Hypothesis

“Form is Function,” “Form has a Function.”

The emphasized significance of process, research, and design thinking create a more purposeful, persuasive and well-rounded end product. However, often the focus shifts away from the traditional value, the aesthetics of design. In academia settings, profound design development may be evaluated overlooking the aesthetic or what the end result seems like from an outside perspective. Value of developmental work can overweigh the end result. But, the general audience won’t take the chance to evaluate the work if there is no immediate attraction, which is often the aesthetics.

I feel like a hypocrite saying design thinking, in loss of aesthetics, is driving the general audience away. Because my works so far have always lacked aesthetics. I guess this hypothesis is a bitter reflection from my past experiences and projection of what I wish to achieve. I value the process work as sufficient research and process is essential in designing anything decent. I’m not saying that they shouldn’t overweigh the aesthetics but, more like there needs to be a balance. And this balance doesn’t come from subtracting from one side or another but, from maintaining high standards in both sides.

As design becomes a study that more people from various backgrounds jump into, aesthetics will be even harder to keep a conformed standard (I don’t mean aesthetic has a single standard). But, losing it makes all the profound developmental work and back stories obsolete as it lessens the chance of the story being heard. Academia settings especially will be lenient or even encouraging in moving away from the traditional, aesthetic centered design.

As I wrote in the Wandering post, I found ideas and stories I appreciate in community art classes, old vehicles, murals, etc. But, the fact that they did not serve a high standard of aesthetics makes me wonder whether everyone would appreciated the artifacts as much as I have. Or whether I was able to appreciate the true values behind what seemed to be the end product of the ideas.