SuperGarden

Seeing as today Venice was having some marvelous weather, I went for an explore (note above post). While on that explore I came across the SuperGarden show which was highly enjoyable. You can read the whole statement below, but the whole idea is that designers from different genres were able to come together and explore the developing design language focusing on the expanding enviroment in Singapore. Fancy, eh?

To work with the idea of a "super garden" there was a great strip of astro-turf that ran the length of the exhibit. There was a fun little wall too that the local children loved to climb up.

The astro-turf had a nice affect of being one solid unit that ran from the outside to inside where it acted as the table for the exhibit pieces.

The interior. The plastic half-domes had an audio track playing with the artist explaining their projects. I liked how when the noise combined it seemed like you were in an active studio with ideas being tossed around.

The dome from below.

So here is my developing thought on design- possibly even a teaching philosophy? It seems like the practice of learning design is currently presented in two phases: General Basics and Focused Genre. At first you are shown everything; here is graphics, here is fashion, here is interiors, here is furniture, here is history, here is theory. Then it seems that everyone spilt off in to groups- the graphics kids go and make posters, fashion designers all read Vogue and make fluffy shirts, interiors drool over Ikea, etc. etc.

At this point, I feel traditionally, this would have been the end of formal design education, as well as most designers desire to really learn the other mediums. Sure, we can all appreciate each other, but how often has a graphic designer sat down and said, "I think I need to learn AutoCAT". Not so often.

I feel that it would be extremely helpful that if after designers have learned the needed skills and developed their talent in their chosen area, that they must approach far larger topics and use all areas to help resolve the design problem. Danh's final graphics course at UC Davis was a good first step towards that- but people from all areas should be put in the same class again, to help bounce ideas off one another.

Really, this isn't such a monumental idea on my part- just look at Charles and Ray Eames. They could approach any idea and use an entire arsenal of abilities to draw on. I think a lot of young designers forget that they do as well.

OKay, big long rant, not much stated or accomplished- but this is my blog so i'll say all the none sense I want.