Design History Reflection

1. Previous to this course I looked at history and design in very distinct styles, such as Egyptian or classical, not looking at how they related or connected. I now see that history and design is all connected, each style throughout history builds and learns from the past. It was also interesting to then connect this to the design cycle, where you can see a pattern throughout design being repeated. The people during the times thought that they were doing something completely new and different, when really they were just building on ideas that were already there. It’s interesting to look at design now, understanding history, and figuring out just how ‘new’ the design truly is. That is something that I hope we look into in Modern design because one hundred years from now there will probably be a clear connection to everything that we have created.
2. The design of Samuel McIntire’s houses in Salem is similar to many different building styles, both commercial and residential. McIntire’s design was based on creating a front façade that would set the tone for the building. The many windows if a symmetrical pattern around the portico entrance creates this façade. This same idea is often seen in commercial buildings today. Businesses design a building where only the front façade of the building matters. The front is all the people will look at and it sets the tone for the building. Therefore all the design and thought goes into the front façade of the building. This is just like the houses McIntire designed. The people that lived in those houses wanted to create a certain affect when people looked at their home, but only the front mattered. This is seen in other aspects of design where there is a main side that will be the most important and because of that the designer puts the most thought and energy into that single façade.
3. To start you need to have a good understanding of history and design. Many people have designed something ‘new and different’ but it wasn’t until later that people realized that it was similar to many things created in the past. Then you think about what you are trying to create, the statement that you want to make. When you understand that you can look into historical styles that may help you emphasis your purpose in the design. When you have that you need to look at the present and think towards the future. You can’t base your entire design on the past because that would be a step back in design. You need to think about the world directly around where you are designing and how your design will fit into contemporary design.
4. Television has a similar affect on the past as it does today. Television is the main connection people have to the rest of the world, and because of that Television dictated much of design. Through the new and different shows you are told what styles are ‘in’ and ‘out,’ and how it should be implemented in your life. Some of this is blatantly told to you in design shows, while other times it is simply implied in the shows that you watch. Fashion design is often dictated in popular shows by what the characters wear. People see that and it suddenly becomes the mainstream style that you find in every local store. Television also gives people a connection to other cultures and the rest of the world. People can see the styles and designs world wide that they would have otherwise never been exposed to. Television dictates many areas of design, and for many people, whether they realize it or not, that is their main source of information.

House by Samuel McIntire, Salem, MA