Can Design Touch the Heart?
Can design touch the heart? This question puzzled me when I first read it in designer Stefan Sagmeister's monogram, Made You Look. I never thought of design in that way. Movies, books, music yes, but design? Could it? Should it? Many designers seem to think so. Do a quick search on Google for Sagmeister's name and "can design touch the heart." You'll find a rising tide of articles, references and comments surrounding the topic.
Something's happening here. The question itself has struck a chord with designers. Maybe we're at the beginning of the next great awakening in design beyond the computer. I think the attention the question is getting (especially among designers under 30) hints at the state of design. In the rush to establish a respected and solid profession, has design numbed and neglected its own soul? Designers seem to always be at the mercy of others…clients, bosses, printers, deadlines, budgets, etc., not to mention their own egos. No designer designs in a constraint free environment. As such, the very heart of the designer often gets shoved aside or subjected to some requirement that blunts the soul expression of the designer. Often this visual slavery is manifest in the form of style, where style exerts tyrannical rule over substance, and I would say soul. Sagmeister thinks that "designers don't really believe in much. We are not much into politics or religion and don't have much of a stand on any important issues. I guess when our conscience is so wishy-washy, so is our design." Could he be right?
Interestingly, he cites Kyle Cooper's title work for the movie Seven as an example of how deep convictions produce design work that touches people. Sagmeister notes, "He (Kyle) is a born again Christian. That does give him a strong perspective on evil things. Which might just be why his title sequence for Seven stood out so much in this sea of well produced, professional mediocrity." Whoa. You mean we don't have to check our soul in at the door when we do work for a client? Maybe Conviction + Guts = Design Touching the Heart.
I've tried to think of concrete examples of design that truly touched the heart. How about these well designed products…the Mac, the Ipod and anything else Apple puts out. Or consider design that actually brings emotional healing like Maya Lin's powerful Vietnam Wall Memorial in Washington. Or stroll through the exhibits at the National Holocaust Museum. They stir your conscience and connect a community of survivors. You can think of your own.
Design can and should touch the heart. In fact, Sagmeister thinks that in five to ten years, "this touching design is going to be the only kind of design that's going to be done by actual designers" with the rest done by template based computer programs. I'm not so sure about that, but I do know that design that touches the heart will be the only kind of design that matters.
Something's happening here. The question itself has struck a chord with designers. Maybe we're at the beginning of the next great awakening in design beyond the computer. I think the attention the question is getting (especially among designers under 30) hints at the state of design. In the rush to establish a respected and solid profession, has design numbed and neglected its own soul? Designers seem to always be at the mercy of others…clients, bosses, printers, deadlines, budgets, etc., not to mention their own egos. No designer designs in a constraint free environment. As such, the very heart of the designer often gets shoved aside or subjected to some requirement that blunts the soul expression of the designer. Often this visual slavery is manifest in the form of style, where style exerts tyrannical rule over substance, and I would say soul. Sagmeister thinks that "designers don't really believe in much. We are not much into politics or religion and don't have much of a stand on any important issues. I guess when our conscience is so wishy-washy, so is our design." Could he be right?
Interestingly, he cites Kyle Cooper's title work for the movie Seven as an example of how deep convictions produce design work that touches people. Sagmeister notes, "He (Kyle) is a born again Christian. That does give him a strong perspective on evil things. Which might just be why his title sequence for Seven stood out so much in this sea of well produced, professional mediocrity." Whoa. You mean we don't have to check our soul in at the door when we do work for a client? Maybe Conviction + Guts = Design Touching the Heart.
I've tried to think of concrete examples of design that truly touched the heart. How about these well designed products…the Mac, the Ipod and anything else Apple puts out. Or consider design that actually brings emotional healing like Maya Lin's powerful Vietnam Wall Memorial in Washington. Or stroll through the exhibits at the National Holocaust Museum. They stir your conscience and connect a community of survivors. You can think of your own.
Design can and should touch the heart. In fact, Sagmeister thinks that in five to ten years, "this touching design is going to be the only kind of design that's going to be done by actual designers" with the rest done by template based computer programs. I'm not so sure about that, but I do know that design that touches the heart will be the only kind of design that matters.
posted by fivemcclungs at 1:52 PM
4 Comments:
I sent a link to this article to Stefan Sagmeister and he kindly wrote me back. I don't know that I've met a more down to earth person before. Anyway, recommended a website in Germany that is also exploring design that touches the heart: www.designberuehrtherz.de
- Frank
Yes Design Can!
It is about the designer really thinking about his/her work and how the user/view can interact with it. It is about be selfless and thinking first about the end viewer and that makes a big difference. Gut convictions and a passion for the viewer's moving experience.
You need to read (if you haven't already) the book Substance of Style by Virginia Postrel. It talks about this issue on a larger scale. The idea that our financial excesses and the assembly line have led to a design as value culture. Really good read.
Hi there, I'm a designer based in the UK. I entered a competition set by Stefan Sagmeister, the aim of which was to 'touch someones heart with design'. I entered because I'm interested in the subject and aim to work towards this end. Suprisingly, I won the competition and got sent to meet Stefan (extremily down to earth, as mentioned.) The piece of work that he thought answered the brief is on the following link: http://www.emmagasson.com/own-work/diary.html I would really like to see any work that aims to tackle the subject.
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