As we are progressing as a design firm, I am finding it increasingly difficult to understand the complex phenomena of design.
As designers, we are constantly striving to push the envelope of good design through it's basic three parameters - innovation, quality, functionality. However, instead of pushing us further to create out-of-the-box solutions, the professional design environment in New Delhi is hindering us. Let me explain how.
Popular culture, by definition, relies on a large mass of people to appreciate and propogate it. Inherently, it is the least common denominator; the most basic form of art that everyone (including those with half a mind) understand. Popular culture is built up for and by the path of least resistance.
As we interact with increasingly diverse clients with diverging needs, we are seeing a pattern emerging. When we make proposals for design based needs, we are almost never told that we have not worked hard enough on the three parameters outlined above. Instead, we are always advised to tone down our efforts. To underperform, basically.
The problem lies in the comparison between the work we produce and the industry benchmark. The industry benchmark has been set so low by the old guard that the fresh approach we bring to the problem is rejected, many times simply on the premise - that if what we are proposing was indeed a good idea, someone would have thought of it before and implemented it.
Let me give you an example. We were trying to fabricate a custom stair for a domestic renovation. Because it was a retrofitting, we wanted to create the lightest possible structure. We managed to bring down the thickness of the structure to barely 6mm. ( how we did it, you'll never know :-).. you'll have to hire us if you want to find out) But instead of commending the effort, the client was quick to point out a new CRAPPY housing development by the CRAPPIEST architect in the country ( his initials could be h.c.) and recommend we go and see how he had approached the issue. What transpired later is a long story, but we managed to get the stair fabricated and now the client is quite happy.
What happened here was that we had to compete with someone far worse than us to get the job done. Surely, that is a peculiar situation. How the situation has come about to be like this is something I'll probably address in the next blog. But surely, this can't be right. We should be pushing the envelope to succeed. We should have healthy competition, people whom we can aspire to be. We should not have to bring down our level of competence to be one of THEM. Then you wonder why the brightest minds head for other countries.
Not to say that this is a blanket case scenario. We know of many design firms that consistently outperform us and the industry standards in creating innovative, quality design. But as a representation in the output of an industry, I would be stretching it even if I said we were half a percent.
We might not be the best in the business. But at least we are trying to innovate. Don't screw us for being smart.. :-)
As designers, we are constantly striving to push the envelope of good design through it's basic three parameters - innovation, quality, functionality. However, instead of pushing us further to create out-of-the-box solutions, the professional design environment in New Delhi is hindering us. Let me explain how.
Popular culture, by definition, relies on a large mass of people to appreciate and propogate it. Inherently, it is the least common denominator; the most basic form of art that everyone (including those with half a mind) understand. Popular culture is built up for and by the path of least resistance.
As we interact with increasingly diverse clients with diverging needs, we are seeing a pattern emerging. When we make proposals for design based needs, we are almost never told that we have not worked hard enough on the three parameters outlined above. Instead, we are always advised to tone down our efforts. To underperform, basically.
The problem lies in the comparison between the work we produce and the industry benchmark. The industry benchmark has been set so low by the old guard that the fresh approach we bring to the problem is rejected, many times simply on the premise - that if what we are proposing was indeed a good idea, someone would have thought of it before and implemented it.
Let me give you an example. We were trying to fabricate a custom stair for a domestic renovation. Because it was a retrofitting, we wanted to create the lightest possible structure. We managed to bring down the thickness of the structure to barely 6mm. ( how we did it, you'll never know :-).. you'll have to hire us if you want to find out) But instead of commending the effort, the client was quick to point out a new CRAPPY housing development by the CRAPPIEST architect in the country ( his initials could be h.c.) and recommend we go and see how he had approached the issue. What transpired later is a long story, but we managed to get the stair fabricated and now the client is quite happy.
What happened here was that we had to compete with someone far worse than us to get the job done. Surely, that is a peculiar situation. How the situation has come about to be like this is something I'll probably address in the next blog. But surely, this can't be right. We should be pushing the envelope to succeed. We should have healthy competition, people whom we can aspire to be. We should not have to bring down our level of competence to be one of THEM. Then you wonder why the brightest minds head for other countries.
Not to say that this is a blanket case scenario. We know of many design firms that consistently outperform us and the industry standards in creating innovative, quality design. But as a representation in the output of an industry, I would be stretching it even if I said we were half a percent.
We might not be the best in the business. But at least we are trying to innovate. Don't screw us for being smart.. :-)
posted by MadCow at
1:14 AM
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