WEEK 12: Objectified & other Design Documentaries

VIDEO 
Objectified (2009, Gary Hustwit)

Objectified (Hustwit, 2009) is a documentary film examining the role of everyday objects and the people who design them. The film is actually Part II of Hustwit's "Design Trilogy", alongside Helvetica (Hustwit, 2007) and Urbanized (Hustwit, 2011). Hustwit also tackled the subject of office design in Workplace (2016), and will release another documentary film, on the work of German industrial designer, Dieter Rams later this year - titled Rams.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty0fGn8fiUU

OTHER VIDEOS

Throughout the semester, prompted by the inclusion of Objectified in the course materials, I have researched, found and watched a number of documentaries covering many aspects of design. From Gary Hustwit's Helvetica, Urbanized and workplace, to Wendy Keys' documentary on Milton Glaser (2008), and the TV series Abstract (2017). All of these are essential viewing to capture a broad engagement with different design domains, with the only caveat being that they are largely very US- and particularly New York-centric in the lens through which they explore design. This means that all of the projects are large-scale, high profile, iconic, big-budget design which are well suited to slick modern documentary filmmaking. However this did also push me towards finding Australian and European information via TED talks, other documentaries and University programs, hence the interest in Hustwit's film about Dieter Rams.

I have created a YouTube playlist of some of the video & documentary information I have found throughout the semester:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLm20OFfbQNW28gQOuiHg3sq2ucbeU3e4b 

Dieter Rams: Ten Principles for Good Design

Rams introduced the idea of sustainable development and of obsolescence being a crime in design in the 1970s. Asking himself: is my design good design? He formed the celebrated 10 principles.

1. Is INNOVATIVE – Imaginative design always develops in tandem with improving technology, and can never be an end in itself.
2. Makes a product USEFUL – A product is bought to be used. It has to satisfy functional criteria.
3. Is AESTHETIC – The aesthetic quality of a product is integral to its usefulness because products are used every day and have an effect on people and their well-being.
4. Makes a product UNDERSTANDABLE – It clarifies the product’s structure. Better still, it can make the product clearly express its function by making use of the user's intuition
5. Is UNOBTRUSIVE – Products fulfilling a purpose are like tools. They are neither decorative objects nor works of art. Their design should therefore leave room for the user's self-expression. 
6. Is HONEST – It does not make a product appear more innovative, powerful or valuable than it really is
7. Is LONG-LASTING – It avoids being fashionable and therefore never appears antiquated. Unlike fashionable design, it lasts many years – even in today's throwaway society.
8. Is THOROUGH down to the last DETAIL – Nothing must be arbitrary or left to chance. Care and accuracy in the design process show respect towards the consumer.
9. Is ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY – Design makes an important contribution to the preservation of the environment. It conserves resources and minimizes physical and visual pollution throughout the lifecycle of the product.
10. Is AS LITTLE DESIGN AS POSSIBLE – Less, but better – because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials. Back to purity, back to simplicity."Weniger aber besser" in German.

REFERENCES

• Hustwit, G. Helvetica. Swiss Dots (2007)
• Hustwit, G. Objectified. Swiss Dots. (2009). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty0fGn8fiUU
• Hustwit, G.Urbanized. Swiss Dots. (2011)
• Hustwit, G. Workplace. Swiss Dots (2016)
• Milton Glaser: To inform and delight (2008, Wendy Keys)
• Thorpe, A. Architecture and Design versus Consumerism: how design activism confronts growth (London: Earthscan, 2012).
• Princen, T, Maniates, M, Conca K (eds), Confronting Consumption (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press)
• Garland, K. First Things First Manifesto. London: Goodwin Press (1964) http://www.designishistory.com/1960/first-things-first/
• Ambrose, G & Harris, P 2015, Design thinking for visual communication, 2nd edn, Fairchild Books, London.
• Cross, N 2006, Designerly ways of knowing, Springer, London.