Timelessness in the Ordinary: The fundamental value of human function in Japanese & Danish modern design
Nakajima, Catherine M.
2012
- I have observed that many Japanese and Danish designers turn to ordinariness as a way to provide the most elegant design solutions. I have encountered many modern designs from Japan and Denmark that bear the quality of being so ordinary that they become extraordinary. Often times, this appreciation for the ordinary is expressed through the designer's appreciation for simplicity, his or her refusal ... read moreto change anything if it already works, and by focusing on the smaller, overlooked details. Through an abundant use of wood and other natural materials, we can also see the designer's value for nature. And by creating functional solutions that are attentive to the convenience of the user, they exhibit the aim to provide as much human interaction and comfort as possible. Many modern designs described as minimal or functional are cold, stark, and uninviting. The Japanese and Danish designers that I have selected to analyze in my thesis produce things that are both minimal and functional, but by returning to basics, these designers create things that are warm, whole, inviting, and timeless. In order to move away from the consumer-driven goal that has become so linked with the design realm, this return to basics might be an important step.read less
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