Welcome to the altbods blog

We use this blog as a resource to discuss the notion of "alternative bodies" in the marketplace and how to design for them/for us. We critique Euro-centric ideology pressed into design and research methods to make room for "alternative bodies" as the focus of artistic creation.

This blog represents the thoughts and art work of our studio class -- by students in architecture, design, illustration, sculpture, graphic and visual arts. We are a hybrid group with many talents.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Mechanization turns cookies into cutters and genericism explode

Thinking back from last class, in my process of creating my zip-tie light, I thought about the mechanization and the generic yet unique qualities i'm trying create with my light.  This made me think of how architecture today is morphing into a general design quality of futuristic with organic qualities.

What happened to all of the variety?  What happened to making things more than just plain walls and open spaces?  Where is the home, where is the personality of design?  Architects are building the shells of an egg, but an egg is not an egg without the yoke.  Without the yoke, the egg is something that can be broken and smashed and forgotten.  Design has progressed towards a generic quality of design; beginning from the industrial revolution to the ideology of the “American Dream” founded by the creation of Levittown, to now the Ikea mentality of cheap mass produced products.  Though in form building design has progressed farther away from the cookie cutter bland generic Levittown house, it is following the trend of organic crazy shapes such as those created by Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid.  There is nothing truly original since, the internet makes it so that any original idea is quickly dispersed and made into a general lack of consideration. 

1 comment:

Tiger Hues said...

I'd like you students to respond to A.N.D.'s reflection. What do you think about this? Close your eyes and type a response .... let the words flow....