Studio Style Desk:
Urban style piece designed to fit a modern studio apartment. Nicely sized to act as desk, dining table, or workstation. This easy-to-move piece has rough-hewn sawhorse legs that fold and collapse and feature shelving for storage. The table top is a handsome, satin-finished reclaimed plank top of white oak, pine, and walnut and is easily disconnectable from the sawhorse bases.
Design is ideal for those frequently moving and living in studio appartments.
Thanks goes to Ryan and Mitch with 2nd Life Studios for their help!

Design has impacted my life

       

  From products to media, almost everything I interact with on a daily basis is influenced by design. Design thus has  impacted just about every day of my life. The question is if design had impacted me for better or for worse. I have seen how design has impacted my social interactions with social media. I am able to connect with people all around the world and stay connected with friends. Societal constructs have changed just with facebook as more people navigate a digital interaction created by web developers and designers. In a small way my life is impacted every time Facebook redesigns its user interface or mobile app. Beyond digital relationships and communication, design has impacted my interactions with my father. He is able to walk and run due to prosthetics. My life and the life of my family would be very different without great design.

           The power that My interest grew in design from an early age, influenced from playing with LEGOs and Erector sets.  Since the age of 12, I have been competing in robotic competitions, including FIRST LEGO League, FIRST FRC, and BEST. Great designers, engineers, and innovators created toys, products, and programs that encouraged me think and build creatively. It is a significant impact when design is encouraging and creating design. Other people's designs have undoubtedly developed my interest and passion for design.

I have seen design change my life, from everyday problem solving to creating the future I want. 

What is design?

Design is a difficult term to define because it means so many things to so many people. Individuals may disagree on the effectiveness of a design.

So here is my personal attempt to define it:

Design is a plan, strategy, or intention behind a product, action, or endeavor. This broad definition can encompass almost every human exploit.  Design can be seen in our furniture, toys, buildings, media, and even our communication.  It is how we solve problems, create opportunities, and improve our lives.

Design first starts with ideation. We encounter problems on a daily basis and it is a universal impulse is to seek out a way to overcome our problems. Designers seek to understand the dynamics and origin of a problem and then employ ideation to create solutions.  A design for a single problem may  go through hundreds of design iterations. Every feature and aspect of a design must be carefully selected because the design's success or failure may hinge on it. A design dictates the form and function with the intended audience in mind.

A common misconception is that design is strictly about form, or how something looks. While design does include the aesthetic element, it also extends to include function, process, tools, ergonomics, and user experience. The designer starts with an idea but must be able to communicate it to make it a reality. Design can be shared through hand sketches, written text, verbal communication, blueprints, CAD, or a variety of other mediums. Good design begins and ends with the user. A good design takes into account what a user needs and presents a solution  that meets its target audience in both form and function.

Hello Internets! This is my first endeavor into the realm of blogging.
My name is Alex and I am a student at the University of Kansas, majoring in Industrial Design.
I am passionate about design.  Good design has the potential to change our world. Let us use it to do so!