Journal 3

These articles were written by 20th century designers/architects who thought that design was evolving in many different aspects and for many different reasons. Each have their own idea about the effects of design and how or what design should be applied.

Herman Muthesius: The Significance of Applied Art

Herman Muthesius addresses the significance of applied art in three different This image is an example of mass customization. aspects; artistic, cultural, and economic.

The significance of applied art in terms of applied art being artistic is it's origin. Applied art simply started out by being expressive. Although expressive in nature, people were looking in the past for ideas. Everything that was being produced had a reference to something previously made.

The cultural significance of applied art is more practical to our lives. The design of the things  we use everyday have changed because our cultural expectations have changed from when they were first designed and redesigned. New items/utensils are being created due to new uses being discovered and out of need for daily productivity Its the evolutionary aspect to applied art.

 Economically, the significance of applied art lies in monetary value. Today, mass production is almost necessary to make any kind of profit. This also means that structural integrity or the tectonics might be compromised.

Today, I believe that applied art has influencesfrom all three significant aspects making customization desirable. Mass customization has become extremely popular and contrary to belief, can be done fairly cheap.

Walter Gropius: Manifesto of the Staatliche Bauhaus in Weimar

The most important point that Walter Gropius is making is that no matter This is an image of a cieling/lighting fixture designed by Gaudi. Gaudi made is architecture interesting before embelishments were applied.how many embelishments, ornaments, paint colors, textures, floor coverings, or veneers you have on a building it doesn't improve the building itself. Basically he is stating that a pig is still a pig no matter how many times you give it a bath. The structure and inherent design is the most important aspect of any kind of architecture. Without the forethought of design at the begining stages of a building, the building is simply just a building, not architecture, and certainly not a work of art.

Le Corbusier: Type-Needs:Type-Furniture

Le Corbusier's meaning of his quote, "to search for the human scale,This is an image of collectible spoons. Although spoons are still a necessity in life, they now also serveas a luxury item. for human function, is to define human needs" lies in the fact that all humans have the exact same primative needs, there for linking us all together in the need to make things to suppliment our lives including tools and clothing. In order to apply the things we make, we must consider human scale to make then funtionable. Considering the fact that poeple's body types are different including height, weight, and even disabilities, the human scale needs to be modified for each individual. This modification is not only a nessesity, but also can cross the border into the aestetics realm taking on the role of decorative art.

Le Corbusier's definition of decorative art is something that was once a nessesity is now, in todays culture and economy, is simply an object holding sentimental value or aesthetics.