What does Victor Papnek teach us 40 years later? Although perhaps we should even talk about the perspective of 60 years. The book "Design for the Real World" by Victor Papnek appeared on the market in the 1980s, but the author worked on its first edition already in the 1960s. In Poland, there was much less time to read and absorb the knowledge, as the item was published only in 2012. The book was clearly needed, because eight years later, getting it borders on the miraculous.
© read.design
Who was Victor Papanek? He was born in the 1920s and died in the 1990s. He was born in Austria, but immigrated to the United States in the 1930s. He developed his career in the fields of design, science and education. He worked with organizations such as UNESCO and WHO, and lived and worked on different continents with diverse communities.
What might be fascinating about reading "Design for the Real World" in 2020? First of all, how relevant Papanek's learning and insights are. Unfortunately - how little has changed in the work of designers, in business and in the system we live in.
© Volkswagen Group Culture
needs first
For Papanek, human needs are extremely important. We're talking about the real ones, not those created by the creators of campaigns and advertising slogans. Industrial design, its goals and the groups targeted by the designed products have not changed much over the decades. Design still serves capitalism and increasing profits, not communities. New or refreshed designs are usually gadgets to please the eyes of those who can afford them.
What about underserved minority groups that have some problems? People in wheelchairs, with sensory impairments, pregnant women, children, the elderly. Papanek proves that it's not enough to make a majority out of a minority, and that there are moments in everyone's life when some kind of handicap accompanies us. One minority - people with disabilities are, according to government figures, between four and seven million people. When we add people who interact with their loved ones' disabilities on a daily basis - the minority turns into a majority. Shouldn't this data open the eyes of business representatives?
Big Character Poster No. 1, a poster summarizing the design policy vision created during a seminar with students in 1969
© Museu del Disseny de Barcelona
