"Abstraction enables capacities to be separated from specific problems, to be generalized, and flexibly adapted to other problems" (11). This quote really stuck out to me when I was reading "Design: A Very Short Introduction" by John Heskett. The book essentially goes on to say how a basic concept or idea can be used to develop very intricate innovations that could never have been derived from human form or nature. I was in awe when I read this. Not only was it worded so well that the reader could actually visualize these events but it gives an intricate explanation of how everything has evolved throughout life, whether is be science or language or inventions. I enjoyed reading the chapter in the historical evolution of design. It is amazing to me that we can trace design all the way back to the prehistoric ages. I find the era of industrialization interesting because it was a time of much trial and error as well as much criticism and confusion. It put a lot of things in perspective and gave insightful information about how design came about.
The ideas of form and function were mentions several times throughout the reading and this is a concept we payed close attention to in class. On page 25 John Heskett quotes Louis Sullivan's concept that "form follows function". It was helpful for me when trying to understand this concept that the book broke function into the two concepts of utility and significance. However, the significance of a product or design differs across cultures. An object that means something to one culture may have none in another. Significance can change throughout time and I think this is a very importance idea. Many times my parents talk about how "big" a product was back when they were my age and I look at them like they are crazy because I have never even heard of it. It just goes to show you that as time passes products and ideas become more and more sophisticated.
In Chapter 4 Heskett discusses "designer-brands". The "in" brands, which are usually associated with high prices like designer bags or jeans, are objects that people only buy so that they can say that they have that particular glorified item. He talks about how products are made for merely fashion and status, having no actual purpose, and if they do the product is much more likely to break or work poorly for an extremely inflated price. You can see this phenomenon happening throughout the world today. It is human nature to be competitive with one another, always trying to one up each other. In many ways, wealth has an extreme influence over who is the most "powerful". By having objects on display such as expensive cars, jewelry, and the newest gadgets people are showing off to the world what they have. The car may not work any better than your average priced car, but the fact that it has the brand name associated with money makes all the difference.
Heskett details the differences between areas of specializations and how depending what they are trying to portray (i.e. overall aesthetic effect for homes, hotels or restaurants and equipment for specific purposes like hospitals or schools). The line that "people invest objects with personal meaning" (69) stuck out to me. When my mom redecorates a room in our house every so often, she is so indecisive about all of the elements going into the room. It makes sense to me now because our home is essentially a collection of our family and every element has significant meaning. So when redecorating a room, she wants to make sure that it is going to incorporate elements of our family some way or somehow. Also the home is the only place where a person is able to have things exactly how they want, in a manner that is pleasing to them.
I found the chapter 1-6 reading to be very interesting. I was slightly apprehensive when starting to read because I was afraid of the typical dry textbook material, but I actually found it be very informational in a manner that was engaging for the reader.
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