Thanks, Stephen, for sharing Archer's perspective and diagram. It was a
very interesting read, and immediately reminded me of Charles and Ray
Eames' own visualization of "design space." There's certainly an affinity
between Archer's "arena of solution" and the Eames-es' "overlap of
concerns."
http://www.eamesoffice.com/the-work/charles-eames-design-process-diagram/
Interesting that Eames' visualization (at least this best-known version) is
from effectively the same moment in time as Archer's, albeit less calculus
and more Mid-Mod-boomerang-blob.
Kari-Hans, this may not be helpful for your inquiry since they, like
Archer, don't explicitly use the term "design space," but it's certainly a
parallel. Charles and Ray were known to have developed their philosophy of
design space and intersecting concerns as early as the 1940s, though I'm
not aware if earlier visualizations thereof were drawn.
Best,
Curt Lund
University of Minnesota
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2016 12:40:14 +0000
From: Stephen Boyd Davis <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: The term "design space"
In his 1968 doctoral thesis Bruce Archer did not, as far as I can see, use
the phrase "design space" but he did employ what I take to be a cartesian
version of the concept as part of his long-term ambition to make design more
rigorous (which at the time for him meant more scientific).
In particular he discusses the multi-dimensional intersection of limiting
curves, such as those of what is possible and what is required or desirable.
I have put Figure 2.18 from the thesis on Dropbox:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vlidfoq0ogcdq5z/Archer%20Figure%202.18%20from%2019
68%20thesis.png?dl=0
Specifically he says about Figure 2.18: "...the interdependence of the
curves of feasible mutual states will constitute an n-dimensional
hypersurface or realm of feasibility. An important pre-requisite for an
ultimate solution is that at least a portion of the realm of feasibility
should intersect the domain of acceptability, producing an arena within
which a solution must be found (fig 2.18)."
The full reference is: Archer, L. Bruce. (1968). The structure of design
processes. Thesis (Ph.D.) Royal College of Art, London, 1968. British
Library shelfmark: Document Supply DRT 484530. Available on Ethos:
http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.484530
The thesis has no page numbers. The quotation above is from Chapter 2
Paragraph 27.
Stephen Boyd Davis
Professor of Design Research
Co-chair DRS 2016 www.drs2016.org
>> From: Kari-Hans Kommonen <[log in to unmask]>
>> Date: Thursday, 18 February 2016 at 08:42
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Subject: Re: [PHD-DESIGN] The term "design space"
>>
>>
>> I wondered whether anyone here had any references to any discussions
about
>> the term "design space".
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