blog assignment 8

In our reading this week,“The first machine age in Europe”byDavid Raizman, we learned that Hannes Meyer, the Swiss-born architect appointed director of the Bauhaus in 1928, argued that design is a product of “function x economy”, aligning design with a scientific model driven by new technologies and manufacturing potential. Considering this week’s lecture and readings respond to the following question (approximately 150-300 words, as needed):

Do you agree or disagree with the position that design is a result of “function x economy”? Do you think design today an ‘art’ or a ‘science’? Should it be one or the other, or can it be both?

(figure 1)

I disagree with Hannes Meyers idea that design is a product of function x economy.  I personally think that aesthetics plays a major role in design, especially in the recent years. The aesthetics of the object may not even have anything to do with the function Most of the time these days’ people buy products not just for their function but also for how they look. An example I have is a chair.

A chair was made to sit on. And that is it. But now these days’ designers have used science to make the chair more ergonomically better. Even though the main purpose of the chair hasn’t changed but it makes it more comfortable to sit on. But people don’t really buy the chair that is the best for them ergonomically but they buy the better looking chair. The image I have (figure 1) shows a chair that I think is very aesthetically pleasing. It looks comfortable and it looks like what you are meant to do with it.

I believe that design today is both and art and a science and it should stay as both. I think that if they weren’t linked together than many things we have and take for granted wouldn’t have been invented. The science of design is to make things work in a specific way or for them to make us feel a certain way when we interact with them and the art of it is the looks which can hide the science which makes a good surprise for the user.




Figure 1.  2011, Ginotti Good Looking Leisure Chair ,from the Ginotti Furniture Factory
http://ginotti.en.alibaba.com/product/470098122-212117312/2011_Ginotti_Good_Looking_Leisure_Chair.html