October 28, 2002: In Praise of Straight Lines
I was talking with an acquaintance over the weekend, and he mentioned that he was an architect at the hip New York studio that designed the Apple Store on Prince Street in SoHo. I asked him what he thought of some of the recent buildings that have gone up around the city- particularly the much pilloried Westin Hotel on 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue. He echoed the general sentiment and said it looked like it was already 30 years old and a terrible eyesore. I demured- it is ugly, but so are many buildings around the city. I was going to make the argument that at least the Westin is ugly in an interesting way, but it occurred to me that was setting the bar a little low for architectural achievement in our fair city.
I asked my acquaintance about the difference between architects, structural engineers, and interior designers. He explained that while structural engineers are becoming more and more essential to nearly all architectural projects, most architects are dismissive of interior designers. Basically his feeling was that most architects love the clean line and try to bring out the best in the space and the materials, while interior designers tend to throw up a lot of fabric on the walls and call it a day. I tend to agree with him, and I'm going to take his idea one step further. What is true for buildings is also true for web pages- the best ones are made up of basically straight lines with very little window dressing. They present their content in the best possible light, and make the best use of the limited screen space they have. Some recent examples: quarlo, a life uncommon, noahgrey, ericalba. Conclusion: I don't know of a single good design that makes use of more than one curve.
Comments
Are curves inherently un-aesthetic? Or does it just have to do with presenting a webpage on a square monitor?
You could take it as a challenge, create an intuitive and friendly design using curves that maintain a clean simplicity.
what i learned from my high school journalism teacher regarding design:
in page layout, put pictures in the middle with captions under or outside. never ever trap the text or the white space.
in photography, contrasting colors catch the eye (even if it is true black and true white) and curves are the best way to direct a viewers eye.
don't know if these translate to web - but if viewers are conditioned to see these formats, makes sense they would feel comfortable with a website that incorporates them. my 2 cents.
I'd like someone to show me a design that makes wide use of curves that can compete with my examples in terms of an organized, easy to learn user interface. Anyone?
jake, as someone engaged in the study of the practice of interior design, i would argue that your acquaintance's feeling about interior designers and what they tend to do is a gross misconception of the field.
your acquaintance seems to no solid knowledge of what interior designers do. I have the feeling that he's trying to put down interior decorators, who traditionally do not have the respect of architects. what is the difference between an interior designer and an interior decorator? here's the answer from the American Society of Interior Designers' website.
"Interior designers are professionally trained in space planning. In 18 states, they must pass a strict exam and be licensed. While both designers and decorators are concerned with aesthetics, style and mood, interior designers have comprehensive training and command skills that may include an understanding of:
- flame spread ratings, smoke, toxicity and fire rating classifications and materials
- space planning for public and private facilities
- national, state and local building codes
- standards regarding the needs of disabled or elderly persons and other special needs groups
ergonomics
- lighting quality and quantity
- acoustics and sound transmission
A decorator works only with surface decoration - paint, fabric, furnishings, lighting and other materials. Because no license is required, upholsterers, housepainters, and other tradespeople also claim the name "decorator."
in essence, an interior designer is like an architect for the interior - just with less structural and construction knowledge. i hope this gives you a better idea of what interior designers do and why it is unfair and uninformed for your acquaintance to infer that interior designers don't know how to bring out the best in a space.
Oh snap! Tania is throwing the smackdown on our architect friends! I agree with Tania- someone needs to think about the stuff inside the space, like the furniture and decoration and lights and sound systems. Otherwise all rooms would look like Robert Wilson sets- straight lines and cold metal and glass. I'm just very interested in the way the different professions relate.
I think interior designers have jobs because architects get tired. Architects are more than capable of designing interiors (as many have) but it's not the same the other way around. I guess because that would make the interior designer in question no longer an ID, but an Architect. Huh?
This whole thing is completely different than my situation as an Art Director. I can't draw or paint, but I can hire people to do it for me, tell them how to do it, and then stick my name on the credits. Hmmm.
Gay Billy should be the arbiter of this debate.
Sam, I would like you to know that Interior Design and Architecture are separate and distinct professional disciplines. According to a recent research paper by Buie Harwood, FIDEC, professor and chair of the department of interior design in the School of the Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University and chair of the Council of Fellows for the Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC), entitled "Interior Design and Architecture: Comparing Standards of Competency in the Career Paths," states the following:
"Interior design addresses people in their interior environments on a micro scale related to interior spaces. Architecture addresses people in the built environment on a macro scale related to the building envelope and site. Both disciplines deal with public health, safety and welfare issues related to the design of living environments. And, both disciplines subscribe to, and believe in, legal registration requirements because of these issues . . . Interior design and architecture are different, but complementary professions. They have different standards, require different expertise and address different criteria throughout the career path. The knowledge developed through education, experience and examination is different. The definitions and scope of services as identified in the legal registration arena are different. Generally, everything is different, more complex and distinctly specialized within each discipline."
I really hope the above can give you a better explaination of what the profession of Interior Design really is, and please stop saying that "I think interior designers have jobs because architects get tired. Architects are more than capable of designing interiors (as many have) but it's not the same the other way around." This is obviously your misunderstanding and it's absolutely not true. Please check out the ASID and NCIDQ websites for more detail information if you still don't understand.
inlight of these comments people have made i have become highly confused. i am a student in Cental St Martins university of art and design in the uk and i dont know whether to engage in interior esigning or architecture, on this site comments like "interior designers have jobs because architects get tired." it s quite off putting as i have always wanted to do interior designing, but if there no jobs or if it is loked down upon i would like to know what other people think about the two professions and i have to decide in the next three months.
Im not going to comment on interior design or architecture, but on the "I'd like someone to show me a design that makes wide use of curves that can compete with my examples in terms of an organized, easy to learn user interface. Anyone?"
Yes those sites are very simple to understand, quick to learn. But they are bland, boring, unengaging (sp?). As an industrial designer I am trained to focus on the experience, not only the aesthetics or function of an object, space or environment (physical or virtual). There is a balance between cleanliness of lines, use of space, interface and function elements that SHOULDNT be the sole opinion of the architect or designer, but based on the requirements of the target audience.
The same goes with interior designers and architects: we all just view the problem from a different angle, and therefore better results are produced when we work together.
my 2 c
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