it's a desire in disguise...

While i was searching for the best definition of what is design that would fit my thesis' main point...

this one hit me the hardest... it's from a blog of an arabian girl entitled "Desert Bloom" . she's also a freelance graphic designer. she listed down a few quotes by famous designers that she got from the book "401 Design Mediations".

and this is the one.

Design is desire disguised as a function. by Terence Riley

Yes, it's short. But it perfectly sums up what I wanted to say. Designs are made to do something. it must serve a function or else, it has failed you or i would like to say, it sucked.

We view it as a something that works for us. But i believe it's more than that. I would like to view designs no matter what type, as something that came out of our desires. That desire that has made us do whatever it takes to design something that we needed. It's that longing to have a better way in all things that gave birth to designs.

I believe that this quote by Riley relates to all kinds of design no matter what country it comes from.

Can Filipino design reputation be sustained?

here's an article last April 9th, 2007 from www.inquirer.net

Can Filipino design reputation be sustained?

MANILA, Philippines - Despite the growing international renown of Filipino designs, industrial design continues to befuddle Filipinos themselves. Filipinos know their nurses, doctors and teachers are in demand in other countries. But industrial designers?

Oftentimes mistaken for industrial engineering, or worse, commercial arts, industrial design is a discipline in the creative industries. It has two aspects. One is communications design, which covers exhibition and spatial design, graphics, environment, packaging and photography. The other is product design, which includes the design of tools, such as agricultural or medical equipment, as well as furniture, gifts, crafts, houseware, and what-have-you.

Unlike the one-of-a-kind works of fine art produced by painters and sculptors, the industrial designer's output is more on the practical side. They are for mass production and commercial distribution.

Philippine designs have made a stir in international trade fairs, and manufacturers have made inroads in American and European markets. In fact, many Philippine designs have been copied by other countries with cheaper labor.

The clamor for "export quality" products reinforces the need for Philippine industrial design to cope with the challenges posed by global competition.

For designer Kenneth Cobonpue, whose Lola chair won an Asian Design Award alongside designs by Nokia and Samsung last year, the innate designing skills of Filipinos may soon turn rusty because of the lack of appreciation for industrial design. He said the lack of appreciation is reflected in the paltry number of schools offering industrial design.

"We are still the perceived design leaders on our part of the world, but it's a title we need to defend more vigorously with each passing year," Cobonpue said.

"Our schools need to partner with the industry to know what's out there and what can be done."

Deeper problem

A deeper problem of the schools, according to Cobonpue, is lack of "qualified professors."

"The problem with the curriculum is that no one's there to teach the students," Cobonpue explained. "Most of industrial design faculty come from painting or advertising, which are different disciplines."

The University of Santo Tomas, which is the pioneer private school in industrial design, has nine professors in its Industrial Design program, the majority of them with Masters degrees. It also has a very comprehensive curriculum, said UST officials.

"UST's Industrial Design program covers the whole spectrum of subjects for creative design work and business strategies," said Violini Venturanza, UST Industrial Design department head.

"The program emphasizes before the students that the fusion of art and technology are essential components in bringing creative ideas into reality."

"And with seasoned faculty members, most of whom are international design consultants, students learn more than the know-how of industrial design, they also learn the on-hand experiences their professors had as industrial designers," Venturanza added.

The thrust of UST's Industrial Design education is teaching the design of consumer and industrial products that are responsive to domestic and global markets as well as environment needs, Venturanza said. The emphasis is on the use of available and indigenous resources and technologies.

Recently, UST Industrial Students showed their design ideas in the exhibit, "Le Industriel," at the main gallery of the UST Beato Angelico building. However nascent, the student designs showed the promise that the well-regarded name of Philippine design would be sustained in the future.

graphika manila '08!!

SEPTEMBER 2008!!!!

i have read people say that it wasn't that good last year....

i want to see it myself this year....

i can't wait!!!

interview with Mr. Bren Bataclan

I got a chance to interview Mr. Bren Bataclan for my thesis research and here are his thoughts on Philippine design.....

1. What are the top design disciplines (like fashion, interior design, animation, etc.) that you think Filipinos are really known for in Asia or in the world? Please give examples.

The first thing that comes to mind is furniture design. I've known this for years and I have seen books about our work. I also know that some Hollywood-based animation firms have also been outsourcing work to the Philippines. I think that this is great (I went to grad school for computer animation). Filipinos and Filipinas are also being featured a lot in recent American-based reality shows. Example: Diane Monique Lluillier was a guest judge for Project Runway recently.

2. What is/are that quality/qualities of Philippine designs that make/s it uniquely Filipino?

Most Filipinos can understand/speak English and we are constantly being exposed to Hollywood/American media... This is one of the reasons why we appeal to the computer animation industry in the U.S. Filipinos are also good with craft and we like to use our hands--that's why we are known for our furniture (plus, we have unique natural resources for this industry). Overall though, we are known as excellent workers and that we are affordable.

3. Usually if you “goggle” search for designs of Filipino, a lot would be about furniture, jewelry and such. What are your thoughts on other disciplines like graphic arts, cartoon art, digital art?

Prior to painting full time, I used to know a lot of really talented Filipinos and Filipinas in the design and animation fields, both in the U.S. and in the Philippines. The world should know about our more high tech capabilities.

4. The industry of Philippine design has rapidly grown for the past few years but continues to face tough challenges and competition. Please share your thoughts.

I believe that one of the reasons why Filipinos face lots of challenges in the design field is because of our lack of innovation. We should stop mimicking what is out there and find our own true voice in the field. No amount of technical wizardry would truly impress the world. Filipinos should define the Philippine design aesthetics. The Swiss and Japanese have done it. We can do the same!

5. What promotions tools would you recommend be used if Special Event called “Philippine Design Festival” would be held?

I am not quite sure about these questions. I'll try to answer it the best I can. Though this seems like an obvious answer... I just re-learned that mailing postcards is still an effective way of promoting one's work or event. People do not have to print it, they can touch it and post it to remind oneself. The web and email is also a good idea. Finally, having a well designed and professional looking brochure or program is another good solution.

6. What components of a Philippine Design Festival would you like to see?

How we define Philippine design aesthetics.

7. In today’s business, please give three Filipinos who epitomize Philippine design. Why?

1. Dino Ignacio: http://www.dinoignacio.com/

2. The Filipino animators working at Pixar

3. Lucille Tenazas: http://www.tenazasdesign.com/

sell designs and not the people!!!

Here's a striking article last may 7, 2008 about the creative industry which includes the design industry in the Philippines...

DESPITE their contribution of five to 10 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), various creative industries have remained to be “neglected” by the government.

This was the sentiment expressed by Henry Schumacher, executive vice president of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), during his visit in Cebu yesterday for the launch of a research program initiated by the ECCP.

“I think there is no real program (to support) the creative industry,” he said.

Schumacher said that for a number of years, ECCP has been talking to the government to focus on the development of creative industries in the country as they compose a “substantial market.”

The creative industries, said Schumacher, include those involved in the performing arts, music, painting, advertising, multi-media design, broadcasting and all other types of design.

From ECCP’s point of view, the creative design industry, is an area where the Philippines can “do very well,” next to the business process outsourcing, medical and eco-tourism sectors.

“My biggest concern is we are exporting talent (and) designers to China, Singapore, (and) everywhere. (But) we should keep them here, create design houses, sell designs and not the people,” Schumacher said. He added that it would be helpful if either Manila or Cebu will be identified as a focal location for design in the country.

Upgrade

But to achieve this, he said the government needs to recognize that the creative industry is part of the country’s future.

To be able to compete with other Asian countries, the government should invest in upgrading the industry’s design capabilities.

“We have to recognize that investment in new design and new designers will pay off,” he said.

Schumacher also mentioned that the country’s strength has always been in design. Even if other Asian countries are claiming to be the design capital of Asia, “Filipino designers in Singapore” are still the best creative designers, he said.

Eric Casas, president of the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation Inc. (CFIF), said that during “these trying times,” there are a lot of opportunities for the government to be part of the industry.

Casas said a number of government agencies have already promised to give financial assistance to the industry.

“Hopefully, we can tap these agencies soon,” he said.

He also said the export fund from the Export Development Council “will be released pretty soon.”

This fund will be released through CFIF to assist the general needs of the industry, he noted. (DME)

atlast!

it's been almost 2 months since i have blogged about anything here.
it has been stagnant. i'm sorry. I just had a hard time deciding what to blog about from all the topics.

here goes...

among the best i have found and learned about Filipino design so far is that we have to define Philippine design aesthetics as what Bren Bataclan has told me in an online interview and on his blog.

"I am taking on Tibor Kalman's challenge to widen the lens of design. Tibor asked designers to relearn what was taught to us in design schools and to look beyond design annuals for inspiration. Tibor felt that only a very small segment of designers' work gets highlighted and praised, while most work--which could be stronger, more important examples--is left out of design schools, shows, publications and, eventually, the design history. I want to take on Tibor's challenge because I would like work from hot, humid, tropical countries, like the Philippines, to become part of the mainstream design community. Pilipino designs should begin to win international design awards. Good design is good design and it should not come only from colder climates."
(Source: http://bataclan.com/bataweb%20secondary/pda_3.html )

Good design is indeed what we stand for and good Filipino designers should get all the spotlight they deserve.