Further Reading features reviews of relevant articles, readings, and videos that we have found interesting and useful in our time at school. We welcome submissions at bridge@waterlooarchitecture.com.
A book review on the meditation of the design process
In the spare time of studio, or on a Sunday morning coupled with a fresh cup of coffee, here’s some great food for thought. The Shape of Design by Frank Chimero, a Brooklyn-based designer at STUDIOMATES, is a book that commends craft and the design process while investigating the influence of design on culture and the world at large.
“What is the marker of good design? It moves.” The value of the product of design is highlighted throughout this text. It discusses matters which makers of a variety of crafts can identify with and be inspired by. After all, design is meant to enhance life and help the world reach its creative potential.
In the spirit of the maker and his/her craft, this text reminds us that we need to add more love to each project. It is easy to lose sight of the excitement in designing from your heart and creating something for someone to enjoy. For after all, the highest craft is achieved through being attentive and affectionate towards the intended audience.
Chimero promotes intelligent ways of reapproaching the design process. He generates the use of setting limitations to encourage work while not waiting for a muse to come along. He uses the best as examples:
Vivaldi wrote four violin concertos, one for each season. Shakespeare’s sonnets follow a specific rhyming scheme and are always fourteen lines. Picasso, during his Blue Period, painted only monochromatically.
Chimero’s suggestions of improvisation by limitation help create a thoughtful momentum in the design process. His propositions towards generating ideas quickly, effectively, and passionately are inventive and useful for any type of maker.
In sum, this text is perfect for a design rut – or studio lull. It helps remind us of the maker’s important role in the world and the impact we can have through our own creations. As Chimero eloquently states, “the world shapes us, and we get to shape the world.”
To download the e-book: http://shapeofdesignbook.com
