In my first blog I pondered the definition of design and its role in shaping the world around us. I explored the concept of design as a driving force in many diverse aspects of society. At the end of the post I concluded that a cut and dry definition cannot be reached but I posted, “I hope I can further explore the ways that design affects our everyday lives and influences our perception of the world around us.”

Design is literally everywhere----in our residential, commercial, professional, and social lives. There is no place you can go where one does not come into contact with a piece that has been designed by some person at one point in time or another. Design influences every one of our senses making it a full-body experience. We are constantly being communicated with--either consciously or sub-consciously.

These designs exude a personality of their own that influences our perceptions of them based on our personal experiences. In essence, the designs that surround us actually do shape and dictate our perceptions based on the past experiences we have had that we are reminded of because of the design we are taking in.

I have concluded that design is everywhere. Design influences everyone. Design dictates our perceptions. We are influenced by design 24/7. We use elements of design constantly. Design drives our lives.

I took this picture on my trip to the West Indies and am just attracted to the boldness of the complementary violet and yellow colors and the composition of the picture and wanted to share it with you!

Asking the Big Questions

The term sustainability is one which is being thrown around on a regular basis lately. It goes hand-in-hand with the “going green” theme of today’s society. According to the Brundtland Commission (1987), sustainability is the use and development that meets today’s needs without preventing those needs from being met by future generations. Or in other words, don’t start projects or create ideas today that will be detrimental to future generations.

In Nathan Shedroff’s presentation, called Sustainable Innovation, he explores the elements which makes sustainability possible. These being design, sustainability and business. Before recently, individuals usually concentrated on just one of these elements. However, now a comprehensive understanding of all three are the only way in order to make sustainable innovation successful. Shedroff presented the material in a very outright, simple form. This communicates that reaching sustainability is a straight-forward subject that needs to be addressed head on.

Shedroff posed some questions during his presentation which I am going to ponder. These questions are actually quite complex however, so a definite answer will be hard to reach.

--What would a more sustainable world look like??

When I think of sustainability, I think of recycling and less waste. Using old shipping containers for houses and recycling products to use for flooring and decorations. I also think of less physical waste that we produce as a society--composting, reusing materials and products instead of just throwing them away to buy the new thing. Moving towards a sustainable planet will take a conscious effort from each and every person.

--What would a more meaningful world look like??

I feel like this is a more subjective question being that the term “meaningful” is interpreted differently by different people. In this way, if carried out by all, we would all care for our planet more in our own special way because of the special meaning it carries for us individually.

--What would a post-consumerist society look like??

This is a more straight forward topic but in my opinion would be the hardest to change in Western society. However changing this would actually solve all the majority of the problems of sustainability. The mindset of society would have to be completely changed. Society would have to move from always buying the new in thing and disposing of products that still work and instead find happiness in things other than continuously buying material things.

Thoughts to a Process

Objectified. To express an abstract idea into a concrete form. Throughout the entire documentary by Gary Hustwit they explore this idea of design--taking an idea, translating it into and putting it into a tangible construction, and then realizing that people interpret these elements of design in virtually every moment of their lives. And these elements/gadgets need to perform better than its predecessor without people really explicitly knowing it. The ideas are illustrated with continual visual representations of the products, the processes, and interviews with trained professionals in the field.

Design certainly does no longer follow the saying “Form follows function.” In the new modernist era, many elements are now not obviously observed and classified as what they are. Many new modernist furniture and electronics do not obviously state their function--much of them are more of a form of art instead of just pure straight, functionality.

Another idea brought up in the beginning of the movie, is that people are constantly observing elements of design and asking questions about them. I know this to be true because before th

e narrator made this statement, a white chair was being shown in production. Watching this process move towards the finished product I thought, “How is this made?”, “It looks like it is one piece but I can’t be sure...”, “Is the plastic smooth?”, “Would it be cold to the touch?”, “Is the chair ergonomically comfortable?”, etc..., etc...

Design is the search for form--the designers ask the questions and then search out a process to reach the end product. In this search for unity, a designers’ job is not about what has happened but what is going to happen.

Picture courtesy of: http://www.furniturestoreblog.com/2008/05/09/contemporary_chairs_from_bbb_emmebonacina_of_italy.html

Architecture Through the Eras

Throughout history, the styles have dramatically changed in art and architecture as new innovative designs have been constructed. Visual representation of these changes in eras can be found around the University of California Davis campus. Some noticeable buildings which stick out on the campus include the new dorms compared to the old ones, the Arts & Humanities building, otherwise known as the “Death-star”, and the buildings of Dutton Hall.

The new modern colorful dorms outside my window show some of the most recent additions to the campus. These stand out next to the old grey dorms. Though both employ minimalist techniques in their construction, but the old buildings look darker and dingier compared to the new dorms. The new ones give an air of openness because of the colors they are painted and the abundant windows and glass.

Another interesting comparison of buildings is the concrete, grey Death-star and the craftsmanship of the buildings of Dutton Hall. The modern construction of the Death-star does not offer any warmth or welcoming to its viewers. However the natural construction of Dutton Hall is a much more approachable building. The warm colors of the wood shingles and the natural pillars give off a completely different feel than the cold concrete.

Photos courtesy of: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/197/489394900_76c8fd6a4f.jpg and http://studentaffairs.ucdavis.edu/images/duttonHall.jpg

The Color of Light

The element of color is prevalent of every avenue of our lives. We make decisions on what to wear, what to buy, and what to observe based on the color we observe. Color can make one feel a certain way and have a personality of their own--for example, red exudes energy and confidence, yellow is warm and comforting, blue gives comfort and green is harmonious and natural as it is the most frequently occurring color in our outdoor environment.

Color depends heavily on the light that it is exposed to and therefore reflects to our receptor, the eye. For example, a shadow cast on the outside of the next-door dorm painted a creamy yellow-orange color. Even though the color cast by the shadow would actually be a warm grey color if I were to paint the scene, I still view the building as the same creamy yellow-orange color even though in reality it is not. This concept is called the concept of color constancy: a psychological compensation in which despite the visual physical evidence, we view the objects in the colors that we are accustomed to.

Claude Monet played with this concept of light in his color studies of poplar trees and haystacks. Painting the haystacks at different times during the day and seasons of the year, Monet studied the affect that light has on color, how it changes according to that light, and how even though hay is psychologically viewed as “yellow”, many different colors have to be taken into account to make it look real on a 2-dimensional space.

Pictures courtesy of: http://www.topofart.com/images/artists/Claude_Oscar_Monet/paintings/monet062.jpg and http://www.canvasreplicas.com/images/Haystack%20Thaw%20Claude%20Monet.jpg

Vanity

Throughout the entire Design Basics novel by David A. Lauer and Stephen Pentak the portrait of a girl in a three-quarter view named Vanity (Portrait 1) by Susan Moore shows up multiple times and is analyzed according to the concepts of the chapter. Looking at this piece so many times, the repetition of viewing this image made many impressions on me.

Firstly, the image creates a strong sense of texture. Also, the impression of the paint as crackling--raised lighter parts surrounding by receding darker troughs--gives it an antiqued appearance. The smooth, bright, highlighted realism of the eyes and the mouth make them stick out from the rest of the piece because of the vastly noticeable texture contrast.

The composition also should be taken into account in the overall way the piece communicates to the viewer. The three-quarter view of her coyly looking over her shoulder makes the audience wonder what is going on behind her somewhat eerie eyes. However, I do not know if I would interpret her expression as that of being vain. Also, the way that Moore actually crafted the piece makes it seem like the girl is either fading into the background or materializing from it as the edges the edge between the girl and the background is not definite but rather fuzzes and fades into the other.

The Drive of Competition

For today’s consuming society, there are so many products that can be utilized similarly in use and in product. The simple task of buying clothing detergent can prove to be an overwhelming task, filled with many questions you have to answer. Walking down the bright orange aisle, there seems to be twenty different types of Tide detergent alone, advertising the original, color safe bleach, cold wash, ultra concentrated, etc..., etc... On top of that, you have many different scents to choose from. Powder or liquid?? Then turn around and your eyes are overpowered with the bright bold colors of other brands; bright blue Cheer and lime green Gain detergents each offering the same range of options.

Because of the excess of products available to the public now-a-days, designers have to be creative to get people’s attention and entice them to buy their product. Products have to be advertised correctly and creatively in order for them to be a successfully selling product.

For example, analyzing my Tide with color safe bleach alternative, the designers at Tide have created a very eye-catching design. First off, the bright orange color of the bottle is automatically intriguing. Juxtaposed against the bright orange the white cap really pops along with the white and rainbow label advertising the color safe element in many colors. The interesting bottle design and clean flow of the curves made me pick up this exact bottle out of the line-up to buy instead of the many other options. Tide is no longer just an orange box with the letters T-I-D-E sprawled across the front.

This competition has to drive designers to be more and more creative and innovative in order to get their design seen and used and their voice as a designer heard. However, for the consumers, we constantly get to see new and interesting designs utilizing color techniques, intriguing shapes, and the use of new materials.

(Thank you for the picture: http://ai.pricegrabber.com/pi/73/48/72/734872576_125.jpg)

Happy Halloween Hunting

To take part in and fully enjoy the festivities of Halloween weekend always means confronting the sometimes daunting task of coming up with a costume. Personally, creatively constructing the costume is not the problem, but coming up with the idea. However, once that hurdle has been cleared, the construction process begins and other more pressing constraints most certainly arise.

I believe one of the elements that really dictates design is the availability of usable materials. For example, I decided I wanted to be a peacock this Halloween and came up with a very elaborate creative costume. However, I could not find peacock feathers anywhere. This lack of materials automatically made the execution of my design impossible. So I had to change course and ended up being Bob the Builder, thanks to Home Depot, and Pocahontas, using other types of available feathers to complete my costume. If the materials to complete a design can not be procured, the design has to be rethought or altered or dismissed until a usable one with available resources can be completed.

The art of utilizing available materials can also be related to the beautiful quilts on display in the Nelson Art Gallery. Many quilters, especially when quilts were made for actual use instead of just a hobby to be hung on a wall, the quilter would not go to the store and buy a bolt of fabric. (The quilts at the gallery do have a placard where one can read the materials used in the quilt.) Instead, they would use the materials that were available to them in their own home--a threadbare jacket, an old quilt, a pair of tattered pants, etc... This resourcefulness and recycling of materials make, in my opinion the quilt more special because it actually means something from the maker to the user.

A Second Experience

Going back to the Nelson Art Gallery to refresh my memory, I expected myself to be reminded but not again fully moved by the beautiful quilts. However, upon entering, I looked upon each quilt with an even greater appreciation--awing me all the same. Even though all of them beautiful in their own unique way, the same quilt caught my full and utmost attention. I decided this one was my favorite and captivated me the most because of its relatability to my life and its personality (if this quilt were a person, I would want to be their friend!).

In creating quilts, pattern--the repetition and basis of a design, and rhythm--the beat or meter of the design, have a lot to do with how the design is interpreted by the viewer and therefore, influences its construction. Viewing a piece is a total body experience--taken in by all the senses--whether optically or perhaps haptically. I could feel the plush warm corduroy with my eyes even though not tangibly touching the piece.

The quilt’s pattern was haphazardly organized. The squiggly lines of many different bold colors captivated my eyes and reminded me of a beautiful sunset. They were constructed in a pattern of juxtaposed blocks of horizontal and vertical lines. However, these lines were not parallel. They flowed and weaved back and forth. This created a natural rhythm to the piece--that of a calm flow of nature. Even though the quilt obviously did not talk, it exuded a kind of song. The song that went through my head was Joshua Radin’s heart-felt melody, I’d Rather be with You. These elements united the piece while making it unique.

(To listen to the song on Youtube, click here!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIADdtY9pQA&feature=fvw)

(Thanks for the photo go to http://nelsonga.ipower.com/archives/Sharecropper%27s%20Masterpiece.jpg)

Continuity in Design

While debating what to blog about on this clear, lovely fall morning, I looked out my window at the new dorms across the courtyard. Even though their being dorms makes it relatively hard for them to have much stunning architectural detail and general style/bells and whistles considering economical limitations, these clean fresh buildings were rather atheistically pleasing.

The clean modern lines and form of the building are complemented by many large glass windows and steel over-hangings. This creates much unity in the building and creates a continuity that translates to the viewer as being an organized well-constructed and thought out design. It is not cluttered or overcrowded with unnecessary patterns or accessories. Rather the consistent repetition of the windows and accessories on a set grid allows the eye to know what is coming but is not so repetitive as to be boring to the eye.

The change and uniqueness of the first story from the grid of the rest of the building makes the building more interesting to the eye instead of just a straight, overly repetitive, lined building. As a designer, I believe it is very important to find just the right balance of repetition as so it is not too boring nor overwhelming.

Color also comes into play in the unity of this design. The muted sunny beige consists of the bulk of the building is framed by the neutral modern grey brown and subdued cream complementary colors. This adds to the modern, clean feel of the building. However the colored tiles of the first story add an edgy feel to the modern subdued feel of the building. All of these elements add to the overall feel of the building and how it communicates to the public.

Valuing the Whole

“The whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts.” This phrase basically sums up the fundamentals of Gestalt psychology: a theory in which the nature of our perceptions is studied and analyzed. This Berlin school of thought looks at how the brain strives to solve and create unity in what it views.

This is true for both 2-D and 3-D images. Pulling from Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics, he describes how two circles and a line enclosed in an oval is understood to be a face. This mental schema of a simple face allows the image to be less photographic and more universal. The brain is “connecting the dots” to see something that it recognizes. This also can occur with a simple image of three lines, not touching, but in the shape of a triangle. We see a triangle because the mind automatically closes in the gaps and finds unity in the form of a triangle in the three lines. This shows that the mind is always seeking out to see something it knows.

This theory can also apply to tangible pieces. For example, take IDEO’s newly designed shopping cart. Taken out of their context and apart from the final product, the pieces used to assemble the cart would just look like a plethora of shiny pipes some wheels and hooks and baskets--nothing like the interwoven, grill shaped panels we conjure in our minds when thinking of the classic shopping cart. However, when put together, the seemingly disconnected products form a new sleek cart that supposedly will solve some of the problems that the classic cart causes: theft, safety, shopping behavior, check-out speed, etc... Applying Gestalt psychology to this concept, the mind values the end product considering its function-ability and helpfulness.

(Thank you for the photograph courtesy of http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_20/art04_20/0420pe_ideo7.jpg (in reference to IDEO’s sleek new shopping cart).)

Target goes Green

Sustainability seems to be the word and motto of this generation. Finding eco-friendly solutions to save the planet and “go green”. These ideas need to be embraced by all generations and be the approach to commercial as well as residential living in order to make way for life-style changes that will positively impact our planet.

This concept seems to be well received in the design world relating to and influencing many fields including the automotive industry (hybrids, electric cars, etc.), architecture (an example being the reusing and reinventing building resources such as old shipping containers), and rethinking everyday appliances (Energy Star, solar systems, etc.).

Just recently I visited the new Target in the town of Davis. Personally Target is “my happy place” where I like to go if I am bored or feeling down. The happy red colors that pervade the space act as a de-stresser and always make me leave with lifted spirits.

The town of Davis has really embraced the “going green” concept. And this new Target is no exception to the trend. The new Target building is LEED certified, in other words a green building. According to the U.S. Green Building Counsel website, being “LEED is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings,” concentrating on energy and water savings, selecting green building materials, and providing high indoor environmental quality.

Some people argue that it’s not enough, considering Target only is certified at the lowest, bronze level. However, this brings into question when will everyone ever be fully satisfied?? Target took a step in the right direction and did not settle for the cheapest most economical way to build their new store. This behavior from large corporations needs to be rewarded and encouraged if we are to move the entire society towards better green living. The company embraced the design resources available to this generation and made the right decision to “go green”.

(Thanks for the picture go to http://fullyarticulated.typepad.com/sprawledout/images/2007/06/19/davistarget.jpg)

Functionality as the base

Today when I was at the UC Davis ARC, admiring its beautiful construction, I realized that I was analyzing its design. The architects had to take into account that it had to be both functional and beautiful and the same time.

Functional in that the building serves a purpose--as a mini-store, with office buildings, waiting area, and a fitness gym. Also functional in that it needs to keep standing and not leak or break or fall apart. I believe these functional elements are a key to every design whether it is a large building, such as this, or a small piece of artwork; it had to not fall apart and serve its purpose.

But the beauty must always be taken into analyzing a design, in other words the aesthetics of the design. The ARC’s open ceilings and it’s construction with much glass and steel give it a very modern open feel. This goes along well with its functionality of a fitness gym. When I am working out, I do not feel claustrophobic and overwhelmed by all the other sweaty bodies. The open air atmosphere letting in multitudes of light allows for a very calming outdoor atmosphere but still being social and indoors.

The functionality of a piece is the base of which a design is built. Without the building blocks, the design would fall apart and would not be able to be appreciated to its full extent.

(Thanks for the picture: http://ucdavismagazine.ucdavis.edu/issues/sp08/graphics/arc_exterior.jpg)

Society: Influencing to be influenced

Like I said before, design is everywhere. But the ideas and inspirations for all these have to come from somewhere. These ideas can be influenced by anything that the creator comes into contact with--either in the present or references to events in the past.

Before the idea forms there has to be a need. To meet this new found need, designers then come up with the idea. This idea then forms--being shaped and influenced by the designers surroundings and elements that come into contact. These influences must be found outside one’s self.

These influences could be anywhere and are everywhere, natural or another’s manmade design. The simple swaying of a tree branch in the wind, the shape and angle of a chair, the ripples of a leaf falling in a pond or the dynamics of a passing car, simple everyday events, all could influence a designer’s existing idea or give birth to a new one. I can not tell you what influences designers. It is different for every designer, for every idea, for every circumstance.

The diversity of society drives and influences the very designs that are created for the people’s need or pleasure. I come to the conclusion that society is the inspiration that drives those to create for it. Society is influencing to be in turn influenced by the outcome--the design.

Keeping the communication flowing

Design is a subject that is meant to be shared with other people. Whether you are talking about its meaning to you, or critiquing its craftsmanship, or telling your significant other about an interesting piece that you were drawn to, design fosters communication in one form or another.

The other day I completed a group project where our group had to create a piece with random crafting objects we brought from home. There were no guidelines--we just had to create something. I throughly enjoyed this project. We talked about the random media and how it could be used to enhance the overall look of our project. After brainstorming, we jumped right into the construction of our design concentrating on textures.

As we were working we talked about the possible ways the random design could be interpreted--ranging from serious, a juxtaposition of nature and man-made elements and jokingly, a representation of the masculine and feminine sides of Lady Gaga.

I had just met all the people in my group that day. However, our conversation about the piece flowed very smoothly as we humorously analyzed it. We all found common topic and interest in the design. By communicating to each individual, the design enabled us to communicate with each other and voice our unique opinions and ideas.

Enlightening the Senses

Our world is not purely a visual experience--the scene comes alive through all of your five senses. When experiencing a sunset, the eyes do not just take in the canvas of melting colors. But the smells of the sea spray, the taste of a steaming mug of coffee, and the voices of the waves crashing against the shell-lined shore make the picture whole. Design works in the same way.

Just as nature’s art is absorbed, we experience a design with our entire body. By using all of our senses, it allows the design to be more fully understood and seen more clearly. Looking back on the quilt exhibit, I realized why each quilt exudes a unique character. It is because each individual quilt communicated to each of the senses. The quiet, cool, concrete room created a blank slate, void of influencing factors relating to the interpretation of the pieces.

For example, the stark contrast of the warm, rich, purple velvet juxtaposed against he cold, taupe concrete made me feel like they were reaching out around me and wrapping me up--warm and comforting, I could smell the chicken soup being made with the familiar sounds of my mother’s voice in the background. So you see?? I did not just “see” a quilt but I recalled a memory in it’s entirety.

Design is a full body experience. It enlightens all the senses and makes us recall a certain memory, think about something in a new light, and learn a little about ourselves, someone else, or the world around us.

Pieces of the Past

As I stated before, design surrounds and affects society in every direction turned. But how each individual reacts to their surroundings is completely different, and, well, individual. This is because of the unique experiences and history surrounding each person’s life; your life up to the point you experience a specific design dictates how you will perceive that specific piece.

Recently I experienced the exhibit African-American Quilts: The Saundra McPherson Collection and the Avis C. Robinson Collection in The Nelson at University of California Davis. As I drank in the individuality of the quilts and the beauty of the fabrics which they were composed of, each of the quilts took on a unique character.

Some were warm, welcoming, and worn like an old pair of jeans (coincidentally upon further inspection the medium was actually old jeans). Others looked loved and treasured like an old quilt made by your grandmother with love and care. Reminding me of sunsets, vibrant bold colors consisting of rich velvet and corduroy contradict the delicate and fragile soft pastel yellow and lavender hues of others. Still others bold, black and white with splashes of red made a definite statement juxtaposed by other quilts composed of a heartfelt concoction of meaningful fabrics.

Design has the ability to make an impression on the audience and stir up feelings which bring back memories of one’s past experiences. My descriptions make known a little piece of me to the reader of this blog. However, another person might be affected completely differently from the same exhibit. Pieces are designed for others to soak in and be affected by, because what would design be without a diverse audience to appreciate it??

Design and Perception

"What is design?"

This question was posed to me earlier this week. And it got me thinking, what is it exactly? Because of the broadness of the actual word, design, this poses a difficult task of pinning down a specific definition of the word and the concepts surrounding it.

The element of design exists absolutely everywhere--when sitting at a desk, being in a building, drinking out of a environmentally-friendly, aluminum water bottle, typing on a computer, and even using the bathroom. All of one’s surroundings had to be created or designed by some person at one point in time or another. And these elements are constantly making impressions on those observing them--whether consciously or subconsciously.

In today’s fast paced society, one could argue that there would be no time left for people to be truly influenced by their surroundings because of their complete involvement with school, the workplace, relationships, or playing taxi driver to screaming children. However, upon examining the comfort (or lack thereof) of lecture hall seating, the amount of lighting streaming in through a window, or the reliability of the car zig-zagging across town illustrates that we, as a society, are constantly forming opinions and are affected by the designs that surround us.

So, I know in the course of this blog I will not suddenly have an epiphany and know the exact definition of design. However, I hope I can further explore the ways that design affects our everyday lives and influences our perception of the world around us.