Victor Papanek

Victor Papanek was a designer and educator who is known for his stance towards socially and ecologically responsible design. Through researching and developing an understanding of Papanek's work, it is evident that at the time of the first release of Design for the Real world, many were offended and disagreed with Papanek's writing. In an article written by Alice Rawsthorn (15.05.11) for The New York Times the events that happened because of the first edition are outlined and explained in reference to the text. 

The negativity and rejection of Papanek's book were mainly due to his accusations towards his fellow designers for producing work that ignored their social and moral responsibilities. 

All of these slights — and more — were heaped upon the designer Victor Papanek after the publication of his 1971 book “Design for the Real World.” Why? There’s a clue in the opening line, “There are professions more harmful than industrial design, but only a few.” Papanek went in to accuse his fellow designers of producing shoddy, stylized work that wasted natural resources, aggravated the environmental crisis and ignored their social and moral responsibilities. Ouch! Four years later he was described by Design magazine as being “disliked, even loathed by his contemporaries.”


Victor Papanek - Design for the Real World

In the first chapter of this book, Papanek is addressing the question, 'What is design?'. In this he writes that 'Design must be meaningful' :6 which he follows on by stating that 'The mode of action by which a design fulfils its purpose is it's function.' Through exploring this question he addresses the issue that many consider when designing, 'do you want it to look good or to work?'. By explaining this question he identifies that 'barricades are erected between what are really just two of the many aspects of function'. In summary, he is therefore saying that if a piece of design is functional it will look good, the two work in unison. 

Design Responsibility: Five Myths and Six Directions

1. The Myth of Mass Production

2. The Myth of Obsolescence - 'by designing things things to wear out and be thrown away, the wheels of our economy can be kept turning'

3. The Myth of People's "Wants"

4. The Myth of the Designer's Lack of Control

5. The Myth That Quality No Longer Counts

'Something can be learned from these five myths. It is a fact that the designer often has greater control over his work than he believes he does'. :234  This quote directly references to the fact that Papanek acknowledges the role that graphic designers have in society. However, he also has the attitude that consumer design is a waste and his views are therefore limiting. Without consumer design there would be an unimaginable gap in the market. 

'Design for the people's needs rather than for their wants, or artificially created wants, it is the only meaningful direction now' :234