Review of Keynote Lecture with Q&A, with William Sawaya.
SDW#8
Notes on viewing the Powerhouse Museum exhibit, ‘Contemporary Silver: Made In Italy’ (with at least 1 Australian Designer included!), and review of Keynote Lecture with Q & A by Milanese Industrial Desigers, Sawaya&Moroni 5/8/04 6pm
While it is important to be cordial to one’s guests (and major sponsors of your city’s “Design Week”), it is also worth remembering that just because they are from the northern hemisphere, and that through sheer numbers, their design culture is more prolific than ours, they are not necessarily deserving of adulation. It is a different matter if they are deserving of this praise.
Pre lecture the audience were invited to view the elegantly encased display of silver objects, some functional, but most, just artistic whimsy… yet again another blurring of the line between Art and Design, that not even so-called professionals can discipline themselves with.
Yes, Design should have a sense of humour.
Yes, Design should be original.
Yes, Design should be pro/evocative.
Yes, Design should focus on acting as a conduit for culture, rather than a manufacturer of product- absolutely yes!
But when Design fails to fulfil its basic function, it can only be regarded as sculpture. That is not Design, regardless of visual appeal. As the sentence flows- Form follows function.
When a Design prototype (eg. jug, chair), failing in its designated functional factors (eg. ergonomics), is realised in its final material fabrication (eg. silver, timber)… that is resourcefully wasteful. Besides utilising local craftspeople, which is something that is increasingly crucial in all cultures, as well as their dedication to quality and originality as materially expensive industrial objects, function and versatility are the two most noticeable shortcomings in the individual designs presented. This comes across as a disrespect for the materials utilised, and the (ecological/social) environmental costs involved in obtaining them.
Sawaya&Moroni being primarily Industrial Designers and in true Italian style-patrons of quality craftsmanship beyond aesthetics; passionately acknowledge the social responsibility of the Designer… to originality… craftsmanship… environment? But then few Designers actually have the gall to deny their responsibility to the social environment, and most have bandied around the term Sustainability. But do we understand what each other are referring to? Or are we getting lost in the translation? Not to say perpetrating the dreaded “green-wash”…
In creating such valued objects, as an experiment to bring their appreciation to a human rather than purely spiritual level, I would like to suggest a few design considerations for Environmental Responsibility that go beyond -waiting 14 years to use plastic which was recycled--not using endangered timbers--supporting traditional local craft industries:
- Consider re-using/cycling the (silver) objects for material, rather than utilising virgin materials. And use materials efficiently, minimising waste (ie. not cutting a backed 4 legged chair out of a single piece of timber), or at least using the off-cut with at least as much respect as was devoted to the parent object.
- Ensure objects are ergonomic in function, and as versatile in their range of functions as possible, before taking them beyond the material prototype.
- The appreciation of these rare materials should not purely be a reflection of their rarity, but also the ecological/social impact of refining these materials.
With reference to the analytical concepts of Material Intensity Per unit of Service, Ecological Footprint, and Ecological Rucksack:
- Are customers invited to utilise a maintainance or personalisation services for the design objects?
- How could Sawaya&Moroni take responsibility for their objects once their users choose to discard them?
- How will these objects be environmentally at the end of their lifespan, or even lifecycle?
… I wonder, being Milanese themselves, are they acquainted with the theory works of Professore Ezio Manzini of the ‘Politecnico di Milano’ at all?
It was an interesting lecture, thankyou to the organisers, e grazie Sig. Sawaya.
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