Hi!
This is my blog about my journey from here to top - as a designer.
I have just started my studies in KYAMK which is a university of applied sciences in Kouvola, Finland.
Yeah, I know. It's not the most trendiest place to studie, but I like it here. I think that coming back in to real life and getting back to basics is important for this domain. I moved here from Helsinki which is a metropol - in Finland I mean. But orginally I come from North-Carelian the most easter part of Finland.
So I really know the woods also. I feel that nature is so big part of this whole design-thing that to be a designer, you need to connect with the nature somehow. Even that customers might be the most urban people in the world. But maybe, because of that designers job is to be the softenig part between human and technology (?) and fill the missing part of urban life by bringing piece of nature to peoples life with design.
That is only a thought right now... I have just started so I don't have that definite designphilosophy now, but I truely am working on it. At the moment it could be as simple is that, because I am working so orgain shapes right now.
I just visited in Stokholms furniture fairs. I think there was a three main theme. First was wool. There was all things you can (or cant) imagine made from sheeps wool - even walls and lamps. but it was not so amazing after seeing same thing over and over again. But I think our ways to work with wool has improved so much in few years that ofcourse designers will use the new technology in that for their own purposes. It is also one of the most ekological materials now. First of all after the thing made of whool is used to its end, it will be totally destructible because it is degradable material. Does that sentes make sense? I am not that sure about it... Anyway. Its also quite easy material. I mean, it does not need so much cemicals as cotton forexample - or manures XD. Sheeps can actually be to grow places were any other domestic animal can not. It is also a main meet food in dry and poor areas from that very same reson. In most of those areas growing any vegan food is almost impossible - so it makes sheeps even more important. I don't know how much wool one sheep produces in its lifetime, but i could image that lot! Because (this is just for those who are not so familiar with the subject) they do not have to kill the animal to have wool. It is like our hair cut. New style for sheep two times a year i think?
But to the second theme. Industrial, lego-colours in everything. I kind of understand that in furniture fairs your need to stand out and choosing agressive yellow to your departments maincolour usually helps in that...well not now, because next was apple green and after that fuksian pink...you got the picture already. My point is those who were there with simple and peacefull colours were more likely to stand out. Someone also said that it is just a swedish way to use colours and still they talk about skandinavian design with Artek furniture - It is totally different! Now I have to admit it. I am huge fan of finnish design such as Artek and Alvar Aalto, Tapio Virkkala or Kaj Frank, but even that it is so predictable I feel it is in me. All that beuty and siplisity. Some Zen master has once say that trying so hard to be different as others is also a jail of mind. So I think I just need to accept that I am Finnish in heard, soul and bone.
Third theme was dismontable constructions. Even those products which werent, tried to look like it. It is kind of fun? I mean it is this time - our time - you need to feel that everything is customized only for you. I can also use a word "personalize". We come back to this thing about trying so hard to be different and unique that there is no reason for that anymore...and everyone is different anyway so why bother? Its also about the human materialism. Most of us - including me - find comfort from stuff. People are replacing missing things with stuff. I am not to judge, but i try to think, what do I really need and what is just a poor try to be happy? There is a reasearch about stuff and happyness and it says that if you buy something that you have wanted for a long time, it really makes you happy, but only for 8 weeks. After that you need more stuff. So it is a endless road... but I think marketing people are the ones who have noticed the "need" of personalized stuff. Forexample scale, it will gave you the weigth no matter who is standing on it, but latest models those are also personal. To use all its new aplications you need to put your personal details in it. So after that you are only one who can use it? so in five person family you need five scales? Does not sound right at all...
Ofcourse it is nice that there is plenty of option in bookshelters for example and that you can find a right size from every furniture to fit your need - or colour.
But why to make chair or table look like you can changes things about it even if you can not? I mean those furniture which were made from million separed pieces. I like them visually, mut I dont see any high design in that. Its more like decarating than designing?
Ou it is already midnight. I have to go to sleep now. Good night!
