Places like Target and IKEA are popular for their modern and affordable design solutions. When the average person is asked to redesign a room or decorate an existing space, he or she would most likely look to cheaper places like IKEA and Target for their needs. However, due to the demand for these stores, design becomes mass produced and loses its value. It is common to walk into different dorm rooms and see the exact same bed sheets and posters, which takes away from the uniqueness and originality that the word “design” is associated with.

The fashion industry also suffers from this phenomena. Stores like Forever 21 and H&M boasts their affordability and trendiness, which is especially appealing to anybody trying to save money without losing style. It is a regular occurrence to see girls sporting the same dresses and guys wearing the same plaid button-up shirts. More often than not, these people will avoid each other like the plague so that others will not take notice of the fashion similarities. However, little relief can be provided for such embarrassing events, as shoppers need to uphold their budgets without sacrificing the so-called “style” of the time. It is difficult to live in such a society in which originality and affordability is rarely a possibility.

Nathan Shedroff, an accomplished author and designer, believes in the concept of more sustainable design. One way that he illustrates his thoughts is through guest lectures at various events. During one of his lectures at UC Davis, he incorporates examples of how different countries developed solutions to the global problem of sustainability.

The most potent solution that Shedroff calls attention to is the subway system of Curitiba, Brazil. Buses stop at points above ground, which are built just like subways. The stops are structured to appear like glass bubbles, almost as if the passengers were underground. This defeats the need to dig tunnels and stations underground, which would use more resources. Shedroff mentions that even with the low budget of the city, designers still find a way to develop more sustainable and convenient transportation. This particular example shows the innovative solutions that people can create to better the future of both the environment and population. The method that Shedroff uses to convey his ideas is especially effective because it is a contemporary example of problem-solving for a massive issue. It is no longer a dream to become a sustainable world as countries are already utilizing techniques to lessen environmental impact.

The film Objectified exhibits different designers and their opinions and contributions to contemporary design. For example, Billy Moggridge is mentioned for his involvement with interaction design, and Naoto Fukasawa is discussed for his role as an industrial designer in Japan. One designer in particular, Karim Rashid, discusses the development of the digital camera and the evolution of its form.

Rashid is mostly known for his use of organic shapes in the objects he creates, but his insight on the history of the digital camera is useful for designers to know. The camera archetype was directly derived from cameras that had previously contained film. In the past, film would be inserted into the back of the camera, and would need to be pulled and wound in order for pictures to be taken. This contributed to the horizontal orientation of the digital camera, while the height is structured to fit a roll of film. The current technology of our society has no use for film, which means that there is no need for digital cameras to take on the identical form of older cameras. This means that cameras should be able to come in any shape that the designer chooses, but the patterns of previous times continues to influence designs today. Perhaps, in the future, the digital camera will take on a completely different form, once more people realize that the constraints associated with film are no longer present.

In the past couple of years, the media has payed a little extra attention to the size of runway models walking for fashion designers. In 2006, Spain banned “sickly”-looking models from participating in shows. If a model’s BMI were below the number deemed as “healthy,” then they would lose the opportunity to walk the runway. This, in turn, caused reactions from both arguments of the issue. Many were saying that it was finally time for “normal”-looking models to gain attention, which would influence other young girls to accept their own body type. However, people were also against this ban because they believed that designers lose freedom in their own show by being forced to use models that they previously would not have used. Moreover, girls who are actually thin by nature would feel rejected from society due to news sources claiming that the overly thin girls looked sickly and were unacceptable for the catwalk.

The design world should not discriminate any kind of healthy abnormality or difference in body types, as it is a unique form that truly creates a compelling atmosphere. Designers are constantly searching for innovations and fresh ideas that would make a successful composition. These models who are seen as both unusually small or large contribute to the vast amount of variety offered by nature. Their uniqueness should not be discriminated upon, but should be embraced, especially by the designers who often look for special qualities in anything they do.

See an article about the ban here.

Design is most commonly associated with art, color, forms, and ornamentation. However, because design is seen in all aspects of life, from the mattress that people sleep on to the toothbrush used every night, design is also an integral element in the technical arena. Most people view engineering as complex and mathematical, but those who work in this field should be considered as designers, as well.

For example, while developing a mechanism for those suffering from facial paralysis, a group of UC Davis students faced significant design problems. Their goal was to create a device that could be inserted into the patient’s eye to allow them to blink (See the article here). The importance of blinking is not usually brought to the attention of the general public, but without the ability to blink, the human eye cannot be lubricated, which often leads to blindness. Biomedical engineering students were faced with the obstacle of making a device small enough to be implanted into the facial structure while maintaining functional needs. The constraints set upon these students are very similar to the limits that designers need to overcome. Moreover, the blinking mechanism was created to solve a need, which is a goal that many industrial designers and architects also share. Both engineers and designers need to create solutions to certain constraints, in order to make improvements on particular issues, whether it be re-inventing the scissor or assisting those who aren’t able to blink. In this sense, engineers can also be considered designers.

The Bauhaus school in Germany is internationally accepted as an educational institution that churns out design geniuses. Mies van der Rohe, the designer of the Barcelona chair and the Barcelona Pavilion, studied at the Bauhaus, along with Josef Albers, a noted abstract painter and educator. Walter Gropius himself, the founder of the Bauhaus, is also known as a significant architect. However, one might question the credibility of these highly-respected institutions in comparison to other design schools.

Although the contributions of Mies van der Rohe, Josef Albers, and Walter Gropius is undeniable, the Bauhaus may be given much more prestige and attention that other equally challenging schools may not receive. The reputation of the Bauhaus as a distinguished design school may be completely accurate and well-matched with its educational rigor, but other schools are often overlooked. University of Oregon, for example, is considerably less recognized for its ability to provide an honorable education to design students. However, the university does indeed supply its students with the necessary classes and challenges in order to succeed in the design world. Many schools, both in the United States and in other countries, often fall short of the highly-esteemed respect that the Bauhaus receives. Perhaps in the later years of this century, more schools will be able to raise their own reputations and absorb as much fame and credibility as the Bauhaus. In the present day, however, scholars can look forward to the possibility of their own universities becoming internationally-renowned institutions.

Photo Credit: Bal du Moulin Rouge and Burlesque Halloween Costume

As a college student, it is difficult to ignore the throngs of young ladies dressed in revealing outfits to celebrate Halloween. Most of these outfits consist of corsets, puffed-up miniskirts, garters, and thigh-high stockings. Few women sporting this attire care to understand that these scandalous costumes are influenced by the burlesque styles developed in Europe in the 19th century. The sensual designs from the older outfits of places like the Moulin Rouge is utilized today to exude sexuality from young women.

In the times of Jules Cheret, the painter of Bal du Moulin Rouge, burlesque dancers wore costumes that would both accentuate their womanly features and playfully display their flexible bodies. The skirts were full and layered, which contrasted with the tightness of the corsets. This created the visual effect of a woman with a small waist and large hips, which remain desirable traits in modern society. Moreover, the skirts could be fluffed, twisted, and swayed to give the men a glimpse of what lies underneath. In the contemporary world, little has changed in terms of the clothing design being used to emphasize womanly features. The Halloween costume, also shown above, portrays a more modern and risqué take on the burlesque style. Although it is significantly more revealing than the dancer’s costume in Cheret’s painting, the basic form of the attire remains the same. The corset is meant to be tight and bone-constricting, while the skirt is layered and full of volume. Women of both the 19th century and present day use these outfits because the design is notorious for highlighting the most sensual features of the female form. One can only imagine the crowd of college men drooling over these women, whom, with their 19th century-inspired outfits, carry on with the full intention of being desired.

Photo Credit: Ford Fusion Hybrid

The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid is a combination of great functionality and clever design. Although one may not realize the numerous aspects of design in a car, it is evident that the Ford Fusion Hybrid utilizes the most intellectually capable design of automobiles today. It is understandable that people don’t think of “design” when they think of cars, but rather, they imagine roaring sounds of engines and cross-country journeys. After all, most of the population does not have the pleasure of riding in a newly built automobile, especially in the current economic state. However, it is the new technologically advanced features that should entice the minds of industrial designers everywhere.

The Fusion comes with multiple functions which are created for the sole purpose of assisting the driver with his or her daily needs. Located within a touch screen system between the passenger and driver, the GPS, radio, air conditioning controls, and sports scores are easily accessible. It is even possible to have the radio and GPS running at the same time, without one interrupting the other. For example, when the GPS directs the driver to a specific turn or route, the radio will temporarily decrease in volume in order for the driver to accurately understand the directions. Moreover, when the car is put into reverse, the screen displays the rear view of the car through a camera attached to the back of the automobile. When the vehicle nears an object, such as another car, the car speakers will play a beeping noise to warn the driver of an incoming obstacle. Furthermore, blind spot indicators, located on the side mirrors, light up when there is an approaching vehicle on either side of the car. These functions are meticulously designed for its audience, and, as long as the driver does not get too distracted by the array of entertainment on the touch screen, it should be much safer and easier to maneuver the vehicle. The functional goals of the designers are, therefore, completely fulfilled in the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid.

Photo Credit: Photo taken by Tiffany Trinh

In the Nelson Art Gallery, located on the UC Davis campus, hangs a quilt that ideally portrays the effects of rhythm and pattern. The piece, titled Piano Keys, was intelligently created by Avis Collins Robinson. While the piece is appropriately named, it reflects much more than simply a representation of a popular musical instrument.

From first glance, it is clear that the use of colors were purposefully placed so that one could envision, however abstractly, a keyboard. Upon further examination, however, the strips of fabric and color seem to have emotion. The rhythms of the evenly spaced bars remain constant, providing a sense of logic and reason, while the patterns of color are grouped together like random wavelengths, portraying chaos. These design principles become the basis on which Robinson is able to convey the sounds of music through art.

Due to the even rhythms of the work, the viewer can focus on sheer verticality, which would otherwise be visually prioritized had the strips of fabric been of varying widths. In this way, visitors inherently view the work from top to bottom without interruption. In the mind of a musician, it becomes possible to hear the music that Robinson creates through this method of organizational structure. It is likely to imagine, as one’s eye is allowed to uniformly travel down the piece, the disorderly noises of sharps and flats banging together, followed by the more pure noises of white keys, and ending with a combination of the two. Robinson, therefore, creates music using the constant rhythms of the fabric, as well as the chaotic patterns of colors. The effects of clashing colors and rhythmic strips leads the viewer to experience a realm of sound, rather than pure visual art.

The Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle, Washington is an ideal example of the utilization of unity, variety, and symbolism within a three-dimensional and tangible exhibit. Various artists, such as sculptor Richard Serra, contribute their own pieces to the outdoor park, which can be viewed as one strolls along the zig-zagging pathways. The entire area is joined by one continuous, angular walkway, which includes views to the monumental sculptures located within the park. Unity is, therefore, created by the continuity of the journey to different art pieces.

Variety, however, is perhaps the most emphasized design principle emanating throughout the area. Some sculptures are considered more abstract and aesthetically pleasing, such as the eagle structure, which appears to be merely a joining of separate curvilinear forms. Others are meant to be taken as symbolic and heart-wrenching, such as the “Love & Loss” sculpture, by Roy McMakin, located near the shore of the park.

The design of the entire structural area is further unified by the single meaningful and inspiring view that can be seen from one specific stretch of the walkway. From the view captured in the photo above, one sees the connection between humans and nature. The remainder of the park is hidden, as visitors are allowed to absorb the man-made elements around them, as well as the view of the rising and falling tides. As an art piece, the entire Olympic Sculpture Park is successful in evoking unity, variety, and symbolic emotion.