“Design in Our Lives” (Field Trip 3)

              “Ergonomics is the science of making things comfy”.* It can be used in anything including design. Let's talk about design as a practical application of art work. In this blog I would like to discuss four items I found at the Museum of Modern Art and analyze these items by categorizing them as “high functionality” and “low functionality”.

      

       The first and my favorite item I want to talk about is called “Mine Kafon Wind-PoweredDeminer”. It was created by Massoud Hassani in 2011. I would like to give you a quick background story about the artist himself, so we could understand where his idea came from.

         “Hassani grew up in Qasaba, Kabul. At the time he was 5 there were several wars going on. His brother Mahmud and I him played every day on the fields surrounded with

 the highest mountains in their neighborhood. When they were young they learned how to make their own toys. One of his favorites was a small rolling object that was

wind-powered. They used it to race against the other kids on the fields around our

neighborhood. There was always a strong wind waving towards the mountains. While they

were racing against each other, their toys rolled too fast and too far. Mostly they landed in

areas where they couldn’t be retrieved because of landmines. Many friends of Hassani

were injured or killed by landmines. Almost 20 years later, he went back to Qasaba and

made those toys again. That was his graduation project for the Design Academy

Eindhoven (2011).

         The reason why I think that the Wind Powered Deminer has high functionality is

because it can be very useful if you put it into a mine field. It will go around where the wind blows it and it will detonates mines, so people don't have to go out there and risk their lives. Mine Kafon Wind Powered Deminer doesn't even need a motor (which is not good for the pollution), it moves through being blown by the wind. It can be successfully used in dangerous war zones located close to villages and places where civilians are. Another good side of this artwork is that it's pretty easy to make because the material Hassani used to create it is very cheap and simple.

       The next artwork I'll be discussing is an Earthquake Proof Table. From my perspective it has high functionality. First of all because just like the item I was talking about before, it saves people's lives. 
Earthquakes can occur anywhere in the
earth and I think that this Earthquake Proof Table should be used as a regular table just in case of any unpredictable nature disaster that can destroy building and harm people. It also made out of the lightweight material, so even two children can pick it up and move it on their own. It went through vertical impact tests and and it was proved that it can handle 1 ton. This table can definitely be used for most everyday classroom activities or at homes and offices, that's why I put it under category of high functional designed artworks.

                                                                                  
       And the two last items I would like to analyze, I consider as to be low functionality, from my point of view. 
The first one is a “Very round Chair” which is made out of steel. It caught my attention because of the way it looks and the way it was made, but the way it was designed makes it less possible to be used in our everyday life. The chair was made so you can't even sit on it. It can be used only as a decoration at home or in the office,but nothing more than that.

         The final artwork that I decided to put under the category of low functionality is called “Basic House” by Martin Ruiz de Azua. I have to admit that I liked the idea and the concept of his artwork, but I don't think it can be used as a homeless shelter as stated in the description. There are two

reasons why it has a low functionality and the first one is the size. The original size of it is pretty big, which means that in a big city, you doubtfully can use it on a street. Another big and as I think the main reason it can't be used by homeless people is the fact that it can attract too much of attention, which can lead to robbing, bothering, attacking. Homeless people are trying to hide in places where they won't be bothered and with this shelter it's impossible not to attract unwanted attention. “Basic House” is a very interesting idea, but unfortunately I can't put it under the category of high functionality.

           At the end I would like to say that it's ok If you would disagree with me. My opinion is very subjective and maybe from your perspective the items I selected as “low functional design” could be approved as “high functional”. There's no right or wrong because even “low functional” design can still be practical. 

*Sources of information:
http://ergonomics.about.com/od/ergonomicbasics/a/ergo101.htm  

1.  Massoud Hassani
Mine Kafon wind-powered deminer, 2011.
Bamboo and biodegradable plastics.
87 x 87 x 87" (221 x 221 x 221 cm). 

2.  Ido Bruno, 1963; Arthur Brutter, 1982.

EPT - Earthquake Proof Table,2010

Steel and birch plywood

 28 3/8 x 47 1/4 x 23 5/8" (72 x 120 x 60 cm)

  

 3.  Louise Campbell, 1970

Veryround Chair, 2006

Made out of steel.

4.    Martin Ruiz de Azua,1965 

“Basic House”, 1999.

Polyester.