THE VALUE OF GOOD DESIGN MEETS LONG LIFE DESIGN
>>> Post responses to the following questions on your LP along with 3-5 images
Enter the gallery and quietly move through the space for around 15-20 minutes taking in what has been curated for the exhibition. Get a general sense of the show and what it includes.
1. Briefly describe the type of objects included in the show. What colors do you see? What textures and materials seem common? What is the feeling of the show — the overall design sensibility?
I see many types of objects and their colors differ a lot. Designers used metal, plastic a lot in their products, and it is very interesting show, all the products are from the 1940s, but all of them look like they are today, The overall design sensibility reminds me of the long-life design.
2. How would you describe this exhibition to a friend who doesn’t live in New York?
A fun daily products exhibition, enlightening in values of good designs.
3. Do many of the objects look familiar to you? Do they seem “old” or contemporary?
I found many object familiar to me, and they do not seem old and contemporary.
4. Do you agree that most of these objects are “good design”? Why?
I tend to consider most of these objects are good designs because they are functional and they are designed base on human’s daily life.
5. Which of the objects seem like “bad design”? Why?
At the current stage, I do not consider any of these objects as bad designs, because these objects on exhibition have their own perspectives.
6. Do most of the objects in this exhibition seem sustainable, how so?
It depends on how the users use these objects.
Imagine that you are a buyer for a New York-based Long Life Design store. Chose ONE object included in the exhibition that YOU would keep for the next 50 years. Take a photo of this object (and upload later to your LP).
7. Which object did you chose (object you would keep for the next 50 years):
Name of Object: Prototype for a side chair
Designer: Charles Eames.
Country of design: America.
Year of first production: 1948
8. What materials are used to create this design?
Hard rubber foam, plastic, wood, and metal
9. What makes this object a Long Life Design (for you)? Why would you want to keep it?
Although this piece was designed by Charles Eames in 1948, but it doesn’t look like it’s from the 1940s, it’s more like the furniture that people will have today in their home. The shapes and functions are very modern.
10. What are 5 systems that support this design’s existence? (think about materials, production etc. interconnectedness, causality, feedback loops, synthesis, emergence etc.)
Water system, air system, engineering system, waste disposal system, and so on.
11. Do you think the production or materials used in this object might be threatened by climate change/Anthropocene?
Yes, the materials being used include rubber foam and plastic, which may be considered negative factors to the natural environment and should be used less in the natural environment.
12. How could you update/alter this design to be more sustainably made (and resilient)? Could other materials could be used?
It is advisable to use biologically degradable materials.
Which of the LLD criteria does your object meet? Check a box for each.
REPAIR: A system and method for repairing goods for continued use must be available. Yes
COST: The costs must be set at a level that will allow the manufacturer to continue production Yes
SALES: The seller must have strong will to convey its beliefs to consumers Yes
MANUFACTURING: The manufacturer must be passionate about the process of “making.” Yes
FUNCTION: The product must be functional and easy to use Yes
SAFETY: The product must be safe to use. Yes
PLANNED PRODUCTION: The product must be produced in planned and foreseeable volumes Yes
USER: The product must lead its users’ attentions to broader issues. Not Sure
ENVIRONMENT: The product must be made with consideration of the environment in any age Not Sure
o DESIGN: The product must be beautiful Yes
3) Read the following article, “Short Answers to Hard Questions About Climate Change” (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/11/28/science/what-is-climate-change.html?emc=eta1&_r=0) and write a response describing which question surprised you the most. What other, new information did you learn? Do you feel encouraged by this article? How aware do you think your friends and family are of this information?
As mentioned by Justin Gillis in this article, the current situation of global warming is a public concern. As a matter of fact, this is a question that surprised me the most. In more detailed words, “as of early 2017, the Earth had warmed by roughly 2 degrees Fahrenheit, or more than 1 degree Celsius, since 1880, when records began at a global scale. That figure includes the surface of the ocean. The warming is greater over land, and greater still in the Arctic and parts of Antarctica” (Gillis, 2017). I have never expected such substantial warming.
Other new information includes the future trend of global warming and the troubles caused by such a trend. On the one hand, I found it shocking and thought-provoking that the global warming can eventually exceed eight degrees Fahrenheit if the emissions continue unchecked. It is hard to imagine what Earth, human beings and other creatures will be like after the global warming can eventually exceed eight degrees Fahrenheit. On the other hand, it is hard to predict consequences and risks. As mentioned in the article, “scientists fear climate effects so severe that they might destabilized governments, produce waves of refugees, precipitate the six mass extinction of platns and animals in the Earth’s history” (Gillis, 2017). Possibility is that all living creatures are at the brink of trategy or even endangered due to the heat wave, floods and droughts.
In the view of such serious situations caused by global warming, I do not feel encouraged. Instead, I think human beings need to make conscious efforts to reduce global warming. Among my friends and families, most of them are aware of the global warming due to personal life experience about the terrible summer heat. However, many of them have no idea how they can contribut to reduction of greenhouse gas emission or global warming.
Reference:
Gillis, J. (2017). Short Answers to Hard Questions About Climate Change. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/11/28/science/what-is-climate-change.html?emc=eta1&_r=0)
4) Explore articles published in the New York Times within the last month in the “Climate and Environment Section”。https://www.nytimes.com/section/climate
– What was the most interesting visual that you found (photograph, diagram etc.) and why was it so powerful to you? Include the image and the link in your post.
The most interesting visual that I found is shown below.
The reason why I found this visual is so powerful lies in its ability to offer a quick look at how ocean heat wave looks like and how it might influence the marine life. All too often, ordinary people tend to worry about the heat wave over land, which expose them to unbearable weathers particularly during summers. However, this visual image reminds me that human beings are not the only creature that suffers. Instead, countless marine lives are being threatened by the global warming.
Reference:
Pierre-Louis, K. & Popovich, N. (2019). Ocean Heat Waves Are Threatening Marine Life. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/04/climate/marine-heat-waves.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fclimate&action=click&contentCollection=climate®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront.
– Given what you learned in this article, how different do you think the planet be 50 years from now?
After reading this article, I gain a new insight about the plant fifty years from now. Previously, I think living creatures can hardly survive the deadly heat wave, while the marine life may last longer. However, the article reminds me that marine life has been harmed and endangered as well.
– In what ways do you think these realities will impact your work and life 50 years from now?
The serious situations mentioned in the article are very likely to exert long term impact upon my work and life. On the one hand, I will pay more attention to reduce greenhouse gas emission and produce pollutants to oceans in my daily life, so that the marine life can suffer less. On the other hand, such realities inspire me to create long life designs in my career.
– How might Long Life Designs address, acknowledge and/or work with such climate related changes over the next 50 years?
Since the long life design require designers to meet criteria of environment, which means that the product must be made with consideration of the environment in any age, designers who comply with such rules are very likely to exert positive influence upon the Earth and reduce climate change.
