I haven't updated my blog in a while. I am planning on continuing using it however the labels in relation to my previous project NPD China - the Park Bench, will be left to NPD China.
So what have i been up to? I've been in Melbourne! A fantastic city when it comes to design. You really can see how much it is valued by the amount of designer stores you come across and in particular the hub of the city - federation square. I'll post up more details on what i got up to there soon.
Before Melbourne and during part of my trip there! i was working on a best award entry with my classmate Lena. Highly stressful and busy times but we got it done with a special thanks to Joel Fletcher for his help.
That's all for now. Come back soon!
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Finalisation of Details
From research, insights and findings the park bench details are..:
2 Benches: one 4m long and another one 1.8m long
Will be cast with Reconstituted stone with steel rod reinforcing through it due to the long overhang.
The smaller bench will be anchored to the ground through M12 bolts being cast with it.
Will incorporate Xie He's Guhua Pinlu - 6 Principles for critquing art and the magic of Wu Daozi's paintings that come to life during the night.
They form represents a calligraphic form based on 3 sections - similar to the basis of cnostructing Chinese Characters.
It will be "a brushstroke" in the park, in the city, beautifying the transitional space. >> As alot of art from the tang dynasty onwards was calligraphic and landscape based >> emulate that onto the product.
They will have brushstroke details. >> Will be cast with giant brush marks along the sides of it to further convey a brushstroke on the landscape feel.
Will have a slight curvature into the top surface to let water drain towards the plant/tree.
It will be an amalgamate of a Chinese Aesthetic with a Comtemporary European feel. With more of the latter.
It will be great to look at!
2 Benches: one 4m long and another one 1.8m long
Will be cast with Reconstituted stone with steel rod reinforcing through it due to the long overhang.
The smaller bench will be anchored to the ground through M12 bolts being cast with it.
Will incorporate Xie He's Guhua Pinlu - 6 Principles for critquing art and the magic of Wu Daozi's paintings that come to life during the night.
They form represents a calligraphic form based on 3 sections - similar to the basis of cnostructing Chinese Characters.
It will be "a brushstroke" in the park, in the city, beautifying the transitional space. >> As alot of art from the tang dynasty onwards was calligraphic and landscape based >> emulate that onto the product.
They will have brushstroke details. >> Will be cast with giant brush marks along the sides of it to further convey a brushstroke on the landscape feel.
Will have a slight curvature into the top surface to let water drain towards the plant/tree.
It will be an amalgamate of a Chinese Aesthetic with a Comtemporary European feel. With more of the latter.
It will be great to look at!
Public Furniture Designer Feedback
I sent an e-mail to a friend and Unitec Graduate who is currently a Public Furniture Designer: here's the great advice/help/tips he gave in regards to my design.
Material- Stone sounds good, although I havent worked with stone to be truthful, I would imagine it would need some kind of reinforcement structure especially with the cut out in your model, also you would need to consider transport- expensive to shift heavy items & there would usually be more than one at a time to install..
If you went with timber, probably something like treated & laminated Macrocarpa (treated meaning with a wax coat which also serves as a graffiti deterrent) as denser woods would cost too much with the volume of your seat, also denser woods you generally buy in lengths not blocks.
Any stainless steel going near seawater should be 316 grade to prevent corrosion, 302 grade for general purposes, or if its Mild Steel it should be galvanised regardless and either powder coated or wet painted (powder coated is cheaper and personally looks nicer)
Anchorage- would certainly have to be fixed to the ground, either buy bolting it down somehow with fairly large bolts M12 or M16?This would allow it to be removable for refurbishing in the future. but then you would need some steel structure to boolt through. Either that or make it permanently fixed or "plant mounted" where you use an anchor to concrete it in on site-could just be some bent steel rods going into a concrete pad or the base of the seat concreted in.
Also you may want to consider skateboard deterrents, as it will prevent damage to the seats, these can just be litle brass or steel knobs sticking out every 1000mm or so on the seat edge.
Anyway I hope this doesnt overwhealm you, its just the basic guidelines our company manufactures by, you can surely just specify alot of this stuff in your final presentation rather than use it to base your design around.
Material- Stone sounds good, although I havent worked with stone to be truthful, I would imagine it would need some kind of reinforcement structure especially with the cut out in your model, also you would need to consider transport- expensive to shift heavy items & there would usually be more than one at a time to install..
If you went with timber, probably something like treated & laminated Macrocarpa (treated meaning with a wax coat which also serves as a graffiti deterrent) as denser woods would cost too much with the volume of your seat, also denser woods you generally buy in lengths not blocks.
Any stainless steel going near seawater should be 316 grade to prevent corrosion, 302 grade for general purposes, or if its Mild Steel it should be galvanised regardless and either powder coated or wet painted (powder coated is cheaper and personally looks nicer)
Anchorage- would certainly have to be fixed to the ground, either buy bolting it down somehow with fairly large bolts M12 or M16?This would allow it to be removable for refurbishing in the future. but then you would need some steel structure to boolt through. Either that or make it permanently fixed or "plant mounted" where you use an anchor to concrete it in on site-could just be some bent steel rods going into a concrete pad or the base of the seat concreted in.
Also you may want to consider skateboard deterrents, as it will prevent damage to the seats, these can just be litle brass or steel knobs sticking out every 1000mm or so on the seat edge.
Anyway I hope this doesnt overwhealm you, its just the basic guidelines our company manufactures by, you can surely just specify alot of this stuff in your final presentation rather than use it to base your design around.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
The Model
My first model of the bench made out of plaster with grass used as the plant feature.
Full scale side elevation drawing of the bench with Rob on the side to show scale.
This was one of the later model developments. It is wider all around with enough space for people to sit comfortably back-to-back.
Five models. All variants of the base idea. Compositional form studies.
I shrunk Rob and sat him on the model haha jokes! Photoshop job of Rob sitting on my bench.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Development
Developmental sketches.
Now that i have a more focused idea to work with i played around with the elements of it >> the tree and the form.
Here i was doing thumbnail drawings as compositional studies as well as looking into how it will be placed/elevated from the ground.
Park Benches in China
Examples of park benches found in China. Pictures were collected with thanks to my friend Jessie in Shanghai.
Examples of benches found on the net that are manufactured in China.Nearly all of the benches have none of the design values as seen in european furniture nor do they have a Chinese feel about them.
Parks and the Outdoors
Photos of the outdoors and parks of China. From the constructed parks to the enchanting natural geographical features. My bench will go in these places also.
Escofet: Outdoor Furnishings
Escofet is a Spainish outdoor furniture and outdoor design manufacturer. Their products are quite popular in europe and have a unique spainish design aesthetic to them.As i have taken up the role of being an outdoor furniture designer for this assignment Escofet is a good model to look at and learn from. What i'm attempting to do in a few weeks Escofet has been doing it for over a century!
Concepts!
Concepts!This image was drawn alot earlier in the project when my drawing skills were still warming up! Just a few ideas. The stand out one is the cloud hanging from a tree.
Concepts on brown paper! a personal favourite for substrates. With the idea of transition on my mind towards westernisation Forks came to mind! Why not a fork seat? Unfortunately i was beaten to this well before my time in the 60s by Claus Oldenberg!
Other stand-outs were the accompanying knife and spoon to the fork haha.. and then there was also the boxy turtle park bench. Turtle patterned bench with angled out feet. Funky and interesting form. There's also a few notes regarding public furniture and from my discussion with Roger> main point of discussion: Furniture as a canvas. Combine a simple form with surface patterns/textures.
Simple forms as well as complex forms. The concept on the left of the page is a traditional table with a cropped table top for sitting on.
Straight geometrical based forms. Simple again. Stand-out concept is the combined tree/plant vase with bench. The lower level of the bench is a trench that flows to the base of the vase to water the bench flora.
More concepts, planning notes for the project and presentation.
More concepts.
There were 3 stand-out concepts on this page.
The top left: simple form with a wooden top for seating.
The top right: each bench is different in that it has part of one story inscribed on it. As you seat yourself on the furniture you can look towards other benches to reveal the story.
The bottom right: the images on the benches are slotted on and replaceable. Can be used to create a new story, decorate the city for an event, promote something etc.
On discussion with Roger on the latter idea the concept of instead of creating new plates to slot onto the bench>> interchangeable moulds. Applying the same effects but in the opposite way.
The concept I have chosen to develop is the bench with the integrated vase. It is a simple idea, can be visually captivating, and has room for finer detail development.
Initial workings
My Research wall includes images and information on various ancient Chinese Artifacts and calligraph.
My lecturer was in the paper! Included in the article were products from past students at Unitec.
The matrixing creativity technique based on the words Park and Furniture.
Thoughts on the transitional space.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Ipe Cavalli
The Ipe furniture brand is one of the only brands which i found on the mayde website that i could easily find a homepage for.
From reading the philosophy behind the different product ranges they produce the idea of transition still came to mind.
The following are the philosophies behind the brands which i think sound great! they have great depth and poeticness about it.
The Streamlined Collection is designed for the contemporary house... A design and interior decoration project... that evolves further by creating a big family of the “Sensitive Items”. An abacus of... soft, fascinating, feminine, familar items... made of signs, materials and colours deriving from the variegated book of the living memory, wich traces down to atmospheres of a more or less distant past. These items reflect the complicated and articulated connections existing nowdays among fashion, design and art. In this way the house becomes a place to be interpreted following one's own flair and sensitivity, experiencing different kind of juxtapositions, creating very charming domestic furnishings... The items of the Streamlined Collection represent a “sensible abacus” that let coexist both our memories and dream
The charm of a royal palace, the magical appeal of the night: Visionnaire begins with the dignity of an ancient gate that opens onto an unusual world. The dark inspirations, the esoteric references, and a few decorative elements interpreted in every possible variable recur as the strong elements of the Visionnaire style. Visionnaire is the dream of a world that expresses a nearly-Baroque decorative quest, the excellence of form, and the sophistication of materials. Just as in an ancient residence, the spirit of the environments plays with the hidden, multi-faceted, unconscious side of the individual: the house is the staging of a life full of fascination, and references to a world that is not exhausted by reality.
Black and white close the circle: in the perfection of their symmetry, they explain the attaction of opposites, dark and light, night and day. White Gothic also designs interiors following an absolutely personal, is a dream of the opposite, in wich mystery and the night seem to find some peace in the milky glare of the day... but it's only an impression, this time is not that of reality.
From reading the philosophy behind the different product ranges they produce the idea of transition still came to mind.
The following are the philosophies behind the brands which i think sound great! they have great depth and poeticness about it.
The Streamlined Collection is designed for the contemporary house... A design and interior decoration project... that evolves further by creating a big family of the “Sensitive Items”. An abacus of... soft, fascinating, feminine, familar items... made of signs, materials and colours deriving from the variegated book of the living memory, wich traces down to atmospheres of a more or less distant past. These items reflect the complicated and articulated connections existing nowdays among fashion, design and art. In this way the house becomes a place to be interpreted following one's own flair and sensitivity, experiencing different kind of juxtapositions, creating very charming domestic furnishings... The items of the Streamlined Collection represent a “sensible abacus” that let coexist both our memories and dream
The charm of a royal palace, the magical appeal of the night: Visionnaire begins with the dignity of an ancient gate that opens onto an unusual world. The dark inspirations, the esoteric references, and a few decorative elements interpreted in every possible variable recur as the strong elements of the Visionnaire style. Visionnaire is the dream of a world that expresses a nearly-Baroque decorative quest, the excellence of form, and the sophistication of materials. Just as in an ancient residence, the spirit of the environments plays with the hidden, multi-faceted, unconscious side of the individual: the house is the staging of a life full of fascination, and references to a world that is not exhausted by reality.
Black and white close the circle: in the perfection of their symmetry, they explain the attaction of opposites, dark and light, night and day. White Gothic also designs interiors following an absolutely personal, is a dream of the opposite, in wich mystery and the night seem to find some peace in the milky glare of the day... but it's only an impression, this time is not that of reality.
Monday, May 28, 2007
News, News, News
World Economic Forum on China Business Summit 2006http://www.weforum.org/pdf/SummitReports/china2006/creative.htm
The Creative Imperative in China
http://www.weforum.org/pdf/SummitReports/china2006/sustainable_growth.htm
Sustainable Growth
China Design: How the mainland is becoming a global center for hot products
Sony had a problem in China: The company was seen by many young Chinese as Daddy's brand. So in August the company opened a design center in Shanghai. The three designers there quickly set about trying to understand the lives of young Chinese, giving 50 of them digital cameras and asking them to document their daily lives in photographs...
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_47/b3960003.htm
The Creative Imperative in China
http://www.weforum.org/pdf/SummitReports/china2006/sustainable_growth.htm
Sustainable Growth
China Design: How the mainland is becoming a global center for hot products
Sony had a problem in China: The company was seen by many young Chinese as Daddy's brand. So in August the company opened a design center in Shanghai. The three designers there quickly set about trying to understand the lives of young Chinese, giving 50 of them digital cameras and asking them to document their daily lives in photographs...
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_47/b3960003.htm
Symbol of Happiness
Magpie is a symbol of happiness in Chinese culture. The singing of a magpie foretells happiness and good luck.
http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa081000a.htm
http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa081000a.htm
Unique Letters
People of the Jingpo minority in Yunan Province in south China are well known for their cleverness at writing letters in objects rather than ink.
To show that one misses a relative, or a friend who is far away, one will send a unique letter composed of a root plus a few grains of sesame. The root represents "miss" while the sesame means "very much." If one receives a piece of beef or pork from someone, the sender is saying that, "Someone in the family died the other day, but I am sorry that we did not inform you to attend the funeral because of the long distance."
http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa081800a.htm
To show that one misses a relative, or a friend who is far away, one will send a unique letter composed of a root plus a few grains of sesame. The root represents "miss" while the sesame means "very much." If one receives a piece of beef or pork from someone, the sender is saying that, "Someone in the family died the other day, but I am sorry that we did not inform you to attend the funeral because of the long distance."
http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa081800a.htm
Live in Style
The Fashionable Life of Beijing Youth
The Chinese youth, especially the white collars in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, now form a fashion of seeking stylish life. To them, grace is something that needs guidance, since it connects with not individuals but social atmosphere. With times' development, the distinction between grace and fashion has been blurred out. Long hair can be graceful, skinniness can be graceful, and acting cool can also be graceful. Grace has actually been nothing but a wish.
http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa030201a.htm
The Chinese youth, especially the white collars in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, now form a fashion of seeking stylish life. To them, grace is something that needs guidance, since it connects with not individuals but social atmosphere. With times' development, the distinction between grace and fashion has been blurred out. Long hair can be graceful, skinniness can be graceful, and acting cool can also be graceful. Grace has actually been nothing but a wish.
http://chineseculture.about.com/library/weekly/aa030201a.htm
Favourite Plants of China
Bamboo is one of the four favorite plants along with Chinese plum, orchid and chrysanthemum, the so-called Four Men of Honor (Si4 Jun1 Zi3) by the Chinese. The characters of the four plants are highly admired by the Chinese people so they want to be just like the four plants. In turn, the plants have possessed some human nature. This is an example of the harmony between nature and human being (Tian1 Ren2 He2 Yi1)..
http://chineseculture.about.com/cs/culture/a/bambooculture.htm
http://chineseculture.about.com/cs/culture/a/bambooculture.htm
LCD Screens to Replace Bus Stops' Noisy Bells
Screens to replace bus stops' noisy bells
In Shanghai they're replacing bells that tell bus drivers when to leave> with LCD screens that show them. They're cutting back on the audial pollution perhaps? and as well as that..
Drivers must turn off their vehicles after waiting at a station for more than eight minutes and the third bus that pulls into a line at the station must also cut its engine.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/citylife/2007-05/14/content_871875.htm
In Shanghai they're replacing bells that tell bus drivers when to leave> with LCD screens that show them. They're cutting back on the audial pollution perhaps? and as well as that..
Drivers must turn off their vehicles after waiting at a station for more than eight minutes and the third bus that pulls into a line at the station must also cut its engine.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/citylife/2007-05/14/content_871875.htm
Urban Adventures
Urban adventure popular
To many people, urban adventures offer a chance of forgetting the hustle and bustle of cities, and of looking at the other side of the cities they live in, behind its luxurious and modern facade.
"Beijing has been the capital of China since hundreds of years ago, and its deep cultural back ground make it a paradise for us adventurers," said Lami (not his real name) . "We appreciate different cultures and styles of different cities in our adventures."
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/citylife/2007-05/15/content_872908.htm
People are seeking to enjoy more from the environment they live in through experiences they are recently discovering available.
An Urban Playground
Amid wheeler-dealers, an urban playground(New York Times)Updated: 2007-05-14 09:38
..Out and about in Shanghai ..it won't take long for parents to discover that Shanghai, with its many parks, markets and museums, can captivate the younger set.
As early as the 15th century, the heart of Shanghai was the Yu Yuan (Yu Garden) area. This Ming Dynasty walled garden of pavilions, willows and rocks has been overshadowed by its bazaar, a labyrinth of kiosks and specialty shops overhung by swooping, Ming-style tile roofs. There, you can buy chopsticks, silk pajamas, wigs, American fast food, guitars, kites and fermented tofu, among many other items. Merchants demonstrate everything from bubble-blowers to Chinese yo-yos; others beckon passersby to sample tea and gelato.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/citylife/2007-05/14/content_871675.htm
Deepening Cultural Reform
Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official Li Changchun called for deepening reform of cultural system while attending the 3rd session of the China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industry Fair (ICIF) on Saturday. .
"ICIF should become a platform to test and boost our cultural industry, promote Chinese culture and enhance cultural exchange with foreign countries," Li said.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-05/20/content_876335.htm
what am I trying to promote through my product...?
The Sicilian Guide to Chinese History
I came across this and the title struck me as being quite interesting. I currently haven't read the whole thing.. it's from someone's blogsite. It appears they also have alot of post-ups of current events in China and Asia! - taken from various news websites as well.
http://granitestudio.blogspot.com/2007/05/sicilian-guide-to-chinese-history.html
http://granitestudio.blogspot.com/2007/05/sicilian-guide-to-chinese-history.html
Disney Makes Cartoon Film Out of Chinese Legend
Disney makes cartoon film out of Chinese legend>>
The Magic Gourd (Baohulu De Mimi). The film's story is the contemporary adaptation of a classic novel written in 1958 by one of the most celebrated authors of Chinese children's literature, the late Zhang Tianyi.
The fantasy focuses on Wang Bao, a precocious boy who chances upon a magic gourd that accomplishes everything he needs or wants to do.
Ancient Incense Craze
This article will be handy for Santi to look at as he's dealing with incense in his design.
In China, Western perfumes have dominated the upscale segment of the fragrance market for years but few people know that hundreds of years ago, China had its own perfumes based on the country's unique culture and tastes. The perfumes were not only used to pamper the nose, but also represented a way of life.
Notes: not too sure whats goin on in the picture but I got it off the article's webpage. Perhaps the clothes are draped over the cage where the incense is inside to infuse the scent into the fabric.
Web Opens World for Young
Web Opens World for Young, But Erodes Respect
…Even if his teachers do not satisfy his Web-fueled curiosity, Xi says, the Internet has still changed him and his generation. "I'm part of international society now," he reckons..
How far this globalized generation will change the face of China is a matter of debate among those following young peoples' attitudes.
Sun Yun Xiao, the researcher, has greater hopes. "The sense of participation among post-90 kids is very strong," he points out. "Their sense of democracy is stronger, and this is a definite trend."
"If these kids really have the chance to think differently, the impact will be the same as in the West," he predicts. "They will be more creative, they'll be better at solving problems by themselves, and they won't simply do what they are told to do."
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-05/20/content_876318_2.htm
…Even if his teachers do not satisfy his Web-fueled curiosity, Xi says, the Internet has still changed him and his generation. "I'm part of international society now," he reckons..
How far this globalized generation will change the face of China is a matter of debate among those following young peoples' attitudes.
Sun Yun Xiao, the researcher, has greater hopes. "The sense of participation among post-90 kids is very strong," he points out. "Their sense of democracy is stronger, and this is a definite trend."
"If these kids really have the chance to think differently, the impact will be the same as in the West," he predicts. "They will be more creative, they'll be better at solving problems by themselves, and they won't simply do what they are told to do."
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-05/20/content_876318_2.htm
Ikea and Pies
“creating a better everyday life for the many people”
http://ikea.com/
1998 – Ikea opened its first store in China in Shanghai.
There are now 4 Ikea stores in China located in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Chengdu.
1998 – Ikea opened its first store in China in Shanghai.
There are now 4 Ikea stores in China located in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Chengdu.
“the Scandinavian way”
IKEA contends that it has been a pioneering force in sustainable approaches to mass consumer culture. Kamprad refers to the concept as "democratic design," meaning that the company applies an integrated approach to manufacturing and design (see also environmental design). In response to the explosion of human population and material expectations in the 20th and 21st century, the company implements economies of scale, capturing material streams and creating manufacturing processes that hold costs and resource use down, such as the extensive use of particle board. The intended result is flexible, adaptable home furnishings, scalable both to smaller homes and dwellings as well as large houses.
Newer IKEA stores are usually very large blue boxes with few windows. They are often designed around a "one-way" layout which leads customers along "the long natural way".
Design reform
As pointed out by circuit lecturer Will Novosedlik, IKEA embodies the principles of design reform begun by William Morris and John Ruskin, insofar as the company seeks to elevate public taste by providing quality goods at affordable prices.
Notes/ thoughts:
"The Scandinavian Way" - as found on the Ikea China website. China is buying into and embracing european furnishings, lifestyle products. There is even a link on the website homepage to Swedish Food!
>>Feeling apart of a different culture? a new culture?
If i had a New Zealand company that created products that were popular in China perhaps i'd also sell Meat Pies on it!
NZ pies are also very popular with overseas Asians and is something that is missed when they return home.
Hong Kong–born, London-educated collector-dealer-art adviser-curator-publisher Pearl Lam "I celebrate and exaggerate differences," she pronounces. "I'm against unity." .. she established Contrasts gallery, which invites designers and artists to blur boundaries between disciplines and cultures, past and present.
She hopes young Chinese artists and designers can learn from her juxtapositions, too. "Many of them think that just by following Western ideology, they can be successful, not understanding that the West has a different history," Lam explains. As China develops at a breathless pace and the West takes ever more interest, she adds,
She hopes young Chinese artists and designers can learn from her juxtapositions, too. "Many of them think that just by following Western ideology, they can be successful, not understanding that the West has a different history," Lam explains. As China develops at a breathless pace and the West takes ever more interest, she adds,
"Strong Chinese art should be about the reinvention of tradition—merging Western media, for example, with Chinese art and philosophy, to create something entirely new."
Catking
Contemporary European styled furniture for China and the world market. No presence of Chinese culture within the products nor in the photographs – it’s been made to look completely western/European.
Shelving and storage are the dominant products in the range as this is very important to apartment dwellers. With the very limited amount of space available it all needs to be used efficiently.
http://catking.com
Shelving and storage are the dominant products in the range as this is very important to apartment dwellers. With the very limited amount of space available it all needs to be used efficiently.
http://catking.com
Mayland
There's a big chunk of research i have that i haven't posted! So here is some of it.. part 1
About Mayland:
[International Exposition home living museum] is not only the world's top brand home territory, will become the future home international best practice and cultural currents of release platform. Enjoy the luxury brand used only for the aristocracy, has become the target pursued by Asians. Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan -- have representatives in Asia, China, Thailand and India -- a new giant of Asia today. are enjoying the royal supplies from Europe, the desire to create the international top fashion design.
To enhance the global competitiveness of Chinese domestic retailers to achieve a comprehensive upgrading of China's domestic retailers...
One of the key statements that came from this was "Building Leisure into Life". Their slogan. When you go on holiday (holiday = leisure time) to a foreign land.. say europe, you are immersed in their design and furniture. By having foreign furniture in your house, this would start to make you/help make you feel like you were living in that someplace else also, perhaps on holiday even - Transition.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Scenery Trends
Quoted from Alex's Comments on my blog + Emilia's
"it is the new trend right to have sceneries of high rises and cloudy sky! :) "
- Alex's comment on my blog
"nice benches..Bhavesh should design one for the roof top..I'm sure he is thinking about it!..so the people can enjoy the views of high rises and cloudy sky! :) its the new trend for scenery!"
- Alex's comment on Emilia's blog
Sounds interesting! I shall look into it further.
"it is the new trend right to have sceneries of high rises and cloudy sky! :) "
- Alex's comment on my blog
"nice benches..Bhavesh should design one for the roof top..I'm sure he is thinking about it!..so the people can enjoy the views of high rises and cloudy sky! :) its the new trend for scenery!"
- Alex's comment on Emilia's blog
Sounds interesting! I shall look into it further.
Parks and Benches in China
A bit of information about Parks in China:
- Most people go there to sit and read the newspaper
- Some parks have animal bans
- In certain cities there are parks every 2 square kilometres
- During the day parks are popular with older people - the 65+ crowd and at night popular with the younger crowd.
- Old people go there for taichi in the morning. During the day they chill out, dance and play chinese chess.
- People also go there to walk their dog(s).
A bit of information about Park Benches/ Seating Benches in China:
- People steal public property eg. Park benches. They dismantle them and sell the parts.
- Homeless people sleep on benches at night.
- Karen commented that she never sits on public benches in China. They are always dirty, dusty and children often stand on them.
- Marko commented that alot of them aren't that nice, however there are some better ones in parts too.
- Karen also commented that the benches are Symbols of the City. Every city has different benches.
Transitional spaces
Transitional spaces is my term for the spaces you travel between where you are now, and your destination. The spaces you are in during transit.
From the topics I researched into, Transition was one of the main themes that I noticed. Whether it be the transition of China towards Westernisation in a visible manner, or the transition of the mind to another place through the european furnishings of an apartment.
Examples of products that are in the tranisitional space includes public furniture. However where a transitional spaced product could go and could be is numerous - a door >> transitions you from the outside world into your private world. The product could be a/for a staircase, footpath, road, sign post.
I wish to create a "product for the people", not a "private product"
Feedback I received about this through the small class discussion raised the following points:
From the topics I researched into, Transition was one of the main themes that I noticed. Whether it be the transition of China towards Westernisation in a visible manner, or the transition of the mind to another place through the european furnishings of an apartment.
Examples of products that are in the tranisitional space includes public furniture. However where a transitional spaced product could go and could be is numerous - a door >> transitions you from the outside world into your private world. The product could be a/for a staircase, footpath, road, sign post.
I wish to create a "product for the people", not a "private product"
Feedback I received about this through the small class discussion raised the following points:
- Sharing public spaces
- Public spaces can be dangerous because of thieves
- A transitional space product would work better in a place of common interest eg. building foyers, parks.
Life is about experiences and to enhance the experience of transitioning would make life just that little bit more interesting yes? - perhaps the product could help you to create your own adventure between where you are now and where you're going next.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Interim Presentation
Yesterday i had my interim presentation to Roger..
I have alot of work to do indeed! But i shall get there! What is needed is a design research freeze! An insight that stood out to Roger and me was Xie He of the 6th Century first principle in his Guhua Pinlu - Spirit Resonance
Today at class we had a small class discussion starring Marco, Darin, Daniel, Opeta, Santi, Karen, Melody and Frances. It was regarding the project brief: how we were doing with it and what we were doing with it! - it was also to get suggestions and advice to help all of us create a better design. It went great. I especially appreciated the input from the class in regards to my project approach as at this stage it isnt as clear as most of my classmates!
A bit of information i picked up from the talk:
I have alot of work to do indeed! But i shall get there! What is needed is a design research freeze! An insight that stood out to Roger and me was Xie He of the 6th Century first principle in his Guhua Pinlu - Spirit Resonance
Today at class we had a small class discussion starring Marco, Darin, Daniel, Opeta, Santi, Karen, Melody and Frances. It was regarding the project brief: how we were doing with it and what we were doing with it! - it was also to get suggestions and advice to help all of us create a better design. It went great. I especially appreciated the input from the class in regards to my project approach as at this stage it isnt as clear as most of my classmates!
A bit of information i picked up from the talk:
- The importance of Feng Shui varies between families and areas of China.
- The screen feature in Chinese homes should have no small plants infront of it (on the side facing the door)
- There are different Feng Shui rules/setups for the office.
- Multi-functioning products are popular. - This makes alot of sense as these products may take up as much as room as one product but can do the tasks of two! therefore saving on space.
- There are Chinese lucky patterns
- http://www.China-elements.com - good place to find patterns, furniture etc
- Bamboo is a commonly used material in the south as it is hotter and the material stays naturally cooler.
- Furniture made from Ratan vine
- The Green Collar Club - a sustainability club in China.
I'll post up soon what i had similarly discussed with Roger and the class plus feedback.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Flower Bicycle
"When i drive a flower bicycle, i will have a good future"
image found on the www.shanghart.com website! artists name forgotten. will find it soon.
Creativity - When East Meets West
Creativity - When East Meets West by Sing Lau, Anna N N Hui and Grace Y C Ng (2004, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.)This book gives great insights into Creativity between East and West. Everything's written so well and interesting that i'm tempted to copy whole chapters haha.
The following are sections of the book i find relevant in knowing in regards to my designing for China. There's still more to come too!
p58 3. Conceptualization of Creativity within the Chinese Cultural Context
Conceptualizations of creativity can be described as explicit or implicit. Explicit theories of creativity are consutrctions of psychologists or other social scientists that are based on theoretically derived hypotheses that can be empirically tested (Sternberg, 1985). In contrast, implicit theories are drawn from the individuals' belief systems that exist in the minds of these individuals (Runco & Bahleda, 1987) and need to be revealed rather than invented.
3.1 Explicit concepts of Chinese Creativity
.. Consequently researchers started to search for the historical and indigenous roots of the concept of creativity and to compare Chinese conceptions with those of North American and Western perspectivies. The results of such comparisons led Weiner (2000) to conclude that, "Creativity in the Western sense might be seen as absurb from common Hindu and Buddhist perspectives" (p.160). Bearing in mind that elements of invention and novely, a willingness to reject tradition, orientation on self-actualization, celebration of individual accomplishment, and concentration on the future, are almost inherent to Wester conception of creativity we can easily notice that these elements are foreign to the traditional Chinese ideals of respect for the past, and maintaining harmony with the forces of the nature.
Novelty and inventions understood as attributes of creativity in the Western concept are either non-existent or, at the best, differently conceptulaized in Chinese traditional teaching. Throughout the history of Chinese philosophy, creatibity was perceived as discovering the nature of following "the way" (the Tao), as there was nothing new to create. Thus, those people "who desire creating something new live in ego illusion" (Weiner, 2000, p. 160). The foremost goal of any human activity is to attain harmony with forces which are far greater than humans. Within the Taoist and Buddhist teaching, creatibity was viewed as an inspired imitation of the forces of nature. Creativity was needed for figuring out what respnose was consistent with "the Way", as well as for showing others that one was indeed following "the Way" (Weiner, 2000). Within common Chinese conceptions, the "new" creations such as bronzes, sculpture, ceramics, and paintings came into the being in order to honor "the eternal ways of heaven and nature, the ancestors, and the ancient texts" (Weiner, 2000, p. 178). Such a perception of the motivations and aims of creative effort is strikingly different from the willful quest for novelty inherent to Western creations since the Renaissance.
"Between the Chinese and foreigner of today there exists a distance, but far greater distance exists between the Chinese of today and the Chinese of antiquity, While the former distance will diminish with time the latter distance will lengthen"
- Wu Guanzhong, One of the greatest contemporary Chinese artists.
Learning from China - The Tao of the City
Learning from China - The Tao of the City by Carl Fingerhuth (2004, Birkhaüser)
//yup//
Sentimental Fabulations, Contemporary Chinese Films
Sentimental Fabulations, Contemporary Chinese Films by Rey Chow (2007, Columbia University Press)
A snippet from the book i found randomly that interested me:
1 The Seductions of Homecoming
Tempress Moon and the Question of Origins
..Even though it has been an overwhelmingly successful phenomenon worldwide since the late 1980s, contemporary Chinese cinema is habitually greeted by Chinse-speaking audiences with cynicism if not hostility. It is as if the accomplishments of this cinema have an impossible task in returning home. The simple fact that it has traveled abroad and been gazed at with enthusiasm by foreigners is apparently enough to cause it to lose trustworthines as wholly and genuinely Chinese..
With this in mind I believe I shouldn't try too hard to make my product seem authentically Chinese. Could my designed product be a gift to China...? My own ode?
Splendours of Ancient China
Splendours of Ancient China by Maurizio Scarpari (2000, Thames & Hudson)
//notes coming soon//
Ten Thousand Things
Ten Thousand Things - Module and Mass Production in Chinese Art by Lothar Leddorose (2000, National Gallery of Art, Washington)
//come back soon for more details!//
Splendors of China's Forbidden City
Splendors of China's Forbidden City - The Glorious Reign of Emperor Qianlong by Chuimei Ho and Bennet Bronson (2004, Merrell Publishers Limited)
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