Abstract
As we move towards a regenerative paradigm for crafts, with new objectives, methods, and practices, questions arise regarding the aesthetics of these emerging forms. To address this issue, the main author developed a module aimed at exploring furniture design at the intersection of regenerative materials, structures, and aesthetics in greater depth. In this context, five cases have been selected to frame the quintessential characteristics of these new raw aesthetics.These case studies showcase varying approaches, with some generating new aesthetic qualities by introducing novel processes, while others embrace a strictly analogue approach to highlight literal aesthetics.The resulting aesthetics have been categorised in this paper as Bio/Brutalism. This emerging aesthetics retains the essential elements of traditional Brutalism, such as stripped-down, raw, monolithic appearance, non-treated finished surfaces, and a commitment to preserving design heritage. However, it also diverges in significant ways, with three core elements identified: subtractive locality, time-based dynamic aesthetics, and nature-human hybrid collaborative processes. The paper argues that the regenerative paradigm presents an opportunity for traditional crafts to evolve, and that diverse approaches offer intriguing avenues for the future of craft at the intersection of emerging sustainable practices.
Keywords
brutalism; crafts; aesthetics; furniture
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2023.202
Citation
Galdon, F., Hosker, H., Garcia, H., Eliot, W., Tsiganchuk, A., Wang, S., Fantini, D.,and Phillips, R.(2023) Bio-Brutalism; five case studies framing the emergence of new raw aesthetics at the intersection of material regeneration, environmental design, and craft, in De Sainz Molestina, D., Galluzzo, L., Rizzo, F., Spallazzo, D. (eds.), IASDR 2023: Life-Changing Design, 9-13 October, Milan, Italy. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2023.202
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Included in
Bio-Brutalism; five case studies framing the emergence of new raw aesthetics at the intersection of material regeneration, environmental design, and craft
As we move towards a regenerative paradigm for crafts, with new objectives, methods, and practices, questions arise regarding the aesthetics of these emerging forms. To address this issue, the main author developed a module aimed at exploring furniture design at the intersection of regenerative materials, structures, and aesthetics in greater depth. In this context, five cases have been selected to frame the quintessential characteristics of these new raw aesthetics.These case studies showcase varying approaches, with some generating new aesthetic qualities by introducing novel processes, while others embrace a strictly analogue approach to highlight literal aesthetics.The resulting aesthetics have been categorised in this paper as Bio/Brutalism. This emerging aesthetics retains the essential elements of traditional Brutalism, such as stripped-down, raw, monolithic appearance, non-treated finished surfaces, and a commitment to preserving design heritage. However, it also diverges in significant ways, with three core elements identified: subtractive locality, time-based dynamic aesthetics, and nature-human hybrid collaborative processes. The paper argues that the regenerative paradigm presents an opportunity for traditional crafts to evolve, and that diverse approaches offer intriguing avenues for the future of craft at the intersection of emerging sustainable practices.