Design For Life // Phillipe Starck

From the get-go I was very intrigued in the Design For Life series when I noticed how startlingly similar the studio critiquing scenarios for the contestants are to our own studio assessment. Starck probes for answers in the same way that our own studio tutors and assessors do. That feeling of discomfort when you have no answer to a question about an element of a design you have overlooked, and alternatively that feeling of pride and overjoy when you have nailed a presentation, is reflected in the contestants on the program. All studied designers worldwide would be able to connect with the show because of this. I certainly felt a sense of involvement brought about from a deeper understanding of the processes of designing that are being represented in the show. This made me understand and consider the universality of design and how its practice is mirrored internationally.

As per knowing the work of Phillipe Starck and from what was put forth in Design For Life, it was evident that Starcks design ethos constitutes very much designing from a holistic approach that embodies life and its desired ideals. He directly says that design should not be undertaken with design in mind, but with the desire to embody an ideal in an object, with a message to tell. I concur with this concept, and believe that most certainly form should be a eventuation of an initial, clear and concise idea.

Unsurprisingly and comforting to know, Starck recognises a push for sustainability. Environmental sustainability has become synonymous with the entire product design process and lifecycle now which is good as it is one of the finest examples in the world of an entire field that has altered its mind-set to make being environmentally sustainable the status-quo. Being environmentally unobtrusive is of utmost importance to designers and as represented by Starck, a push towards sustainable understanding in young designers from mentors, teachers and tutors is imperative to keep the importance ingrained and continued in design.

Given the final brief set by Starck, I understand that it clearly required a product that helps many people. I think this is what most designers aim to do, however it was interesting to observe this come from one designer notorious for some products that are solely form driven. I'm talking about the juicer, and although I have never used one personally, I have heard on numerous accounts that it 'functions' terribly. It was nice to know that Starck does not discredit functionality, despite being recognised by designs such as the juicer that apparently do. I am aware that Starck is responsible for a plethora of diverse products, however it is his more recognisable and flagship, eccentric and bizarre designs that have achieved his international notoriety. Starck pushed the young designers to create useful products.

One of the most magnificent ideals put forth by Starck as what he envisions design to achieve is to help humanity reach it's potential. I love to think of design as a means of enabling. The integration of good design into the lives of everyone to make them achieve goals as apposed to weigh them down and hold them back is, in my opinion, a very noble, concise and marvelously basic design theory to adopt, and certainly one I will consider highly in development of my own attitude and approach to design as a young and inspired designer.