Design Pattern Experience

My experience was that acknowledging the evolution of important players in the design world brought to my perspective a more intimate relationship with categorizing these aspects of the design world in a more organized way. I don't think it really shifted my design perspective because we only ordered them based on time-frames, but it was nice to see the influence that older societal influences had on later ones.

Worlds Fairs and Design

The 1964 world's fair was one in which internationalism was embraced. Technological advancement from different countries beamed the futuristic and innovative thinking occurring around the world. The fair marked the age of mass production and mass consumerism, which meant the prominent presence of big corporations.

Politically, the fair represented the competitive marketing edges of these corporations, for purposes of power and recognition. It also encouraged the idea of global expansion for US companies. This meant influencing other cultures with ideas of western values and traditions.

Showcasing a new ideal for home-life in the modern era now made easy via buy new toys and trinkets, meant the sociological change of rethinking gender roles in society. This may've not been so obvious at first, but implying that  homemaking can be an act of little to no effort, would mean that women would be freeing up a lot of their time.

Culturally, being exposed to other societies from around the world provided a new understanding and rethinking of our own, as well as also influencing others. The worlds fair gave to iconic cultural artifacts that are still recognizable and used in our everyday lives.

Explorations Unit Review

With explorations, the idea of borrowing from the past and looking to the future come together and work in unison to express a rapidly changing society post and pre war. Several factors aid this idea such as technological advances, changes in sociological perspectives, as well as political views, and being exposed more prominently to other countries' ways in which they think of design.

The world's fairs bring about more sophisticated ways in which we communicate our design ideas across the world. It's purpose generated a likeness in innovation across countries and ways in which we reinterpret them in our own ideas. Technology becomes more sophisticated and introduces a more diverse range of materials in which we "explore" to create forms that have never before been thought of. Forms that integrate the human form and reflect an aesthetic that correlates the shift in design to modernism.

Modernism deals with lack of ornamentation and expressing the idea concepts in the most crisp clean ways while keeping in mind complete utilization. This shift was the result of technological advancement as well as urbanization. Urbanization caused designers to rethink ways in which they interpreted building design because the observant architect would notice that people in rapidly growing cities would oftentimes be in such a hurry that they wouldn't stop to notice any small ornate details.

Design is still looking to the past whether to be inspired or the desire to build up to never leave our intents, with the advent of steel. This allows more freedom to build up and build up we do to never before thought of heights. Geometric lines and forms in our buildings reflect modernism and houses began to take on different forms as well.

Subsequently,  bungalows were also thought of in terms of thinking about how people leaving behind a more rural lifestyle might look to a more simple and temporary dwelling. These dwelling borrowed on ideas of the past that give the impression of order.

The bungalow also reflected the sociological shift of urbanization, which directly related to production on a massive scale due to technological advances. A growing economy led to jobs in the city, and people wanting a piece of capitalist cake. This meant smaller spaces due to less family time, and more neat design choices due to a diminishing house servant staff. This also meant consumerism on a larger scale. Woman were for the most part integrated into the role of house wife which gave them the freedom of most design choices, and encouraged corporations to appeal to this group.

International design finally is where we left off. It is the business of countries borrowing form each other and reiterating it into their own cultures. This coincides with more broader ways of communication and advertisement. Growing economies look to other countries as potential clientele and we see a blending of ideas. Exploring other countries that learn from their own past experiences is how we are able to find a commonality with each other.

Determining Design

I think that when it comes to leading design, the ultimate driving force in my opinion would the be the commissioner of whatever the project amy be. I think that without a purpose, design would have no direction. Several factors determine this direction such as cultural and sociological influences, and these directly affect the shape, colors, and other elements of design that will be materialized by the actual designers (architects, interiors, etc).

The main focus for designers in general when it comes to functioning objects, places, and spaces, is the appeal of their clients. Without this concern, they will have little incentive if any at all when it comes to designing (unless they were that passionate about it in which case it would be a hobby that falls under the radar). The main idea however, is to bring about upmost utilization and human comfortability in all settings of design for their user. These clients determine a set direction of all involved in design based on the aforementioned factors. This is via a well considered, thorough analysis of the users intent by both the actual users and the designers perspective.

Other factors will shape the design process like environmental plausibility and resources, but for the most part, outwardly influenced commissioners set the table.

International and Global

In the 1960's, "international" meant products being advertised could reach far distances, making it easier for other countries to adapt to current ideas happening elsewhere. Style, products. and even foods could be translated in other parts of the world, virtually making everyone in sync with one another across nations.

In today's culture, what it means to be "global" is to be attuned with all information of the world. We are in an age of infinite information, what other countries are doing is our business and I think to be global, is to be involved in matters outside of our own. This doesn't necessarily mean mimicking what other countries are doing, but instead creating a mutual understanding with other cultures.

La Chaise

Shown here is an image of La Chaise by Charles and Ray Eames. This chair is structured with a contrasting combination of organic and geometric, yet the subtle use of repetition and degrees of flow that correspond to the human form give the idea of a corresponding relationship.

The form's intention was to allow the user to sit comfortably for long periods of time. The organic shape that is created gives a sense of human body conformity, sinking in the center. The gaping center looks as though it's purpose is to prevent a vacuum affect when standing up from this chair, but also gives a nice focal point. La Chaise gives of the essence of  a piece that belongs in a fine art gallery, yet the entire form took into consideration the complete comfortability and function of the user.

With technological advancement came more freedom to produce the elegant forms with varying materials. This allowed new approaches to comfortability and how we interact with furniture. With the La Chaise Lounge, soft plush materials are absent that would give the impression of absolute comfort from the point of view of a potential user, yet you get the impression that comfortability can be achieved with form. The contours of this chair to adhere to the contours of the human body give the impression that  upmost utilization while minding to comfort without the use of soft or plush materials, can be achieved with the right lines and engineering.

Residential vs. Commercial

I think that commercial buildings slightly echoed residential. I think with designing commercial buildings, keeping with the familiar to make the unfamiliar approachable, is what designers keep in mind in way of designing for various types of functionality.

These two structures serve very different purposes but could be considered to have a relationship. You see that in the neutral colors being used as well as the rectilinear lines present throughout each building.

Differences can be noted by the presence of a porch and chimney on the residential building. However, they both despite creating horizontals with their widths, give hints of length with their narrow horizontal windows and openings.

 These similarities show that connections were being made with how to approach commercial buildings in regard to being inspired by residential buildings




http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Okanogan,_WA_-_Commercial_Building.jpg
http://tucsoncitizen.com/retroflections/2010/05/23/the-50s-home/

War and Modernism

The affect of industrialization that occurred after WWI is an example of a political influence on modernism, while the onset of urbanization and the consumerism mentality during this time frame, can be described as social changes affecting this design revolution. 

With war comes innovation, innovation in terms of producing and manufacturing on a grand scale in order to equip military forces with necessities and weaponry. With this advancement of technology for these purposes, you get alternative ways in which to produce other goods. By creating jobs, this lead to urbanization.

Urbanization presented a dilemma in which designers have never before encountered. They had to accommodate a generation of new tastes and preferences, while taking into consideration sanitation and environmental factors. Designers were thinking about how the busy life of these urban dwellers gave little time to think about fine details and ornamentation which lead to a concept of modernization.

Manufacturing on a grand scale also leads to mass consumerism. This mindset after WWI  bred the idea that all socioeconomic classes can obtain the same type of products, theoretically.

How I understand modernism is the idea of simplicity and lack of over-stimulative attributes. With everything that was impacting society at this time, I think that this idea of modernism tries to convey order and simplicity amongst disorder and chaos.