designsurveybrittany

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Week 15 - Final Thoughts

The world is constantly progressing and changing and I can envision many changes in design for the future.  First, I think that architectural design is always evolving, specifically houses.  Recently I have seen a lot of “tiny homes” on social media.  I think these tiny homes and homes with a nontraditional design are going to become more popular.  I also recently saw a barn that was transformed into an extremely open-concept home with a loft.  I absolutely loved this design concept because open-concept homes are only becoming more and more popular.  I like the idea of smaller homes that are more open as a way of reducing costs while still having a space that looks large.  Continuing with the idea of houses, I think that Smart homes will become more popular and accessible as the technology improves.  I know that Asian countries such as Japan have more high-tech apartments and homes in general and this may spread to cities in the US.

Another area of design that is always changing is automobiles.  I think that in the near future we will all be driving electric cars such as the Tesla.  This is a design change that has been in the works for many years because of global warming and carbon pollution from automobiles.  Once it becomes more affordable and accessible and people learn to trust self-driving cars, this will definitely be the future.  

One last area of design that I see being huge in the future is indoor furniture.  I have recently seen a lot of people with cool futuristic looking couches that are able to be rearranged into many different layouts.  I think that this is a more practical design because it is able to come apart and would be easier to transport than a full-sized couch.  I have also observed a trend in bright colors for furniture. 

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Week 14 - Your Choice

When I began this semester, I did not know that there was a distinct difference between design and art.  I thought that all art was design and throughout this class I have been able to successfully learn and identify the differences.  However, I still find there to be gray areas because I personally see so many things as art!  Although design can be solely functional, the lines get blurred for me with art that is interactive and may also have a function.  I think the way we talk about design can often confuse people as well.  I have often heard people say they “designed” something that is art.  This distinction may not be super important for the average person, but in the artistic world knowing the difference may serve more of a purpose.  

I have been able to appreciate architecture around me more as a result of this class.  Milwaukee has a lot of great architectural design, and living downtown I have a huge opportunity to observe this.  I have also always appreciated the design of the Milwaukee interchange and freeways.  I remember growing up and hearing about how impressive it is even though there is ALWAYS construction going on!!  Although I don’t remember it, I’m sure there was a time when traffic moved much slower and less efficiently through the area.  

Personally, I loved learning about design in Germany and the Bauhaus.  My family is super German and proud of our heritage so getting to learn more about it was great.  I love that the Bauhaus originated in Germany and I know that Germany and many other European cultures really value art and design and their governments fund it well.  I wish that the United States was more like that and valued these concepts.  

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Week 13 - New Media

Our textbook refers to the concept of “digital aesthetics” and gives examples such as video game design and graphics for ESPN.  As we move into a world where everything has a virtual option, digital aesthetics will only become more and more important.  Digital design is used every day in marketing, and we are constantly inundated with images that are meant to stick in our minds.  This concept made me think a lot about product placement and subliminal messaging in advertisement.  A lot of the time, we don’t even realize when we are being marketed to.  Digital ads are present on almost every website we utilize and are often interactive or animated.  These ads are often more visually interesting than paper ads we would see in newspapers.  Even Times Square has massive signs that show animated advertisements with sound and bright lights to catch your attention.

Another example of digital aesthetics and design that I thought of was animated movies.  CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery) allows for movies to have elements of animation that look extremely realistic and don’t have to be produced in real life.  Although CGI is still time consuming and expensive, the technology is becoming better and more efficient.  It allows for less use of makeup, stunt doubles, travel, and can even be used to make actors appear skinnier or heavier set than they are in reality.  Probably the most famous example that comes to mind is the movie “Avatar”.  For its time, the CGI in “Avatar” is exceptional and allows the viewer to be transported to another world.  Without the use of CGI, this movie would realistically have taken ten times as long to film and cost millions more in makeup, set design, etc.

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Week 12 - New Media

There are multiple fields that have had huge impacts on interactive design.  To start, micro media flash enabled people to interact with ads through video and different animation.  Today, to use certain sites you have to view an ad and sometimes click on parts of the ad to proceed.  One website that I know does this is citationmachine.net.  Another field that impacted interactive design was YouTube.  YouTube started out with the original tag line “broadcast yourself” and allowed content creators to cultivate an online community and share their lives with the public.  Nowadays, Youtubers are constantly advertising different products and being sponsored by companies on their pages.  This is the same on Instagram as well.  Instagram now allows you to tag the companies as well and you can even be taken right to the page to buy something.  This kind of interactive social media allows the consumer to be directly connected to products they’re interested in.  

One change to the tech world that influenced interactive design was the production of the iPhone and the switch towards mobile devices.  App and web design started to be designed first for mobile users and second for desktop.  This drove the newer versions of the internet and changed the way that future applications were designed.  Mobile devices needed apps that would work well with a touch screen and have large enough icons to be seen and manipulated.  A desktop view would often appear too small on a mobile device.  Today, televisions have also adopted a new interactive design.  Brands like Roku and other smart televisions connect to the internet and include apps such as Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify.  This makes TVs much more interactive and almost like a giant computer instead of a simple device to view a show on.  With the addition of AirPlay, mobile devices and desktop views can also be streamed to your TV, allowing it to be even more interactive.

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Week 11 - Graphic Design

This week our book referenced the concept of a citizen designer.  A citizen designer is someone who addresses social issues through their work in addition to their commercial work.  A citizen designer strives to collaborate with people from all walks of life in their community to benefit the world as a whole.  This could include government officials, other artists, small business owners, etc.  I can relate to this concept of a citizen designer because as a dancer, I often use a multidisciplinary approach to creating my art.  UWM’s dance department often focuses on social justice as a topic for our performances and has collaborated with people in the community to address topics such as climate change, racial inequality, water as a resource, etc.  

I am performing in Springdances this week and the topic of the piece I am in is belonging, and how we belong not only to places, but to people and groups of people.  I think that art and design are the most effective ways of bringing awareness to our communities in a way that is engaging for all different types of people.  Social change can be started through conversations, and design is a great way to initiate these conversations with those around us. 

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Week 10 - Graphic Design

I found the origins of the movable type to be very interesting.  Specifically, how type is different based on different languages. For example, the English language is quite easy to have a typeset for because of its small number of letters and punctuation.  On the other hand, languages like Chinese are made up of hundreds of characters and aren’t as practical or efficient for the original movable type.  In modern days with advanced technology and printing it’s not as cumbersome to print more complex languages.  I also found it interesting that type was inspired from handwriting at the time known as “blackletter.”  Calligraphy being the inspiration for different fonts of type surprised me; I would have thought it happened the other way around.  Today, barely anyone writes in cursive or uses any sort of embellished handwriting, so it is hard to imagine a time when that was the norm. Personally, I think that kids should still have to learn cursive in grade school.  I often use it still and it was even a benefit to write in cursive for my AP exams and my ACT in high school because of the speed.  

Another concept that I found interesting and strange was the idea that the proportions of the alphabet should reflect the human form.  Artist Geofroy Tory was a proponent of this concept and believed that the center stroke would cover the genitals to represent chastity and modesty.  To me this is a hilarious concept that purity culture could even find its way into the lettering that we use.  Overall, the fact that typefaces had such strong influences behind them amazes me.  As a dancer, however, I appreciate the idea behind using the human body and form as inspiration.  If I had to take a painting or drawing class, I am sure I would gravitate towards using the human body and dance as inspiration as well.

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Week 9 - Industrial Design

Brooks Stevens was a Milwaukee-born designer who suffered a severe case of polio in his early childhood.  Although doctors doubted that he would ever walk again, Stevens’ father aided his rehabilitation by encouraging the boy to draw, build, and be active.  Brooks Stevens went on to study at Cornell University in 1929 and initially pursued architecture.  He left Cornell early, unimpressed with the program, and moved back to Milwaukee to work as an inventory manager.  This choice eventually led to him designing product labels and furthered his interest in industrial design.  Instead of moving to New York where industrial design was starting to take off, he stayed in Milwaukee, claiming that it was a good place for business.

Brooks Stevens Industrial Design was opened in 1935 and the company had success during World War II.  During this time, Stevens converted military manufacturing into civilian products.  One example of this was the transformation of the army Jeep into a smaller car called the Jeepster.  Stevens also developed relationships with other popular Midwest companies such as Miller Brewing, Allen-Bradly, and Harley-Davidson.  At a talk in Minneapolis, Stevens coined the term “planned obsolescence” and described design as a marketing ploy.  This terminology is used even today when discussing industrial design.  Stevens became the only Midwestern founder of the Society of Industrial Designers and had his own show at the Milwaukee Art Institute in 1950.  The legacy of Brooks Stevens and Milwaukee Industrial design lives on today in many of the products we use.  Some of these include the original concept for the SUV and the wide-mouthed peanut butter jar.  The Milwaukee Art Museum as well as other Milwaukee institutions facilitate exhibitions to ensure that Stevens’ memory is preserved in the city.

https://mam.org/collection/archives/brooks/

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Week 8 - Industrial Design

1.     Grandfather clock – This grandfather clock has been in my family for many generations.  The design allows for it to serve as a display case as well as a clock.  This grandfather clock only functions if the weights inside of it are wound up every day.

2.     Chair – This chair has wooden legs with cloth covering the back and seat.

3.     Coaster – This is a customizable beer coaster that demonstrates multiple types of typography and different sizes of type.  

4.     Desk lamp – This desk lamp has an antique style with a gold arm and green shade that directs the light.

5.     Bell – This bell is both functional and decorative.  The design shows a woman’s upper body as the handle and her dress as the lower part of the bell.  

6.     Can – This cider can showcases both a traditional can design with a tab as well as different typography fonts, sizes, and colors that draw the consumer’s eye.

7.     Faucet – This faucet design is curved allowing for water to come straight down into the sink from above it.  This allows for easier washing of dishes than a standard faucet in a bathroom, for example.  The faucet also rotates horizontally to allow use on both sides of the sink.  

8.     Coffee maker – This coffee maker has a two-part design that allows for different preparations of coffee.  The left side allows you to brew a full put of coffee the traditional way with grounds and a coffee liner.  The right side takes a more modern approach and can use K-cups to make a single serving of coffee.  This design allows you to have both options in one instead of buying separate machines.

9.     Living room – The ceiling of this living room is designed to have a higher sloping ceiling than the rest of the house.  This design allows for a ceiling fan that doesn’t hang too low and gives a homey feel to this part of the house.  I would guess that it also aids in giving more of a “surround-sound” effect when watching TV because the sound waves would bounce off the walls.  

10.  China cabinet – This cabinet design allows you to display dishes and other items on the top and bottom shelves.  There is also room for storage in the draws and the cabinets as well.  The cabinet is made out of a dark wood and looks very rustic.

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Week 7 - Architecture

One key principle of Universal Design is low physical effort.  This principle involves minimizing repetitive actions, maintaining a neutral body position, using reasonable operating forces, and minimizing sustained physical effort.  An example of a design that uses low physical effort is a lever handle on a door.  This design allows for a simple push down on the handle instead of the grip strength needed to open a normal handle.  The lever design is accessible for people with disabilities as well as children who may struggle with a different design.  Another example of low physical effort in design is a water bottle filler on the back of a bubbler.  This design allows the user to fill up their bottle using only one hand and a sensor instead of having to fill it up using the bubbler.  This design also allows for the process to be much quicker and the use of only one hand is very low effort.  

Another key principle of Universal Design is flexibility in use.  This principle involves multiple choices in use, adaptability for the user’s pace, accommodation for left and right-handed users, and facilitation of the user’s accuracy and precision.  This principle accommodates a wide range of abilities and preferences.  One example of flexibility in use is a standard coffee mug.  The handle design allows for easy use by both right and left-handed users.  I have seen some handle designs on mugs that are specific to one type of user, and this would not show flexibility in use.  Another example is crosswalks that have have sound when it is safe to walk.  These are accessible to users that are blind or have a hard time seeing as well as having the visual option of the walk sign for those who may be deaf or hard of hearing.  

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Week 6 - Architecture

1. The Milwaukee Art Museum is one of the most well-known buildings in Milwaukee.  The building is known for its specific architectural design done by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.  Specifically known as The Quadracci Pavilion, the overlapping “wings” are able to be opened and closed, resembling a bird flapping its wings.  The building also has a high vaulted ceiling with floor to ceiling glass windows.  The MAM is completely white and stands out against its backdrop, Lake Michigan.  The design is modernist and incorporates intersecting lines, tall glass windows, and steel. 

2.  I have always loved the look of the Kenwood Interdisciplinary Research Complex at UWM.  The KIRC houses research and is known for its modern build and use of renewable energy.  The building has massive windows and high ceilings that allow for a bright and airy atmosphere inside the building.  The architectural design of the KIRC seems futuristic and fits in with the work that is done inside.  

3. Miller Park is another well-known building in the Milwaukee Area.  Its distinct look catches your eye as you are driving on the freeway into Milwaukee.  The red brick of the stadium contrasts with the green steel of the roof and frame.  The roof folds back and can be moved depending on the weather.  Arching windows surround the front of the structure and let light into the interior.  

4. I live right next door to the Milwaukee City Hall and love the look of the building.  It is currently under construction for some structural issues with the foundation to preserve the building.  To me, the City Hall almost resembles a church with its bell tower, clock, and rotunda.  The building has intricate ornamentation designing the outside and pillars holding up archways with windows.  This design reminds me of Gothic architecture prevalent in Europe. 

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Week 5 - History of Design

One example of design I saw around me this week was the FedEx logo.  I had to go to FedEx to ship a few packages and thought that this would be a good example.  This logo design utilizes negative space to create an arrow in between the letters.  I remember learning about this a few years ago, and I had not noticed it until then.  Negative space was a concept that arose with the Neo-plasticism and De Stijl movement.  Neo-plasticism emphasized asymmetry and negative space.  The De Stijl movement removed individual personality. (Eskilson, 2019).

Another example of design that I saw around me this week was in the buildings downtown.  Their architectural design reminded me of the International Style. Specifically this one apartment building that is a hexagonal shape and has many windows in column around the building.  The International Style emphasized Swiss design and was popular around the late 1940′s.  This design style focused on order, math, and a grid structure and dominated architecture at the time.  Josef Muller, a Swiss graphic designer, utilized the golden section and specific proportions in his work.  These concepts come through in the architecture that aligns windows, doors, and other structural elements with a mathematical precision.  (Eskilson, 2019).

Another example of design I saw around me this week was in license plates as I was driving.  License plates use an assortment of Sans-Serif fonts.  These fonts express the mechanical age, remove individuality, and lack any nationalistic associations.  Overall, Sans-Serif fonts are practical and remove artistic expression from typeface.  These fonts are ideal for something like license plates because they are clear, easy to read, and easily photographable.  This is ideal so that police officers and citizens in general are able to read and identify vehicles by their license plates.   (Eskilson, 2019). 

Eskilson, S. J. (2019). Graphic design: A new history. Yale University Press.

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Week 4 - Found Object

There is a sculpture along the riverwalk by my apartment downtown that I often  look at when I walk by.  It is on the way I take to get to the gym and I have never stopped before to truly look at it for a long period of time.  The piece itself is a metal frame of a box with a metal question mark in the center of it.  The question mark is suspended by metal rods that extend from the box to the question mark in a web-like pattern.  This gives the look that the question mark is suspended in a web.  This is more a piece of art than it is design because it does not serve a functional purpose besides being cool to look at. 

 On my walk I also passed this tall office building that has about twenty stories.  The building is just about as wide as it is tall, but is not shaped in a rectangle like most buildings downtown.  This one is almost a zig-zag pattern like a lightning bolt and is geometrically arranged.  The building also appears to slant downwards from one side to the other.  This look is achieved because each section that changes direction is one story shorter than the last.  I wonder about the inside of the building and how this architectural layout affects the amount of useable space inside.  The building is located on a corner, and to me this does not seem like a good use of space.  I’m sure this is why office buildings are normally rectangular, to maximize space used on expensive plots of land.  I currently can’t think of any other large office-type buildings in Downtown Milwaukee that have a unique design such as this.  Creative buildings that come to mind are the Milwaukee Art Museum and Fiserv Forum.

Here is a rough sketch of the building I saw. 

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Week 3 - History of Design

1. Lights at Canary Cafe 

2. Chairs at Colectivo - the chairs are bright colors and have round backs.  The backs have slits in them that resemble the sun or fruit.  The chairs also have curved legs and armrests.  

3. Leaning desk in my room - the desk leans against the wall on an angle and only has two legs holding it up.  The desktop and shelves also rest against the wall at a 90 degree angle.  The desk can only stand if it is propped against a wall. 

4. Cow piggy bank - doesn’t seem to be more functional in this shape than a usual piggy bank. 

5. Bowling alley 

6. The Pabst Theater and the Rep are connected in the center with this archway that leads to an open hall.  

7. My apartment - my apartment has a very modern design to it with white walls, high ceilings, and large windows.  It also has exposed beams that add a bit more of a rustic look to the rooms.  Without this touch, the apartment would not feel as homey. 

8. Hanging lights - my friend has hanging string lights in her room behind her bed.  Their design makes them super easy to hang.  One long string goes across the top and multiple strings hang down from it. This means that it is all in one piece instead of having to hang each strand up individually. 

9. Plant stand - this plant stand has a top that can screw up or down into the base allowing for you to adjust the height. 

10. Cube shelving - I saw cube shelving at the store that was staggered like steps.  It went from tall on the left to short on the right.  The cubes could be left empty or have bins placed in them for storage. 

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Week 2 - Design Thinking

I would define design as the process of planning and ultimately creating a product.  Design involves brainstorming, editing, and creating prototypes before the final product is ready.  Without this strategy and process, items we use every day would not have practical uses.  Most likely, items would simply be built as cheaply or as easily as possible.  Design is often used to solve a problem.  One example from the reading was the coasting bicycle.  This bicycle was created to provide athletes with a new form of exercise that was easier and more fun to use than traditional bicycles (Brown, 2008).  Another example of design in my everyday life is the desk that I own.  It is a leaning ladder desk that uses the wall for support and has multiple shelves.  This design is both aesthetically pleasing and practical in that it takes up less floor space than a traditional desk with four legs.  Because of this, the desk is also lightweight, and I am able to move it around my apartment by myself, something that I have never been able to do with previous desks I’ve owned.  

For me, the most significant concept from this week’s reading was how design is being integrated into jobs for the 21stcentury and the future.  This was a topic that drew me to this course, and the world of design is growing quickly.  Specifically, I was interested in the idea of artificially made organs and how designers would have to work hand-in-hand with healthcare professionals for this to become a reality.  While doctors and researchers have the medical knowledge for this, designers would deal with the practical and logistical side of how the organs would be made and fit into the body.  This is something that we are on the verge of being able to do on a large scale, as doctors are already 3D printing valves, skin, etc.  For this technology to be used for larger organs such as the heart, liver, or kidneys, significantly more research would have to be funded (Labarre, 2016).

LaBarre, S. (2016, January 4). The most important design jobs of the future. Fast Company. Retrieved January 31, 2022, from https://www.fastcompany.com/3054433/the-most-important-design-jobs-of-the-future

Brown, T. (2008, October 22). Design thinking. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved January 31, 2022, from https://hbr.org/2008/06/design-thinking

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Week 1 - About Me

My name is Brittany Rusch and this is my final semester at UWM before I graduate.  I am a double major in both Dance and Psychology and I am also Pre-Med.  My plans for after I graduate are to attend medical school.  I currently work at Rogers Behavioral Health on an inpatient Child/Adolescent unit and love working with the kids there even if it is a super challenging position.  I’m interested in Child/Adolescent Psychiatry or OBGYN as specialties, but am open to exploring other options in med school.  I also hope to continue to pursue my love for dance in the future by maybe teaching classes or eventually owning my own studio.  I decided to take design survey because I thought that it would be beneficial in my choreography for dance.  I hope that what I learn is useful in exploring movement styles, set design, music, costuming, etc.  I have some experience choreographing for a range of different types of dance such as modern, jazz, and even musicals.  The elements of design used for each of these styles are very different and it is interesting to me to push these boundaries.  I also love to combine my interest in psychology with my choreographic process and for my final senior performance I researched personality disorders. 

I definitely take into account design when I am purchasing items.  I pay most attention to colors and what would look the best in my apartment with the existing items I have.  Anything pink with a unique texture or design on it will automatically catch my attention.  Just yesterday I bought a Starbucks cup just because it was pink and had a spiky texture on the outside.  Without this, I would have passed by the cups and not had any urge to spend my money on YET ANOTHER coffee cup.  Right now I don’t always have the money to choose design over the cheapest option, but it is something that I always notice.  Overall, I am interested in learning more about design in this class and how it affects my everyday life and how I can use the concepts in my future career.