put the U in value

Typically society breeds off the value of ownership. Patents are based off of this. Watching shows like Dragon's Den, Shark's Tank, the word patent becomes a very powerful thing. Owning a patent means owning your creation, patents are proof you are the first out of the world to invent / develop / produce something original. Bah! EXCITING! (Yes I know those were not actually sentences) But we're living century number 21 and this inherent attitude is passe. I'm talking Open Source. It's not a new concept, and the proverbial saying of "two heads are better than one" comes to mind. When it comes to design, it's today's truth. Outsourcing, collaborations, the round table just a few methods of how single entity designers are a falsehood. The complexity of today's world hampers one person's ability to act alone. The problems of today's world involves extraordinary solutions that one perspective is inadequate. At my dream firm, IDEO, they are hired by exterior companies to design new innovations. There you will not find just "designers" but brand strategists, interaction designers, graphic designers, engineers. Honestly what do they do with all these people?! Everyone comes to the table from different backgrounds creating a huge design stew of potential. If you think about it, it's like multiplying possibilities. And while there is no correct solution to design, with more possibilities some of those solutions will rise, eventually producing creme de la creme of design.

But there is more against the wall of patents. The internet is opening the doors even wider. Remember Napster? The music industry has never been the same since. But let's skip over the boring history, we all lived through it, even you 90's babies. Today the internet gives bands a platform to produce and spread their music to people worldwide. No longer are you tied to what is on the radio, or the nearby pub. Bah! EXCITING! I admit my cheap Asian side is what caused me to download the Weeknd's album, but I will swear by them, and am a loyal fan now. I have a Soundcloud addiction, purely because it is the baby of internet/creativity/music/opensource.

So when all this defies the value of a patent, one questions where is the value? If ideas/albums/software/tv is available for free what does that actually leave us? Answer can be found in the analogy of the goose and the golden egg. Without being graphic, ideas are eggs, and I'm a goose. My value is not in the end result, but the potential for me to continually produce more. When making this blog, there is a bit of fear, if I publish something great on this internet, and someone not me reaps the benefit of my idea what am I left with? The fact is design is not a one off thing, my ability means that I have the potential to produce more.

(I know I've been heavy on the words lately, so with that I apologize and end with my current favorite song.)

You Da One REMIX (Produced by the ROCK-IT! SCIENTISTS)

Mind Over Matter

This is the second time in my entire life where I have been unable to hand in a project. Both because of my clumsy ability.

The problem with training for a marathon, is it develops a mentality that carries into the rest of your life.   You look at the problem, and you believe you can take it on. This goal you create is completely within your means. One step at a time you can train your body to accomplish an entire marathon. And with this, I tackled my new design problem. I had to finish designing my chair, cut it up and put it together. "I can do this, I can do this" focus, one cut at a time I was going to finish my chair. Just 2 more hours to go, focus, and go.

This was what was going through my mind. I was on a roll, I was going to finish. Until, that moment happens. That moment when you get hit by a car. Not quite, it was more like I took my stupid knife, and managed to carve into my own thumb. With the blood beginning to gush out, the only words that went through my mind was "fuck me". Sitting there with the oh so kind security peeps of OCADu bandaging me up, the caffeine pill swimming in my stomach, my mind began to spin accordingly. I'm fine, but it took all the momentum out of me. Looking at my incomplete chair half an hour before it was due, made me realize I was a failure, and it wasn't going to get done. Design is like life, is like training for a marathon, some days it's going to be amazing and no matter how much you love it, and how much will you have to accomplish it some days it's just not going to happen. That being said tomorrow is a new day, and tomorrow there is new will and new motivation to accomplish the little/big goals.

Good Design Is...

When asked to write my design philosophy for class I wrote two pages of garbage. Even now I don't know if that is my design philosophy. Forever I have been exploring one particular aspect of design at a time: the democratic aspects, the environmental aspects, the mathematical generative components, the ergonomics, etc. etc.
My methodology is to connect to an exterior source and once I have scratched the surface I move on, satisfied I have done enough, and put each theory back on my shelf titled "to further explore". One thing is for sure, no matter what I am naive. I believe in design and its capabilities and can only hope that through design intervention the human condition can improve. Obviously this is a false statement, the world is clearly falling apart and a large part of this is due to our deficiencies and short sighted designs. But I can hope...

Good Design Is...

Design is an act

Design is a mentality

Design is an inspiration

Design is a hope that things can be better

My design philosophy is based on naïve hope. A hope for the future, and a belief that everything can be designed better, everything can be done different, nothing is permanent. Our environments and surroundings have been created by someone else, and design has the power to influence this.  Existence can be molded through the act of design. To be a designer means to be idealistic, critical, and realize everything has potential. You can only hope for when status quo is unsatisfactory design will solve.

Good design is quiet

Good design is in the details

Good design participates

Good design opens the possibilities for infinite solutions

What's your design philosophy?

Marking the Beginning

So my blogging has been sparse at best, my page sees about as much action as a marriage gone bad. (Aish) That being said let's continue. I'm excited, it's been four months since school has ended, and with September comes a renewed sense of love for design. That realization of the void, and the only thing that can fulfill it is the big D, DESIGN. How do I respond to all this excitement? By being the Eager Beaver in class, hog all class conversations, and jot notes frantically when the only thing being discussed is the course outline. I am geeking out to the max. The below photo is a sample of this renewed energy and hopefully what may come on this blog as well. It's a visual to do list. I hope to talk about in the future of this blog. Mainly the "Talk to Me" curated by Paola Antonelli, she is my role model and who I aspire to be. These books are the things that I am interested in pursuing, learning, and will share with all y'all. Excited? Possibly not, it's ok that is what blogging is for!

Cana-kea

 What would Ikea design if it were Canadian? I found my answers at the AGO, the exhibition was inspired by a landscape that has been transformed by the country's industry. This became an important point to me, the fact that the foundations of our country were built off of bountiful natural resources. The end result? An experimentation of combining different wood textures as a derivative of landscape. Enjoy!!!