[DESIGN FOR LIFE] Reflection

The driving force behind Phillipe Starck’s design concepts and methodologies is sustainability. He believes that design is the “door to the FUTURE, CREATIVITY and VISIONS. However what he insisted on reinforcing to the student/contestants is that sustainable design is not just about prolonging humanity’s existence. It is much more beyond the product itself and that it has to dwell in the conceptual way of thinking. For instance products must become:

• DEMOCRATIC
• SUSTAINABLE
• BENEFICIAL TO SOCIETY

Democratic

Starck believes that design must be accessible to the majority of the world population in order to make a real difference and allow “humans to achieve their maximum potential”. In essence, designs must become easily affordable but retaining maximum beauty and functionality. If products were designed for the top end of the Capitalist hierarchy then more and more resources will be banished and wasted for the smaller percentage of the world population which is absurd.

Sustainability

A main issue in the contemporary design world is that too many products are be redone, not improved or enhanced efficiently. Products must evolve to multi task and be as minimal as possible at the same time. Hence knowing all technicalities is essential. For instance one of the students believe that the packaging of cleansers was an effective solution however was criticised by Starck because she did not consider at all the contents and their implications, only the packaging itself. Starck explicitly believes the product as a WHOLE MUST be considered in order to be sustainable. Without sustainable products, humans will never be able to “achieve its potential”

Beneficial to Society

He metaphorically states that design should be GENEROUS and should help humans EMBRACE one another though their sustainable products. If design can provoke a domino effect of generosity and embracement, “achieving [our] potential” seems very likely. Humans must sub consciously help one another buy purchasing products which not only benefit themselves as a functional object but also products whose after lives provide benefits to others. For instance after a product has lasted its functional life it’s afterlife will serve as another material or component for another product or person. Or even better, the product can be used and kept and never thrown out.