[GSBN] Why are people drawn to design inspired by nature?

[Mark Piepkorn]

Or are they? Looking for dissension, argument, clarification - please 
contribute your thoughts at the link below.


I received an email from a Design student at Kingston University 
(London) writing a dissertation on "why people are drawn to design 
inspired by nature." Three questions were sent; I went overboard 
answering the first one, and basically wussed out on the second two. I'd 
be interested in your takes on this highly subjective stuff, and will be 
sure to let our dissertation author in on the discussion.

1. Why in your opinion are people so drawn to design inspired by nature?

I don't think everyone is drawn to design inspired by nature. Some like 
Le Corbusier's buildings at their boxiest, and contemporary glass and 
aluminum offices and homes, and Danish Modern furniture, while others 
like nature-inspired design... simply because they do. There's no 
accounting for taste. I know that speaks to the shallowest part of 
peoples' immediate and visceral reactions to aesthetics, but I think 
that most of the time — especially in this day and age — that's all 
there is to it. It's certainly not true of everyone, but most people in 
these harried times never have any need or desire to consider why some 
fashion appeals to them while some other fashion doesn't. It is what it 
is, and there are ten thousand other urgent things to attend to. If 
pressed, they'll tend to latch onto any available notions that support 
their position without actually considering them. Look to politics as an 
independent example of that. Trying to detangle rationalizations from 
pure impulse is a tricky business. It would probably be a much better 
world if more people tried.

Read more...
http://www.buildinggreen.com/live/index.cfm/2009/10/13/Why-are-people-drawn-to-design-inspired-by-nature
or
http://bit.ly/BiEFb

-- 
Mark Piepkorn
mark at buildinggreen.com
802-257-7300 x 104

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