week 1 : dutch design
The price of Dutch design is intangible, as they value their designs based on the feeling it evokes when it is used by the user as well as the feeling that drives the design.
The designer’s main purpose is “Vorm geven” which translates to form giving. A feeling cannot be directly felt by the user without a medium, therefore giving this “feeling” a form transforms it into something tangible, enabling the user to relate or connect with the product. Giving the initial feeling a form will enable users to experience, touch and feel the product which evokes a certain feeling to the user, be it happiness or nostalgia, which is the main goal of Dutch Design.
In my opinion, I think there is Singaporean Design. Singapore is a young nation and over the years, we have been under many influences, for example the british, chinese, japanese, etc. Therefore we have become not only a melting pot for different cultures, but also a country with many different architectural styles present in our built environment. This creates a very unique design environment in our industry where we are not limited to a certain style. Designers have the freedom to design a certain way and even fuse different styles to create truly unique products.
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Some of the most common styles that we see in Singapore are Brutalism, New Classical and Futuristic styles. Some examples of Brutalism are the OCBC tower, Golden Mile Complex and the old HDB headquarters. Examples of Classical buildings are Parkview Square, the Tiong Bahru walk ups as well as The Cathay. Lastly, some examples of Futuristic architecture in Singapore are buildings like Marina Bay Sands, The Esplanade as well as the Art Science Museum.
It is not uncommon that we see these types of buildings located just beside one another, however, once in a while you will spot some buildings that fuse styles together, creating a unique aesthetic. One very good example is The Mill. The Mill is an amalgamation of post-industrial american architectural influences, cast alongside a fortified Gothic tower, and rooted in industrial Singapore. The fusion of aesthetic styles grounded on its dark and alluring facade is very much a metaphor for the melting pot of ideas, histories, backgrounds and contexts that is The Mill.
Buildings like The Mill showcase the unique design style and approach of design in Singapore, as Singapore did not have a very strong core of architecture due to its age, like other countries like Europe or Japan.
The concept in the documentary that inspired me was the concept of collaborating as designers. As designers, I think it is extremely important to be honest with your talents. It is okay to not be good at something and ask for help, especially someone with more experience in a field than you. Often when both parties work together, they will be able to bounce off ideas to one another, creating a more fruitful process and outcome.
The second concept that inspired me was that the process is more important than the outcome. The most important thing when designing is the desire to fabricate your feeling/concept. The outcome from having a long and intricate process will usually shine through in the outcome of the project, creating a deeper connection with users where they can actually feel the thought and work which went into the design.
Buildings like The Mill showcase the unique design style and approach of design in Singapore, as Singapore did not have a very strong core of architecture due to its age, like other countries like Europe or Japan.
The concept in the documentary that inspired me was the concept of collaborating as designers. As designers, I think it is extremely important to be honest with your talents. It is okay to not be good at something and ask for help, especially someone with more experience in a field than you. Often when both parties work together, they will be able to bounce off ideas to one another, creating a more fruitful process and outcome.
The second concept that inspired me was that the process is more important than the outcome. The most important thing when designing is the desire to fabricate your feeling/concept. The outcome from having a long and intricate process will usually shine through in the outcome of the project, creating a deeper connection with users where they can actually feel the thought and work which went into the design.