Im a design student doing a project on design history, but got 2000+ design. Wanted to get some insight from designers themselves.
Thanks.
Insight on…???
sorry, insight on what have been the major influences on design in the last 5 years such as any designers or styles.
I think there has been a big push toward internal personalization. Take the iPod. They are all little white boxes, almost no personality, but great finishing and detailing, yet everyone’s is totally different on the inside. I think we will se more of this, easy to use products that let the user figure out what to do with them.
Aother thing right now is accessable luxury. Jaguar to Louis Vitton, the midle class wants what a generation ago would be reserved for the rich. Made possible in part by product line extensions and in part by credit debt, the impact is that it is raising the bar across the product spectrum in temrs of materials, finished, detailing. Just take a look at the new Golf interior and compare it with the origional Golf’s. Even the latest Corolla’s interior is luxurious compared with the last genersations.
Check these out:
so, why is this in the employment section when it could be in Projects, Research, or even General discussion???
perfect, thanks. Will be reading all that shortly. Put this in the wrong section because didn’t really no what i was doing.
Good to here that is what you where looking for.
just wondering on the placement , no worries.
Minimalism is back 4 sure
I think the minimalism is only one section, i think there is a whole range of different design styles at the moment. i think this is why im finding it hard to identify a common thing that identifies new millenium design. I think that this idea of design chaos is the closes thing, but is that just avoiding the question?
its only 5 years into the millenium, it’s going to take time to transiton out of retro and for there to be clarity.
to me, even the minimalism that is out there is just retro modernism, here is nothing new or fresh to it. Corbu could have done the i.Pod if he knew what a porable hard drive was. 
are u saying that the ipod wasn’t a good design or “fresh enough”? look how many people own one. i think that minimalism is beautiful, and it does serve as its own style and is classic. everyone has a different opinion, i guess.
I didn’t say either, just that it obeys the cannons of modenism, and therfore can be considered retro minimalist. I think it was a nice evolution from the cheeky retro that had been floating around before it and sets the stage for pushing the market further.
Has nothing to do with how many people own them (I have 2 myself) or if it is a good design or if it was fresh when it first appeared.
Right now there is a lot of ipod imitationg going on in many diferent industries. Like fruit, design gets old fast!
I pretty much agree with yo.
I also think that new millenium design is being driven largely by rapid advances in technology that allows us to create products that couldn’t have been produced any earlier (i.e. Ipod, cell phones that run PC-type OS, etc.).
Retro Minimalism is just one flavor of whats out there, although it is difficult to pinpoint one big trend. Retro itself is still pretty big, although I do believe that it is about to come full circle so that we are once again heading forward instead of looking back.
If there are any big advances in manufacturing technology, we might see another big trend in design. Where that might come from, I do not know.
73 brings up a good point- advances in manufacturing. The extrusion used on the ipod is a great example.
Rapid prototyping is definitely an influence on current design, we even have chairs made out of SLA.
Combine that with personalization, and a touch of retro, and SHAZAM! 21st century design.
The tuner crowd is a great example of this- with cnc and silicone molds, it is possible to personalize your car with molded urethane parts - this was not economically feasible until only recently, still not exactly cheap however. The auto industry has kind of picked up on this trend too, with some cool designs in the last two years.
New style is prompted by new materials and manufacturing process. It always echoes some previous idea or ideal. Ipod for example reflects the retro feel of the past with a modern twist. Ipod becomes an icon because of its pure geometric quality and layout. This instrument brings more of intelectual pleasure rather than the complexity of form and curves. We are constantly bombarded with so much information that the Ipod becomes a good resting spot for our soul. Because of increased speed of computers and faster, better, more precise tooling techniques, not to mention China, we are capable of personalization. A perfect example of that is Nike ID. You can personalize a shoe with a limited color palette and your name on the product. One can relate to the product in a new way. Restricted palette prevents people from designing an ugly product for themselves. Although Ipod appeared in white many other knick-knacks showed up on the market (many by Speck Design.) I first noticed it when you could buy custom faceplates. This idea of customization came from non other than luxury. When you’re rich you can customize just about anything from your yacht to your jet. This idea enables us, the daily bread eaters to have a piece of heaven. People always want something unique and something they can identify with.
New design is always informed by technology, human needs and wants.
- Electronic User Interfaces:
Many corporate design departments have grown their Interaction Design staff substantially to keep up with recent demand. Many are now 50/50 Interaction/Industrial Design.
- Usability & Experience:
As design has commoditized, product-darwinism is forcing manufacturers to better address the human factor. Although not designers, Donald Norman and Jakob Nielsen are becoming rockstars as a result.
- Design for the Masses:
A direct result of the movement towards big-box retailing. Big name designers are attaching themselves to “the people” instead of the elite.