This book takes a unique, original and engrossing approach to design. Whether or not we are consciously interested in it, design is omnipresent; it affects and influences us all in every aspect of our lives.
The Genius of Design illuminates what design is, how it works, and how it has shaped the world we live in. The book shows how the story of design has developed and explores major themes, with chapters including the birth of mass-produced design, domestic design and the contemporary home and the legacy of wartime design.
More than anything, though, the book tells the stories that lie behind the iconic designs of our times. It tells how the first fitted kitchen was based on the principles behind the Ford production line, how wartime research ultimately led to the ball point pen, latex condoms and aviator sunglasses.
It celebrates the heroes of design and the lesser known people responsible for some of the everyday objects we take for granted. It also examines the role of the consumer and the issues of taste – what really is good or bad design?
One of my favourite pages features Dieter Rams: 10 commandments
– good design is innovative
– good design makes a product useful
– good design is aesthetic
– good design helps us to understand a product
– good design is unobtrusive
– good design is honest
– good design is durable
– good design is consequent to the last detail
– good design is concerned with the environment
– good design is as little design as possible
Post by Nancy