essence, design is both the process and product of translating ideas into form. This week I received practice in this process when I was assigned to create an inspiration board from the well know fairytale Hansel and Gretel. My translation is pictured below.
In the above design, I interpreted and explained what I saw as the underlying ideas in the story. In doing so I have drawn heavily on my background in studying psychology. This serves to enhance my design. According to the ancient roman architect Marcus Vitruvius, to be a good designer one must be widely educated in the arts and sciences.[ii]
My design is inherently representative of my viewpoint, one informed not only by my knowledge of psychology but also by the society that I live in and my place within it. Christian Norberg-Schulz, a Norwegian architect and theorist, felt that the design of a building should be analyzed on the basis of four variables: physical control, functional frame, social milieu, and cultural symbolism.[iii] Each viewpoint is as valid as the others. My individual viewpoint as a designer encompasses a multiview perspective, just like the perspectives of those who interpret my designs. Like the stories within the story of William Shakespeare’s a Midsummer Night’s Dream (a translation of which we watched in class) each is a separate entity, yet each is related, and when combined together they make-up the whole.
Furthermore, when we design we create artifacts, objects for an intended use, concrete expressions of multiple views both of ourselves and our culture. Below is pictured the trademark that I designed to use in marking my drafting projects:
In designing this trademark, I choose to integrate the first letter of my name. This choice references that one’s name is a common way of indicating ownership. It also reflects the informal first name basis of the design world. Thus, my design reflects my culture. My choice to use a common cultural reference also says something about me as an individual. I cannot avoid such referencing. It is there to be seen, but in the words of Leonardo Da Vinci, “There are three classes of people: those who see. Those who see when they are shown. Those who do not see.”[i] Thus, all of us can benefit from studying design, it shows us not only how to create but also how to see.
There is unanimous agreement among those who study design on the existence of cycles of style through out time. There are is also an individual cycle of creativity, one that gradually builds until peaking before tapering off and returning to earlier levels in later life. We also experience cycles of creativity on a weekly, daily, and hourly basis. The early psychologist Eric Fromm wrote, “Conditions for creativity are to be puzzled; to concentrate; to accept conflict and tension; to be born everyday; to feel a sense of self.”[v] It is no doubt impossible to consistently maintain such a state.
In summary, design is the story of our conceptions, and thoughts. This story is translated through multiple views into the creation of artifacts. The expression and interpretation of such artifacts goes through cycles both on the individual and societal level. It is with these ideas that I start my second semester of studying interior design.
[i] Andrea, Palladio. The Four Books on Architecture. Trans. Tavernor, Robert and Shofield, Richard.
[ii] Vitruvius, Ingrid. Vitruvius: Ten Books on Architecture. Trans. Rowland and Howe.
[iii] Norberg-Schulz, Christian. New World Architecture Princeton Architectural Press,
[iv] Da Vinci, Leonardo. Leonardo’s Notebooks. Ed. Suh, Anna H.
[v] Fromm, Eric. The Art of Being.
No comments:
Post a Comment