Objectified

Travis Kaneshiro
Art 101

Objectified
Objectified was a compelling video that pointed out the importance of design
features and the meticulous qualities that go into the production of designing useful and
innovative objects. The video broke down the necessary the ingredients needed to create
an object not void of usefulness, but beautiful in the sense of simplicity and beautiful in
the boundaries of art. It had a clear emphasis on the importance of simplicity and its
functionality in the sense that objects must not be related to arbitrary features that hinder
the value of a product. But it is the maximum design of a product that requires the
removal of the arbitrary (or the unnecessary) for the overall effect of unity and cohered
harmony.
Objectified mentioned that one of the major challenges designers face is
sustainability. The demand for consumer goods is so prevalent that the constant need for
conveniences and innovative products give current commodities a limited shelf life. With
this limited shelf life, products are quicker to end up in landfills thus causing
environmental consequences. A question I have is: how do the demands of items affect
the requirements placed upon the environment and how many companies are actually
seeking to change? A report mentioned by the World Economic Forum says that
companies who do change can actually obtain a better foothold in the market by securing
stronger values and better businesses, especially by demonstrating that price and quality
do not need to be sacrificed for sustainability (Tohmatsu, D).
Another question that I came across was: the designers in Objectified seemed to
be very unique in their overall sense of visual aesthetics; they all shared a common trait
of simplicity when designing objects. But did good design always constitute simplicity in

aesthetics? Was there a period before, when designers created whatever came to mind?
Upon reading some articles it seems that simplicity wasnt always the idea in mind, the
unifying factor in most of the earlier design features were mostly completed by architects
with the goal of solving specific problems (Di Russo, S). I think the evolution on design
had a foundation in problem solving that eventually progressed into what it is now, other
influences such as societal trends also probably helped shape the terrain of what design
has become today.
Lastly I found it very interesting how innovative designers must be. One of the
Designers in Objectified mentioned that a designer must look into the future and not use
any frame of reference for something that exists The job of a designer is to create
something that is going to happen not what has already happened, they must create an
object that will stand the test of time. My last question is: how do designers find their
source of inspiration to create such timeless objects? If I were a designer this would be
challenging for me because I would find my source of inspiration from items that
surround me (which would probably not be as innovative). But Im sure not being
confined to the rules of designing something that looks ordinary must be very liberating
and fun as well.

References

Di Russo, S. (2012, June 8). A Short and Incomplete History of Design Thinking.
Retrieved from http://www.interactiondesign.org/members/imagelibrary/zoom.html?g=L21lbWJlcnMvaW1hZ2VsaWJyYXJ5L
2ltYWdlcy8yMDE0MDQxMWRlc2lnbnRoaW5raW5nbGVzc29uMGFuZDFmaW5hbD
EwMDUuanBn

Tohmatsu, D. (2009, January 1). Sustainability For Tomorrow's Consumer. Retrieved

from
http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_CI_SustainabilityForTomorrowsConsumer_Report
_2009.pdf