Introduction
Contemporary designers in the architectural field have the ability and the potential to learn from history. Design history in particular serves as an ideal area of study for the contemporary designer for a host of different reasons. In order to better understand the different methods by which such an application will serve to benefit the contemporary designer, three of the more prominent reasons have been identified for further analysis. Firstly, the contemporary designer is able to use the history of design to gain new insights, and new inspirations. Secondly, design history serves as a means of ensuring that the contemporary designer is able to understand change. Finally, the contemporary designer is able to, based on past trends, work to anticipate future trends, allowing their work to appear to be trendsetting as opposed to simply a byproduct of analysis or a lucky happenstance. Through an understanding of what design history is and an analysis of the three identified reasons, it will be possible to better understand the importance of the historical perspective in the field of contemporary design.
Design History
The history of design serves as a means of teaching the architectural design student about what has been done before, the different styles that served to define different periods in history, and the manner in which architectural concepts evolved over time. The history of architectural design additionally serves as a method by which the student is able to see the progression of the field, ensuring that they are able to not only identify how architecture is influenced by daily life, but how the different aspects of design have changed over the years. Design history allows the student to review a specific period in history and, through knowledge of that historical period and the different features presented within the context of the building, to understand not only the reasons for designing the building in such a manner (for example the funneling of hot springs under stone as a means of combatting against colder temperatures), but also as a means of identifying what was popular regarding the design aspects of a building and being able to correlate that information with the historical aspects of the time. In learning about the history of design, the architect or architectural student is able to not only understand the positives about past designs, but they are able to learn about the failures of past designs as well, thereby ensuring that they are able to take the best aspects of that which has already been done while gaining the knowledge needed in order to ensure that the same mistakes that were made in the past are not made again. Design history serves as a learning experience for all, and the benefits of learning about this particular type of history can serve to only increase the quality of work produced by the architect or the architectural student.
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Insight and Inspiration
Historical designs serve as a means of offering insight and inspiration to the current designer; in reviewing design history, the designer may find a particular aspect concept presented in past designs as just what they needed in order to ensure the success of their current design. Furthermore, an understanding of the different ways in which other designers served to gain inspiration from the world around them and transpose that into their design ideas will provide the necessary insight for the contemporary designer in regard to how they could view the world around them in order to do the same. Taking for example the designs of Pereira and Martin, these two designers from the mid-twentieth century were inspired by the aerospace industry, and they took that inspiration and applied it to their own designs, giving their work a space age feel, one that increased in popularity as interest in the space program continued to grow. In understanding the aesthetic sensibilities that influenced past designers, it will be possible to gain additional insight into the manner in which the designer will be able to pick out additional aspects that they may use for inspiration, allowing their work to stand out above all others in their field and serving as a means of increasing their overall popularity within the current population.
Understanding Change
As society changed, so too did the needs of the populace, which in turn caused the designs of the buildings and the components therein to change as well. Following World War II, solar heating options were viewed as a necessity for the continued expansion of society; though the utilization of such options did not catch on at the time, knowledge of this information and the reasons for its past failure would allow the contemporary designer to understand the reasons for such shifts in perspective and ideations. In working to understand the reasons for the changes, both for the original desire for solar heating as a means of suburban expansion, and the reasons that it did not catch on successfully at that time, it will be possible for the contemporary designer to apply that same logic to their current design ideas, allowing them to think outside of the box and potentially prevent themselves from making the same mistakes that caused those ideas to fail in the past. Experiments from the past serve as a means of providing the necessary information for the designers of today to increase the likelihood that their ideas will become successes, as opposed to being regulated into the failed annals of history. Understanding the different methods that the layout and design of large manors and other buildings grew over the years and the manner in which these designs changed will provide insight into the design focus of the common populace shifted throughout the years, whether society was more concerned with form or function and, more importantly, the different applications of each of those concepts. Knowledge of this information serves as a means of allowing the contemporary designer to understand the different ways that change might take place within society today, and how the change may be applied successfully within the context of the designs conceptualized.
Trend Identification
In reviewing the designs of the past, the architect or architectural student is able to identify past trends; as history tends to repeat itself, especially from a fashion perspective, in working to identify the trends of the past, it becomes possible to predict the trends of the future. Much in the same way that every few decades bellbottoms come back into style, or that fedoras regain popularity, the same holds true for architecture; gothic influences, gargoyles, and turrets make a reappearance. In being able to identify the trends of the past, it will be possible for the contemporary designer to input this information into a computer and, with the combination of visual technology and design software, be able to easily apply old concepts into new designs, or work to modify those designs slightly, keeping the same neo-classical or gothic feel that the original design gave. For example, wood is one of the oldest building materials in existence; it has been used by peoples from all over the world throughout all centuries as a means of working to design domiciles, interior and exterior alike. As the years go by, different types of wood, different stains of wood and different patterns of wood have fallen in and out of favor, but regardless of what are currently in vogue, past designs always come back in style. Identification of the cyclical nature of societal preference allows the contemporary designer will be able to take the different aspects from a historical perspective and effectively apply them within the context of current and contemporary design ideals.
Conclusion
Understanding the history of design offers nothing but benefits for the contemporary designer or contemporary design student. A thorough review of the history of design as a whole, or even the different elements of design and style that were popular during certain times serves as a means of ensuring that the designer is able to identify the different methods by which inspiration may be obtained, the ways in which design has changed, and the different trends that have occurred throughout history. It is this understanding and analysis that works to ensure that the designer is not only able to remain relevant within their field, but that they are able to excel at the design process, making a name for themselves in spite of the amount of competition present within this particular field. Design history and a knowledge thereof works to ensure that the contemporary designer is able to create beautiful, innovative, and relevant designs while avoiding the pitfalls of past designs. It allows the designer to rise to and stay at the top of their field, something that may not be possible without this additional knowledge.
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