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Week 2: Design

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Design can be wonderful, awful, amazing, surprising and odd at the same time.
I thought about this subject while I was watching my husband working on his project for his studies: he’s working on housing with a go-cart track on its roofs. Of course, it’s something nearly impossible, and the housing would be thirteen kilometers long, but still it’s amazing what you can think about.
You can find an amazing design, very thoughtful, but there are some very unusual designs, scary ones, or just not useful....

Like here, for instance. A lamp. But lamps are boring. So it’s a lamp shaped as a flower. But it’s not very original either. So it’s a lamp that behaves like a flower: it blooms. At night, of course, at day this lamp is not a big of use, but at night… can you imagine that?

Or a floor, that’s actually a big touch screen. It feels how you walk on it, and if you fell, it calls for help!http://www.dezeen.com/2014/03/07/future-shapesensfloor-conductive-rug-turns-floor-into-giant-touchscreen/

Or better yet. Designers, architects and others decided to put famous paintings into buildings. Impossible? Well, than watch!http://www.dezeen.com/2014/03/07/future-shapesensfloor-conductive-rug-turns-floor-into-giant-touchscreen/

Another quite interesting design, is of a chair. Because usually chairs are quite heavy, and so this guy thought "Hey, why shouldn’t we fill it out with air, like a balloon?"

 I don't know, how you would feel about it, but I would be afraid to sit on it...
I have a small firm with clothing, which specializes in doing custom prints. Still, I am designing some clothes, and I do go for Fashion fairs. And so when I saw that, I just fell in love. And if ever I have enough money, I'll definitely buy or make that thing of my own!http://www.dezeen.com/2014/02/14/wave-shaped-clothes-rails-keep-items-evenly-spaced/

Another quite interesting design: basically a sofa, that you can fold and hide in a closet, ha ha!http://www.dezeen.com/2014/03/09/folding-sofa-uses-origami-to-transform-from-rug-to-two-seater/

I would love to board that plane! It would be weird knowing that a window is not a window, but a screen, but still, the experience would be wonderful, and I would get to places very fast!http://www.dezeen.com/2014/02/24/supersonic-private-jet-replace-windows-with-live-streaming-screens/

This one is just... bizarre, and funny, at the same time. But if you had something like that at home, it could freak you out easily.http://www.dezeen.com/2014/02/21/mechanical-mirrors-by-daniel-rozin-replicate-images-using-everyday-objects/

And the last one that just knocked my socks of: the reinvention of a door. I still cannot believe that someone could think of it:


For the dessert, seriously disturbing designs from 1930s-1940shttp://www.boredpanda.com/weird-funny-historic-beauty-products/

Comments

Tomek Niezgoda said…
I've seen some of these designs before. I can't help but think they're mostly for show and not everyday use. The lamp for instance lost a bit of it's usefulness in favour of an interesting appearance. I think the most successful products are a pleasure to use. You can go a long way with adjusting the design without sacrificing this feature. Would I like to install a fancy and modern looking door in my house? Sure! Will I use it daily? No. Only look at it sometimes and show off to friends.
14 March 2014 at 16:21
Patryk Długaszek said…
In my opinion the most of this things are simply art for art, because invented to them functions are useful for human. Take for example balloon chair, I think the weight of furniture like this is doesn't big matter for me and even it’s more better when the chair is heavier, because it's more stable. Concerning digital window in plane it’s a good idea and by this design we can easily take care of acrophobia (unfortunately this kind of luxury will have only get rich people). However, origami sofa will be perfect only in field conditions. About the last instances, I think we would count them to scary pictures, cause they look like torture tools from horror movies.
15 March 2014 at 19:14
Dalvia said…
Sure, design is an art, but still I find some of them really interesting, and folding sofa: magic. In my small apartment would be perfect :)
16 March 2014 at 17:27
Kasia Kmieć said…
Some of the designs shown in the text could be really useful and others look like they were made to be simply weird or strange. The SensFloor conductive rug is a perfect example of and object that could be very useful for old people living alone, or just someone who collapses frequently due to sickness. Another example of a design that looks useful is the Carbon Balloon Chair. It looks much better than the plastic chairs one can buy in Ikea, but at the same time is still very light and easy to move, which could be, again, appealing to older people. Origami Sofa is yet again an example of a useful object. At least for someone who doesn't have a lot of space at home but sometimes needs it for exercises. Mechanical Mirrors are an example of a design that is not useful in any other way but as a piece of moving art. Similarly the Evolution Door, while being an object that could potentially be used, are also a moving art. They would be more confusing to use then normal doors. Like I said in the beginning of the paragraph some of the designs look useful and others not so much but all of them are interesting.
16 March 2014 at 17:30
Unknown said…
Some of those ideas were great! For example that last one. I would lov to have it in my apartement. Of course, design is an art and sometimes it may be very useless- just looking beatiful and unable to use it in everydays life, but the same is with John Galliano designs. Art is not always to be used, it is to look at it and admire.
16 March 2014 at 17:38
Unknown said…
I like things that are designed well because I like being surrounded by things that provide pleasure just by looking at them. However, I also value functionality, so my favorite things are those that are excellent in mixing great design and functionality. I especially care about the design of electronic devices. Whenever I make a purchase of a new piece of electronics I have to consider functionality, but also design - if it's worth it, I often make minor sacrifices in functionality in order to have a more visually pleasing device, especially if it's something I will have to use and look at a lot.
For that very reason I am a huge fan of the Macbook Air - I had to make some functional sacrifices, but I believe that device is amongst the best designed pieces of electronics, and while technical specs are very good, the beauty of that designs come from the materials and shapes of the device, but also technical design of the interior elements and quality of internal design. I am not a fan of the software it runs, but I still have hard time letting that computer go just because of how much fun I have when using it just because of the way it looks and feels.

At the same time, I have to admit that there are times when the functionality issue is often more important, all things considered. For instance, Samsung phones are arguably the worst designed phones on the market - for the third year in a row there's a Samsung Galaxy S phone that gets massively criticized for terrible design - with "cheap" looking plastic, soap-holder like design and rounded (fashion design terrorist style) edges. Still, despite the fact that most users are not pleased with the design, it's the best selling line of Android smarphones due to hardware prowess and functionality (and lots of marketing money).
I also own one, and while functionally the phone is great and suits all my needs, there are times when I really wish it looked better and makes me consider buying a slightly inferior device, but with better design. To be fair, Smartphones are getting more and more alike these days, and design will play a major role during purchasing.

Personally I think that the design of things can be the game changer, and I believe it's the main reason for success of Apple - the way a device looks and feels can change everything, as long as it's also functional and of decent quality.
16 March 2014 at 18:04
Kamil Fijałkowski said…
I love design, art furniture and accessories. From this article, I enjoy Mechanical Mirrors. It lseems to be a sensational installation. I am waiting for Daniel Rozin exhibition in Poland. Between design and kitsch is the narrow border. For me carbon balloons chair is the second. It reminds me a balloon in shape of pet which people buy on an indulgence. Sorry.The SenseFloor is a fantastic idea. We often hear that someone died alone in the house or flat and lay there for several weeks. This
floor could help in the remote control of elderly people.Origami is a fine Japanese art of folding paper, but I've never seen the use of this to create a sofa. It's an ideal solution for person, who don't have too much space in home. Moreover, I didn't know the dezeen magazine before, it's very cool - thanks Dalvia.
16 March 2014 at 19:23
alt_pl said…
I agree with my colleagues that art and design should be balanced between functionality and beauty. In my opinion not every thing with great design has any practical aspects. For instance I would not buy or install such folding doors just because they look too fragile to use and I would not use them properly ( in my case if something is meant to be used normally I do not pay much attention to strength or speed and I would simply destroy them ). I like beauty of details at my place but I would not buy overpriced 'tools' ( items meant for daily usage ).
16 March 2014 at 19:51
Kacper K said…
Following the basic meaning of a word „design” – appearance - I think that all examples shown in the links are “works of art”. But works of art don’t need to be watched by people only in art galleries but they could be used by average person in everyday situation.
For example: I am really under the huge impression of “the reinvention of a door”. The idea and next the way how to create such a mechanism make me very surprised in of course positive way. I would like to have such a door at my home.
Mechanical mirrors are unique in their creation but really wonderful. They could be used in offices, at the airports or even outside to make people slowly down for a while.
Live-streaming screens also can be used in everyday situations to make our lives more colourful and from the mornings to nights to create our mood, of course, for better.
Origami sofa is also so great in the shape, colours and mainly in the way of working that In my opinion lots of people would like to have it at their homes. I really would like it.
From my point of view we should not forget about new design of something which has existed. We don’t need to follow the newest designs directly but having something old in new design brings “fresh air” to our environment. So we will also fell “fresher”.
16 March 2014 at 21:08
Unknown said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
16 March 2014 at 21:24
Darkia said…
I really don't get most of new design. Of course some are just awesomes. Unfortunatly most furnitures what we can buy in our country is just some unuseful thing, ugly, or items for really big rooms;/ Exeption are design for pc, laptops, and other elecrtonic equipment. I love era of minimalizm. Smaller and lighter pc and tablets pc.I'm waiting now for "normal" smart watch, there was some plans, look's like normal watch, but they decide to made more modern;/
16 March 2014 at 21:26
Unknown said…
There are two kinds of people. People for which design is something not important. Those people care about quality and functionality. For another group of people design is something very important and they often are ready to pay for it with functionality. Those people like to be different from others do thing their own way. Same is with the products they own. They like to own something special something which will make their friends to delight with it by only looking at it. I am one of this people which prefer functionality and practicality over design. My girlfriend would probably go for design first.
16 March 2014 at 21:27
Maria said…
Very interesting article! I am a great fan of design! I like the flower lamp the most! Great idea, and great execution.
Tomek, I don’t agree that it’s useless. I would love to have it at home! Lamps are great for designers, because you have a wide range of options when it comes to diffusing and projecting light.
I recently came across this one:
http://design-milk.com/babele-lamp-is-like-a-giant-puzzle/ It’s very funny!
My friend designed a lampshade from egg cartons, which was very impressive! Small rays of light traveled in different directions.
I saw very interesting realizations on a big design exhibition a while ago. “Eco approach” is very popular nowadays, so designers created carton chairs, for example.
What was great about the chairs was that they were very tough and solid – I tested them myself. The hard part is to know where to bend the carton, how to connect the parts. If you do it correctly, the chair will support human weight!
16 March 2014 at 22:42
Anonymous said…
I love the modern design and it was a really great article, thanks! ;). Quality and functionality is the most important but if it is still with them the look and style then we have the perfect product :). Almost good example is Apple, but the high price cause disgust :(. A similar example is the Italian cars, beautiful but still spoils. I'm trying to find a good example of cheap, good and beautiful product. Unfortunately, experience suggests that you can have two of the three.
We have to wait but everything is moving in the right direction;)
16 March 2014 at 23:52
Unknown said…
I am not really fun of design but let say it is quite important for some people but still I prefer things more useful and oriented to functionality and sometimes I just don’t understand new concept of design which is not practical at all. Examples mentioned above are great if we consider design but I don’t know if they are so useful.
17 March 2014 at 07:33
Sergio Cosentino said…
A lot of my friends often get excited about new things just because they are new. Obviously, when creating something new you need to start experimenting somewhere, however I don't like the idea that just because something is new and original it's good. On the other hand when something is completely new and also provides useful functionality, while looking neat and original I am very enthusiastic about it. I, of course, support designers making new, wild designs, but looks isn't enough for me to truly appreciate somebodies work. Good looks should go along with smart functionalities, that's my opinion.
17 March 2014 at 08:50
Unknown said…
I think that modern and designer furniture are interesting but not always practical. I like modern, simple and functional style. The doors look like good and very imaginative but it will be functional in a large rooms only. This lamp is a very interesting, but I can praise that a very similar lamp I saw in Ikea :)
Such a design may be very expensive and don't afford it everyone.
20 September 2014 at 23:57
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