Abstract
This paper introduces the lustre of hands—a term used to describe the gentle, subtle sheen that appears on things through long and caring contact with human hands. This concept challenges the visual paradigm and the pursuit of the new in contemporary design. It suggests that the traces of touch and time embody care, continuity, and human presence. Illustrated through the author’s example of a family inkstone, whose surface bears the lustre accumulated over generations, it offers design a powerful perspective: to appreciate the marks left by time and use to make things more fully used rather than wasted; to give greater value to the tactile; and to reflect on the relationships between design, making, and use—toward a more sustainable and inclusive society.
Keywords
craft, patina, touch
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.2582
Citation
Wang, Z. (2026) The lustre of hands, in Simeone, L., Gray, C. M., Verhoeven, A., de Götzen, A., Bakırlıoğlu, Y., Zohar, H., Stead, M., and Buwert, P. (eds.), DRS2026: Edinburgh, 8–12 June, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.2582
Creative Commons License
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Included in
The lustre of hands
This paper introduces the lustre of hands—a term used to describe the gentle, subtle sheen that appears on things through long and caring contact with human hands. This concept challenges the visual paradigm and the pursuit of the new in contemporary design. It suggests that the traces of touch and time embody care, continuity, and human presence. Illustrated through the author’s example of a family inkstone, whose surface bears the lustre accumulated over generations, it offers design a powerful perspective: to appreciate the marks left by time and use to make things more fully used rather than wasted; to give greater value to the tactile; and to reflect on the relationships between design, making, and use—toward a more sustainable and inclusive society.