Politics of Design

Image from: http://www.smeguk.com

Considering the reading "Design and the Democratic Ideal" by Jane Pavitt I think the political and ideological messages that inform design today are also similiar to those of the past. This particularly refers to the ideas that influenced design and were formed because of the social and political reformation of Europe after the Second World War. The reading explains of the first stage of redevelopment in Europe as one of redevelopment and immediate alleviation of suffering which influenced design, but more importantly soon after it was argued that consumerism would provide an answer to the reformation of ideas and ideas in design. We still see the effects of the introduction of consumerism (a highly americanized approach) into the European design culture today, something that was fiercely debated at the time. The Smeg Designs are a good example of European products that reflect both the americanized nature of products and the influence of consumerism from the past to present.

Smeg is an Italian brand that has been producing high quality appliances since 1948, around the time of the political and social reformation of Europe. Over time Smeg has become a successful brand throughout many different countries, partly due to the design of its products and no doubt it's consumerist vision of material abundence and luxury that the brand and its products offer (such as the fridge/freezer seen above). As the political and ideology of the consumer have changed over the years, so too has Smeg. With an increased awareness of environmental issues and the global climate change, Smeg has catered to the change in opinions. Smeg has continued to offer more sustainable and environmentally friendly products whilst also of high quality and good looks, this is consistant with Smeg's mission statement "Technology with Style". In my opinion it is the the politics and ideology about sustainable living that most influences design today and this was seen as the Smeg brand evolved over the years. I believe that design that encourages or includes the use of sustainable living and products is what will shape design ideology and consumer choice in the coming years, just as the Second World War influenced design ideology and consumer choice in the past.

Cultural Context in Design

Image from: http://craftism.wordpress.com/2009/01/09/knitting-all-over/

In the "Kaupapa Maori Design" lecture guest lecturer Tracey Gardner discussed her findings between design, Maori culture and her own cultural background as a designer. Whilst Tracey Gardner was very thorough with her study into the Maori culture, I think the study of the social circumstances as well as the context of designers would have also been relevant. As a designer I would consider the social circumstances surrounding me as I grew up to be of major significance to my perspectives on design. Many of the opinions I have about my own and others work have been influenced by being introduced to arts and crafts at a young age. Throughout my family, I think the values from being of European descent have been translated through the generations through both beliefs and crafts, particularly through the females. Learning crafts has been of high importance, which is particularly relevant to the times my older relatives grew up in, where crafts were considered necessities not hobbies.

Like the Maori weaving and carving, crafts and skills such as sewing and knitting have been passed down to me. From an early age my mother and grandmothers encouraged me to create and explore these crafts and I believe this has made me appreciate the detail and craft of the handmade and in turn changed how I think about design. I think that this is also relevant to the modern Maori artists that Tracey Gardner talked about, as they too would've been encouraged to explore Maori crafts as they grew up, no doubt influenced by their family. The return to traditional crafts indicates the significance of our social circumstances from when we were younger to now, as these skills help to form and reflect on our surrounding culture. The above image shows the combination of craft and social commentary, a skill important to today's designers and our merging cultures. As a designer, I enjoy being able to combine these traditional crafts such as knitting with new and innovative ideas.

Technology + Progress

From the readings "The Werkbund Debates" and "Technology and Progress at the Bauhaus" several similarities in the method and philosophy of modern design education between Bauhaus and the First Year Design programme become obvious. One of the most important similarities is the importance placed on workshop based learning. The readings also debate between handcraft and design, something still of relevance today.

In "Technology and Progress at the Bauhaus" it is said that Maholy-Nagy agreed with the social mission of the Bauhaus but thought that versatility and open-ended experimentation with materials and technology led to greater creativity in design as well. I think this is an idea that is particularly relevant to First Year Design as in many of core course subjects we are expected to explore, experiment and abstract compositions, materials and technology in order to create visually appealing and interesting work. More examples of First Year Design sharing similarities with Bauhaus's methods and philosophies can be seen in design papers such as 104. The paper enables us to explore the virtual world of building 3D objects whilst we are encouraged to also experiment with models and drawings.

I believe First Year Design has used methods and philosophies such as those from Bauhaus effectively to creat a general first year course in which we can fully explore our potential both on our own and signify our style as a group of designers together.