I live in a micro-home
Posted on November 17, 2013 | posted by:
Vancouver recently has been on a hot topic of living in micro-homes. Because real estate prices are of course off the charts, smaller living areas that are somewhat affordable seems like a good alternative. Priced between $25,000 to $28,000, you can get a cozy home with a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping area. Plus, according to Ian Kent from NOMAD, the design aims to have minimal negative environmental impact. It will be eco-friendly with solar panels, rainwater collection and grey water treatment (reference from Vancitybuzz).
The notion of living in small tiny spaces, doing everything in this perfect bubble that we make for ourselves, could it be a metaphor for the ideals of critical designers?
Maybe not a micro-home size, but is our approach to design only big enough for us to imagine possibilities but not big enough to reflect a complete understanding of a situation’s multi-perspective complexity? Is it our fault then, that when we image something that may be better is not being accepted by the receiving society? Are we, as designers not trying hard enough to completely understand? Or is it a plaque in the receivers’ eyes that they will not accept our attempts? Are we actually living in our own imaginative perfect bubble, of ‘we can image better’?
“Design process is informed by values based on specific world views or ways of seeing and understanding reality.”
– Dunne and Raby reading
This statement in itself points out two domains to design: Subjective and Ideological. Many designers want to design for other people. In marketing class we are taught to identify our target segment by demographic, psychographic data (and more). But although we try to figure out what the people we are designing for actually needs, we inevitably put our own assumptions and ideals into the design. When design is a reflection of one’s upbringing, values, and perception of reality, the only people who will appreciate your design are those who share the same upbringing, values, and perception of reality as you. Unfortunately, I find this very constant in my own work… When I design clothing, I say, for example, I am designing for a sophisticated woman who loves quality and classic pieces rather than fads or trendy fashions. But the aesthetic is still my own preference, my personal style. I really don’t know what the women of ages 23-35 really prefer to wear, unless I survey them personally. I am usually just crossing my fingers and hoping my aesthetic will be accepted by them.
But Dunne and Raby may be saying a different mindset of design. Critical design; that questions, brings debates, provoke thinking, and will impact the world. Sure, I was designing clothing that questions the conventional form of garments on a body. I tried to challenge the wearer’s interactions with their physical space while wearing my clothing… but how much of that is in my own head and not perceived by my audience? Is it a failure on my part? Or did they simply not have the same “values, and understanding of reality” as I did?
I really don’t know where I want to take this thought. There seems to be only so much designers can do. Maybe 80% is what we put out to the world, and 20% is what the world takes of it. That part we cannot control.
So let’s come back to my question; Are we actually living in our own perfect bubble that allows us to question and imagine a better (or worst) world and hoping that people outside our minds will understand and consider what we produce? No =]
I think even if there was a bubble, the bubble is expanding. There will always be people who are receptive to the challenges we propose, and opposition will also be there. But knowing that there are people against us should not stop us from acting. Or knowing that there is little we can do should not stop us from trying.
I am living in a “micro-home” of my own. But I am hoping if I keep my doors open long enough, a.k.a. make my designs approachable, people will come into my space to question me, think critically with me, or be willing to acknowledge the challenges with me.
