Journal

Theo Jansen Creates New Creatures

In his presentation Theo Jansen reveals a series of man made creatures that are created through electrical tubing. They remain on the beach and are powered by the wind. These kinetic sculptures demonstrate the evolution of the wheel and are designed to move and "survive" on they're own, withstanding the threatening hazards of the water. These so called "Strandbeests" beautifully display the evolution of the wheel and the potential that lies in kinetic art.

David Kelley and Human-Centered Design

Human centered design is a field that has grown largely in the last eighteen years. It is becoming increasingly important to capture the behavior and "personality" of the product being designed. David and his team of coworkers are part of one of the company's that is redirecting the focus of their designs more toward the human experience. One of the videos in his presentation demonstrates the application of this new direction in the technological designs of the Prada retail store. For example the renovations to the dressing rooms that allow the customer to gain more information about their items quicker and easier.

I think this is a very interesting point because the idea of human experience can be applied to graphic design as well and how the audience/ customer associates with and responds to the design.