This 2002 paper by Cornelis Baljon explores the relationship between design history and current design practice. Baljon critiques various approaches to design history, rejecting the simplistic "pattern book" view and the overly theoretical approaches that neglect the practical concerns of designers. He advocates for a value-driven approach to design history, informed by philosophy, emphasizing the study of unsolved problems and the understanding of cultural values shaping design choices. The paper uses the example of the Greek temple roof to illustrate how differing historical interpretations impact design, and concludes with a call for a more critical examination of the history of design history itself. Finally, it suggests the application of index analysis to reveal the mechanisms shaping the design canon.

Please note that the podcast covers key points from the source with synthetic voices, which may have glitches. It’s a reflective, not comprehensive, interpretation.

Baljon, C. J. (2002). History of history and canons of design. Design Studies, 23(3), Article 3. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0142-694X(01)00042-4

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit syntheticsynthesis.substack.com