Sculptural cubism in product design: using design history as a creative tool

Abstract

In Jan Michl's "Taking down the Bauhaus Wall: Towards living design history as a tool for better design", he explains how the history of design can become a tool for future design practices. He emphasizes how the aesthetics of the past still exist in the present. Although there have been a great deal of studies on the history of design, not much emphasis has been placed on Cubism, which is a very important part of design history. Many designs of the past, such as in the field of architecture and jewellery design, took their inspiration from sculptural cubism. The research question is therefore "How has sculptural Cubism influenced contemporary student product-design practices?" One research method used was the literature review, which was chosen to investigate what has been done in the past. Other methods used were interviews and focus groups, which were chosen to investigate what some contemporary design students knew about cubism. The researcher will also look to solicit knowledge from people outside the design community regarding designers and the work they do, as well as the general impression they have concerning design history and cubism. The concept of Cubism has been used in branding and as a marketing tool and in communication.