9/14/09 - Karen Tinney

DESIGN FOR A LIVING WORLD ASSIGNMENT:

I was first drawn to both Christien Meindertsma’s Organic Wool Rug Tiles and Maya Lin’s Terra Bench because they each address an issue which I am extremely interested in: the condition of the American landscape.  In many ways, I found their approaches similar because of the similarities of their starting points. However, I also feel as though their approaches were different in both their outcomes as well as the ways in which they engaged the landscape.

            Both designers were given regions of the United States (Maine and Idaho) whose local economy and resources (logging and ranching) are threatened by land development. I think it is safe to say that both of the designers sought to bring awareness to the importance of the given materials and their weight on the local cultures of their respective regions.

For example, Maya Lin stated in her interview “we tend to pollute what we cannot see.” Her project then became about bringing awareness of the natural landscape into the homes of those who would not typically see it. Through the manipulation of the formal qualities of the bench, Lin was able to create a sort of cross section of a tree that allows the user to fully appreciate the journey of the materials and the manufacturing process of the object they are using.

Similarly, Christien Meindertsma’s Organic Wool Rug Tiles are made for the user to appreciate the material’s origins. “Value of a product is in where it comes from, how it grows, ad in what amounts,” says Meindertsma. This idea is engrained into her product through its physical characteristics. Each rug is made of 3.5lbs of wool – the yield of a single sheep. Forcing the user to think about the limits of materials in regards to their origins. Because each tile represents one sheep, the disconnect which is often felt between product origins is erased and replaced with a better understanding and respect for the resource.

While it seems as though the designers basic goals and starting points were similar, their approaches and results were drastically different. Maya Lin took on the problem of unsustainable forestry by creating an object which addresses the entire landscapes that are being flattened and disrespected. As a result her piece speaks for entire ecosystems and displays a message larger than her assigned area in Maine. However, after listening to her interview I believe this was intentional. I think that Lin took Maine as an opportunity to speak for sustainability which needs to be implemented in a greater portion of the United States and the world, as the problem plaguing the Upper St. John River is familiar to many localities.

Conversely, as she was given a more specifically local material, Meindertsma focuses on the specific source of the material and forces the user to fill in the blanks about its effect on the landscape and ecosystem. Her careful handling of the material and appreciation for its source sets an example for both design professionals the user – in hopes that they may realize the implications of each consumer decision.

What I find interesting about both of these projects is that they focus solely on the material, the ecosystem, and the landscape. I think what was very important about both locations was the dependence of the people on these natural resources as a source of local economy. However, these interests did not necessarily seem a priority in the end product. I think that both projects were equally successful and produced beautiful results, but out of both of them I would have liked to see how these products work towards the communities which rely so heavily on the resources which were implemented. 

I think that the knit patterns of the Organic Wool Rug Tiles have many opportunities. Perhaps the knit could be manipulated to reflect the parts of the landscape – so that only with a complete flock can you have a completed landscape. This would reflect her idea of the importance of the animals in order for the ecosystem to thrive. In my research I also found that Idaho has a history of Native American heritage. Perhaps the tradition of weaving patterns could be employed in the knit, to represent the community and a holistic approach to the design of an object. I think that this project also lacks the involvement of the community. It does not necessarily tell the story of the people who so strongly depend upon their resources and ecosystems for economy. Could the tiles become a product of their labor, or be sold to benefit the establishment of organic ranching? I think that perhaps through the formal qualities (like those that I have mentioned above) the tiles could speak more towards the implications of the materials and the location on the people who depend so much on them, this could therefore spark a dialogue in the user and to bring awareness about something they had previously thought little about.

If I were to take Maya Lin’s project further I would begin by questioning its actual engagement as a piece of furniture. The existing object appears more as a sculpture, which though beautiful, does not invite the tactile interaction which a piece of furniture should. I would first create a planar surface on the top of the bench – inviting people to sit down and experience it. Placing the rugged “landscape” on the underside of the bench could preserve Lin’s poetic cross section and allow the user to discover its intricacies slowly over time, much like how we understand and appreciate nature. I found it a bit confusing that the actual construction of the bench was done in Brooklyn. I think that if the people in the community made the object itself, it would stand as a testament to both the area’s natural resources as well as the people’s interaction and reliance on the materials for a strong local economy.

REVISED INTEREST DIAGRAMS:

I first made a series of messy diagrams to brainstorm after the first class. I decided to change my topics to "American Craft," "Wildlife/Forests," and "Local/Regional Culture" to more accurately define my interests and to broaden my categories to prompt myself to think about new connections. Many questions have arisen in this process which I am now interested in exploring. New topics that I have found worth exploring more are: Suburban America, the Amish, the changing American landscape, and how objects of the interior are used as a form of personal and cultural expression.