Project 1 (research)

WHAT+HOW+WHY

In my project, firstly, I want to mention that I hope that I can help the Deaf communities through exploring human 5 senses in the earlier stage. Because my target audience was Deaf people who inability to speak and hear, thus I planed to use sound visualization to implement this idea. However, as research continues, I found that sound visualization of case study was not enough. Because when they lost their auditory system, their other sensory system will be more sensitive. Therefore, I want to explore sensory design to come true my idea and I will focus on visual and hapitic design. Meanwhile, I think my audience who is the deaf communities is very limitation, I hope everyone can experience my project.

In this step, I will explore visual feeling and the mood conditions of different texture in people’s daily life. Because different texture will give people different haptic & visual perception and diverse sensory experience. Meanwhile, I will use design methods to express them, which could happen in paper or other unique materials (if appropriate for my study). In addition, I want to compare natural texture with the “man-made texture” (visual effects of the texture) to find more function in design application. To be more specific, it not only makes people perceive things effectively and receive the information quickly. We can find regular patterns of the natural texture in this process, which also are applied in graphic design, such as, layout design, book design and so on.

Inspiration

I want to talk about Barrier Free Design, because it gives me an inspiration. Barrier Free Design is a Design concept often is used on the field of architectural design and product design. We usually find that there are blind tracks on the pavements of the major urban roads, the slope on the side of the stairs and so on, which better meet the requirements of disabled and elderly. However, with the development of Barrier Free Design, people are aware of its limitations. Nowadays, the accessible design begins to combine with the universal design; it doesn’t only focus on the specific audiences but also give average users a different experience.

There is special design in traffic light on the pedestrian crossing -- a yellow box/machine. When light become green, the box will vibrate and make sounds to remind people across the road. In this design, people receive the information of across the road via 3 senses. For blind people, they can revive the information through their touch and hearing; for the deaf communities, they can perceive the sound through their sight and touch.

As a result, I think we also can have different sensory experience in graphic design.

Theory

(About human 5 senses and sensory system)

Aristotle considered that the traditional meaning is that information collected by our five senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. And Hara Kenya mentioned in Designing design:

“A human being is a bundle of very delicate receptor organs and at the same time an image-generating organ equipped with a vigorous memory-playback system. An image generated in the human brain is a spectacle orchestrated through multiple sensory stimuli and revived memories. “

In other words, above all the stimuli produced by the senses of sight, touch, hearing, smell and taste and various aggregates of these senses. And then, it set up in human brains and calls forth what we call “an image”. Furthermore, memories not only voluntarily re-imagine the past in the human brain, but also called up when the brain receives outside stimuli, exchanging an image for understanding new information. Therefore, an image is that brain receives external stimuli through sensory organs, meanwhile, combining with and connecting to the memories brought forth by these stimuli.

In addition, how to exchange information between our senses?  The psychologist J.J.Gibson (1966) has taken these five senses and reformulated them into active, highly inclusive systems.

“This likely reflects his view that our senses, taken as a whole, are really an integrated information-seeking mechanism that functions without any mediating cognition. In place of the senses of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch, Gibson stipulates the visual system, the auditory system, the taste-smell system, the basic-orienting system, and the haptic system. “

His theory is mentioned in the sensory design which is the authority in architecture. Author analyzes relationships between perceptual systems in architectural design, arguing that the basic-orienting system and haptic system together are responsible for our understanding of three-dimensionality, which is the necessary condition in architectural experience.

( About Haptic)

“ The term ‘haptic’ means relating or pleasant to sense of touch. To put it more plainly, the term here indicates an attitude that takes into consideration how we perceive things with our senses. While dealing with shape, color, material and texture is one of the more important aspects of design, there is one more: it’s not the question of how to create, but how to make someone sense something. We might call this creative awakening of the human sensors ‘the design of the senses.’ ”

Kenya Hara gives a definition about “haptic” in Designing design. In my opinion, we can gain inspiration from natural world, such as, their shape, color, material and texture.

Research

According to the research, tactile design applied for the field of fashion design, package design and so on. And I found that people can gain haptic perception from the materials, texture, color, shape of the object. When this haptic feel become the visual expression, it will bring people different sensory experience, and people also perceive them effectively. I will explore visual feeling and the mood conditions of different texture in people’s daily life.

1. Materials

(Case study1 —materials)

Kengo Kuma: Cast-off Snakeskin Paper Towel

This is a paper towel proposed by the architect Kengo Kuma. They made of washi (traditional Japanese paper), so thin and light, they were embossed, with a snakeskin pattern.

It would be a waste to use a paper towel that has become haptic through embossing. Because people would feel quite elite, when they dry their hands on this towel. And the object could gain some kind of memorable value.

(Case study 2 —materials)

The signage of the Umeda Hospital

The most distinctive feature of the clinic's signage is that all of the signs are made of cloth. The reason for this choice was designer’s desire to create an affable space. The hospital meant for the sick or injured necessitate an atmosphere so tense, designer want to bring patients a relaxed environment.

(Case study3 —materials)

The programs for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Nagano Winter Olympic Games

This idea is consolidated in the cover material. Designer designed the very paper-- one befitting the winter festivities, one that would evoke the images of snow and ice. He did this by asking a paper manufacturer to develop a white, puffy paper that allows the characters letters on the cover to be debossed, a process by which a heated mold is applied and the fiber of the concave, debossed area is partially melted, becoming translucent like ice. Its design gives people a deep impression about this Olympic Game would hold in winter.

2. Texture

There is a series of clothing design about natural environment. Designers gain inspiration from natural would, such as, tree, vegetables, leaves and so on. And they analyzed the color, shape and texture of the object, applying to the clothing design, which enable people to enjoy beauty of the nature.

(Case study 1)

Color

the color of the bark

Shape and color

Texture

(Case study 3— texture)

This is a reason why I think my project could be useful to others.

In the field of fashion design, textures of leather and fur are applied to clothes, it not only instead materials of real leather and fur and reduce hunting of animals, but also make people perceive real visual effect of this texture and understand the conception of goods.

The messages can be communicated more successfully and effectively after visual effects of touch especially visual effects of texture. Moreover, it can replace some natural materials to reduce the cost and protect environment and animals.

(Case study 4—texture)

In my project, firstly, I want to explore the texture of object. In other words, I will explore visual feeling and the mood conditions of different texture in people’s daily life, which will enables people receive information of objects rapidly and easy to understand the attribute of object.

These fruit juice package are the work of the product designer Naoto Fukasawa. His design is very easy to understand. The banana juice package is particularly superb. For this, Fukasawa used the familiar Tetra Prisma Aseptic package. The gentle angles of the packaging reveal something in common with feeling of holding a banana. When a term is added to the flap, it can’t be seen as anything but a banana. Fukasawa has dexterously edited only the unique features of his subject.

The series includes kiwi juice. When fibers are applied to paper using flocking technology, a very kiwi-like texture is produced. The attached straw makes it even clearer that this is a package of juice. There’s soymilk too. Its package has the rough cheesecloth-like texture of tofu. No doubt drinking from this package would feel very strange, as if you were drink soymilk directly from a piece of tofu.

3.The collaboration of Tactile Design

(Case study 1)

Matsuya Ginza Renewal project

A gigantic canvas more than 100 meters wide appeared on the construction scene facing Ginza Street. Designer designed the image of a huge zipper, whose panels were shifted to the right, together with the enclosure, as each stage was completed, making it appear as if the zipper were being unzipped little by little. The zipper is a simile for fashion. Meanwhile, designer wants to renew the fashion of the theme about Matsuya Ginza.

Except for the letters, all of the patterns here were created with embroidery on a felt-like paper in these posters. These posters have a zipper sewn onto either end, and the pieces of the message announcing the store's opening were fastened together in a series, spreading over various areas, lengthwise on walls and columns in the underground markets. Zippers used for the temporary enclosure again took an active part, this time in the posters. In fact, they transcended simple visual information, giving consumers different sensory experience.