Design and the Elastic Mind

by Museum of Modern Art (New York), Peter Hall, Ted Sargent

Over the past few decades, we have experienced dramatic changes in some of the most established dimensions of human time, space, matter and individuality. Today our minds must be able to synthesize such transformations, whether they are working across several time zones, traveling between satellite maps and nanoscale images, gleefully drowning in information or acting fast in order to preserve a bit of down-time. Organized by Paola Antonelli, Museum of Modern Art Curator of Architecture and Design, Design and the Elastic Mind focuses on the ability of designers to grasp momentous advances in technology, science and social mores, and to convert them into useful objects and systems. Included projects range from nanodevices to vehicles, appliances to interfaces and building facades, pragmatic solutions for everyday use to provocative ideas meant to influence our future choices. Designed by award-winning book designer Irma Boom, this volume features essays exploring the promising relationship between design and science by Antonelli, design critic and historian Hugh Aldersey-Williams, visualization design expert Peter Hall and nanophysicist Ted Sargent.

Genres: Design, Art

192 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2008

Reviews

[Ryman Yang · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is mind altering. Changes the way we see the world and design. It was very heavy but I enjoyed the interconnectivity between design, technology, and the human society.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is the catalog for the eponymous exhibition at MoMA last year. MoMA’s design shows have been a revelation – both Design and the Elastic Mind and PreFab were shows I checked out with low expectations, and I emerged completely blown away both times. When it comes to variety aesthetic forms, depth of conceptual concerns, and breadth of social engagement, contemporary design has left contemporary art in the dust.

Unfortunately, the catalog fails to capture a lot of the spirit of the show. Design objects, by their nature, require interaction – and reading about a self-adjusting wall, with small accompanying images, pales in comparison to watching a massive steel form organically shift as you walk by. But MoMA’s design shows have also benefited by a kind of inundation-effect: a vast numbers of projects are packed together, and ideas come so rapid-fire that your mind is left reeling for hours after you’ve emerged from the exhibit. Much of the strength comes from these juxtapositions – when the projects are parceled out into discreet pages in the catalog, their individual failings become more apparent.

Too many of the projects, particularly those coming out of Anthony Dunne’s program at the Royal College of Design, stop at the conceptual stage. One of the facets of interactive design is you can’t actually parse the interaction beforehand – you need to make the damn thing, and see how people interact with it. The most exciting pieces at the shows were ones that actually forced interaction – and that aspect is, of course, lost in book form. Nonetheless, some pieces, especially the ones focusing on information design, were wonderful to revisit. Overall, though, the show lost a little bit of magic in its new form.

[Marius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Design and the Elastic Mind was a seminal exhibition of technology-driven trends in contemporary design, and the accompanying catalog is a brave attempt at presenting a ton of information in a limited space. From architecture to information visualization and industrial design, it attempts to point at how computational strategies are changing how we think about the objects and information flows we surround ourselves with.

This is not a coffee table book, being crammed with information as well as sexy images. There's plenty here to make it worth revisiting over and over, unlike so many design books that only really need a cursory reading.

Irma Boom's slightly chaotic book design does great justice to content, reflecting its high tech nature as well as its complexity. It might feel claustrophobic at times, but considering the wealth of information it seems appropriate.

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my quest to read everything by Paola Antonelli, I have already seen much of this MOMA exhibit catalog content in other talks. I especially liked the section on information display. Now a little dated and chaotic.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This design book will kick your ass! The book itself might even do something to you while you are looking away at something else on your desk.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good reference, but about as confusing as the exhibit itself.

[M. Angeles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mind blowing...