On Thursday 15th of September professor Manuel Bañó held an introductory lecture to the new first year students of Industrial Design at the Technical School of Design, Architecture and Engineering of University CEU Cardenal Herrera.
The purpose of the lecture was to introduce the new students to the philosophy of design: what makes a design good? Bañó illuminated the role of the object’s history and the important task the designer has in evoking emotions in the consumer as important aspects of today’s design.
“Design, due to its powers to adapt to new situations and to empathize with human problems, is the best mediator between the new technological society and the anthropological origin of the object in which art, the mystical, and poetry have always been bound to the object’s DNA,” says Bañó.
“Objects with an origin, with roots, are those that one will always have more appreciation for, to the point that we identify objects that can tell us a story we recognise and form a part of as being well designed. That is why good design must be capable of containing memories, like the wrinkles on a grandfather’s face, the worn-out leather of an armchair, the wear of a skate, or the golden yellow patina of a well-used surfboard.”
Bañó says that the new students of the Technical School can expect to have a nice and easy integration during their first year at CEU UCH, as the people here are open and friendly. “Valencia is a friendly and open city with a lot to offer. The culture encourages the students to find a clear vision for their design,” Bañó adds.