Why is it that some products are designed to weather well over time and others aren’t? A great pair of jeans, a leather jacket, a cast iron skillet, all improve with use. On the other hand, most digital hardware is not designed with ‘weathering’ in mind. That’s the subject of this fascinating blog post by Khoi Vinh.
I’m not the most careful person on the planet (ok, I’m a bit of a slob), but I find that first scratch on the recording equipment, say, is, well, irksome. How about you? Did you buy a special protective coating for your mp3 player? Or do you carry that banged-up cell phone like a badge of honour? Let us know! We’d love to put your stories on the air!
planned deterioration in design is surely not new (almost every product shows some signs of use, intentionally or not). the celebration of this passage of time and wear should rightly be planned for in design.
if its the patina of age on a sneaker, or the greensih oxidation on the statue of liberty (or parliment buildings in ottawa), age can indeed give a new element to design.
distressed jeans, distressed footwear (nike vintage running collection), soft products are already embracing this.
to move this thinking to hardware and tech devices, i think a shift of perception is required. technology always represents “the new”. as technology improves however, i for sure imagine a future where our devices will have a longer lifespan and function, memory, etc. are added via software and plugins, cards , etc. in this way, the carrier, or “device” becomes a bucket for function, and convergence manages multiple features while the “product” (casing) lives on.
R
looking at ‘time’ in terms of design is totally hot, but brings a much more philosophical aspect to looking at an object. it is sadly an aspect that most consumers and companies (who’s eintire point of existance is to consume and encourage consumption). Companies want to make money, and planned obsolesence is something we face everyday (not to mention our pure lust and desire for fashion items). why is it that after just a year of having a perfectly functional nokia did i switch to a nokia amour? well, i wanted to rock a beautiful gold phone… the other one still PRETTY MUCH works (except for that crack on the screen from toboganning with cocktails). But i digress… There has been a push towards the “time” aspect of design, and there are many concept items such as the fiat, that, when it scratches, actually creates patterns on the surface (think trendy flower prints). there have been similar suggestions with carpets, tables, coffee cups… it is all stuff that is coming out of new design consultancies, who probably will never get the same amount of units as ikea, but they sure are trying…
First scratch on my gear? Pfft. I’m irked for about six minutes. By the seventh minute I realize that whatever it is is already obsolete. Then I make it my personal duty to beat the snot out of it until I’m in the mood to get a new one. I think it helps ease the guilt.
If I had all the money I spent on protective cases, lens cleaners and sleeves over the years in my hands right now… I’d be on my way to Buffalo to pick up an iPhone.
In truth, I really don’t expect to keep anything that plugs in, powers up and fits in my pocket longer than three years.
I like shiny new things. I also like not so shiny old things with character. Personally, I’d rather see a digital gadget/toy/hardware/thingamajiggy in its naked state and susceptible to damage rather than rubber coated and or otherwise protectively encased… I mean, what’s the point *knowing* that it’s shiny underneath if you can’t actually enjoy its shininess??
nothing is gonna last forever. Some things just happen to age better than others.
Certain things you hope stay exactly as you bought them and others you want to wear in… Dark black jeans that you never want to fade or those classic 501′s that are perfectly worn in all the right spots. Though I can’t stand the “pre-worn in” look. So fake. So pointless.
If you love your toys, you’ll take care of them and enjoy a long relationship that may last your lifetime. If the love affair fades as they show their age and wear, replace them. Younger, I mean, newer is the way to go… wait, are we still talking about electronics??
As designers, we like to be idealistic, but the companies we work for have to answer to the shareholders and/or owners. The ultimate goal of business is to make money, and unfortunately, those who keep using those age old Nokia’s or lasting shoes causes the companies to loose potential revenue. This is consumerism, and planned obsolescence of commercial goods is almost expected for companies. Business use marketing tools to try and entice consumers that they need or want the latest gadget as to drive consumption.
Regardless, I still have my 5 year old laptop with peeling paint, my 3 year old cell phone, and my small University TV. The reason is simple. They still work, and until I need something better, I am happy and fortunate with what I’ve got.
One of the things I immediately thought of when I read the original post (several commenters there mentioned it as well) is the Japanese idea of ‘wabi-sabi’, valuing the idea of impermanence, and gentle decay in aesthetics as an expression of transience. It seems to me that in North America, we may like the idea of “ye olde” architecture, but we fear or are repulsed by ageing closer to home. Maybe it’s because we’re in denial about impermanence.
Vulnerability in a product (think scratches, dents etc) leads to a very convenient and commercial side effect- the aftermarket product.
A shiny new I-pod, that is not designed to hold up to wear and tear opens up a world of revenue opportunities in protective casings etc.
It is a perfect marketing double whammy- the allure of a very sexy, shiny, sleek product for an easier sell. Plus the added bonus of feeding consumer insecurity with additional product to keep the first product sexy…
Along side planned obsolescence, companies are designing with a plan for aftermarket in mind!In some cases the lucrative aftermarket superceedes the original design intent. For instance, a company will sell the original product at a loss to get buy-in and then fuel the aftermarket sales (usually at inflated prices). An easy example to cite is razors. Buy the initial Venus razor for under 10 bucks. Get used to the product.
Then have to pay 15-20 dollars for replacement cartridges…yikes!
All part of a well crafted plan….sigh…and I fell for it…again : )
Very few things were originally designed to wear well. Jeans that faded well? That was kinda a side effect. Violin varnish that enhanced sound quality over time? No one knew until hundreds of years later.
It’s not that designers are less considerate now, it’s that we have thrown out all the things that didn’t age well, and what remains has obviously stood the test of time.
When materials become environmentally friendly and cost effective, perhaps we won’t feel so bad about throwing things out.
Planned obsolescence has been ingrained in manufactured goods and their purchase cycles for the better part of a century. It’ll be a hard habit to kick.
Modern objects are hard to compare to classic timeless objects with acquired patina (for all those wabi-sabi folks) – one of the core principles of modernism was to create timeless objects from their inception. Only the best of those designs are actually built well enough to stay that way.
Stepping back, perhaps technological goods are designed for their maximum lifetime, a knowingly short one. Many tech devices can’t be compared to a skillet, distressed sneaker or well loved pair of jeans. They have yet to escape/overcome the technological restrictions inherent within these types of products. This will improve over time. Battery life, at least for portable devices, is usually the death blow. My once cared for ipod is now relegated to road-trip-jukebox or portable-hard-drive status due to it’s current 30 second battery life. When I recently caved and got a cell phone, the booth clerk basically told me the plans were not three years by accident – that was the expected lifespan of the battery, and the phone was built to match. Secondly, with Moore’s Law still prophetically playing out, one can safely assume that no matter how pristine or aged the product’s shell remains, the inside technology is going to be obsolete/eclipsed within a matter of years. (Yet if you can’t digest 512MB of music in a sitting, what’s 160 GB going to add). If desire doesn’t make you upgrade, think about Aftermarket software which is designed to utilize the new power, so after a couple of cycles, you’re forced to upgrade the hardware too. Hopefully the Moore effect can assist longevity as well, and push technology over the hurdle of the first restraints.
Now, the above comments all pertain to a cradle-to-grave manufacturing “cycle.” What if there was a more fundamental shift to achieve long-lasting products? Manufacturers and their retail networks are out to make money. They do so now by selling “things” and their replacement “things.” A greener approach to making a buck would be to design and make a long lasting “thing” and make money from servicing it, promoting longevity. The service economy is not unlike the aftermarket industry, however it would be more deeply rooted in responsibility. This shift could be kickstarted by legislating manufacturers’ responsibility for the product, promoting a cradle-to-cradle cycle. As products get creatively repurposed, imagine the new possibilities of patina.
As soon as I heard you mention “Designed Deterioration” it reminded me of a very old Mad Magazine segment called “Built-in Obsolescence”. I guess the idea behind the segments was that companies would produce items that were designed to wear out faster so they could make more money selling more of their products.
I can only remember two examples. One was a toothbrush which had tiny nicks or cuts at the base of each bristle. This caused the brush to wear out faster, but the consumer just assumed it was from brushing too vigorously.
The other one I can remember was small files being placed on the inside of electrical sockets. The files would wear down the prongs of plugs being inserted and removed from the sockets.
Your discussion on “designed deterioration” raised simiar questions to that of the contemporary artist Andrea Zittel whose art.. consisting of designs of handmade clothing, living/working spaces are designed according to her 14 principles of “These thinks I know for sure.” Including #2 Surfaces that are “easy to clean” also show dirt more. In reality a surface that camouflages dirt is much more practical than one that is easy to clean. #3 Maintenance take time and energy that can sometimes impede other forms of progress such as learning about new things. #4 All materials ultimately deteriorate and show signs of where. It is therefore important to create designs that will look better after years of distress. And, one my favourites… #12 Ideas seem to gestate best in a void — when that void is filled, it is more difficult to access them. In our consumption-driven soicety, almost all voids are filled, blocking moments of greater clarity and creativity. Things that block voids are called “avoids”. The work of Andrea Zittel has been shown across north america and was just recently at the Vancouver Art Gallery. More on her work at http://www.zittel.org.
Your discussion on “designed deterioration” raised simiar questions to that of the contemporary artist Andrea Zittel whose art.. consisting of designs of handmade clothing, living/working spaces are designed according to her 14 principles of “These thinks I know for sure.” Including #2 Surfaces that are “easy to clean” also show dirt more. In reality a surface that camouflages dirt is much more practical than one that is easy to clean. #3 Maintenance take time and energy that can sometimes impede other forms of progress such as learning about new things. #4 All materials ultimately deteriorate and show signs of where. It is therefore important to create designs that will look better after years of distress. And, one my favourites… #12 Ideas seem to gestate best in a void — when that void is filled, it is more difficult to access them. In our consumption-driven soicety, almost all voids are filled, blocking moments of greater clarity and creativity. Things that block voids are called “avoids”. The work of Andrea Zittel has been shown across north america and was just recently at the Vancouver Art Gallery. More on her work at http://www.zittel.org.
I collect stamps. Not unused, brand new stamps, but stamps that have done the job they were created to do. I like to say, “wow, this stamp once carried a message from Katmandu to Cairo.” That is the fascination.
When I design an info poster, I always remind myself not to get hung-up on the type of paper it’s printed on. It has a shelf life as long as the event date; time makes it obsolete, unless of course it’s an art poster.
However, when it comes to digital devices, I am frustrated to find that my new PDA will not run applications that worked on the old one, by the same manufacturer. That kind of obsolescence is as annoying as comments like, “you know, you ought to get a Blackberry.” When it comes to gadgets and objects, it seems that mindset of today’s society makes it too easy for manufacturers to “revise” products at will.
Needless to say, I’ll protect my gadgets from impact, spills, and rain, or from anything that will stop them from working. But the odd scratch here and there, they are badges of honour.
I collect stamps. Not unused, brand new stamps, but stamps that have done the job they were created to do. I like to say, “wow, this stamp once carried a message from Katmandu to Cairo.” That is the fascination.
When I design an info poster, I always remind myself not to get hung-up on the type of paper it’s printed on. It has a shelf life as long as the event date; time makes it obsolete, unless of course it’s an art poster.
However, when it comes to digital devices, I am frustrated to find that my new PDA will not run applications that worked on the old one, by the same manufacturer. That kind of obsolescence is as annoying as comments like, “you know, you ought to get a Blackberry.” When it comes to gadgets and objects, it seems that mindset of today’s society makes it too easy for manufacturers to “revise” products at will.
Needless to say, I’ll protect my gadgets from impact, spills, and rain, or from anything that will stop them from working. But the odd scratch here and there, they are badges of honour.
I collect stamps. Not unused, brand new stamps, but stamps that have done the job they were created to do. I like to say, “wow, this stamp once carried a message from Katmandu to Cairo.” That is the fascination.
When I design an info poster, I always remind myself not to get hung-up on the type of paper it’s printed on. It has a shelf life as long as the event date; time makes it obsolete, unless of course it’s an art poster.
However, when it comes to digital devices, I am frustrated to find that my new PDA will not run applications that worked on the old one, by the same manufacturer. That kind of obsolescence is as annoying as comments like, “you know, you ought to get a Blackberry.” When it comes to gadgets and objects, it seems that mindset of today’s society makes it too easy for manufacturers to “revise” products at will.
Needless to say, I’ll protect my gadgets from impact, spills, and rain, or from anything that will stop them from working. But the odd scratch here and there, they are badges of honour.
Keep on going and the chances are you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I have never heard of anyone stumbling on something sitting down.
Keep on going and the chances are you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I have never heard of anyone stumbling on something sitting down.
Keep on going and the chances are you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I have never heard of anyone stumbling on something sitting down.