2008년 10월 25일 토요일

Remember The Numbers / Design Perspective



1. Remember The Numbers

For our very first assignment, we had to research designs that dealt with Passed and past. Motivated by the presentation, I decided to search for objects that remember the deads. 2650BC the kings of the ancient Egypt were buried in a gigantic building, pyramid. Pyramids were designed to protect the kings' body forever but they meant more than just a final resting place, but a symbol of power. If there is a gigantic building which protected the dead's physical body, there is also bible. Words in Bible promised new life in heaven and the eternal protection was given by God. There is an interesting contrast between the pyramid and the bible. Not only in sizes, has pyramid dealt with one individual, when bible deals with countless people. This fact tells us not to measure power of monument/object due to their sizes.
The third in time line isn't a building or an object. It's a song called, Requiem. Requiems are sung in mass. First requiem was thought to be composed by Guillaume de Machaut but after 1600s it was so much more developed. Guillaune de Machaut said he wanted to calm the sad souls and remember them.
The fourth is the camera. Since the invention of the camera, it captured and recorded people’s lives and their faces. Rather than reading and imagining we can now look at the history with our own eyes.
My very last one in timeline was a phone. Ever since cell phone was invented, every one of us started to possess one. I personally think it was the day I got my first cell phone. I was given a number my very own one. And I think it was the same day many people saved my number to get in contact with me. One time, I didn’t have my cousin’s number on my new phone, but I was asked to call her. I could not remember the number but my hand did. As soon as I typed in vague three numbered area code, I started to type in number after number. And I called her. I came to thinking; if I die, people will remember me with the phone number which used to represent me.
Today, it’s calculated to be 49 percent of the people in Earth have cell phone. There won’t be same numbers, so approximately 33 hundred million people have their cell phone with all different number. Now we can identify ourselves in 10 digit numbers. People might question me back, why not social security numbers? We carry around cell phones. They don’t look all the same. There are companies making cell phones, and there are designers designing cell phones. There is a design. The fact that a designed object, works as a media to connect to other people in numbers was absolutely interesting.








2. Design Perspective


Industrial revolution was on during 18th century to 19th century in England, it meant more than just a transition between 18th century and 19th century but extraordinary amount of economic growth. The functionalism movement was actively going on and their thought “Form follows function” fitted in their era. We are at 21st century and we still cannot forget that form and function should go together as one.
As a designer what should we consider most and the least? What can we leave behind? Last year when my Design Principle teacher gave me the survey sheet asking the priority in designing, I saw many options, but I couldn’t write it out what I thought the most important thing was for me. One thing I remember is that I chose the look before how it works. It was even foolish to think hard to find out which one is above on another. They were all important. Industrial design shouldn’t be locked in a steel caged name “industrial" Industrial design is an evenly mixture between art and science. The study of function and form should be applied on the product. Also the designer should be able to find the connection between their products and the user. Always thinking how to make our life better is the key point. In my opinion there are three requirements that designers should have. We, as designers, have to have eyes to look far enough, skills to bring imagination to life, and emotions to feel as a customer. Designers need to visualize future and read it before any others does. Being ahead of any other is important. Even if you have an awesome imagination with excellent description in words wouldn’t help any, it will require skills to bring it to life. Emotions are very important, no matter how good the design is, if it doesn’t cross customers’ minds, it won’t be a good product. A product that emotionally appeals is important. Sometimes having a mindset as a customer helps on appealing to customers. I want to be a designer who can breathe in and out with the customers. Understanding customers and making connections between them to my product is the most important key for my design perspective.

"Industrial Design (ID) is the professional service of creating and developing concepts and specifications that optimize the function, value and appearance of products and systems for the mutual benefit of both user and manufacturer." According to the IDSA (Industrial Design Society of America)


Rocking chairs



Lighting





Dealing with the Passed/Past

2008년 10월 19일 일요일

Passed/Past


Ancient Egyptian kings were buried in a tomb designed to protect his body forever. This gigantic tomb was called a pyramid. With this tomb, the king would be remembered and his soul would live eternally. They soon became not only a final resting place, but a symbol of power.




Bible represents Christianity and for long time Christianity promised believers with new life in heaven. Regeneration of life could be achieved through words of Bible.



First requiem was started out by Guillaume de Machaut and developed so much more after 1600s. The perpose of the requiem was to be played at mass. calm the sad soulds and to remember them.



Invention of camera allowed to record people's lives, and their faces. Now instead of reading we look at history with our own eyes.




Now we are at the time where everyone has their own cellphone with their own cellphone number. We are the generation who we can remember the deads with their phone numbers.