Customer Reviews

Design As Art (Penguin Modern Classics)

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I find it strange that this book is not available except for used copies printed in Canada around 20 years ago. I decided to study design after reading this book, even though I grew up being told I would be an architect or a writer.

On the visionary chapter titled "what is a designer", Munari made it clear to me that design is a much needed public and collaborative art. He wrote as translated to english in 1966: "Art is once more becoming a trade, as it was in ancient times when the artist was summoned by society to make certain works of visual communication (called frescoes)..." and keeps going. It never made sense to me that art could only be self absorption hidden in galleries, but I guess that is yet another kind of trade.

He writes with humour and honesty, and keeps me focused on my discipline. I owe Munari a great deal.

This is a review for the new edition of this book by Penguin:

Part social commentary in a world of design, part designerly musing, and part thoughtful criticism at a world filled with abused objects, Munari's new publication by Penguin is a welcoming oasis of short essays (many merely one page long concisely argued and written) to the tyranny of cognitive science and user research tomes dominating design thinking today (think Norman and IDEO combined).

Clearly, Munari was writing in and for another period. That was a period spearheaded by designers-thinkers from the ranks of Nelson, Eames, Maldonado, Rittel, Bill, Aicher and Dreyfuss. Like Munari, these designers offer the insight that acute observation combined with thoughtful reflection of the material world is one of the most powerful forte of a designer.

In this book, I like the Munari's insight of 'wearing' best. He asks us to look at how objects become worn in their everyday use. Should we design objects on the sole merit of personal aesthetics and upon the Platonic plane of Ideal Geometry? Or should we design objects according to a limited sampling of user-needs study? Or as Munari suggests, should we design objects according to how it has been worn across time?

Munari did not answer his question (neither would I!). But it is this pensive quality of his work that merits his presence in the mind of every design thinker--a mind that seeks to ponder the thoughts on design across time.

Bought this on a whim, the cover looked cool and the title was intriguing. I'm a graphic designer by trade. I had no idea who Bruno was but his writing is easy to read. It flows pretty well and you definitely learn a lot. It gives me a bit of extra leverage when I'm defending what my job is and isn't. It's more of a philosophy of design.

A beautiful book by the 'Leonardo Da Vinci' of product design and the master of playful graphic design to make the kids react and understood. You can learn a lot of this book. About the simplicity in our place we live, in our life and the objects we buy. To do this, Bruno Munari makes a study in japanese traditional way of living.

This book can be very useful for designers. It reminds you of importance of functionality and comfort; shows a difference between art and design.
Not to mention the quality, Penguin books are great!