Contextual Studies

Anti-design was during the period of 1966 and ended after fourteen years, in 1980. This movement was also known as the ‘Radical Design’ movement in the architecture sector. During this period, the movement emphasised on scale distortion and compelling colours. The idea of Anti-design created illusions of functional objects was overturn throughout the object. Also, this movement was against Avant Garde pieces, therefore, the designers started to produce products that were much more functional than the Avant Garde and classified aesthetics the second option.  The Anti-design movement was initially created in Italy, Europe. Designers from this movement designed ideas which were not intended to last long unlike the Modernism. Most of the colours used in the designer’s work were mostly black, whites and grey tones in Modernism but the main colours that Anti-design adapted were a variety vibrant tones of colours with decorative materials. Like other design movements, the Ant...

Design is offered in many distinctive ways and this is implicated in forms. From geometric designs with rigid and sharp corners to organic designs shaped and influenced by the surrounding nature and human body provides. Both design forms have their own characteristics which even though they are associated with modern and have been seeing it for quite a long time, they are infinite due to the shapes that one can create. When one is designing, organic concepts one needs to justify what type of organic design one is going for. Different designers have different approaches to create an organic design. They can mean organic design due to project shape also it can be a both organic and geometric design that make use of natural or biodegradable materials to replicate nature.                                'Ibuku' made from organically gown bamboo in Bali, designed by - Elora Hardy  Geometric d...

Most of the designs in the product sector follows the prospect ‘Form follows function’ idea. There are various designers that creates ideas to accommodate people’s needs from their designed product in relation to its function. Mainly most of the products designed adapts an ergonomic designs object which are comfortable to the human body.  A unique product that reflects the functional design is the famous ‘Swiss knife’ which it was intended to fill all the necessary tools that one uses daily in a pocket. Having multiple uses in the ‘Swiss knife’s’ some of its uses are that the small blade has the ability to erase ink from paper whilst the small hook was designed to carry parcels which were wrapped in strings to prevent hurting fingers. The company that makes it, they are still developing on the classical knife. This process of development includes dissection and re-engineering of the tool parts. The company’s development structure is, first they sketch the tool, then ...

Cutlery started existing from around 5000 years ago from the Palaeolithic ancestors. The knife was the first to be invented; made of sharp stones and a wooden handle. It was primarily invented to serve as a weapon when hunting for prey. Therefore, the knife was originally stated as a weapon rather than an eating utensil. Since it is the oldest utensil, development started recurring among the years after. From sharp stones, in the bronze age, when different materials were discovered they started using bronze and copper to make them. Now spoons were already invented and used by many countries to hold fluids that bare hands could not hold. More development was made and by the Egyptian and Roman times they started to characterise their utensils by engraving and casting animals or ancient myths. The fork was the last utensil invented, it was not used much since the knife was multifunctional due to its shape. Therefore, the fork became commonly in use about only a thousand years ago. ...

The Dada movement was one of the shortest movements after the world war 1. It started around 1916 and ended in 1924. Even though this movement was not that long, it was spread equally around the American and European continents. The countries and states that this movement affected were, New York, Paris, Barcelona, Berlin, Cologne, and Hanover in Germany. The Dadaism promoted confusion and they did everything in direct opposite of normality that art stood for. This movement gave the opportunity to test people how they saw art since art was known as boring and had restrictions, this movement ignored it. This movement did not affect the product and spatial design sector but left a big impact in Literature (Poetry), Fashion design, Graphic design, and Theatrical performances. These sectors were targeting the political issue at that time and to protest they made use of these methods to send their message.  Another factor that one can take note is that this movement ma...

An important movement that shaped today with its diverse characteristics is Art Deco. This movement was considered as both classical and symmetrical style which played an imperative role in the theatrical industry. Art deco which took place in 1952, had gained its inspiration from other movements such as cubism, futurism, and attributes from Bauhaus. Since Art Deco was discovered as ‘Art Moderne’ in Paris, during an exhibition, this movement dominated this style for seventeen years. After Art Nouveau using whiplash curves and incorporating flora and fauna in architectural design, Art Deco was all about geometric forms that included repetitive pattern. The cause behind this was to cut down expensive decorations that were used in past movements into more modern ones that adorn products and architecture the same way as other movements did. Since Art Deco was associated with luxury, it made use of many different vibrant colours such as shades of blue, greens, gold, browns, yellows, re...

Art Nouveau is based in Europe. Most of the masterminds behind this movement all came from different parts of Europe except one. Louise Comfort Tiffany, the creator of beautiful decorative vases and lamp, he was established in New York. Originating after the first world war in the late 1800, Designers and Architects started designing flourishing design that included reparative nature symbols such as insects and flora combining it with ‘whiplash’ curves that gave a sense of delicate and sophisticated ambience. Designers and architects started including decorative design to everything that they spawn. Japanese art inspired this movement due to the opening of relations with the Asian continent. The woodblock prints became an inspiration to European artists.  Also, the designers and artists were inspired from the Arts and Craft Movement. By then these artists interpreted the Japanese style and Arts and Crafts movement into a new style such as we know it today ‘Art Nouveau’ or ...