Going to the Saarinen exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York reminded me of how detached designers are to forming spaces that engage our senses. One thing that made Saarinen stand out from his contemporaries was the attention he have to space. he worked with models the size of minivans and walked into them. Why don't we work with our bodies anymore? As Micheal Smyth writes in
The State of the Real: Aesthetics in the Digital Age, "seeing is believing, but it is touch that determines reality". Designers rarely build with their hands anymore; it is mostly through 3D modeling on the computer. Touch and intimacy - physically and emotionally - is lost in contemporary environments. The TWA terminal displays and embodies the movement and energy of its users. The swooping curves and dramatic, theatrical effect sets the stage for travelers. Not only did Saarinen masterfully craft his forms with proportions, subtle balance, and impeccable curves, he gave meaning to the airport terminal and spoke to the American image of mobility and speed.
As an industrial designer, I can see how well Saarinen understood the human body through his womb chair. Before my fascination with design began about ten years ago, I sat in a womb chair for the first time and declared I must own one someday. That day has not arrived, but I will keep my word.
The MIT Chapel in Cambridge, Massachusetts is another example of Saarinen's ability to engage our senses. With natural light and an installation that allows the sky to trickle down into the space, this environment was made for spiritual ritual. An element that is not seen in this photograph is the reflected water that illuminates the circular wall. Including the elements and the senses into his work, Saarinen should be an example to designers and encourage them to work with touch.
Going to the Saarinen exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York reminded me of how detached designers are to forming spaces that engage our senses. One thing that made Saarinen stand out from his contemporaries was the attention he have to space. he worked with models the size of minivans and walked into them. Why don't we work with our bodies anymore? As Micheal Smyth writes in The State of the Real: Aesthetics in the Digital Age, "seeing is believing, but it is touch that determines reality". Designers rarely build with their hands anymore; it is mostly through 3D modeling on the computer. Touch and intimacy - physically and emotionally - is lost in contemporary environments. The TWA terminal displays and embodies the movement and energy of its users. The swooping curves and dramatic, theatrical effect sets the stage for travelers. Not only did Saarinen masterfully craft his forms with proportions, subtle balance, and impeccable curves, he gave meaning to the airport terminal and spoke to the American image of mobility and speed.
As an industrial designer, I can see how well Saarinen understood the human body through his womb chair. Before my fascination with design began about ten years ago, I sat in a womb chair for the first time and declared I must own one someday. That day has not arrived, but I will keep my word. 
The MIT Chapel in Cambridge, Massachusetts is another example of Saarinen's ability to engage our senses. With natural light and an installation that allows the sky to trickle down into the space, this environment was made for spiritual ritual. An element that is not seen in this photograph is the reflected water that illuminates the circular wall. Including the elements and the senses into his work, Saarinen should be an example to designers and encourage them to work with touch.
No comments:
Post a Comment