On the other hand, the artist Jonnet Middleton adds that we often associate the use of an object as a sign of its devaluation. Materials are primarily differentiated by their technical qualities, physical and mechanical properties that enable them to perform specific functions. Weight, strength, thermal or electrical conductivity, elasticity, toughness, or durability are determining factors in deciding which material we will use. But beyond functional qualities, it is essential to also consider the emotional qualities with which we relate to materials. Understanding the sensory and cultural aspects that influence our relationship with them.
The wear and tear that objects undergo is an inevitable fact that needs to be addressed from the design process, understanding that the lifespan of any object will be closely linked to its aging. Good design takes in consideration the circumstances that will affect the prolonged use of objects and allows them to remain useful for as long as possible, anticipating solutions for easy repair in case of breakage.
Branca is a freestanding coat rack designed from a painted steel base and body, fully disassemblable to facilitate logistics during transportation. Its hangers, manufactured through reinforced plastic injection, are designed for optionally hanging garments, eliminating the maximum number of structural elements, significantly simplifying the assembly by simply clipping the arms directly to the structure's tube, facilitating their replacement in case of breakage.
In the chapter Hippias Major, also known as What is Beauty?, Plato explores the concept of beauty from an ethical perspective, linking it to adequacy: "Isn't it true, Socrates, that when ivory and gold are adequate, they make things appear beautiful, and when they are not, they appear ugly? What is adequate when we cook a stew of beautiful legumes in the pot we just talked about: a golden spoon or one made of wood?"
The connection of beauty with ethics proposed by Plato will be widely debated by other philosophers, including Kant, who defines beauty as a sensory experience and disinterested aesthetic pleasure, or Hegel, who understands it as a manifestation of the spirit beyond nature and morality.
Taking care of objects extends their useful life and at the same time consolidates an emotional and affective bond with them, connecting us directly to a particular idea of beauty.
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