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Successful design often starts with complex relationships to arrive at simplicity

. NEWS photo Mike Wakofiuid

1

CHARACTER and style differ ‘from function
and: Simplcty in that: rae are an expression of indi-

‘LONETREE ENTERPRISES LTD. (Est. 1970)

Kitchen & Bathroom Specialists
“The store with the Doggie in the window.

GOOD DESIGN, like beau-
ty, is in the eye of the
beholder.

If the answer were that simple,
this would be a very brief article
indeed. But creating a home or
designing a chair does not start
with esthetic beauty or the deco-
rative touches, but with a much
more prosaic word: function.

Have you often been annoyed at
having to put down an armful of
packages to open a door?

How much easier it would be if,
instead of freeing one hand to
turn a door knob, we could simply
use our elbow to push down a
lever, These tever handles are
available now, thanks to design
for the disabled.

And why — if furniture de-
signers have at their disposal ali
the data on human body
measurements and how humans
move, sit and relax — do we still
have to sit in chairs that are

' beautiful to look at, but give us a

backache? «
Good design is functional, like

: Venetian blinds which allow us to

control daylight, cupboard space

“that utilizes corners, smooth cir-

culation patterns, pull-out shelves
and height-adjustable furniture

for. children.

. There are some other criteria
that contribute to good design:
simplicity and appropyiateness,
and finally, beauty, character and
style,

The most desirable (and often

“most expensive) garments are very

simple; they need no ‘‘dressing
up’? because they distinguish
themselves by the style of their cut

‘and fabric,

Excellent design is also decep-
tively simple. Many designers
know that to achieve. simplicity
they must start with the complex
and gradually whittle down.

_. Unfortunately, we often stop at
the complex stage and forget
about the time-consuming whittl-
ing-down process.

Function and simplicity are

DESIGN OF THE TIMES

combined in an oblong fish serv-
ing dish of Scandanavian origin;
the lid has a gentle curve, both
ends are turned up slightly — they
function as handles. . -

The shape is a simplified line of
a fish lying on its side. Any added
decoration would distract; the
beauty is in the shape of the ob-
ject and the soft gleam of the
stainless steel.

We recognize excellence of _.
design in many buildings and ob-
jects. Think for instance of the
Museum of Anthropology; it
blends into its surroundings and is
so deceptively simple that at first

glance, the interior seems simply‘a

suitable background for the
display of magnificent totem
poles.

Only after you have seen the

‘totem poles, and become aware of

the space, do you notice that you
came down a relatively narrow
and dark entrance passage which
gradually revealed the great hall
with its immense height and
floor-to-ceiling windows, the

‘beauty of the soft and changing
’ Tight. .

The absence of color allows you
to fully concentrate on the
’ display.

Good design is appropriate and
doesn’t pretend to be what it isn’t.
Typical examples date to the ’30s
and '60s: clocks in the shape of
violins, fake plants, restaurants in -
the form of a take-out carton, or
music piped into giant cedars. _

In my tiny garden, a previous
owner left one of those white-
painted concrete statues, a poor
replica of a Greek. water-bearer
with shapely curves.

The lady is simply inappropriate
in a fenced garden the sizeofa. _
postage stamp. But I gave up the
idea to recycle her when J] found
out that she weighs over 200
pounds and that it takes two
friends to move her to the edge of
the flower bed. ~ ;

If appropriate design is im-
possible to achieve, I believe in a
sense of humor.She now looks _
quite good with a basket of trail-
ing plants on her urn, an old
necklace around her bare navel,
and ivy growing up her ankles.

Appropriate design fits into its ©
surroundings as if it belonged...

Beauty, character and style dif-

‘fer from function and simplicity in |.

that they are an expression of in-
dividualism and personality. .—

Some of the most wonderful .
homes flout all the principles and:
“rules’’ of good design —- they
simply reflect their owners’ per-
sonality and taste — a love for
music, art, for books, color,
photography or plants.

It is a pleasure to be in such a
home where you sense the owners’
enjoyment of their own world.

William Morris, the 18th cen-
tury British architect, said: “We
should have nothing in our homes
that isn’t either beautiful or *
useful.”’ And that, after all, is in

the eye of the beholder. |

And isn’t that an inspiration to

‘clean out the attic and the base-

ment?. The lady in my garden
should defi initely go, but I have
come to enjoy. her.: :

Edith Saatkamp is ain iaviok
designer.who teaches design and
decoration on the North Shore..

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