Design Products is a MA course programme delivered by the Royal College of Art in London. Within this programme, students are divided into classes called ‘Platform’. The class Platform 12 was run from last year to this year and was recently featured in Wallpaper. Some very excellent outcomes were produced, well-develop and highly considerate of design principles such as its function, form and structure but being also able to create something within the objects that we see and use in our daily activities is the difficult process. Platform 12 states that:

‘So far, the 21st century trend in industrial design leads to a mad and meaningless overdose of themes, extremes, ego and extravagance, metaphors and typology’s. What is needed is a new beginning, a Renaissance…where design is brough back to communication, celebrating a proper mental model for how things work.’

We will investigate meaningful play and invention, through experimentation with industry. It will value function as beauty, instead of design as form and image.

Can Industrial Design become to divorced from our social community? Can it become too elitist and within Design, it has manifested its own self-ego? It’s difficult to define what is meant by ‘Design’ and when we try and create some sort of meaning, it becomes lost already. American Graphic Designer Paul Rand put it simply:

‘Design is a relationship.’

There are different ways to look at it. If designers within Industrial Design or Product Design weren’t creating objects that were audacious or radical, then where would the next several years within this area of discipline take us? On the contrary, if designed products have a distinct relationship with our contemporary culture, non-design folk can see its importance and relevance. Why designer Michael Young dislikes Contemporary Culture, no one knows because it surrounds us every single waking moment.

Here are some project highlights below:

‘The radio utilizes technology already widely and economically available in digital caliper tools for a very striking, yet honest form and function. The focus on tuning is reinforced with the typography of measuring and the material feel of a precision instrument. Instead of a small scale on a radio, the radio is moving on the scale.’

Mikael’s resolution is particularly strong. A radio is a still life object and we have to physically tune it to receive a particular station we like. The roles of the radio is reversed and there is the inclusion of user interaction by moving the radio along the scale too.

‘Seasonal objects, like desk fans and portable radiators, are only in use for limited periods of the year and then stowed away, usually with little design attention given to the storage stage. Intended for localised cooling and heating of small office-style spaces the products in Climate Station are designed to give equal attention to both use and storage. The A4 size of the fan/radiator allows for storage alongside books on a shelf, and when in use the product plugs directly into a extension cable to avoid messy wires. For radiator use, the positioning allows the fan to sit directly behind the heater for extra circulation.’

‘The greenhouse is a complete, hassle free and self-sufficient growing system for small city gardens and roof terraces. With ‘Grow Your Own’ going on holiday or having a busy life is no longer a reason not to grow fruit and vegetables.’

Sam Hecht is one of three tutors who undertook the class and has created some amazing work of his company Industrial Facility including the Second Telephone and World Clock for Muji.

For more information please visit:
Industrial Facility
Design Products RCA
Platform 12

Tags: Design Products, Platform 12, Royal College of Art

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 19th, 2008 at 7:26 pm and is filed under Design. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.