How to Design with Monumental Meaning (B3)

Design Foundations

James Addison and 2 OthersIokepa Meno
Nakeia Medcalf

Everything is design. The influence and impact of design is omnipresent. Design is everywhere. We encounter, observe and analyze our surroundings, every day routines, and existence through design.

Design allows us to question, to engage and interact with the world around us. This further investigates the meaning behind every object, every artifact, every structure, every landscape. Design allows us to tell a story of who, what, when, where and how meaning is deeply woven into the history of human existence.

The act of designing physical objects and structures can help us solve specific challenge and express cultural identity, lineage and history in the same breath. In Ancient Hawaiian history, humans used the ʻAina (land) and all of its surrounding to create tools from stone, bone, wood and more.

Everything created was for a purpose.

In this studio, we will explore techniques for design, design analysis and design history infused with the history of Hawaiian culture and the monumental meaning of design as a call to action. Through readings, exercises and discussion we will discover:

What is design?

Who is design for?

How we design?

Using the “monument” as our basis for designing with meaning, we will we will look at artists and designers that use design to investigate society, economy and politics. These design actions help us to reveal the untold stories of meaning through a creative practice. To open this discussion we will start with my 5 Design Pʻs:

Design That…

Protests

Protects

Politicizes

Perpetuates

Preserves

How do we put these values into action through design?

Hoʻomau: Persevere

ʻIke Pono: To know, to feel, to understand

Kuleana: Responsibility

Lokahi: Unity, Agreement, Accord

Malama: To Protect