We were initially drawn to this book because of the imagery. Silhouettes are one of our major trend addictions, and this seemed to be a new play on the traditional silhouette. Upon further inspection, it turned out that there was as concept far more interesting at hand...
Iohanna Pani is an Industrial Design student at Bezalel Art and Design Institute, on the verge of graduating. She has created a self-published book (we found it at Issuu.com via Notcot) that "explores the reciprocal relationship between science and design and examines the impact of computerized technologies on design in the contemporary world."
The overall analysis of modern form and function, specifically as it has been affected and transformed with modern technology, is really intriguing. Pani then devotes a section of her book to an "object's essence," where she attempts to reveal the "morphological minimum" of an object. By overlaying semi-transparent silhouettes of different iterations of an object--a dog, teapot, chair or gun--she assesses the minimum necessary mass that object must embody.
Pani's investigation of the base form of objects, and her commentary on how technology has changed the way objects are designed reminds us of the biological and scientific influences on design. In a day and age where an object can be designed and the materials shaped to accommodate that design--not the other way around--it is important to remember where the basic formulas for objects originated from.
The result is a visually stunning study that we'd love to have in print form--posters, please?
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Comments (3)
This work sounds interesting, and of course I haven't read more than this post, but objects aren't just 2d shapes... I have trouble believeing you can reduce an object and its concept to an "essence" without considering the 3D factor.
Graphically gorgeous however.
I'm in product design and this is something I've actually studied a bit. One of the first things our eye picks out, especially at a distance, is form or silhouette. As you get closer you begin to register color, texture, material finishes, design details, logos, etc.
This is more about our concept of an object, rather than the object itself. Envision a chair. Quick! It's probably a simple kitchen or desk chair, maybe an arm chair, and probably not a rocking chair, a stool, barbershop chair, or airplane seat. That's because your brain is thinking of the most generic or common example of "chair" that represents the entire category. If you've been lusting after an Eames chair online all day, your results may be off ;)
Now think of a bird. Quick! I doubt it's a flamingo, emu, hummingbird, or dodo.
In terms of 2D as opposed to 3D, I'm sure the author has taken the ceci n'est pas une pipe factor into account. This book sounds fascinating... and yeah, beautiful.