Final Dossier
SS 2022- Design Meets Handicap
Carlotta Rudari
Theory of Cultural Consumption
Theory of Cultural Consumption
PREFACE
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“There is no such thing as normal” I read this sentence and immediately thought “well, that’s a given!”, it’s a sentence that we’ve all heard before, and in the end, we all agree. Instead, maybe no one has ever really understood it; maybe we don’t take a minute to understand the real meaning or maybe we don’t really know where and how to apply it. I decide to read on to analyze this chapter of Kat Holmes’ book ‘Mismatch, how inclusion shapes design”. To understand the meaning of that phrase, one must start from the beginning, with the concept of ‘normal’ and how it has evolved in our society. The Belgian astronomer and statesman Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet (Ghent, 22 February 1796 - Brussels, 17 February 1874) conceived of the ‘average social man’; he was amazed at how certain phenomena were not completely unpredictable but maintained a remarkable constancy on the whole. The recurring concept in Quetelet’s theory is the mathematical model of the ‘Gaussian distribution’,
also known as the Bell Curve of Carl Friedrich Gauss, which determined the probability of an event. The word “normal” was used mathematically to refer to the perpendicular elements of this curve and did not imply connotations such as “usual” or “common”. The vertical line in the middle of this curve is the average probability of the event taken into consideration. Quetelet thought, therefore, that he could apply statistics to the human species, considering the individual human as random, to derive general results valid for the entire species.
The Bell Curve by Carl Friedrich Gauss
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Theory of Cultural Consumption In his main work, ‘A Treatise of Man and the development of his faculties’ published in 1835, he theorized the ideal perfect man as one who reflects average characteristics. The individual was thus assessed according to the degree of error in relation to perfection. The power of this thought influenced not only society but also design, the point of interest of which is an average group of people, to cover as many people as possible.
focus on abilities, disabilities fade away or become irrelevant. Kat Holmes’ book talks about the persona spectrum, an inclusive design method that solves the problem for one category of people but indirectly proposes other solutions for other categories as well. There is a spectrum of permanent, temporal, and situational mismatches that people experience according to their abilities and disabilities. Analyzing these spectrums allows us to do inclusive design, as Holmes writes (cap.7, p.108, quote on the side). In conclusion, the key to the inclusive design is empathy, imagining how others would relate to the object, and how they would feel about using it. In other cultures, the concept of empathy takes on a very precise meaning. In Mandarin for example it means two things: both with/heart/reason and total/situation. Empathy for them means to reason with heart and total situation, I think it should be like that everywhere.
What if the perfect average man is just a myth? If I analyze the people around me, I find different elements in each other; I can also find common elements in some people, but I will never be able to match two individuals with the same characteristics. By visiting Prad and Latsch’s workshops, I was able to learn many things, especially by applying them to the sphere of design. The focus was not so much on how not capable a person was but on how capable they were, their skills were the focus of the workshops and they also became the focus of our project. The moment you 4
When a bell curve reflects a distribution of human beings, it incentivizes designers to target a mythical “average” human in an effort to reach the greatest number of people.
cap. 7, p.108
two meaning of empathy in mandarin
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Theory of Cultural Consumption
DESIGN SPRINT 1 6
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Theory of Cultural Consumption
WERK
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frame of valorizations What I want to achieve with my project was to create a wood log holder that facilitates the transport of the wood and that could carry also different types of wood logs. After asking some people about their approach to the wood log holder, I understood what it needed to improve the already existing ones.
TRADITION/CRAFTMANSHIP The craft of wickerwork is very ancient, it is the oldest making furniture method known. It was first documented in ancient Egypt by using pliable plant material. The word wicker is believed to be of Scandinavian origin: vika, which means to bend in Swedish, and vikker meaning willow. Natural wicker is well known for its strength and durability, as well as the high level of beauty and comfort that an expert craftsperson can create .
SHAPE AND FUNCTION Werk has a different shape from other wood log holders, it is open at the sides, to be filled with wood logs of different lengths. Another interesting point is the two handles that make it easy to be grasped and make it folds around the wood logs when picked up.
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Theory of Cultural Consumption
five levels of observation Through the five levels of observation, we can analyze our object in terms of aesthetics, function, and interface with the environment and with the people. Thing-sign (figurative reading) Thing-configuration (plastic reading) Thing-agency (narrative reading) Thing-product (enunciative reading) Thing-argumentation (rhetoric-figural reading)
THING-SIGN (figurtaive reading) Werk is kind of ambiguous when empty, the identity is confusing, it could be a normal basket or a magazine rack. Instead, when filled with wood logs, we can clearly recognize its use. From a figurative reading, we can say that only when it is contextualized it can be used automatically. Nevertheless, the object has a handle that invites to grasp the object and a space below to be filled with some objects.
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Theory of Cultural Consumption
THING-CONFIGURATION (plastic reading) From a plastic reading we can say that Werk is: -very compact, it is in fact just one piece of work, without any visible complication -stable, it doesn’t have movable or smaller fragile parts -vertical, when empty There is in addition a repetition of round shapes (ex. the handles or the sides) The texture is very compact, since the material is the same everywhere, except for the wooden base. The material conveys a traditional charm to the object, and a comfiness feeling, that gives the idea of home.
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THING-AGENCY (narrative reading) SCENARIO 1: ACTION: STORAGE - AESTHETICS ROLES: wood (S) – werk (O) VALUES: (competitors) - keep the fireplace in order (containability) -display value (shape reminds of a bag) SCENARIO 2: ACTION: TRANSPORT- MOVEMENT ROLES: wood logs (S) - person’s hand (S) – werk’s handles (O) VALUES: -capacity/weight -comfort of the handles SCENARIO 3: ACTION: LOADING ROLES: person (S) – werk (O) - wood logs (O) VALUES: -movement of putting the wood logs inside -up to the person to decide the order (interactive value) -open object that “closes” (it folds around)
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Theory of Cultural Consumption
THING-PRODUCT (enunciative reading) -Interface, tracing the interactions: interface subject as the handle inviting to insert the hand to carry the object interface-object is the space of the basket which contains the wood logs - potential tracing of a marketing strategy in the object: it is made with a very traditional technique: wickerwork, which gives a feeling of coziness and warmth, like a perfect item to embellish the fireplace.
THING-ARGUMENTATION (rhetoric-figural reading) -The object has two open sides to be filled with wood logs, this gives a clear image of the object, the theme of visibility and so organization in a harmonious way is the focus - the material is very linked to the action since nowadays is very uncommon in cities to have a real fireplace (analogy of tradition and local environment) -the wood logs are disposed of horizontally, ready to be taken easily and put into the fire in the same position ( facilitated action )
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ethnographic deepening ethnographic questions •
how would you define your way of using a wood holder, • how is your approach to this type of object ? • how would you decribe your wood transportation experience, are you predisposed to physical exertion? is there a specific person in your household assigned to this type of work? • how is this type of exertion/moment handled? • how do you arrange the wood near the fireplace? do you have a specific order/method or have you never thought about it? • how much are you sensitive to the appearance of the wood pieces at home (the esthetic component)? From the answers it emerges that most people naturally approach the wood holder, it is a fundamental element for those who have a fireplace. The characteristics sought are comfort and lightness. Carrying wood is an action that requires an effort, and is not always willing to do, since the wood log holders are bulky and occupy both hands, making it difficult to move. Even if not for all there is a specific order with which to arrange the wood near the
fire, is used a wood holder is a small place of storage near the fireplace, in addition to a hidden place outside or inside where it is left most of the wood. However, one tries to group the wood harmoniously, often first the smaller logs and then the larger ones. In general, the aesthetic part is important, in fact, the wood holder is also considered a furnishing element, not only for the function of order or transportation. 15
Theory of Cultural Consumption
DESIGN SPRINT 2 16
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Theory of Cultural Consumption
FRUITY
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source material After the excursion to the Innsbruck Volkskunstmuseum, we had to focus on one particular object to take inspiration/as source material for our product. After I saw this object, I came up with a lot of ideas because it is a very harmonious object, with a handle in the middle that is the main feature of the object.
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Theory of Cultural Consumption
project concept •
PROPORTIONALITY: the idea is to have the same module everywhere, in this case, we have the same thickness (1mm) and the same shape (the tiles) repeated, giving symmetry and elegance • SIMPLICITY: since it is a project for people with disabilities, it should be easy and divided into small steps of production • FUNCTIONALITY: the handle, which is also a divider is very functional
HANDLE/DIVIDER
The handle in the basket saw at the museum is very simple and classical. However, indirectly it is also a divider and so organizer. For my object, this is very important for keeping different types of fruit separate, for better storage.
WOODEN STRIPS
In the source material, we can see that the round shape is given by wooden strips together. The same goes for my object, to make it simpler to produce and have a shape continuity.
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DESIGN MEETS HANDICAP CATALOGUE
Fruity €30
fruit bowl It allows you to sort and organise fruit at your home.
Less is more. Simple and repeated elements, a clean and elegant object for organising fruit.
DIVIDER/HANDLE - For separating some types of fruit that should not stay together, for a better storage - For carrying the fruit easily
PROPORTION/SEMPLICITY Since it is a project for people with disabilities, it should be easy and divided into small steps of production
catalogue page
For a catalogue page, it is important to have an impact on people’s minds, so I used small texts and big photos with one additional color. 21
Theory of Cultural Consumption
Free University of Bozen | Unibz
Summer Semester 2022
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Design Meets Handicap
Design Sprint 02
Carlotta Rudari
poster In addition to the catalogue I think is important the poster, too. It should eager the people to know more about the product. 22
bibliography •
• Kat Holmes, Mismatch, 2018 https://www.tiroler-landesmuseen.at/haeuser/ tiroler-volkskunstmuseum/ • https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolphe_Quetelet 23
Free University of Bolzano Faculty of Design and Art SS 2022 Final dossier of Carlotta Rudari Module Theory of Cultural Consumption Prof. Giacomo Festi Project Design Meets Handicap Prof. Klaus Hackl Prof. Riccardo Berrone Prof. Giacomo Festi