Fourteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices

Abstract

Despite being vital to the formation of the industrial designer, the disciplines focused on three-dimensional studies are losing strength in the curricula of industrial design schools. The reasons for this are related to the devaluation of aesthetic aspects in favor of other aspects such as the functional, the methodological, the social, the political, the production, and the cultural. Especially in Computational Design, the ease of integration of these aspects into the design process and the non-adaptation of digital tools for the aesthetical integration further alienate the aesthetic aspects of these processes. In response to this situation, this study aims to revalue and prioritize aesthetic and three-dimensional foundations in the curricula of design schools. To this end, the authors point out two approaches by which three-dimensional disciplines could unite the latest technologies of Computational Design with the learning of three-dimensional fundamental disciplines. Specifically, we will use Professor Rowena Reed’s methodology of the structure of visual relationships combined with technologies such as evolutionary algorithms, big data, and artificial intelligence. Although we recognize the importance of all aspects mentioned above, aesthetics aspects are the raison d’être of design. The negation of aesthetics can transform design into a practice subjected to other careers, which devalues the profession itself and the artifacts created by the designers. Finally, we believe the adoption of the latest technologies in digital design in three-dimensional foundation disciplines can propel the field to revalue the aesthetic aspects of design strengthening its identity.

Presenters

Claudio Magalhães
Associate Professor, Department of Art & Design , Pontifical Catholic University of io de Janeiro / PUC-Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Daniel Vianna
Computational Designer, Archiecture and Product Design, Estudio Guto Requena