March 2010 Fieldstudy: Danish Design Center, "It's a Small World" Exhibit

Select at least 3 projects on display in the "It's a Small World" exhibit and discuss how these relate to the 4 main exhibit themes: Sustainability, Human Scale, New Craftsmanship and Non-Standard Praxis

My attention was entirely captured as I walked through the "It's a Small World" exhibit, especially considering its textual and physical interactive quality. From the swings to the moving "Soul Wash" columns that make you feel like you're in a car wash, I was excited and enthusiastic about every project on display. To discuss the 4 themes of the exhibit, Sustainability, Human Scale, New Craftsmanship and Non-Standard Praxis, I chose 3 projects, "Everybody Deserves a Good Meal," by Hatch & Bloom, Idea & Design Agency, "Suntiles," by Astrid Krogh, and "Outline," by Goodmorning Technology.

"Soul Wash" columns, example of the interactivity of the exhibit
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2523/3886969630_83f1098072.jpg

"Everybody Deserves a Good Meal," by Hatch & Bloom, Idea & Design Agency is a meal delivery service that provides meals to elderly people that would have difficulty doing so on their own in a creative and efficient way. "Suntiles," by Astrid Krogh is a grid of thin solar panels connected together to form something like a glistening window shade that was constructed out of lightweight material. "Outline," by Goodmorning Technology is a metal frame in the shape and size of a car that demarcates the parking space of one car so that four cargo bicycles can park in the space.

Sustainability
The exhibit explores the importance of sustainable design considering that human survival is dependent upon global consciousness in every aspect of society. "Everybody Deserves a Good Meal" while not directly connected to the environment, is a creative way of of taking care of people in an efficient, sustainable way. Additionally, the project's dedication to alternative solutions to old problems and its interest in people's well-being are the necessary values that designers need to have if they want successfully address global warming. In a very different approach to sustainability, "Suntiles" is a beautiful example of how alternative energy sources can become an everyday part of people's lives. Also, by constructing the tiles out of lightweight materials, the designer, Astrid Krough is able to rethink where solar energy can be collected and so expands the types of places where it can be used. Furthermore, "Suntiles" demonstrates that alternative energy sources are not only good for the environment but can be beautiful as well. "Outline" legitimizes alternative transportation and makes it an integral part of the cityscape by physically demarcating a space for it, just as cars have. Such a plan will hopefully make people more willing to ride cargo bikes instead of driving cars because they know there are places in the city that will accommodate them.

Station where viewers can hear about "Everybody Deserves a Good Meal," by Hatch & Bloom, Idea & Design Agency http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2488/3886169093_0c0941c231.jpg

Human Scale
"It's a Small World" encourages viewers to consider the world on a small level so that community and personal relationships are held to a high esteem. Thinking of the world community on such a scale allows questions pertaining to sustainability to appear more manageable. "Everybody Deserves a Good Meal" is a perfect example of thinking on a human scale, in the sense that all members of a community are taking care of. In this age, where the elderly population is growing, creative ways of how to best care for them is a question of sustainability. "Suntiles" places alternative energy on a human scale by placing solar tiles in a home setting, as opposed to having giant wind turbines that people think are ugly, or large solar panels on institutional windows. Thus, people will be more understanding, even more exciting, about having an alternative energy source that they can use. "Outline" puts transportation issues on a human scale by making parking spaces exciting while simultaneously encouraging people to ride bikes as opposed to driving cars.

"Suntiles," designed by Astrid Krough
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2468/3864646624_83231bf21c.jpg

New Craftsmanship
The exhibit describes new craftsmanship as being "characterized by digital tools, conceptual thinking and new developments in craft techniques". Using this definition, "Everybody Deserves a Good Meal" could be considered a new form of craftsmanship because it is expanding the definition of what design is. "Suntiles" demonstrates new craftsmanship through its use of textiles to create solar panels that are lightweight and visual appealing. Lastly, "Outline" exemplifies new craftsmanship through its use of conceptual thinking considering that the design is more of idea, a space, than an actual structure. Its success depends on the fact that it is more of a lack than anything else.

"Outline," designed by Goodmorning Technology
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3421/3886961196_dd6f805384.jpg

Non-Standard Praxis
To address climate change on both individual and collective levels, new mindsets must be developed that allow design to be more than profitable but beneficial to society as well. "Everybody Deserves a Good Meal" is an example of non-standard praxis because the designers created the project for a non-profit organization and was concerned with the individuals involved but also with the communities they were living in. The project is literally an attempt to improve the everyday lives of people. "Suntiles" adopts non-standard praxis in its use of advanced technologies that allowed the designer to customize solar power for individual use, while also providing her with the opportunity to experiment with textiles, solar energy, and design. Finally, "Outline" is an example of Non-Standard Praxis considering that it will be used for individuals, in the sense that now people riding cargo bikes will have a place to park them, but also for the greater good of the city considering that it will reduce pollution and carbon consumption by inspiring more being to ride bicycles as opposed to driving cars.

March, 2010 Fieldstudy: Kunstindustrimuseet

Part-1: Carefully select any singular piece of DK design (specifically from the Post-war period) as seen/experienced in Kunstindustrimuseet’s exhibits today. Select a piece which you feel strongly embodies and typifies DK design.

One of my favorite pieces from the Kunstindustrimuseet’s exhibit, Utopias and Reality: Applied Arts and Design of the 20th Century was the Double Chieftain Chair (1949), designed by Finn Juhl. The large chair (or possibly couch) is practically a sculptural work, beautifully crafted, and constructed out of the highest quality materials. These attributes place the chair squarely in the Danish tradition of creating excellent furniture that celebrates both materials and craftsman. The sculpted wood refers to earlier designs by Kaare Klint as does the use of leather but the Chieftain is more innovative, reflecting the Danish dedication to continuously improve upon good ideas. However, the chair does not an example of socially conscious design considering that originally, fewer than five examples were produced and so it was not accessible to the masses. Nevertheless, its functionality, as seen by its resourcefulness of materials, it dedication to tradition but also its innovation, and its dedication to craftsmanship place it squarely in the Danish design tradition. Not to mention that it looks so warm and inviting that it almost radiates hygge.

Double Chieftain Chair (1949), by Finn Juhl
http://1stdibs.com/archivesD/upload/8378/242/XXX_8378_1266091647_1.jpg

Part-2: Discuss your chosen DK design piece in terms of the following thematic: The roles and representations of personal identity and collective/cultural identity in DK design in the Post-war period (and optionally: also discuss how this relates - or not - to DD today)

Because Finn Juhl designed much of his furniture for his own home, the pieces express his personal style and so reflect his identity. The Double (and original) Chieftain Chair, in addition to other pieces such as the 45 Chair and the Poeten, although unique pieces, all are reminiscent of some core element that unite his designs together. In a sense then, although his pieces are highly functional, his role is almost more of an artist as opposed to designer considering that his identity is so thoroughly inscribed onto his pieces. Juhl's drive to produce personalized furniture for his home is very representative of the post-war period's obsession with single homes. The population boom following the war propelled large scale building projects of single family home complexes that often contained dozens of houses that all looked relatively similar. The benefit of these complexes was that many families were able to purchase homes relatively inexpensively but the down side was that their home was not especially unique. Therefore, it became the interior where homeowners could express their identity through design.

The unremarkable exterior of Finn Juhl's home
http://www.finnjuhl.com/House/12.jpg

The Chieftan Chair and the Poeten as seen in Finn Juhl's home
http://www.finnjuhl.com/House/20.jpg

Thus, Juhl's Double Chieftain Chair represents the Danish creativity that was produced as a byproduct of the homogenous housing complexes. His desire to create individual pieces of furniture that reflected his personal identity is comparable to the average Danish citizens drive to purchase furniture that could demonstrate who they were. This desire still exists today, as seen by furniture that can be purchased in a limitless variety of colors so that there is a shade for everyone. There also still exists a Danish preoccupation with creating a home that is not only comfortable but also reflective of one's self. This can be understood through the Danes' relatively high spending on their homes. It is ironic then, that one's impulse to separate themselves from others through their home decor comes as the result of a cultural, collective tradition of doing so. The individual and collective, therefore, are inextricable intertwined.

3/16/10 Lecture Reflection: Architecture & Design

Today's lecture managed to answer my question as to how someone can design housing developments that are economically conscious, aesthetically pleasing, efficient, and well crafted. As well thought out as the Five Finger Plan may have been in regard to designing logical suburban sprawl, the truth remains that such land development is not sustainable, especially when single family homes are dispersed in such a way that large amounts of land are turned into residential areas. And even if much of the space in these Danish post war housing complexes remained green, they are nevertheless largely inaccessible to wildlife.

But more recent housing projects, instead of moving farther away from Copenhagen, are bringing suburbia into the city in the form of efficient complexes that are self contained and have a relatively small land footprint in comparison to the single family complexes of the 1950's and 1960's. Some of the most exciting projects are being created by architecture firms such as Vandkunsten and Metropos. Vandkunsten, which had its first major commission in 1971 describes its mission as providing quality, low-cost, and social housing. Metropos, founded only five years ago, not by architects, per se but by a landscape architect and urban designer, is described as tackling challenges including those of "rural and urban development, landscapes, urban spaces, infrastructure, usability and identity". Simply the fact that Metropos is composed of designers of different backgrounds reflects a modern recognition of the importance of collaboration, especially when dealing with urban and/or environmental issues.

Unfortunately, Metropos' website is in Danish, so I cannot read about their current projects. But I was able to find numerous projects by Vandkunsten, on in particular being the Copenhagen Harbor Housing Project. The project, which was the winner of a 2003 competition in which the Copenhagen harbor authorities had donated an area of water in order to develop the harbor area. Vandkunsten actually constructed an island over the water onto which the 120 flats (half social housing, the other half private) could be located. The flats are then attached by a system of wooden decks that create outdoor living spaces. The structure was largely prefabricated and so created little environmental waste in the actually building process; moreover, the structure itself is concrete, a relatively inexpensive and environmentally friendly material. Additionally, the flats are constructed to receive daylight from at least two sides so that natural sunlight can illuminate and warm the spaces.

Copenhagen Harbor Housing Complex
http://architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Teglvaerkshavnen_008_L.jpg

Unlike regular apartment complexes, the Harbor Housing Project has created a community through its inviting layout that is open to the general public. As a result, its spacious decks welcome people to come and walk, fish, swim, even kayak. Overall, the project is thoroughly Danish - it is functional, minimalist yet beautiful, socially conscious, and improving everyday life. It is acknowledging tradition through its attention to quality design and construction while looking ahead to the future through its innovative use of materials and environmental consciousness.

Outdoor living space integrated into the Copenhagen Harbor Housing Complex
http://architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Teglvaerkshavnen_031_L.jpg

There are so many other exciting Danish designs that are similarly future-focused in their nod towards environmentalism but also their re-conceptualization of modern living. Examples include the VM Mountain in Ørestad City, designed by BIG Architects which consists of 80 housing units, all of which have large roof terraces so that residents can experience the green spaces of suburbia while living in an urban environment; or the Tietgenkollegiet, designed by Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitektfirm, which contains 360 student residences in one round building that is designed to foster community. And both structures are aesthetically amazing, to say the least. It seems to me that complexes such as these, which are beautifully integrated into the urban environment and acknowledge the needs of their residents are the ideal way to address the population boom, especially if the complexes are constructed from renewable materials in the least intrusive way possible.

Tietgenkollegiet, by Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitektfirm
http://www.archicentral.com/wp-content/images/tietgenkollegietcpeterhor_530x466.jpg

VM Mountain, by BIG Architects
http://archrecord.construction.com/features/designvanguard/2009/09Bjarke-Ingels-Group/thumb.jpg

3/16/10 Required Reading Reflection: "New Danish Architecture," by Tobias Faber

Despite what the article made it sound like, I can't help but feel like the post-war housing developments stand as a moment of weakness in the Danish Design tradition. Although described as "one of the most attractive residential districts in the country," housing developments like the Søndergardsparken estate are not only environmentally unsound but also a blatant abandonment of craftsmanship and respect for materials. I acknowledge that housing developments can be democratic and even efficient (in the short term), but the process of building hundreds of nearly identical houses over a short period of time in an area large enough to contain them all together (which is invariably removed from urban areas where the residents most likely live) is in fact economically shortsighted.

Suburban sprawl, fueled by developments such as Søndergardsparken estate mean that people live farther away from where they work, shop, etc. so that additional infrastructure has to be created to support these large populations living separately. Moreover, people have to travel farther to get places, meaning that more fuel is being used in transit (even despite the public transportation that is available in the Five Fingered Plan). Also, although not mentioned in the article, often, housing projects such as these were under so much pressure to be constructed quickly that corners were cut regarding environmental issues such as water runoff and excess material waste.

Map of the Five Finger Plan, a well thought out form of suburban sprawl (but it's still sprawl)
http://www.denmark.dk/NR/rdonlyres/708B2649-213C-4A60-A863-15C665E262CE/0/Fingerpaln2007.jpg

The article described the houses as being constructed out of "conventional materials," which is not bad in and of itself, however, as discussed in previous posts, when something is mass produced, the quality and craftsmanship of the object invariably goes down. While I am no expert on Danish architecture from the 1950's, American post-war architecture, most often seen in developments of cookie cutter houses, is infamous for its poor quality. Although I can see how housing developments fit into the Danish desire for design that reflects the welfare state, I do not think housing developments are a positive residential design. Even if functionalism is what is desired for most, there must be a way to incorporate houses that are well-constructed and economically friendly (some offsite, prefabricated house constructing companies are now doing projects such as this) that can be integrated into communities that are less isolated from urban areas. In this way, the values of the welfare state can be upheld as well as a dedication to craftsmanship and an awareness of the environment.

Kingohusene, designed by Jørn Utzon (1958-1960)
http://www.dac.dk/db/filarkiv/6023/kingo1.jpg

Above, I included a picture of Kingohusene, another housing complex designed in the same time period. Granted, this complex works dynamically with the environment so that green spaces are integrated into the community design and each house is situated so that it benefits from natural light. Nevertheless, these institutionalized buildings lack the attention to delicate detail that seems so integral to Danish design. Addressing housing shortages may be a modern problem but I can't say that the post-war Danish designers found the best solution.

3/12/10 Lecture Reflection: Interior Design

I have to say that I was actually surprised at how closely interior design mirrored social values over the past few centuries. Well, let me clarify. I guess I was not surprised by more recent developments, such as the connection between the welfare state and the design as a public affair, or even the anti-movement. I wasn't even surprised by older connections such as the one between classicism and democracy. But, I was quite intrigued by the way that the interior design profession emerged around the same time as the separate spheres ideology began to emerge quite strongly in Europe. Granted, throughout the history of the Western world, men and women have occupied different social positions, nevertheless, before the 18th century, these positions were not necessarily defined by which type of space one occupied, those being the public or the private. Men, of course, belonged to the realm of the public, enjoying freedom or movement, participation in government, and the ability to have a job. Ladies, on the other hand (and when I say ladies, I mean those of a certain rank - those of lower class positions were no longer considered feminine) belonged to the private sphere, and were expected to stay at home, watch the children, reside over the household duties.

And so it should have been no surprise to me that as this social position of women was being constructed, so too was the gendered nature of the interior design profession. With so little freedom of movement, it is no wonder that ladies became increasingly occupied with furnishing their homes in a way that not only reflected their status, but also reflected them as individuals. As the home became increasingly associated with the feminine, it is no wonder that men were uninterested in being interior designers - the position would have undermined the rigid binary between men and women, the public and private. For a man to stoop down into the women's sphere would have been seen, at best, as a mockery.

Early female interior designer, Elise de Wolfe (1865 - 1950) http://www.architecturaldigest.com/images/architects/2000/01/dewolfe/arar01_dewolfe.jpg

But, interestingly enough, it was acceptable for women to bridge this gap and take on the role of interior designer. Although granting her access to the public realm through the necessary contacts with architects, furniture designers and the like, she nevertheless maintained her femininity because her work ultimately belonged to the private. Still, why was it acceptable for women to reach into the men's world as opposed to men meddling with female affairs? Because for a woman, she was reaching for a high social position, that being business (although a feminine one). For men, however, their move would have been seen as a descent into a lower social position. People are encouraged to move up in the world, but when they lower themselves, it is unacceptable.

Arne Jacobsen's SAS Hotel interior http://style-files.com/images/sas500_2.jpg

Which finally brings me back to Denmark. One of the reasons I am so interested in designers such as Arne Jacobsen or even Nanna Ditzel is because of their rejection of this split (or even hierarchy) between furniture design, product design and interior design. Designers such as these considered every aspect, every medium equally important for creating design. Jacobsen in particular is famous for his 'gesamtkunstwerk' or total environments such as the SAS Hotel for which he designed everything from the architecture down to the textiles and silverware. He through about how furniture should be positioned, how the rooms should be lit. He literally rejected the notion that interior space was not the appropriate place for a man. Similarly, Ditzel, with her "Stairscape" room, also creates a total environment but by doing so refutes the notion that women are unable to design the architecture and furniture of a space. In fact, it could be argued that her "Egg Hanging Chair" from 1959 is equally iconic as any of Jacobsen's chairs. Once again, we still how closely related th social construction of gender and design really are.

Egg Hanging Chair (1959), Nanna Ditzel
http://blog.ounodesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/nannaditzelegghangingchair.jpg

3/9/10 Lecture Reflection: Danish Fashion

What interested me the most about today's lecture on the Danish Fashion Industry was the the youth movement's impact upon the reinterpretation of the fashion design. I supposed if I had thought about it, I would have realized that youth fashion, as it exists today, has only been around for a few decades considering that the child/adult binary only began to blur into a grey scale in the early to mid 20th century. But somehow, fashion is so inextricably tied up with youth and beauty, cutting edge ideas and rapid change, that I cannot possibly think of it otherwise. Once again we can see how design is so thoroughly socially constructed and that construction is so rapidly naturalized so that within one generation, one forgets that it was ever done differently. Today, stores such as Nørregaard pa Strøget that are geared towards the youth consumer market seem to be such an integral part of the shopping landscape. Although I am sure there are many Danes that remember a time before these stores, just the fact that the facade of Nørregaard pa Strøget has ivy growing on it gives it the feeling of longevity and permanence as well as historicism.

Nørregaard pa Strøget storefront
http://www.aok.dk/files/specials/profile_image_big_redesign/48265.jpg

Ironically, however, it seems to be fashion's natural ability to always be at the forefront of style that allowed it to reemerge as a powerful Danish industry at the turn of the 21st century, when the information age was coursing through everyone's minds so that speed and innovation became more important that durability. I found it interesting that Danish furniture and product designers were uninterested in creating a real relationship with fashion designers until quite recently. I doubt that the furniture and product designers have overcome their feeling of relative superiority considering that they are concerned with creating high quality pieces that reflect values of longevity and tradition whereas fashion designers are always looking to create new trends, essentially creating a field for themselves that only exists through planned obsolescence.

Jørgen Nørgaard with his 'Rip 101' shirt, awarded a fashion prize by the Danish Design Council in 2007 as a gesture of friendship between the design and fashion industries http://multimedia.pol.dk/archive/00332/T_jhandler_J_rgen_N_332786c.jpg

Which makes me think of IKEA - a company dedicated to making cheap (yet granted, very stylish and even functional) furniture and products, mainly for the young consumer market. It seems that the companies thriving today are those that have embraced this idea of planned obsolescence, the understanding that if you make a product too good, people will stop buying another one because they simply don't need it. Even companies such as Apple employ this technique, creating pieces of technology that last just long enough so that you are satisfied but designing it so that it begins to run down just as they introduce new designs to the market. Very clever.

Side Table from IKEA sold for $34.99 - cheap, but how long do you guess it will last?
http://www.ikea.com/PIAimages/0091415_PE227088_S3.JPG

But I can't help but think that instead of the furniture and technology manufacturers learning from the fashion industry, it should be the other way around, especially in today's environmental and economic climate where both natural and monetary resources are limited. I'm sure very few companies would like this proposal - of designing quality goods that consumers need less of as opposed to countless objects that last barely a year - claiming that it would destroy their revenue. But consider it this way: if you're making less goods because less people need them, then you are also spending less on raw material goods to create the products. So shouldn't that balance out? I'm no economist but if people thought smaller all around, I think the economic mess we're in would subside.

Regardless, back to design. While I think it is good that the Danish furniture and product designers have decided to reach out to fashion designers, I think they should also maintain their dedication to creating quality pieces that last a lifetime. Nevertheless, despite the fashion industry's dedication to planned obsolescence, I can't help but admiring them for their forward thinking and open-mindness. Fashion has been and continues to be an arena for creating social change and if its natural rapidity helps foster that revolutionary spirit, then I can't very well stand in the way.

3/9/10 Required Reading Reflection: "Danish Fashion," by Marie Riegels Melchoir from the Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion

As an American student, I have observed a few particular things about Danish fashion that are different from the United States, many of which resounded with the article, and a few which did not.

Firstly, although I did not take part in many of the activities, I was here when Copenhagen Fashion Week 2010 took place and there was certainly a feeling of excitement in the air . From my perspective, the event was successful in its attempt to increase visibility and even produce pride in Danish fashion design. It is interesting, actually, that throughout the article, the parallel between Danish fashion and furniture design was particularly strong, particularly in the effort to create a national style, the creation of schools, the fading out of traditional tailors/workshops around the mid 20th century and the similar effects of mass production. However, the article suggested that unlike furniture design, which is not experiencing some sort of stagnation in the shadow of the design Golden Age of the 1950's-1970's, today, "interest in fashion in Denmark seems to be continuously growing" such that "Denmark is increasingly branded as a contemporary fashion nation" (11, 12). Granted, Danish furniture is still a power influence in the design sphere, nevertheless, it seems that Danish fashion design is evolving more with the times while Danish furniture design is continuously troubled by its tendency to look backward.

http://www.copenhagenfashionfestival.com/uploads/35284/1265361339.jpg

It seems to me that Danish fashion's ability to move forward in comparison to Danish furniture design may be that during the design Golden Age, the furniture being produced was considered truly Danish where as much of the fashion was strongly influenced by other European fashion designs. Granted, all Danish design is strongly impacted by influences abroad, nevertheless, the fashion industry in Denmark has more room to explore precisely because it does not live in a shadow as big of that as Arne Jacobsen or Hans Wegner.

Another thing that I have observed since being here that the article also addresses is a women's fashion style that is "a feminine, dressed up, yet practical expression" (10). This almost exaggeratedly feminine style was slightly unexpected for me. Considering Denmark's dedication to creating gender equality, somehow, I expected a more androgynous style, especially considering that such a style is currently becoming popularized in the United States. This was not the case, however, and I have to wonder if it is actually a reaction to the more equal positions that men and women enjoy in Denmark. Fashion has attempted to rearticulate the gender differences that social and legal policies have worked to break down. Alternatively, I would say that men do seem more concerned with fashion than men in the United States. Possibly then, the female preoccupation with looking "fashionable" has less to do with presenting feminine gender but more of the result of a cultural interest in looking one's best.

Dress from Bruuns Bazaar, a fashion brand recognized with creating the signature Danish style of being feminine and dressed up while maintaining practicality (as well as often being in neutral colors)

http://shop.bruunsbazaar.com/~B2B/Pictures/models/21288-4742-1.jpg?type=GenerateThumb&w=340&h=410

But something that I was struck by in the article was the statement that Danes spend relatively little of their budget on clothing. Granted, I have a limited perspective since I live with a particular host family, nevertheless, they seem very interested in purchasing clothing, and nice clothing at that. Although they might not have hundreds of pieces like many Americans do, the clothes that they own are of excellent quality and often belong to a well known designer. Therefore, maybe they do not buy a lot of cheap, low quality clothing (again, like Americans do), they nevertheless spend large amounts of money buying clothes that they know are of excellent quality. This seems very reminiscent of the Danes interest in spending large amounts of money on high quality furniture with the understanding that the furniture should last decades.

2/26/10: Symposium #5, Tradition and Modernity

Find an object at home of Danish Design that is aesthetically pleasing but turned out to not be very functional. Discuss why it didn't work properly and how this relates to the designer understanding material and craft.

I think the problem here is that so many products that are now on the market aren't actually designed in the way that the article was talking about. The article critiqued designers who are designing pieces that are more like art than furniture. Of course, this a a product of their design school background that did not expose them to the manufacturing industry. The 21st century drive to always be ahead of the curve has produced young designers more interested on coming up with aesthetically unusual designs as opposed to functional pieces that are less visually stimulating. As a result, as the article discussed, designer pieces are often more fit for museum exhibits than people's homes.

But these designer pieces are such a small part of the market. The vast majority of products, while technically designed in the sense that someone makes practical decisions deciding what the product will do, what it will be made out, and what colors it will come in, the true design process does not take place. Profit, not form and function, is at the forefront of the production process. Therefore, on both ends of the spectrum, one half of the equation is left out. The designers overlook manufacturing necessities while the manufactures disregard design.

Kartell Lamp that is in my livingroom http://www.slideproductions.com.au/IMG/prodotti/lightning/Bourgie%20Table%20Lamp/Kartell%20Lamp.jpg

In my home, there are many things made my danish designers that work beautifully, such as Georg Jensen silverware, a Kartell Lamp, and a Bang and Olufsen stereo system. However, I think all of these products represent a successful merging between designer and manufacturer and their high price tag reflects this dedication of both function and design. On the other hand, cheaper danish products that I have used, such as the bottle opener from Tiger may look relatively attractive, but are nowhere near as functional. It is objects like these that display the discord existing between manufacturing and design. But that is not because the designers do not understand how to create a functional bottle opener. It is because, in an effort to cut costs, manufacturers have cut designers out of the process entirely.

Bottle Opener from Tiger
http://www.tiger.dk/uploads/t_product/1600355_picture_8446_3.jpg

What needs to happen then is manufacturers need to recognize the importance of designers for the creation of quality products. But designers also need to understand that making good design means more than creating a name for yourself through wildly avante-garde designs. Therefore, both huge profit margins and self-centeredness need to be somewhat abandoned for the creation of quality work. Anyway, it seems that people or companies that create quality products are the ones that experience the most longevity - not the ones that create the cheapest goods or the ones that have the flashiest designs.