I saw an interesting programme on the telly last night. Internationally reknowned product designer, Phillipe Starck, gathered a group of new designers in the UK to 'compete' for a coveted 6-month work placement at his office (in France I suppose). The downside is that the show reminded me of Paris Hilton's 'British Best Friend' show, but the up side was one thing that Starck said during the show. Basically, a criterion he considers when choosing who among the students go on to the next round and who has to go home is this - he wanted to see what 'design philosophy' each of these students live by. A simple challenge was set for the students to buy two items in a supermarket which represents one of three ideas: ecological, gender or function. A couple of the students chose quite obvious products for ecological friendliness / unfriendliness - batteries & baby diapers are e-unfriendly, whilst a bicycle is e-friendly. But what Starck was looking for was a 'deeper' philosophical ideas that these students hold to.
Starck's own 'design philisophy' is basically to design products that are not superfluous. He wants there to be LESS product choices / options in the future, not more. He believes the world cannot sustain the momentum of consumerism the world is currently riding on because the world simply does not have enough resources to sustain it. Which seems a bit ironic then to me when you think of his rocket-shaped lemon squeezer. I mean, there's a million different kinds of lemon squeezer already out there, so how does his design - apart from its obvious aesthetics - fit into his design philosophy? I dunno, maybe that's just ONE of his design philosophy. Maybe he has others under which the rocket-shaped lemon squeezer fits in quite well. Maybe he also champions a minimalist approach to product design. *shrug*
But I'm detracting from the point here (yes, always seem to do that when I write). I had a thought as I was watching the show. Even a product designer has a 'philosophy' or an 'approach' to design. If you don't have a 'philosophy' or a particular 'approach' to product design, then you're basically grasping at straws trying to 'figure out' what sort of design would appeal to the masses. You're more of a salesman than a product designer. You're a dime a dozen.
The same can be said about life. If you don't live your life centered around a core of solid 'life philosophy', then you're just floating around, thrown to and fro, unsure of your own direction and calling in life. *hmmm... sounds kinda like where I often find myself*.
Comments