"Design in our Lives"

               Last Monday, we went to the Museum of Modern Art to visit the third floor, that is dedicated to the work of architecture and graphic design. We were told by our professor to chose four works of art. Two must have high functionality, and two must have low functionality. The study of functionality is called Ergonomics. According to Wikipedia "Ergonomics is the study of designing equipment and devices that fit the human body, its movement, and its cognitive abilities."
                I think that among the good design that i saw in the MOMA, puma bike has high functionality because the way it designed is good. It is light, so you carry it everywhere you go even in subways, which is convenient for many people who like to ride bikes. Almost everyday i see people taking their bikes on the subway, but it is hard because they have to carry it through the stairs. It occupies too much space in the subway car, which it bothers most of the riders. However, this bike will not occupy space. It also convenient for people who climb mountains by bike. They do not have to hitch their bikes to the back of the car, they can just put it in the trunk instead.
                 Carna Folding Wheelchair has also high functionality because it is designed to help handicapped to move free whenever they want. It is light and colorful, so it makes them feel good when they use it. It also has technology, it has designed with extra parts that the handicapped person can use them when he needs. This wheelchair is also easy to carry, which helps even person who take care of handicapped person. For instance, nurses, family relatives, and even bus drivers. I strongly believe that this wheelchair will become handy later on because it is so convenient for people with special needs and people with temporary diseases.
                  I think that the design called Overpopulated planet has low functionality. This is was designed to transform food that human being don't eat to food that human being can eat. I think that instead we should produce more food that meet overpopulated people. This has never been an issue according to studies the U.S now produce more food that it did a decades ago. In addition, the designer did not think of children and babies. How they will use it? This way, these children may end up losing their lives, if this thing is the only way to provide food.
                 The design called The Garden in The Machine has also low functionality because it is designed for people to live in industrial containers. This project take place in Cicero, Illinois because many immigrants come to this city, and it is experiencing high rate of foreclosure. I don't think that living in a container is the right solution. Although, this containers may contain everything we need as a human being to live, it still cannot be a good place to live in. For the only reason that it's manufactured for this purpose. How about if an earthquake strikes? I think that none of the persons who live inside the containers will survive. Instead we can think of building more tall building that can be affordable for everyone, and also lower the interest rates.
                  Overall, it was a good trip. I really enjoyed it, and i appreciated every single work. For me a work that have high functionality should be useful for everybody or for certain people.

Jens Martin Skibsted; Adam Thorpe; Joe Hunter
"Puma Bike"
2004

Kazuo Kawazaki
"Carna Folding Wheelchair"
Titanium, rubber, and aluminum honeycomb.
1995

Anthony Dunne; Floba Raby.
"Designs for an Overpopulated Planet."
Fiber Glass
2009

Jeanne Gang, Studio Gang Architects

"The garden in the Machine"
N/A
2011