Jasmine Jones
26 September 2021
MUSIC 256A
Reading Response: Function and Form
This week, we finished reading Chapter 1 of Artful Design. For this reading response, I’d like to respond to Principle 1.6:
“Design is an interplay between function and form”
—with function being what a thing does and form being how a thing is. One of the biggest points of this chapter was that there is no separating function and form in design; they are intrinsically connected in design, unlike how we view function in engineering and form in pure art.
Coming from an engineering background, the concept of function was very familiar. We typically identify a problem to be solved, and see the process through from start to finish, documenting different iterations to achieve the main goal of a well-working product that meets our functional requirements. For this reason, being introduced to the concept of not prioritizing function over form, or vice versa, was novel. It always seemed like function should be our main concern, with form being an afterthought, but design’s main principle emphasizes the importance of the interplay between the two. I found myself constantly challenging the relationship I already had with function and form while reading, catching myself when I was beginning to divorce the two in the context of design. Because this was quite difficult for me at first, it made me realize that how I navigate life seems to be from a mostly “functional” lens. I think about an object’s utility way before I consider its aesthetics, if I consider it at all. Whether it’s something as simple as a water bottle to something as big as a towel or comforter. I’d consider “how much water can this hold” or “how warm will this comforter be” before I consider its texture, color, and detail. Reading this chapter has challenged me to view everyday objects through a different lens, a design lens, and challenge myself to not divorce the concepts of function and form.
This ultimately connects to our in-class example of function and form, which was the chair. The function was to provide a place to sit, which seems straightforward. However, the very next slide showed tens of different chairs all with different forms that provided an elegant interplay between function and form. Although most of us would probably have the same image in our head when given the word chair, there is an almost infinite amount of combinations of form and design that exist for this simple concept. To me, someone who had never taken a design course or looked at everyday objects through a design lens, this was fascinating!
Jasmine Jones
26 September 2021
MUSIC 256A
Design Etude #1
PART I:
The three objects I picked were as follows:
- (COVID) Masks
- My desk fountain
- My 35mm film camera
PART II:
COVID-19 has resulted in masks being mandated across the country. Their main purpose is to prevent the spread of the virus through the air, and seem to be effective, as they’ve been required now for about a year. After engaging with this course, I’ve realized there’s a significant aesthetic to masks that I didn’t notice before. They’re beautiful in the sense that masks seem to reflect the person that wears them; some people get simple medical masks for utility, others love to wear masks with patterns and bright colors, and some even opt for garters with their favorite sports teams on it instead. In the midst of mandated masks, humans have found a way to express themselves through them, with varying textures, colors, and designs. I think this elegentally displays the marriage between function and aesthetics within design.
My desk fountain has been in storage ever since March 2020, so I was excited to recover it when moving in this fall. It used to be one of my favorite dorm accessories even though there was no real utility. It simply pumped water out and made a waterfall with relaxing noises. For the most part, it could be considered mostly aesthetic. However, after excitedly plugging it in this school year, I quickly found out that somewhere between storage, almost 2 years, and moving it back to my room, the fountain was broken. I was overcome with sadness. When the fountain functioned it provided me with an overwhelming calm feeling with the sound and feel of the water. In its current state it was literally just an artificial rock. Despite all of this, I can’t see myself throwing it out. It might not have a means to an end, especially now that the pump is broken, but it’s still an end in itself. I still feel the same calm and relief I used to feel when the water still flowed. The slither of utility is lost yet the beauty remains, as the (broken) fountain existing itself still serves a powerful aesthetic purpose.
A few months ago, I got a great deal on an old film camera on Facebook marketplace. It’s a Konica C35 FD—created and sold in the early 70s in Japan, somehow making its way to Washington, USA in 2021. I fell in love with the camera when I first saw it because of its form and function. Although an American counterpart of the camera exists in all-black (the Konica Auto S3), the C35 FD comes in a silver metallic body with an appealing black accent that highlights the various features of the camera. I found the function of the camera to be even more elegant than the body itself. The camera is a rangefinder, a type of camera that focuses on the image you’re shooting a bit differently than usual. Instead of looking directly out of the lens and at your subject, a rangefinder has the photographer look out of a finder with two superimposed images in the middle. In order to take the desired picture, one has to adjust a lever around the lens until the superimposed images line up, indicating an in-focus subject. It’s at this point you snap the image, wind the film, and do it over again. I specifically bought a rangefinder because it’s more of a challenge than simply pointing and shooting. I’ve found the extra effort I put into focusing on my subject makes me feel like I become more intimate with both the camera and the subject. The extra time spent allows me to become more familiar with both, and feel a greater sense of satisfaction once I press the shutter. I believe that although the camera is a means to an end, with the end being a photo, the interplay between form and function makes for a great experience every time I pick up the camera.
PART III:
Today, my friends and I went to play miniature golf in San Francisco. In order to get from Stanford to SF, I usually take the 101-North and get off at whichever exit is closest to my destination. It’s usually a quite boring drive filled with billboards and traffic in every direction. This time, I made the conscious decision to drive up on the 280-North and take the 280-South back down instead of the 101 like usual. Although both routes would’ve taken me where I needed to go, I opted for the 280 because of its breathtaking scenery. While driving, we all got to take in and discuss the beautiful mountain views, mysterious clouds and fog, and even the infamous Flintstone House! In a way we experienced the sublime; the awe and terror from the overwhelming mountains, hills, and landscapes. I was happy with my decision to add aesthetics to a drive that otherwise would’ve been aesthetically monotone, letting us arrive at our mini golf destination in higher spirits.