Pop Solid presented their ‘Recession design’ project this week at their studio near Garibaldi. Dubious name – interesting stuff. Whether or not the title seems a little bit on the literal side is debatable but until we arrive at the show it seems almost too muddy. A big statement, for what I feel didn’t deal with recession, as such, but simply applied the concerning theme of our current economic climate, to design. Their attempt at portraying, what is essentially a wholesome process towards design-objects seems somewhat over shadowed by this dark cloud. Confined by its theme.
What we’re confronted with as we enter their wee studio space is a set of products, from furniture and lighting, to children’s toys and home accessories. Each of them has been made from readily available materials (predominantly pine wood) from large DIY stores.
Pop Studio’s intention is to have consumers making their own products from a set of instructions being displayed alongside each product. Obvious difficulty levels associated with each different product is quite apparent. Consumers could quite easily find themselves in a rut where their skill levels simply don’t reach the level required to be able to access these products in their full glory – It’s an interesting conundrum when viewing any DIY project. Designers are naturally inquisitive and generally hands-on creatures and so it’s seems natural that they might approach these kind of projects with the skills and outlook to be able to complete them to a high standard.
What is enticing about this particular take on a DIY consumer aesthetic though is that it seems that it’s not necessarily about the product, it’s about the process and the system behind the making of the product. Alessandro of Pop Solid tells me about their more holistic approach to DIY by aiming it at a more consumer based market. They plan to take the idea of do-it-yourself back to the DIY stores. With particular products being designed specifically for sale in DIY stores – consumers aren’t buying into a completed product they will simply buy the instructions and the cutting guides that will enable them to get parts made in store while shopping. A bit like a less defined Ikea where you can actually get standard spare parts.
This approach to design-and-make DIY is by no means new. ‘Ready made’ magazine in America (who also released a very well received book fairly recently) has been flaunting the benefits of DIY and self production for a number of years already. Websites like ‘instructables’ are useful and fun tools for all those budding do-it-yourselves and have also been operating within this sector for quite a while.
The particular, instructions based methodology, could link in very nicely with projects such our own [KithKin’s] ‘SomeRightsReserved’. This particular project enables people to buy the digital blueprint for products online to then produce themselves. Products come in a range of mediums, from laser cuttable rings or typefaces to rapid prototypable rapid prototypers, print ready books and posters. Pop Solid’s project could fit in very nicely to this way of consuming, bringing people into a new physical/digital age of consuming products.
It’s an curious time for designers in a period, justified or not, when people are generally just being tight… If Pop Solid follows through with this idea and bring the DIY aesthetic and mentality to a broader consumer base they could very well bring about an exciting, prosperous and more wholesome consumer environment.
Text: James King
What a great new concept!!…. problem is that this group of ‘designers’ ripped off 4 or 5 of the designs of the UK based group ’10′ which were exhibited in their 2008 exhibition ‘Wood’ at 100% Design London. They also lifted the idea of selling blueprints of the designs from one of the members of that group. Unfortunately this sort of plagiarism is seen far too often in the design world and all too often goes unpunished and without comment.
Are you referring to KithKin here?
I’m a little confused. Not sure what designs you are accusing us of ripping off. Generally our in work is these very concepts you see here, KithKin Presents, Working Title and SomeRightsReserved. We studied as product ‘designers’ but use our skills in a much more holistic and creative way than we where ever taught, or than could be achieved by merely outputting ‘product’.
At our exhibitions we act as facilitators, exhibiting other peoples work, rather than our own, in most cases. If you can name the designs in question then I’m sure its a case of two people with two ideas, independently conceived and developed.
As for SomeRightsReserved our download shop where we distribute digital blueprints, the idea was developed and released in April 2008 in Milan. At the time we where only aware of Ponoko also operating in this arena.
But the concept of downloading is nothing new, SomeRightsReserved is merely an application and communication of this, with some lateral thinking.
Not to validate your ending comment my reply and your comment are published for all to see, albeit that your original comment is off topic. It’s a shame you don’t value what we do, and have done for young designers.