live theory : critical writing : stage one

Initial Thesis Statement:

This essay will explore the relationship between design and culture and how a city can mirror the surrounding culture. The essay identifies how design can restrict culture within a city, the need for an active exchange between design and culture in order for a city and it's culture to thrive, and how design can facilitate this exchange through adaption of the "user" role to a "designer".

Initial Supporting Sources:

Urban Future Manifestos

The reading provided from Urban Future Manifestos looks the relationship between people and spaces. Doung Anwar Jahangeer expresses how people create "places" and that currently the city restricts this; the designed elements of the city like the walk path, signs and fences, detaching people from the spaces that they live in. Jahangeer then explored spaces that are "in-between" where nature has rebelled against design and the constraints of it have failed. Jahangeer also identifies that "creativity exists everywhere, and that the ability of space/place making exists in everybody" and that architects (and designers) need to facilitate this. Jahangeer's views are helpful for my critical perspective as he identifies how design can limit the active exchange between design and culture, and he also highlights the need for user creativity to be encouraged in order for culture to be expressed.

Noever, P. & Meyer, K. (2010). Urban Future Manifestos. Ostfildern, Germany: Hatje Cantz

Aspects of everyday design: resourcefulness, adaption, and emergence

Wakkary and Maestri explore how designed objects can be manipulated by the user in order to fit into the individual's everyday. From this, the idea of the everyday designer is introduced, where all individuals interacting with design have the potential to adapt and customise design themselves for their own specific wants and needs. Wakkary and Maestri challenge designers to design in a way that prompts users to interact with design in ways that were not originally intended. This source supports my critical perspective as it encourages the reversal of the role of the designer and the user. As the people are the "true essence" of a city, by allowing them to dictate how things that are designed within a city are used, the true culture of the city is better reflected. 

Wakkary, R. & Maestri, L. (2008). Aspects of everyday design: resourcefulness, adaption, and emergence. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 24(5), 478-491. doi:10.1080/10447310802142276

The Culture of Design

This source looks at how design constantly evolves with societies. Julier investigates how design can effectively reflect current cultural values by materialising them into designed objects. This source is supports my critical perspective as it explains how design can act as a platform to display culture as opposed to restricting it which has been argued in other sources. This means that my argument can be further developed and more rounded.

Julier, G. (2000). The Culture of Design. Los Angeles: SAGE