Design Fro Life - Episode 4

Through this episode the students have experienced hard criticism which has influenced them to have low self esteem. One student has a different point of view to the situation, she states that they have to rise to the challenges, even if they were harshly criticised. In fact hard criticism is addressed all the time by others and we have to think of it as a sign of development which we use to improve or do different. This is similar in when learning about design in university the teachers and tutorials always critic our work that the design is bad but not to take it on at a personal level. It is hard not to include that criticism from Philippe Starck in relation to their abilities and themselves.

Philippe Starck has based his designs of sustainability around his student’s projects. They have to re do the project seen in episode 3 so they can get to the next stage which is prototyping. Design at the stage of prototype making, is an opportunity for your ideas to be explored in a real and physical way. But before this stage innovation is the large step. Jeremy Myserson says that “Your internal source is your own personality, memories, recollections, creative influences that you have soaked up over time. The second internal source comes from observations. What’s happening around us.” From this insight I understand that everything we do and see, and experience in life is a idea, a problem that can be seen and addressed, such as when you are sitting at a dining table and you see the difficulties people have in passing bowls to tipping a water glass, that is a firsthand experience and starting point in an innovation as well as something bigger.

However at the sometime when designing these products the complex and technical knowledge of the product has to be thought of and included within the design as technical design, such as how and with what will it work, comes in the definition of design. But overall the presentation and communication of a product has to be seen with the conviction and passion a designer has felt through the process of designing the product. It is a key to a good and selling idea to the market.

Inspiration is hard to come by, but simple things like looking around you at the forms, experiences, colours and nature will influence, ignite that spark that can be used as an addition in your design. However at the end of the day Philippe Starck had to pick 4 students to enable them to produce their ideas into prototypes. This video episode was very intriguing as it showed the tough world of design and the hard path through to designing from the initial concept and what it evolves. It showed me that having the entire package of ideas and being technical with ambition will influence one in selling and creating something more innovating.