Annie Leonard: The Story of Stuff

Annie Leonard: The Story of Stuff

Annie Leonard really delves into a deeper insight of how humans are the main source of initiating all these problems associated around the world. Over time it is in our nature as human to feel the need to continually buy more stuff. There are many continual domino effects starting off with Material Economy which is created by the Government and Cooperation. This then leads to extraction, natural exportation and trashing of the earth. Leonard explains and provides a greater picture on how our earth is rapidly running out of resources, and we are undermining the ability to live here on this earth.

Our modern day society socially accepts that when something breaks too easily it is much better off to by a new one rather than repair it. Our over consumption of products has reduced to a ridiculous amount of waste that is stored or incinerated. When developed countries have used all their room for storing and ‘removing’ waste we ship it off to third world countries. In the long term this does not do any benefits to the earth at all. Either way, the energy used to remove our waste produces heavy amounts of toxic chemicals with synthetic toxics creating toxins out. 80% of the earth’s original forestry has gone, and toxic chemicals are building up through our food chain. The constant loss of local areas, people living in these areas from third world countries are forced to move into society’s large cities and to find jobs working with harsh chemicals.  These chemicals can cause significant damage to the body externally and internally and effect our environment.

Our planet produces way too much pollution, consisting of over four billion pounds of toxic chemicals/year, with this continual outcome, and continual growth of the world’s population are planet may soon longer have not enough resources.

We are a nation of consumers. In the 1950’s, it was designed to ramp up the economy with consumer goods that were ‘planned obsolescence’ ---> designed for the dump. Stuff was cheap so that it would break easily, making us instead of repairing it (because it would be more expensive) we would buy what seemed to be a newer and better improved product. It has become part of our human nature to shop continually, wanting more, getting the latest trends so that we will be valued and accepted into present society. Through studies and research it seems that the more stuff we have the less happy we are. Although we do try to maintain and improve our environment through recycling, not even that is enough. The waste coming out is only the beginning of our problems, the tip of the ice berg. Our system is in crisis, it’s changing our climate and the earth we once had is rapidly disappearing.  Leonard explains it’s time for us to change are initiative, we need labour rights, reclaim, transfer, renew, provide sustainability, equity and green chemistry.

So being an industrial designer, isn’t just about creating something that is aesthetically appealing but we must look at the greater picture as well and remember how what we design and create can be beneficial and sustainable as well.

As Leonard said, “ Old ways don’t happen, people create it. So let’s change it.”

My Design Career and Product Sketching

My Design Career

As a kid, I enjoyed drawing and making arts and crafts. It‘s amazing what you can do with just a few pencils and a piece of paper. Throughout high school one of my favourite subjects was doing visual art. I enjoyed the creative aspect of it, letting our imagination go beyond the usual parameters, there was no right or wrong.  Though at times it seemed that it would take forever to think of a brilliant idea for a project, however once it was done you could would feel content. Most of the times I enjoyed the process of creating works, even though they would be time consuming, seeing the effort and work applied on it was such a good feeling. To design something can be a fun and growing experience. The process is a journey where there are changes and additional/removals of ideas, and the end result may not be as planned, sometimes even better.

After the HSC I still wasn’t certain want I really wanted to do at uni, I even considered doing a science degree but I was always interested in the design/art area. In both areas, they are challenging in their own way. So I decided to take on the degree that required a lot creative thinking.  I chose to do Industrial Design at UNSW because I heard of its more practical approach and here there is greater sense of a ‘uni atmosphere’ (compared UTS...). Hearing about Industrial Design, I was interested in the variety and broad options an Industrial Designer could lead to. The ability to create something to be aesthetically appealing and have a functionality towards the object is what drew me to do this course.  Having gone through first semester, I’ve learned how design is very subjective and initiating an ideas can be a tiring process and that that there will be endless sleepless nights to come

Even though I’m only at the beginning chapter of becoming a designer, the first semester has really broadened my eyes on how significantly important designers can be towards society. I’ve come to notice, practically everything we have around the house or in the street, has gone through the hands of a product designer. Even though sometimes we hardly notice the ergonomics and appearances of the product, I’ve learnt that to become a designer we must go through an extensive process to create something beneficial yet beautiful as well. Whether we’re creating a piece of furniture, or an automotive vehicle, being a designer means to continually improve our products, both  in functionality and aesthetical appeal.

Exhbit Product Sketches

Design Confusion Poster

David Kelly- Human Centred Design

Video Reflection

From what I’ve learned from David Kelly’s ‘Human centred design’ is that product design has gradually evolved to become much less about the hardware but rather about the user experience. Human centred design is an approach to design that involves designing behaviours and personality into products. The creation and process of making the product becomes thoroughly more enjoyable, thus making the job more enjoyable as well.

Kelly describes how time has expanded or knowledge on technology, giving a greater opportunity for designers to expand and delve deeper to in the creation process to allow more sensual pleasures from these products. He describes how technology has furthered the relationship and interaction applied with technology. Through the interaction of video, as the viewer we our able to observe how human centred design can be aesthetically appealing and approachable.

The Prada product, was especially interesting to watch the process of interaction found with retail consumerism and technology. Through use of custom technology, the store became unique, from being just retail one to become one with a cultural role. The RF tags broadens the consumers choices in selection of colour, size and how it would appear on a model. This presentation becomes appealing through interaction and enjoyable.  Through technology advances the process of changing/trying/showing becomes more simpler through liquid crystal displays in the change room. It gets customers questioning ‘is it possible to get changed here?’ but pressing the button we are able to see the instant approval as the panels go from clear to dark. Whilst the ‘Magic Mirror’ that has a 3 second delay, allowing the customer to observe their backside.

Making these products is not just about its purpose but also to appear appealing and enjoyable to part of the experience. Technology initiates interaction as shown this Scuba diving, called 'Spyfish' which provides the beneficials of scuba diving without getting wet. This product is about the experience and the feeling created through this journey. There were two aims in this project, to create a consumer product but not a research tool. By including personalities, behaviours designing through technology and interaction enables consumers to forgot the hardware and appreciate the aesthetics and experience of what the product can bring.

Design Excellence Poster - Golden Circle Chilled Juice Bottle

Reflection

The Golden Circle Chilled bottle trully is an innovative and unique design. Its unconventional aesthetics makes it distinctive from other products marketed. From doing this design poster project I have learned that there is so much depth behind the appearence of the design. The designer especially looks at how a consumer may find the product both appealing and pleasing to feel and touch.