THE CONVERSATION
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BRAND VERSUS THE UNBRAND https://hbr.org/2013/01/the-rise-of-the-unbrand/
http://unbrandedapparel.com/
http://theunbrandedbrand.com/
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RISE OF THE UNBRAND SMALL INDIE BRANDS/UNKNOWN BRANDS VERSUS THE BRAND CULTURE DESIRE TO OWN SOMETHING NOBODY ELSE HAS CONTROVERSY OVER CHILD LABOUR/SWEATSHOPS IN THE BIGGER BRANDS POOR QUALITY FOR MASS PRODUCTION PRICE ARGUEMENTS VALUE FOR MONEY DO UNKNOWN BRANDS/UNBRANDS HAVE BETTER DESIGNS THAN THE FASHION POWERHOUSES?
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FORM VS FUNCTION WHAT COMES FIRST? WHAT SHOULD COME FIRST? EXAMPLES OF WHERE FUNCTION FOLLOWS FORM: CLOCK DESIGN CARS? (STANCE MOVEMENT) SUPERCARS ARCHITECHTURE - ZAHA HADID FRAGRANCE PACKAGING FURNITURE DESIGN MOBILE PHONES CASES GRAFITTI PRODUCT DESIGN - http://www.dezeen.com/2014/07/29/bruno-schillinger-unidentiямБed-desktop-products-central-saint-martins/ EXAMPLES OF WHERE FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION: MILITARY APARATUS CARS (AERODYNAMICS) ERGONOMICS - HEADPHONES EARPHONES, HANDLES, PHONES, COMPUTER MOUSE ROAD SIGNAGE SIGNAGE IN GENERAL CURRENT DESIGN ISSUES
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MAGAZINES This page contains ideas and design concepts related to magazines and magazine covers that I think could influence my Conversation project which will more than likely be a magazine or e-zine in terms of its outcome. Layouts and masthead designs are also of paramount importance to me when researching. My concept is to create a magazine which focuses on some of the contemporary design concepts and issues concerning ‘Form versus Function’. This arguement being my conversation of choice to explore for this brief. The style of design that most appeals to me can often be quite minimalist and may be something that I continue to look into on this brief. The designs on the opposite page are a mixture of minimal styling and concepts that I found of interest to me such as the transparent cover and pages. Colour schemes are also hold high importance to me, and I think for my concept, a dual colour or monochrome scheme could fit with what I have in mind.
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FORM
FORM OVER FUNCTION - CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLES In order to go ahead with the notion of creating a ‘50/50’ magazine, I need to collate a set of contemporary issues and examples concerning both sides of the phrase. These will then provide the content for the magazine and provide both sides to the conversation that will take place within it. First off I will look into current products and design concepts that take the stance of Form over Function. I will aim to provide three concepts/products for each side, hopefully maintaining a balanced stance. Once collated, the concepts will then feed into my inital designs and layouts for the zine and I can begin to develop on these towards a well refined final outcome. - Samsung S6 Galaxy - Stance movement within car scene - Bruno Schillinger’s ‘Unidentified’ (product design) - Zaha Hadid Architecture - Product design (i.e. clocks etc) - minimal
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THE STANCE MOVEMENT Being a part of this movement within the global car community, there is obviously a lot I can comment on, but with this knowledge I believe I am able to give a balanced view on it, despite being firmly on one side of the conversation. The ‘Stance Movement’ is a design/styling shift within the modified car community. In a nutshell it is about making cars appear more like the original concept drawings drawn up (see right). However it is much much more than this, and has constantly developed and evolved since it emerged in the late 10’s (circa 2007). Back then it was a simple case of lowering your car and fitting some aftermarket wheels to it, since then however ‘fitment’ is a key component. Fitment is what links the concept drawings to the real life outcome. It is fitting wide wheels on your car and lowering it to a point where the lip of the wheel is flush with the wheel arch. To make this acheivable, people often add excess negetive camber to their wheels. Now this is where the conversation part comes into play, with the excess camber, very low ride height/minimal ground clearance seen on these cars, practicality is dramatically reduced. This is where the movement divides opinion, some hate it saying the cars are ‘ruined’ or ‘pointless’ whereas the other side see it as aesthetic perfection. So on the opposing side to stance you have practicality which could come in the form or a performance track car. These will be setup purely for speed and control and sometimes sacrifice visual aspects. They will be setup to be driven hard as oppossed setup to be looked at as a piece of art. As a result of this split opinion, companies started to develop suspension that would allow for both track and stance. This being called air ride or air suspension; it allows for cars to be setup for stance (i.e. the ultra low ride height/wide wheels combo) as well as being track worthy and practical, cars can be lowered and raised by a controller on the dashboard meaning that obsticales can be tackled and fitment acheived.
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BRUNO SCHILLINGER’S ‘UNIDENTIFIED’ COLLECTION Products designed specifically to be ‘ambiguous’, to be ‘unidentifiable’. This is what Central Saint Martins’ graduate Bruno Schillinger set out to achieve when designing his ‘Unidentified’ collection - a collection of officeware which have no defined use, it is up to the user to find a use for them. “The project was fundamentally inspired by observations of people misusing objects and their remarkable ability to appropriate objects instinctively,” When I stumbled across Schillinger’s work, I knew it would fit perfectly with my from vs function notion. Items where design came first and function follows. The designs and materials were dictated by cards on which Schilinger had seperated into four categories - shape, material, action and detail. From this he chose two cards for each object and designed according to the instructions dictated on them: “The cards set the parameters of the design and allowed the design process to be dictated by serendipity rather than rationality,” “The selected material not only has an impact on the look and feel of each object, but also the function it suggests.” Even down to the packaging of the products, the ambiguity continues throughout; ever highlighting the form over function aspect of the project, and is another reason for me to include it in my magazine.
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ZAHA HADID Zaha Hadid is perhaps one of the most well known and influential architects of the modern era. Her work can be seen in all corners of the globe, from China to Germany, Iraq to Brazil. Her distinctive style of putting the form of the building initially before it’s function is revered worldwide, drawing many admirers and critics alike. It is also this style which prompts me to researching further into her work and background in order to have a place in my zine. The Zaha Hadid Architects’ opening statement about her and themselves goes as “We work at all scales and in all sectors. We create transformative, cultural, corporate, residential and other spaces that work in syncronicity with their surroundings.” This as a statement works pretty well in summarising the style and nature of the work Hadid and her associates produce regularly. A stat that really shows just how much of a global influence Hadid has on the architectual world is this - Zaha Hadid Architects have undertaken and are currently working on 950 projects in 44 countries. Staggering as it may be, it is no real surprise to anyone who has taken the time to study her work or seen it in the flesh.
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NISSA KINZHALINA - FURNITURE Russian born designer Nissa Kinzhalina’s most recent design are a pair of chairs (Gentle Hint) that, from a side on view look like ‘unfinished line drawings’. Perhaps the most blatant example of form over function? the painfully straight lines and edges are far from being the most ergonomical items of furniture on the market, but could that be the point? “I grew up on Japanese architecture and always admired the clean spaces, empty rooms, where there was only one detail,” Kinzhalina, who also runs studio NN Design Band, told Dezeen (http://www.dezeen. com/2015/10/18/nissa-kinzhalinas-gentle-hint-chair-seating-furniture-designincomplete-line-drawings/) “But this detail has always been the most important. And in the design of these chairs I wanted to make them very simple at first glance, and deep enough on the second,” Detail being the main design feature of the chairs, the whole philosophy surrounding this project screams ‘Form over Function’ and rightly deserves attention. In production both chairs will be accompanied by a black wooden seat and cushion for added comfort - a necessary addition to make barebones design marketable.
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SAMSUNG GALAXY S6 EDGE The Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus smart phone is one of the newest and most cutting edge phones on the market at the moment. It has received mixed views since being released with some people lauding its ‘beautiful, sleek’ design, whereas others are commenting on its ‘slippery’ ergonomics which make it difficult for some to handle. Its this inbalance of opinion that provokes the conversation for me to explore in the project. Specifications: 5.7-inch super amoled (2560 x 1440 pixels; 518ppi), 32GB storage, Exynos 7420 octa core, 4GB DDR4 RAM, 16 MP OIS rear + 5MP front cam, NFC, WiFi ac, BT 4.2, 3,000mAh battery, 153 grams According to Hitesh Raj Bhagat from the Economic Times India, the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus is a perfect example of form over function, its 5.7 inch curved screen boasts one of the best smartphone screens on the market, whilst its sleek, thin design means that the phone is not only classy in its appearence, but also that it is very light. While this classy appearence is great in terms of aesthetics, the downside is that it can be difficult to hold and becomes ‘slippery’. The battery life is also one of the phone’s major flaws with it being very ‘erratic’ at times.
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FUNCTION
FUNCTION OVER FORM - CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLES To complete the balancing act within my publication I now need to research into designs and products from the design hemisphere that put function and useage before form. These designs and concepts will fill the other half of the 50/50 zine and will hopefully provide that balance that I am striving to achieve. Form follows function is a principle associated with modernist architecture and industrial design in the 20th century. The principle is that the shape of a building or object should be primarily based upon its intended function or purpose. - Bauhaus - Alpine Architecture - Skuta Bivouac -
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BAUHAUS Although not strictly contemporary, the lasting effect that the Bauhaus has had on the design industry since its inception is incontestable. The stylistic components of the students’ and tutors’ work is one that certainly expresses a ‘form follows function’ vibe. The nature of the Bauhaus was that good design should be formed from the function of the product/item bescribed. Take the Wassily chair as an example - Originally known as the Model B3 chair by designer Marcel Breuer in 1925-1926. Breuer was the then head of cabinet-making at the German design powerhouse. The ‘Wassily’ chair’s design came about supposedly when Breuer saw the bent steel bars on his bicycle handlebars. Using this as inspiration, he constructed designs of the chair which would last for the next century. The basic design of the chair meant that it was easily manufactured and was very practical, since there was also folding versions of the chair to enable easy storage and manoerverbility. Other examples of form following function that originate from the Bauhaus include Herbert Bayer’s ‘Universum’ font which transcended into the ‘Bauhaus’ font which is instantaneously recognisable in today’s world. The font’s lack of serif was relatively new at the time, and showed a minimalist approach for which Bauhaus members were renowned for. In the spirit of reductive minimalism, Bayer developed a crisp visual style and adopted use of all-lowercase, sans serif typefaces for most Bauhaus publications. Bayer is one of several typographers of the period including Kurt Schwitters and Jan Tschichold who experimented with the creation of a simplified more phonetic-based alphabet. From 1925 to 1930 Bayer designed a geometric sans-serif Proposal for a Universal Typeface that existed only as a design and was never actually cast into real type. These designs are now issued in digital form as Bayer Universal. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Bayer I aim to use aspects and specific designs that have spawned from the Bauhaus and that have stood the test of time, this provides me a link between the ‘form follows function’ nature of the design house and the contemporary point that I want to express within my zine/project.
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ALPINE ARCHITECTURE Stumbling across an article in the Financial Times reminded me of a series of childhood memories. As a child, from the age of 3 to 18 me and my family would travel to the Alps on a skiing holiday. As much as I loved the sport, the whole experience of being in that kind of environment is one that will always stick with me. A large part of this extended memory is the recalling of the architecture that inhabits the extreme environment. This article on Financial Times’ website (http://www.ft.com/cms/ s/0/31f62d88-71ec-11e5-ad6d-f4ed76f0900a.html#axzz3p6vCF8Fi) presents a series of buildings from mountain ranges across the world which not only serve their function perfectly, but are also works of art in their own right (perhaps the essence of what ‘good’ design should be?). It immediately became a must feature in my zine. The buildings I have chosen to look at are as follows: - Monte Rosa Hütte - Switzerland - Refuge du Goûter - France - Cabane Tracuit - Switzerland - LEAPrus 3912 - Russia - Gervasutti Refuge - Italy - Skuta Bivouac - Slovenia Perhaps the one which strikes me most and perhaps the one I shall eventually choose to do a piece on for my zine is the Skuta Bivouac on Skuta Mountain in Slovenia. It is the Alpine wood that I recall most vividly from my childhood memories, and this is the only one on my list in which the wood is one of the main design features. The Skuta Bivouac which has just been completed was a design collaboration and joint project between OFIS architects, AKT II and students at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. After reading an article about it on http://www.contemporist.com/2015/09/08/mountain-hikers-get-a-new-alpine-shelter-tokeep-warm-in/ I have decided to dedicate a section solely to this buildign and project as I believe it is excatly what ‘Form follows function’ should be.
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SKUTA BIVOUAC - SLOVENIA As part of a collaboration project between OFIS architects, AKT II and students at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, the Skuta Bivouac is an alpine retreat/shelter for extreme sports enthusiasts. OFIS stated that: “The project developed from an architectural design studio at the Harvard Graduate School of Design led by Rok Oman and Spela Videcnik from OFIS. In fall 2014, studios of thirteen students were facing the challenges of designing an innovative yet practical shelter to meet the needs of the extreme alpine climate.” This shows that the primary aim of the project was to design a sustainable and practical shelter which meets the needs of the environment its in. The design took inspiration from the vernacular architecture of Slovenia, students proposed twelve ideas which had to meet site and material considerations in order to be noted and considered - again highlighting the function coming first. With the extreme climatic conditions which occur at such altitude within a mountaneous environment, the buiding n and designs had to be rugged and tough enough to withstand any elemental risk posed to them, this would have been considered carefully within the design and materials used. The Skuta Bivouac replaced a 50 year old bivouac which was previously on the same site as the new building. Coming 120 years after the installation of Aljaz Tower in August of 1895 on Triglav, the new shelter was placed below Skuta Mountain in Slovenia’s Kamnik Alps. “The bivouac is an object that represents a basic human necessity, a shelter. It is a symbol of refuge. The outer form and choice of materials were chosen to respond the extreme mountain conditions, and also provide views to the greater landscape. Its position within the wilderness requires respect for natural resources, therefore must meet the ground in a light and firm manner to ensure the shelter is strongly anchored while having a minimal impact on the ground.” The materials used on the outer shell of the structure had to be a highly resistant material - Rieder thin glass fibre and OKO skin concrete were both able to meet the advisers requirements of aesthetics and quality, this would ensure that they will withstand the weather conditions for decades to come. The modest interior can accomodate eight mountaineers (for which the shelter is aimed at) according to the project leaders. http://www.contemporist.com/2015/09/08/mountain-hikers-get-a-new-alpine-shelter-to-keep-warm-in/
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TARDEC ULV - US MILITARY PROTOTYPE Perhaps one of the most obvious and practical examples of form following function is miltary vehicles and equipment. The TARDEC ULV is a United States’ military prototype vehicle which has been manufactured for testing. The design is immediately clear as being function orientated - and it needs to be just that. It is not only a mode of transportation, but is essentially moving armour for troops. Because of this the design needs to be rugged and bulky and strong, whilst needing to be mobile and moderately streamlined. The functional design of the TARDEC ULV however, means that it is perhaps not the most aesthetically pleasing design in comparison to ‘normal’ cars or 4x4s. Its ground clearance and lack of windows and heavy duty joins and bolts mean that it is imposing but not necessarily ‘good design’. Good in terms of function, yes. But in terms of design in its purest form, not quite. Most of the body panels are designed in such a way that they can reflect IED explosions away from the vehicle, protecting the people inside as well as attempting to keep stability and functionality. The reason I want to include this is that it provides almost a direct opposite to The Stance Movement and the vehicles associated with that. It is this opposition that I really want to portray in the zine.
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MASTHEAD IDEAS
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