In this blog post, we explore how we can learn the true meaning of design from nature, beyond the harmony of function and aesthetics.
The fundamental concepts of design are function and form. These two elements pursue opposing goals, making it challenging to find harmony between them. When prioritizing function, form often suffers; when focusing on form, function typically falls short. Especially in modern society, design’s role has expanded beyond mere visual beauty to encompass user experience, emotion, and even social responsibility. Therefore, achieving harmony between function and form becomes the most crucial challenge for designers.
Consider modern airplanes and automobiles as examples to explore how desirable design can be achieved. It is said that the shape of airplanes was conceived by observing birds soaring through the sky and fish gliding through the ocean. The earliest airplanes gained the ability to fly by mimicking birds. However, as airplane engines grew increasingly powerful, the lift provided by a bird’s wings became less significant. In the early stages of airplane design, the major challenge was how to harness the power of wind. But in more advanced aircraft, the critical issue became how to fly while minimizing the impact of wind. Here, aircraft applied the propulsion principle of squid. Squid powerfully expel water to gain thrust, cutting through currents to advance. Inspired by this, design progress was achieved by making aircraft wings smaller and mounting them toward the rear.
When building an airplane, adherence to the fundamental premise of staying airborne was paramount, necessitating a focus on function over form. Consequently, even the small wings of early aircraft were designed strictly for functionality. This does not mean modern aircraft are unattractive. Rather, by prioritizing function over form, aircraft have achieved a uniquely beautiful design. It represents a case where efficiency, free from fashionable distractions, has produced the simplest and most refined form. Crucially, this design succeeds not only as a technical advancement but also in satisfying human aesthetics. For instance, the sleek and graceful exterior of an airplane, instantly recognizable from afar at an airport, provides not only efficiency for flight but also aesthetic value that moves the viewer.
In contrast, automobiles are said to have been designed by imitating the form of a two-horse carriage. We take it for granted that the driver’s seat is at the front and that only two people should sit in the front seats, but questions remain about whether this structure is the only possible one. Could it be that a preconception, viewing the automobile as a type of two-horse carriage, is involved in this thinking? One design researcher criticized that automobile design became shackled by the conventions and vestiges of the carriage era. He argues that the presence of two headlights and the driver’s seat being offset to one side of the front compartment are also products of that era. In fact, to see both sides well, the car’s “eyes” might even need to be placed on the sides. Moreover, with modern lighting technology, headlights could potentially be designed as a single flat beam, illuminating only necessary areas of the road without dazzling the driver.
Yet current automobile designers do not seem to be re-examining these fundamental issues. For instance, if automobiles were to imitate carriages, wouldn’t it have been better to emulate a four-horse carriage rather than a two-horse carriage? Perhaps the driver could have sat in a slightly elevated position at the front of the car, allowing for better visibility forward and to the sides while gripping the steering wheel? Yet, I have yet to see an example where a car borrowed the structure of a four-horse carriage. Furthermore, voices are growing louder that today’s car design should not rely solely on functional elements but must also consider social changes and environmental factors. For instance, technological innovations like the advent of electric vehicles demand changes across the entire design spectrum, not merely solving fuel issues. Without an engine, electric vehicles enable designs distinct from traditional automobiles, offering opportunities to pursue new aesthetic values and functional innovations simultaneously.
Exceptional designers pay attention to natural phenomena. For instance, when designing machines where speed is paramount, like airplanes or cars, one must observe how animals achieve speed. Could it be that airplanes successfully captured both speed and form, while cars clung to outdated notions and failed? Unconsciously, we become accustomed to certain design patterns and trends, believing they are indispensable, and gradually mold ourselves to fit them. Or how about this analogy? When we see a flower and think it’s as beautiful as an artificial arrangement? What we truly need to learn is nature’s beauty and flexibility. Even when we admire a well-designed artificial work, it can never compare to the power of nature. Therefore, we must learn wisdom from nature. What we can learn from nature extends beyond mere beauty. Nature teaches us the importance of sustainability, balance, and diversity. These elements hold even greater value in modern design, and designs rooted in natural principles can convey deeper emotion and meaning.
