I would like take a moment to reflect on the current references feeding into my practice and their connection to Methods of Iterating brief. Over the winter break I started reading more about flexible design systems and the work of Martin Lorenz, lecturer at Elisava Barcelona, came up as a current reference in the field. His works not only makes an important contribution to the field, but it’s also grounded in Karl Gerstner’s methodology and design approach.
After reading Gertsner’s “Designing Programmes”, I started to ponder about creating programmes or guidelines in which design systems are formed, rather than working the other way around, which had always been my assumption. In “Designing Programmes”, Gerstner introduces a multiplicity of approaches in “programme” design, for example, the grid, photography, and the morphological box.
Gerstner borrows Fritz Zwicky scientific approach to the morphological box and applies it to the work of the graphic designer. His original morphological box is mainly focused on the creations of logotypes and monograms but I wonder if it could be applied to the creation of broader systems and graphic design concepts. Under this methodology, structure can actually propel the iterative process rather than hinder it, so by giving the designer clear opportunities and guidelines, opens the way to new interpretations and the creation of new knowledge.
Further reflections – Is there a way these concepts could evolve and be applied to my work? In a way I think my approach to design is already shaped and informed by a similar methodology, structure and contexts, so I started experimenting with creating a morphological box for the creation and modification of type in Blender. Below is an early example of the potential variants, as with any process, this is subject to change, iteration and refinement.