THE POSSIBLE DESIGN

The XV Brazilian House Museum Design Competition saw the birth of the second generation of contemporary designers. Possible Design – which is not a qualitative judgment – is perhaps the expression which best defines the projects

Maria Helena Estrada
The results of the design competition promoted by the Brazilian House Museum exhibit, side-by-side with well-known names, a second generation of professionals. Many recognized designers, who have got into the market, are not willing to be subjected to appreciation by a jury (also because, in one way or another, this had already been a controversy as regards their ability), thus opening space for those who are arriving.
Are there only a few pieces selected for showing? Yes. But after having become aware of the work presented and of the jury’s selection, we did not see others that had a minimum sufficiency of quality, to be shown. Congratulations to the jury for the criterion and for the choice: impeccable.
In an attempt to collaborate with future competitions, the journalist Ethel Leon, a member of the judging commission, forwarded a document to the museum entitled “Some Comments”, from which we have taken the following text. “What seems to be lacking for the MCB Award is a direction, a specific vocation. On the jury, we spoke about the absence of larger companies that invest in design. Those are the ones that the award intends to recognize, on the understanding that design effort is not possible without industry? Or does the award intend showing businessmen that there is a large team of designers who are keen to create in industry, but who until now have been warming the reserves’ bench? Is it the museum’s role to promote the meeting of supply and demand, which the official programs keep mentioning? Is the museum’s role one of a deals bank? Or does the museum propose carrying out a cultural task, that of identifying in the areas near the museum’s principal topic (the Brazilian House), those products and services (understanding design in its widest form as a project not merely of things but of information and services) which show progress, originality, new concepts with a relevant cultural role? An award could result from this definition, a competition of ideas with one or more specific objectives.”
In March 2001, ARC DESIGN published the first article in a series on Brazilian design 2000 + 1. It mentioned ideas about design, as well as the situation of production and of the market that the professionals encounter. It analyzed the bases for contemporary Brazilian design, which almost always originate from aesthetics that we may refer to as the aesthetic of the possible.
Why? The reasons are already well known and range from the lack of education, through the lack of support from industry to the limited dimensions of a market that is not yet “export oriented”. A vicious circle? Perhaps. But many attempts and activities are being made to break it.
Various agencies and institutions, both governmental and not, have an insistent speech: export. Let us add design value to our products to be able to export them in competitive conditions. But, we believe, without a solid base for this development, which begins with restructuring the curriculum, any efforts are useless. And the poor result of all the last design competitions, be they of the Museum or not, is concrete proof that the majority of young designers neither have the necessary education to launch on the market (and here we speak about the suitability, of innovative ideas and of marketing the project so that it is accepted by industry) a small object nor, very much less, are able to take their place in industry.
Among others, what are the questions that should be discussed before starting the race to stimulate production and exports?
A definition of identity? Is solid wood the material that reflects Brazilian identity? What is the priority: training in handicrafts or in technology (the “exotic” in our handicrafts production has wide acceptance on European markets)? What is the standard of physical quality to be achieved? Is this “possible design” which we practice sufficient?
On the other hand, the discussion on design should necessarily be preceded by another question: what design are we talking about?
If we restrict ourselves to the design of furniture, lighting, objects even then we have antagonisms: those practiced by the large furniture centers – which already export, and a great deal, but without any real added value; that of the small industry; that of the “loner” who has to discover, unearth his own solutions, from the raw materials supplier to the point of sale.
In the Brazilian House Museum competition we found this last one.
Analyzing the selection made by the museum’s jury, we can separate a good idea from a product that was developed aimed at industrial production. A delicate job in wood with indiscriminate use of solid wood. Should the award always be given to the product with the best quality finish? And the “inspirations by proximity”, how do they stand?
Wood, this old heroine/villain in our design, competes with a great number of “already seen”, always with the point of view of cutting down a tree to build a piece of furniture. All disqualified. Congratulations to the jury! The work of the designer and researcher from the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Heloisa Crocco, was selected.
A good idea: transposing the use of the best mass-produced Brazilian product: the domestic espadrille sandal. The result was a sympathetic magazine review, still a first study, we believe, or merely an entertaining witticism from Pedro Useche.
The physical quality, which is almost always precarious in the objects presented for judgment, is represented by the Eira fruit container, from Sara Rosemberg and Annette Ring and by the first prize, the Fina table, by Ivar Siewers. Material innovation was achieved with the packaging in resin for a jewel collection, by Fernando and Humberto Campana. With regard to industry, Multibrás and Deca were present, the latter with a good shower, the Aquamax, which sophisticated the “large pan” style.
Fifteen unbroken years of achievement and, considering the objective mentioned in the official notice, “of providing an incentive to the revelation of new talents”, may be considered a mission accomplished.