Thirteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices

Abstract

This paper proposes a different historiographical model to design history focusing on the relationships between design and social context, and particularly between design and consumption. Till now, albeit the various critics made to the dominant narratives, one can identify four major types of approaches in design historiography: as an history of art movements and authors and/or of iconic objects (replicating the dominant model in the history of Art); focused on the relation of objects to the social context; centered on the relation of objects to the industrial and commercial context. The prevailing model, nevertheless, is that of art history: one that’s based on the great works / great names. Such approach neglects fundamental aspects related to the genesis of every design work: the social and economic context, the client and the commission, the collective nature of design work, the budgetary and production constraints or the acceptance of the final product by the market. Also, the objects that are considered within range of most design historiography is also in debt to same art history tradition: objects chosen by aesthetics reasons and by their links to art movements and the heroic narrative. This paper proposes a different historiographic model to history, focusing on the individual and on the context; such an approach - underlining design’s ubiquity - will reinforce its social, cultural an economic importance. In doing so, hopefully, it will help change the dominant attitude towards the discipline, the activity and its professionals.