Form Follows Function
- Katherine
- Jul 27, 2023
- 2 min read
A note of appreciation for simple, intuitive and user friendly design
I discovered the humble 'ear hook' the other day and felt a blog coming on... so here it is.....
No, not the glasses, I'm talking about the little black grips (they are called ear hook grips in case you were wondering and they are designed for those of us who have a, let's say....smaller than average ear to eye ratio)
Genius.
They got me thinking about the relationship between utility and aesthetics in design and the mantra of the Modernist;
'Form ever follows function' Louis Sullivan (1856–1924) *
Google it.
And how designers consider both these elements and how best to combine them, in order to create a cohesive finished product.
Personally, I think these little gems combine both utility and aesthetic beautifully and heres why...
The form is clearly dictated by how the product will be used and it's been crafted to be ergonomic and practical but there is still beauty in it's slender form and curved shape which happens to remind me of a certain furniture style you may be familiar with...
The way they fit to the glasses is seamless and is what drew me to them in the first place. They act like little props and create an elegant silhouette.
The material also appeals to my tactile sense; it has a soft and malleable texture which no doubt is comfortable to wear but also pleasurable to touch, perhaps even more so than the glasses they are attached to.
It helps that they are black of course, with all that this colour brings to the table...
'Black is unambiguous, definite. It’s not easily misunderstood, and in design it’s dramatic and helps create a feeling of certainty' Kate Smith, sensationalcolor.com
Like I say, simple. Intuitive and user friendly
what do you think? feel free to share your thoughts..
References/ read on...
Kate Smith - https://www.sensationalcolor.com/meaning-of-black/
Kate Treggiden https://thespaces.com/tactile-design-why-we-like-things-a-little-rough-around-the-edges/
https://www.allaboutsensory.com/sensory-processing-the-tactile-sense/
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