Are we living in time when design won over functionality and practicality? Why and
when did we allow that to happen?
1.Oct. 2013. My building at 50 Albert Rd. Its one o’clock
after midnight. We are trying to fall asleep but wind outside
is so strong that it gives us both some discomfort as if we are able to
predict what is about to happen.
“Evacuate now!
Evacuate now!” - warning voice followed by loud and frustrating alarm started
to scream from the speakers in all the building…
Little bit
confused and scared we got dressed and joined the crowd that was already
leaving the premises…
In pyjamas and
slippers, some of them barefoot, with the laptop or dog under their arms people
start to gather around outside the building. Huge question mark was above our
heads, as nobody knew what was going on while guys from fire department start
running up and down through the building.
This scene took me
back to my hometown Zadar in 1991 when war just started… then I was only 12 but
I will never forget those first nights of war when bombarding didn’t actually
happened but we were getting custom to be waken up in the middle of the night,
leaving warm comfort of our bed in order to hide in a shelter…
In front of my
building in Zadar there was a furniture store, which even though it wasn’t
equipped as a shelter, it was consider as one, and I remember how funny people
looked, who on those nights, use to gather in front of that store, wearing
pyjamas and slippers holding tight their suitcases as if they are going for
some surreal holiday… well, my laughter didn’t last for long as real
war soon started bringing all the horror that comes with it…
But, what really
happened at 50 Albert Rd? Official explanation never came but from what I saw I
think that somewhere between 5th and 6th level a water pipe broke.
This episode made
me to look into all the things that aren’t functioning in this sophisticated
luxury building that is so proud of its design… if you look at
the official page http://www.fiftyalbert.com.au/cms-lifestyle this place is too good to be true…
Yes it
is, but only when and if you close your eyes on following:
Every time it rains, water enters our apartment through window
in living room …
For the first two weeks we couldn’t use shower, as the shower door
weren’t sealed…
Now they fixed it but with shower door opening on the
inside which gives you even less space in already little shower that
has a shelf in the middle so that you have to be extremely careful not to hurt
yourself while using it…
Spa aria looks really nice but the stones that are on the floor are the
most uncomfortable thing to walk on and what’s with that green plastic hanging
on? Ok, plastic leaves are matter of taste which can’t be discussed
but honestly, they look good only on photos…
There is a nice dry sauna, but they forgot to put a sand watch and a
bucket with water in it… and I love to spend time in hot tubs when they are not OUT OF ORDER…
I don’t enjoy complaining, I always try to be grateful for what I have
but isn’t design primarily function to serve people? When did we stop caring
about how it works focusing only on how it looks and feels? Shouldn’t design
address itself to the need rather then just aesthetic?
I remember one scene that happened 12 years ago: I was in the car coming
back with my boyfriend from his parent’s house… for me it was the first
time I’ve spent the weekend in extremely luxurious house who’s paintings,
sculptures and furniture are very often presented in magazine AD Italia under
the private collection section. His
parents were very proud of every valuable item and with a little snob aria they
like to talk about it for hours but they don’t allow anybody to use most of it; for
example pool table because it is very rare, radio station only his mother
could change and don’t even think about sitting on certain chairs, armchairs or
sofas as their purpose is of aesthetic nature only… I felt like spending
weekend in museum and not in my boyfriends home…anyway, while coming back from
that emotionally very cold weekend I asked him if he could choose to live in a
less rich environment which is filled with laughter and feels like home or to
live in a beautiful house/museum where laughter is unknown condition, what
would his choice be?
He would prefer to live in a museum
and I felt very sad for him, and for us, as in that moment while driving into the night our relationship
started to end… Today I understand him better because with parents like that he
never stood a chance to know how priceless is a warm home filled with laughter…
So, could it be that during upbringing distorted and incorrect values
are implanted into our consciousness? Probably, but awareness of this beautiful
21st century should make us understand that “Design of purely
arbitrary nature cannot be expected to last long” – Kenzo Tange.
p.s. there is
a rumour in my building that a guy who bought apartment for 1.4 mil can’t
sit on a toilet as designer didn’t leave enough space
for both legs…
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| Hopefully, hot tub will be fixed soon :) |
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