Design for Life

[caff]

Anyone else watching this new BBC2 series?

It's a bit like "The Apprentice" but with a design/arty twist. I'm enjoying it purely for the egos the French craziness. And that's not the contestants - so far they have been pretty weak. I'm hoping some of them will come out of their shells and make for a good challenge the fewer there are of them.

Latest episode on iPlayer.

 

[simisker]

Well, I did have a nice long reply typed out, but my crappy netbook's just lost it.

In a nutshell, however: Interesting programme and taskmaster, contestants that make me almost embarrassed to be a designer myself due to low thinking, pity Nebil's gone, That cute ginger girl's water meter was so obviously 'Starckian' it was bound to do well, looking forward to next week's episode but hope they don't commit fifteen minutes at the start to the intro and recap, like they did this week.

 

[simisker]

Looks like it's just you and me, then, caff

Episode 3 has just been broadcast.

Poor ol' Philipe - though he's only got himself to blame, thanks to his initial selection process, I feel.

On one hand, every single designer has evidently not thought through the products they've 'invented' and come up with a working prototype with all practical considerations investigated and solved.

On the other hand, one week to come up with something with as broad a brief as this - essentially, "invent something that'll change the face of modern life as we know it, cheaply and with due environmental awareness" - then investigate it, refine it and finally build it, is demanding to the point of unrealistic.

I'm coming away from this series - which is, as I said, fascinating to watch if you're a designer of some type - feeling sorry for all concerned.

Still, I'll be there again for episode 4; I have a hunch that episode 5 may end up being a best-of clip show

 

[caff]

though he's only got himself to blame, thanks to his initial selection process, I feel.

Completely agree. One picture? They are really struggling.

I'm no designer but I know people who are that are watching this, and they've made similar comments to you, so I'm guessing you're in design or in education for it.

It's still fascinating to watch, but ultimately as an outsider I'm not personally convinced by Starck's personal ability or prowess. Having said that, I do appreciate his views on presenting a complete product and the story behind it.

I'd have liked to have seen a UK-based product designer in charge - the language barrier just seems to enhance confusion.

 

[Dup]

It all feels a bit contrived to me. The selection process must be more rigerous than it seems. I'm sure these shows just pick the biggest idiots, or mainly the people who can afford the time. If you can afford the time, you're not working hard enough or good enough? I dunno. I don't like it so far.

I quit education in my 2nd year of uni and I'm trying to get back into my designer/artistic side which I abandonned for full time work. These 'contestants' don't seem to have advanced their thoughts much further than college projects. It was these kind of ideas which made me facepalm and feel embarassed for them in college, but they were the ones who walked away with A grades. I could never ump through the hoops personally and did my own thing. It was never brilliant butit was nly college work at the end of the day. These college student ideas just don't cut it imo.