Nadja On.....: Michael Beirut and Design, described in simple terms....

"Graphic design is almost always about something else..."
"Not everything is design. But design is about everything..."
"And graphic design wasn't enough. It never is..."

http://observatory.designobserver.com/entry.html?entry=4137

These three quotes, (found in the article above " Michael Beirut's WARNING: May Contain Non-Design Content', Design Observer, March 2006), are three of my favorite quotes on design I have ever heard and succinctly sums up the millions of odds and ends rattling around my conscious and subconscious in regards to "WHAT is design???"

And that is the question that is asked of me, by friends and family wanting to know what being a "Design" major means..."Fashion?" "Interior??", "Graphics???"...Yes, yes, yes, and so much more.

Design IS about everything and all around you all at once....when well done, it is above and beyond as even being recognized or, sadly, even noticed. The line of a car...

2003 BMW Z4

the detailing of a shoe...

http://annaspassionforfashion.onsugar.com/Hot-Shoes-2010-7565544

a retail store...

Me & Prada, doing Las Vegas...

and even the shopping bag that your goodies come in.....

Michael Beirut for Pentagram, Saks Fifth Avenue

We know what is beautiful when we see it, but do we appreciate the work that good design does for the product and for us, as well? Design should not only be pleasing to our senses of sight or touch, it should also have function that communicates...a language between the designer and observer.

"Touch me", a sofa might say, with a luxurious fabric and color that begs to be sat upon....but, what if the cushions are as hard as a rock? That is form without function. A hospital mural in a Pediatric wing that contains Boticelli-esque nudes? Or even a coffee cup made of material so biodegradable that, after 5 minutes in a cup, the liquid inside burns off at least two layers of your derma? BAD DESIGN.

But, on the other hand, good design not only serves a purpose, but is pleasing....my favorite current example of good design????

New Apple iphone 4G, my love..

It's not only appealing physically, the functions on this phone are above and beyond normal cell phone functions: the epitome of doing everything but making me my morning coffee. GOOD design.

Why bring up Michael Beirut? Not only has he been a continual focus in my Design 001 class with Dr. Housefield this quarter at UC Davis, Beirut is also within the pages of my required Lauer "Design Basics" text....BUT.....

...upon preparing to blog and googling for images, I discovered thast Michael Beirut is a huge part of the Pentagram design team. The pinnacle of my existence as a future designer. The holy grail of design work.
The alpha and omega of what a good design firm can and should accomplish.

Pentagram, on a quick tangent, is a design firm that started in 1972 in London, England and has since expanded to New York, San Francisco, Austin and Berlin. It is not enough for me to tell you that they handle commercial, interior, sustainable, graphic, architectural and industrial design, so I invite you to take a peek....

http://www.pentagram.com/en/

and here are some of Michael's accomplishments outside the Pentagram arena...