Design is viewed as
being of fundamental importance to the production of goods in an
innovation economy. It is inherent to the form, functionality
and interface of products and services. It is a vital step in
transforming ideas into practical and commercial realities, and
plays a critical role in shaping the underlying competitiveness
across a range of industry sectors. It is also vital in the
creation of environments for private or public use, such as
gardens, parks and nature reserves.
A functional design
is a design which is applied to a good and which has features which
are necessitated by the function which the article is to
perform. In patent law, a functional design thus affords
protection for features of pattern, shape or configuration which
are necessitated by the function which the article is intended to
perform, such as cogs, cams, levers, rolled metal sections, or the
like.
Aesthetic design
(embellishment)
Aesthetic design is
the process of making utilitarian objects more beautiful. Clothes,
parks, and cool-looking automobiles are designed; paintings and
sculpture are art. There is, however, considerable grey area;
architecture, for instance, falls somewhere in between, depending
on the nature of the undertaking. In addition, purely aesthetic
objects can be said to have, at the very least, entertainment
value, which can be considered useful.
An aesthetic design
is a design which is applied to a good and which has features which
appeal to and are judged solely by the eye, irrespective of the
aesthetic quality thereof. An aesthetic design does not extend to
features of the article which are necessitated solely by the
function which the article is intended to perform, or to a method
or principle of construction.
An aesthetic design
thus protects the appearance of an article (its shape,
configuration, pattern or ornamentation) but excludes those
features of this appearance which are dictated solely by function.
By way of example, articles which are suitable subject- matter for
protection by way of aesthetic designs, are articles such as
furniture, textiles, moulded articles, bottle shapes, lamp shades,
door handles, clothes hangers, and so on.
The artist
designer
William Morris
(1834-1896) illustrates that abilities of artist and designer may
be expressed in the skills of one individual. He was among the most
creative artists Britain has ever produced. His accomplishments are
extraordinary in their range and depth. He was a revolutionary
interior designer and book printer, a staunch socialist, a famous
and prolific poet, a weaver, embroiderer, dyer, calligrapher,
translator, businessman, and architectural
preservationist.
He established the
internationally successful firm Morris & Company, for which he
mastered the design and mass production of stained glass,
wallpaper, printed and woven textiles, carpet, and tapestry. The
astonishing range and depth of his achievements make him a unique
figure in the history of design.
He expanded our
definition of art by changing the way we look at and live with the
everyday objects that surround us. Morris fashioned new forms and
styles by delving deep into the art and culture of the past,
building a modern art on medieval foundations. His artistic
practices further led him to political activism and an idealistic
vision of the future. Morris's art, his ideals, and his lifework
paved the way for generations of artists who followed him in his
pursuit of what he called "the beauty of life."
