‘Design’ as a means for development, for the future of India.
What is Design?……. There are multiple definitions by countless professionals as to what a design is and what it should be. This is one of the simple explanations given by Victor Papanek, an Austrian-American designer, which one finds easy to understand. “Design is a conscious effort to impose meaningful order. All men are designers. All that we do, almost all the time, is design, for design is basis to all human activity.”
Design is portrayed as a natural part of everyone’s life, from which is considered to be the complex job of a professional designer to a common man, where it is an integral part of our daily lives. People didn’t make things only after meticulously learning about the principles of the design. It has always been a natural response for a person’s need through reasoning and logic.
Design is a comprehensive effort of not one but many individuals from the beginning of the time to shape products and systems. As Charles and Ray Eames have mentioned in ‘India Report’ that “No one man has designed a Lota”. Many men through many generations have contributed their knowledge and experience to shape it. A design is naturally evolved with the needs of the people, human behavior, resources available, geographical location, culture, etc. It can only be achieved by understanding and being an integral part of these factors.
Design as seen by the present world, is that of one which is universal. Defining the problems and needs of the people ignoring all the above factors. It has always been implemented in the name of development and technological advancement, failing to comprehend the implications of it on a society for the present and the future.
One of the example to illustrate it better would be the use of artificial ventilators (air conditioners). The sole purpose of them is to provide thermal comfort for the habitants of the building. In India for many generations people have designed techniques and strategies to adapt to the climatic conditions of their region. The houses were built in such a way to provide a comfortable living environment for its residences. For example design of veranda, courtyard, water body, orientation, openings, the materials used, layout etc. Also the other factors where the response for this is evident are clothing, food and cultural practices. This has been the result of knowledge and experience of countless number of people over time.
When ‘thermal comfort’ is framed into an universal need is why the air conditioners are in place. Disregarding for all the factors for resources, geographical location and human behavior. A solution that can work anywhere on this planet, but at what cost? The use of them invites many more interrelated problems, which then again needs the intervention of designers to solve them. Such would be the raw materials for making them, waste management, energy consumed, carbon footprint and sustainability. It has also altered peoples mind set to think that as the only solution to have a comfortable environment for their home and workplace.
Design can never be a ‘one hat fits all’ kind of a solution. It is a process that involves studying and understanding of multiple layers and their inter relation, their implications and impact on the society (social, cultural, economical and political) and their effects on the environment. The traditional way of doing things had reasons behind them and it’s important to acknowledge those. The future of the design for India has to be the evolution of that of the past. The design of tomorrow has to be a progression of the past and the present and not a replacement.
References:
1. India Report by Charles and Ray Eames
2. Design for the world by Victor Papanek
3. The Circular Economy by Walter R. Stahel
