Personal Interest in Design Part II: Types of Design I Like

I talked about my origins in design in the earlier post, but I didn't talk about what kinds of design I am interested in. My interest in design ranges from many different things, from architecture to consumer devices to video game design. These are the main fields of interest in design I take an interest in.

Architecture: 

I personally enjoy modernist architecture because it offers great color contrast and abstract design. I am a big fan of the "futuristic" nature of these architecture. Houses like Falling-water by Frank Lloyd Wright serves as prime examples of this design - formalist cubes formed around an waterfall. Not only, that the building have beige with red accents to provide a sharp contrast between form and texture. Typically, my taste in color is also reflected by modernist architecture; I am a strong proponent of one, two and up to three colors in an design. In other words, I have a strong distaste for rainbow colors in Architecture because it detracts from the form of the structure. For example, the World Cup Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa is a prominent example why I do not like colorful buildings. These colors are like colors that don't take themselves seriously, therefore why I do like them. However, of course, if the purpose of the building is to provide childcare, for example, then I do not have any problems with adding more than three colors. Architecture is much like Android Design (again) in that I believe it should first be functional, then stylistic. But my personal difference with Architecture versus Mobile App Design is Architecture must also achieve higher forms and aesthetic value. My personal philosophy is that if you are going to erect a giant building, then why not put effort into making it a very welcome place to be? If people simply decide to build everything based on rectangles and brick, then the world would be a very boring place to be. But architecture is also an reflection of personal and cultural values. Therefore the form is to be protected and promoted because it is an extension of people and their cultural values. Without style, how does the French or the Romans construct triumph arches? An arch made out of brick holds no significance, but the commemorative arches do provide cultural significance.

Too much red and yellow

Another bad example of color (Mexico City Library) - it may portray Aztec culture but from a design perspective, this building fails because of its color and a very boring form