essential urge
Contexto
In an effort to remove Critical Design from its habitual exhibition context, I have applied the method to a product that has been designed with production and consumption in mind.
Critical design is often provocative - aiming to challenge the viewer’s preconceptions and consequently make them open to new perspectives and discussions. In a sense, it is the opposite of mass- produced design.
Taking critical design as a starting point I have designed a vase that is thought-provoking without it being instantly obvious. The intent is to avoid the vase being presented in a category of exclusive products that are out of reach for a broad range of people, and for it to be produced and presented in a commercial context.
All the design choices of the vase, the heavy stone with the delicate glass, are meant to evoke questions about consumption and initiate discussion among the consumers.
Proceso
In this project, I wanted to deep dive into the world of Speculative and Critical Design. In the beginning, I did’t know what product I was going to design to convey my thoughts, ideas, and questions. And then I came across a “quote” from the incredible Hella Jongerius from her book Misfit (2014).
“... Vases are ideal carriers for the messages we would like to send. Look at most designer vases. They are primarily valued as meaningful sculptural objects and never ruined by putting flowers in them. Vases refer to usability but their forms and surfaces are also ideal for telling a very different story.”
This was the perfect object to use as a tool to start a conversation about consumerism and how we as designers can use consumer products to speculate and criticize our behaviors.
The stone used in this project is leftover material form construction drilling.