Task 1: Ecological Footprint

Using the site www.myfootprint.org we were asked, in studio, to complete the quiz to determine 'How many planet Earths would it take to sustain your lifestyle?'.

To be honest I am quite surprised at the result I obtained upon completion of the quiz, 4.02 Earths as shown in the images above. While my household does care about the amount of resources we consume, I had initially thought I would need approximately 6 Earths. This quiz has made me realize how I’d been learning about recycling, sustainability and the environment since I started school and how those lessons have influenced the choices made by both my family and myself. Although there is more that could be done to reduce my carbon footprint, this quiz has enabled me to gain a perspective on how my decisions in regard to the environment impact on the footprint I leave behind.

*Results obtained from completion of myfootprint quiz

Twenty Eleven

Just some basic housekeeping. After not having used this blog for a year it is now 2011. For all intents and purposes this blog has been renamed to coincide with the studio course I am doing at uni. Okay here goes nothing...

Annie Leonard - The Story of Stuff

In this video Annie Leonard talks about consumerism - breaking it down into four stages which make up the 'materials economy'. These stages consist of Extraction, Production, Distribution, Consumption and Disposal. Leonard highlights that the 'linear system' doesn't account for people, natural rescources or energy that are required for production, distribution and disposal of any single product. Quite simply it shows the extend of consumerism's destructive force a world with finite resource at hand. It also points out that design is fueled by the constant demand for newer products.

This video points out the flaws in a system of production and consumerism, which should inspire designers to take responsibility for their designs. By making informed choices as a designer one should be able to recognise such practices as planned/perceived obsolescence and be weary of the implications that come along with it. As designers we should think about the longevity of product by considering things - like whether a material can be recycled - to help with sustainability.

*Photo, Annie Leonard, FOX NEWS, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,520207,00.html

Ross Lovegrove - Organic Design

A philosophy that is inspired by nature is the approach Ross Lovegrove has taken as his own. Through design he believes that 'form can touch people's soul and emotions' and through these principles and inspirations Lovegrove that this perspective is his driving force to create his designs.

With such a strong respect for nature Lovegrove's perceptions of how design should be approached he suggests that the way we respond to form is intrinsic 'we should be developing packaging for ideas which elevate people's perceptions and respect for things that we dig out of the earth'.

Lovegrove's philosophy combines Design, Nature and Art [or DNA as he likes to call it] reflects that his designs draw from nature and still deliver the same aesthetic appeal. The study of less familiar organic specimens [like bone and coral] by Lovegrove have allowed him to develop a method similar to that of nature when it comes to his own designs by removing what isn't necessary he achieves the maximum beauty of the object [much like coral]. This design philosophy can be seen in his GO chair, which 'shows this interlocution of elements and the beauty of this kind of engineering and biological thinking'.

The design philosophy Lovegrove presents is environmentally aware - challenging and engaging designers to think about the impact made on the world we live in as well as offering an insight into how his designs are derived. It is truly inspirational seeing the design process from this perspective.

*Photo, Ross Lovegrove, Stylepark, http://www.stylepark.com/db-images/cms/designer/img/lovegrove_320_336-1.jpg

Yves Behar - Creating Objects That Tell Stories

Yves Behar's perspective on design integrates the idea of the narrative - how a specific object can relate a story that acknowledges the design processes and the value of the product. By challenging the stylistic side of design and focusing on the human experience Behar provides a new point of view on how to approach design.

Through this approach Behar highlights how designers need to consider creating a 'different relationship between our work and our world' - a concept which leans more toward functionality and the experience of using an object rather than stylising it to look good. An example being his Leaf Light for Herman Miller that gives the user the power to change the brightness and colouration of the light to suit their mood - providing multiple settings and increasing the functionality of a singular lamp.

Through this philosophy Behar offers designers a new way to approach design that creates value, functionality and connection between the user and the object. By using the approach of designing inside out, he challenges the idea that design is centered around aesthetics and less on functionality suggesting this approach gives a more 'humanistic sense' to objects which are designed.

This idea provides another point of as to how to approach design by making the connection between narrative, design and human interaction. While it is not so focused on the aesthetics qualities of design it makes one think about how to improve functionality and the experience the user has when interacting with any given object.



*Photo, Yves Behar, Metropolis Mag, http://www.metropolismag.com/webimages/594/YvesBehar_t346.jpg

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