What might modern folk and vernacular design be? | Eames Demetrios | TEDxSingapore

Summary

The speaker explores the concept of vernacular design, highlighting how it reflects cultural values and assumptions. Through examples like the Our River walkway, WWII innovations, and traditional Indonesian villages, they illustrate how design is shaped by practical needs and local knowledge. The talk critiques modern values like property maximization and shareholder growth, which often lead to value engineering and loss of quality. It suggests a need for humility and a reevaluation of our core assumptions to guide sustainable and meaningful design in the future.

Takeaways

• 🌳 The speaker discusses how vernacular design, or design that arises from local customs and needs, shapes the physical world and reflects cultural values.
• 🚶‍♂️ In the Alps, the speaker observed how people filled gaps in a gorge with branches and crafted boards, demonstrating a human instinct to improve and adapt the environment.
• 🛠️ War has historically driven vernacular design, with examples like the WWII jeep, showcasing how necessity and urgency can lead to innovative solutions.
• 🚢 The Vasa shipwreck is cited as an example of how traditional design practices, when not adapted, can lead to failure, emphasizing the need for balance between tradition and innovation.
• 🏞️ In Flores, Indonesia, the village square's design reflects the community's values, including respect for ancestors, showing how space can be designed to honor cultural beliefs.
• 🏡 Hopper Villa in Singapore uses modern materials to depict traditional Chinese values, illustrating the fusion of old and new in design.
• 🏘️ The speaker critiques the assumption that maximizing property value is always best, suggesting it can lead to negative outcomes like loss of farmland.
• 📈 Moore's Law, which predicts the exponential growth of computing power, is discussed as a cultural assumption that not all areas of life should adhere to, as it can lead to unrealistic expectations.
• 📉 The concept of 'value engineering' is criticized for often reducing quality in the name of shareholder value, impacting the physicality of many objects in our world.
• 🌱 The speaker suggests that Singapore could lead in developing a new vernacular design by challenging current assumptions and fostering a culture of innovation and sustainability.
• 💍 Jewelry is used as a metaphor for the enduring values and aesthetics that should be nurtured, hinting at the importance of non-material aspects of culture in design.

Q & A

What is the significance of the gaps in the gorge of the Our River mentioned in the script?

The gaps in the gorge of the Our River symbolize the human response to nature and the need to fill or bridge them, as evidenced by the branches and crafted boards placed within the gaps, illustrating vernacular design.

What does the speaker mean by 'vernacular design'?

Vernacular design refers to a design approach that is unselfconscious, committed, and addresses practical problems without the intention of self-expression. It arises from the inherent values and assumptions of a culture or community.

How does the speaker connect war to vernacular design?

The speaker connects war to vernacular design by highlighting that war often necessitates quick, practical solutions to problems, leading to designs that are a result of immediate needs and available resources, much like vernacular design.

What is the story behind the Vasa ship mentioned in the script?

The Vasa was a Swedish ship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 due to being top-heavy, illustrating the consequences of vernacular design when it is not adapted to changing circumstances or when it fails to consider new information.

Why does the speaker discuss the village in the highlands of Flores?

The village in the highlands of Flores is discussed to showcase how vernacular design can reflect cultural values, such as caring for both the living and the ancestors, through the physical design of community spaces.

What is the significance of Hopper Villa in Singapore as mentioned in the script?

Hopper Villa in Singapore is significant because it uses modern materials to depict traditional values, including elements from Chinese mythology, demonstrating a blend of old and new in vernacular design.

What assumptions does the speaker suggest are shaping our modern vernacular design?

The speaker suggests that assumptions such as property values, Moore's Law, shareholder value, and the drive for efficiency are shaping our modern vernacular design, influencing how we create and interact with the built environment.

Why does the speaker argue that Moore's Law has influenced the physical world?

The speaker argues that Moore's Law, which predicts the exponential growth of computing power, has led to an expectation that all areas of life should progress at a similar rate, which is not always applicable or beneficial, especially in the physical world.

What is the speaker's concern about the emphasis on shareholder value in our culture?

The speaker is concerned that the emphasis on shareholder value leads to value engineering, which can result in a reduction of quality and a focus on cost-cutting measures that may not be sustainable or beneficial in the long term.

How does the speaker view the potential of Singapore to contribute to a new vernacular design?

The speaker views Singapore as having the potential to become a model for a new vernacular design by nurturing values that are essential to culture, such as humility and aesthetic spirit, and by being a wellspring of innovative business practices.

What does the speaker suggest about the role of 3D printing in the future of materiality and design?

The speaker suggests that 3D printing has the potential to transform the conversation about materiality in design, leading to a greater respect for the physicality of objects and possibly influencing a shift towards more sustainable and thoughtful design practices.