The way of looking things for the society has changed. How we judge a thing is also transformed throughout the century. The media has constantly replaced our perception of what beauty is because we as a society allow it to happen.
Similar to design in architecture, the expectation of the society has gone higher too. The society is no longer only looking for how the building functions but rather the overall aesthetic of it. Aesthetic is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, taste and with the creation and appreciation of beauty. (Wikipedia) How do we define aesthetic in architecture in this 21st Century? According to the survey taken, most of the participants would think that aesthetic is something with more extraordinary and fancy architecture look than the normal yet functional building. If they own a building, they think that an extraordinary design is able to promote the corporate identity. On the other hand, if they were to have a chance to build a building, they would design something more outstanding which has more organic shapes with ornamental elements on the building. The visual culture has turned either society or designer itself to appreciate the beauty of a building more than ever. It is a good scenario whereby the momentum is able to push the limitation of designers to build more impressively. The process of designing changes as men are now building not only served what the society needs but also the pleasure of eyes. Today, the society lives with the legacy of a cultural period devoted to utilitarian concerns. However, it has reduced interior and architecture to its purely practical functions.
For instance, retail shop is not longer placing the display items according to the categories in conventional way but designed as retail store that comes with a concept to fit to the brand to attract customer. The method of displaying a product changed to a more attractive way which designers treat it as an art piece.
On the other hand, the reason to drive us, the society, to choose and live in a more comfortable space and luxurious environment is because the society is willing to pay for what they desire as the standard of living is getting better than before. It is a degree of prosperity in a nation, as measured by income levels, quality of housing and food medical care, educational opportunities, transportation, and other measures. (Answers.com)
Figure: The service industries have enjoyed strong growth, leading to a continued process of structural change in the economy. (Economist View)
Figure: Consumer spending accounts for over two thirds of total spending. Consumer spending has been strong in recent years, a reflection of rising living standards and low unemployment. (tutor2u)
It is the ease by which people are able to satisfy their needs and wants. Through the statistic, it shows that the service industries are having a strong growth which leads to structural change in the economy. Consumers are able to spend and willing to spend compared to olden time. The society now has the ability to spend and enjoy for the sake of ‘rewarding’ ourselves with something that could pleasure us. The money which spent on improving the aesthetic of our surroundings is one of the ways to pleasure our eyes. Furthermore, this scenario happens also when there are so many buildings being built and designed. The society sees and discuss about it. The society compares what is already happened in the market through different kinds of media. Therefore, they are able to demand for it. In fact, it involves the supply and demand economics basic rules here. Demand is the quantity of a product or service desired by buyers at certain price while supply represents how much market can offer. (Investopedia) The society demands for a different design at a certain price, therefore, designers supply the design for them.
Relationship between society and designers line chart
The rule of supply and demand between society and designer is able to boost up the design industry. Many of the designers see the potential of investing in this business. However, imitation happens in the architecture world because everything needs to be built faster due to the increasing of popularity with low budget and low time consumption. It happened as well during the 20th century, whereby a major change happened in the world of architecture dramatically in terms of the forms, techniques, region and the use of materials because of the industrial revolution after the Second World War.
Take Seagram building for example, the luxurious materials used such as marble for the plaza benches, travertine for the lobby walls and floor, tinted glass and bronze for the curtain wall plus the carefully controlled customized details that pervade the building remind the viewer that this building is far from being the simple result of rationalized industrial production and construction techniques. The plaza is an expensive aesthetic and symbolic gesture, especially significant in the dense urban environment which surrounds it. The Seagram Building was meant to confirm Mie’s assertion that when the modern industrialized building technology is truthfully expressed, architecture became transcendent. (NYU) Unfortunately, people had misunderstood it.
Things were built so quickly with architects’ desire in designing ideal buildings in the twentieth century. Buildings were built very simple and as a result even they were able to build it with a cheaper version and lower quality of material. Many architects claimed themselves are building the ideal architecture world. Copying the design and building almost similar building is a process of repurpose the last layer instead of understanding all the layers underneath. The copying was lack of depth and detail. They did not understand the intention of having high quality material on a building. They tried to imitate it, but no building can be compared with the most expensive skyscraper at that time. Hence, there was no sense of personality in design and were building for the sake of earning money. Every building looked almost the same. Slowly, the architecture world was gradually losing the significant of identity.
However, the consequences of having such practice are causing a fatal issue in the design world. Here, it is not talking about Good or Bad design since it varies according to each person. Quality and value in interior and architecture are the main key things for the causes. As we, human, are sensitive to the qualities of the stimuli as well as the senses. Heat, colour used, quality of lights, material used, ambience, sound, fragrances are able to influences one emotion. When all of these sensual aspects of a building are in harmony, it stimulates soul which nourishes and heals the human spirit. (Alternative Architecture) Interior and architecture design gains vision impression to audience to react either like, dislike, or has no feeling at all when people pass by. ‘What happens now is that the architecture and interior designing world is producing “soulless” art piece now. Soulless’ happens when the interior and architecture are formed as a mechanistic building with only the shell without any identity or senses.
It, in a long term, causes the corruption in design and architecture world. Society is now feeling ‘numb’ to see so many designs which may be a quality or no quality value available and therefore do not know how to appreciate the beauty of a good interior and architecture design. The word numb is taken to mean a stealing of the senses or the notion of being taken with shock or coldness. (CSMT) This is the matter of how much attention is gained to the quality of the environment inside and outside the building. A building should be designed to relate to the language and wisdom of the body in order to escape from cool and soulless vision. Thus, the visual impact is important to avoid soulless design. (Croome, Derek)
You points here are quite controversial so make sure that you have adequate substance to back up your stand. But I can start to see your passion for your beliefs.
