While I agree with and applaud the observations Poyner makes concerning economic and commercial directives in modern design motivations, the ideas I found most inspiring were those relating to the history of central Europe and the chance for Czech designers to capitalize on past traditions. Economy, politics and history are all essentially related, given the nations' recent transformation, and I wholeheartedly agree with Sarah on the need for balance and compromise between global audiences and "real communities."
It's difficult for me to comment on how we as young designers might begin to tackle this problem. Most of us have no direct experience in dealing with the transitions the Czech Republic faces now and in its recent past, but at the same time, it's heartbreaking to see the giant Tesco and Western stores of Wenceslas Square merely blocks away from our 14th century studio. I can't help but feeling as though, unprompted by the Poyner essay, our generation has a responsibility to redirect design influences and motivations to the historical beauty that has made this city so significant in the first place.
How do we, as American students, fairly approach this problem? Are we educated to such a degree that we can answer these design questions in both a respectful and knowledgeable way? Poyner writes, "There is a chance not to simply produce a local imitation of Western design, but to develop goals and ways of working, which would have their basis in the visual histories and cultural concerns of the region." The idea of examining ways of working is particularly interesting to me and is a direction that might benefit all of us when designing in and for this culture. Ways of working include careful planning and consideration of process, ideas that blanket the city in both successful and unsuccessful ways.
From the carefully considered work of the design students at the Academy to the spontaneous, impulsive street art and graffiti that cover the buildings, we might begin to understand this disconnect between tradition and modernism while, at the same time, appreciating the conflict between art and design in Prague and how the youth culture is responding to both classicism and modernism. At the opposite end of the spectrum from the traditionalist communities are the Czech youth. Isn't it just as important to ask questions about how this new culture informs design? At such a pivotal turning point in history, our generation becomes increasingly important in forming ideas about our visual environment.
It feels like an overwhelming challenge to address these issues, but more exposure to the culture will certainly help our understanding of the design problem and our responsibility to make educated, respectful compromises. The daunting task of resolving these issues might be alleviated by simply looking at what Poyners points out as the "neglected" areas of design - information design, design for charitable organizations, design for education and design for cultural purposes. Yes?
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