Cultural Identity

Archithese (German): After reviewing several editions of this journal, I was very impressed with the apparent flexibility within the solid identity of German design. Clean lines and thoughtful lighting and materials enable German architecture to cross from industrial to beautiful. Steel, glass, and concrete are paired with intense hues to produce a hypnotizing rhythm, intelligently used to unite a space. The industrial feel behind German design is a clear reflection of their history, reminiscent of their not so distant industrial era. The design portrayed in these Archithese journals is enticing, leaving me with a desire to learn more.

Abitare (Italian): Thus far, I have learned little about the existence of cultural identity within design, but I felt a strong presence as I opened the pages of Abitare. Unlike german design, Italian designers seem to play off of color and texture more than materials. Here, too, I saw clean lines and the use of steel and concrete, but the industrial feel was overwhelmed by the contemporary design of the space. For example, a solid white room with stainless steel accents was drawn into the realm of contemporary with its use of playful shadows and faint imprints of trees in the white walls. Although I never felt cozy, I certainly felt artistically inspired.

Graphis (Swiss): Perhaps the best way to describe the design I experienced in the Swiss joural, Graphis, is contemporary artistic. I saw the industrial materials and definite lines, characteristic of German design, but there was a very artistic feeling clinging to such design. Detached from the design itself was a heavy layer of modern art, which, in correlation with industrial design, submits the designs into into powerful, sophisticated works of art. Because of this, I felt that they were pleasing to the eye but held little hope of usability.