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DTR- Design, Theory & Research

For this module, we learnt about the interesting facts and history behind some of the design thinking and design style. It also teaches us about some of the controversial views and opinions that shaped the design beliefs that we have, today.

SEMINAR & RESEARCH

For this assignment, we were grouped into groups of 4. Together, all of us did the research and we summarised and paraphrased the information that we got online. Eventually, we compiled all the information that we gathered into slides where we have to do a presentation in front of the class.

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Topic: INDUSTRALISATION

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BACKGROUND OF TOPIC

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  •  Industrial revolution occurs when people try to increase their standard of living.

 

  •  In order to meet the needs of consumers, the industry has to mass produce so there

        would be enough goods to cater to everyone.

 

  •  The prices of the products became more affordable and this would increase their

        standard of living as everyone would then be able to easily get their hands on the

        product.

 

  •  When the popularity of the product reaches its peak, manufacturers will feel the need to invent even better products so as to be able to earn money. This, thus makes the flow of the economy to be smoother.

 

  •  Consumers buy products based on their wants and not their needs.

 

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Demands of consumers - manufacturers coming up with new inventions - Mass production - consumers rushing to buy them - flow of economy

PRE-INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

before industrial revolution.jpg

  • Transportation: mainly horses

  • Livelihood: farming with domestic animals such as cows and buffaloes, textile production

  • Lifestyle: people lived in a village leading simple, slow paced  life

  • Cottage industry: manufacturing/working from home, usually sewing, lace making,

       household manufacturing

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

18-19th Century

Industrial revolution.jpg

Factors that lead to Industrial Revolution

  • Growing population

  • Demands of Consumers

  • Investment capital

  • High immigration

  • Lack of natural resources

  • Improved transportation
     

Inventions from Industrial Revolution

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  • Steam Engine

Steam engine was used to pump and remove water from mining holes. It gained popularity quickly. James Watt’s (Scottish Engineer) version of it did not have to cool down after each stroke, making it more efficient for mining practices

Watt’s modification led to more developments of the Industrial Revolution, including the first steam powered locomotives and boats.

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  • The Pneumatic Tyre

Wheel made with vulcanized rubber invented by Robert William Thomson

Patented the invention in 1845. Originally patented for bicycles and not automobiles

Invention was useful, however it was too expensive for it to catch on with the general public.Andre Michelin with his brother Edouard were the first people to use it on automobiles. However it did not prove to be durable.Philip Strauss combined the tire and an air filled inner tube in 1911 so that these tires could work on automobiles.

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  • Photograph

First photographic technologies produced in 1830s and 40s.

Revolutionised the culture and communication in the West. Images of ‘real’ life could be captured and spread around the world

Portraits of royalty and other celebrities allowed members of the public to feel they were looking at these people in the flesh.The dead could be remembered and fleeting moments captured.

Social classes after Industrial Revolution

different social classes after industria

Upper class

Middle class

Working class

Impacts of

Industrial Revolution

  Economically

  • Building and developing of industries

  • Higher demand for raw materials

  • With the development of technology, increase in production of materials/products

  • Growth of worldwide trade

  • Population explosion and large labour force

  • Exploitation of mineral resources

  • Highly developed banking and investment system

  • Development in transportation, agriculture and communication

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   Socially

  • Child labour

  • Increase in population of cities

  • Loss of family stability

  • Increase in middle class families

  • Harsh conditions provided to laborers

  • Improved standard of living

  • Creation of new jobs

  • Encourages further technological advancements

 

   Politically

  • Implementation of child labour laws to prevent abuse towards the children

  • Reformers urging equal distribution of wealth

  • Trade union

  • Reform bills in Parliament

Industrial Revolution will always occur whenever mankind continues to advance forward

4 stages of Industrial Revolution.png

1st Industrial Revolution

(1760-1820~40)

2nd Industrial Revolution

(1870-1914)

3rd Industrial Revolution

(1950s-)

4th Industrial Revolution

(2016 - Present)

History
 

2nd Industrial Revolution
 

  • Period of rapid industrial development

  • Occurred right after the first industrial revolution

  • The development of railroads, large-scale iron and steel production, widespread use of machinery in manufacturing, increase in the use of steam power, widespread use of telegraph, use of petroleum and the starting use of electricity marks the whole development of industries in the second industrial period.

  • Vaclav Smil, a Czech-Canadian scientist and policy analyst, named the period 1867-1914 “The Age of Synergy” where most of the great innovations were developed. Unlike the first industrial revolution, the inventions and innovations were engineering and science-based.

3rd Industrial Revolution
 

  • Third industrial revolution AKA the digital revolution, occured from around 1950s to the 1970s.

  • Era which shifted from mechanical and analogue electronic technology to digital electronics, where the adoption and proliferation of digital computers and digital record keeping continues to the present day.

  • The central to this revolution is mass production, widespread use of computers, cell phones and the internet.

  • Technological innovations transformed traditional production and business techniques. The turning point of this revolution was changing analogue to digitally recorded music.

4th Industrial Revolution
 

  • Builds on the digital revolution, representing new ways in which technology becomes embedded within the societies and even the human body.

  • The breakthrough in the number of fields such as robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, quantum computing, biotechnology, The Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing and autonomous vehicles marks the fourth industrial revolution.

  • Different from the first three which heavily focuses on the advancement of technology. These technology has the ability to connect billions of people to the web, drastically improve the efficiency of business and organisations.

  • Fourth industrial revolution the key to improving human communication and resolving conflict.

Industrialisation in Asia

  • Industrialisation in Asia began in the late 19th century.

  • South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore are countries which have the fastest rate of industrialisation in 20th century because of stable governments and well structured societies, strategic locations, heavy foreign investments, low cost skilled and motivated workforce, etc.

  • Other Eastern and South East Asian countries soon follow them.

  • China and India, due to their histories, culture, size and importance to the world, have followed the development pattern and are now significant players in today’s world economy.

  • Some countries such as Philippines, Turkey and South Africa are newly industrialised countries.

Industrialisation in Singapore

  • Industrialisation in Asia began in the late 19th century.

  • South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore are countries which have the fastest rate of industrialisation in 20th century because of stable governments and well structured societies, strategic locations, heavy foreign investments, low cost skilled and motivated workforce, etc.

  • Other Eastern and South East Asian countries soon follow them.

  • China and India, due to their histories, culture, size and importance to the world, have followed the development pattern and are now significant players in today’s world economy.

  • Some countries such as Philippines, Turkey and South Africa are newly industrialised countries.

industrial-revolution-architectural-54-6

Industrialisation in Architecture

  • ‘Industrial Architecture’ is the design and construction of buildings serving industry.

  • Types of Industrial buildings are -

  • Brewery

  • Distillery

  • Drilling rig

  • Factory

  • Power plant

  • Warehouse, etc

  • Such buildings rose in importance with the industrial revolution, and were some of the pioneering structures of Modern Architecture such as of Frank Lloyd Wright’s, Le Corbusier’s works, etc.

  • Modern Architecture uses of mass production of glass, steel and reinforced concrete which were construction advancement during that time due to industrialisation.

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Industrialisation in relation to the Environment
 

  • With Industrialisation, air and water pollution are inevitable.

  • In order to produce sufficient supply of electricity, coal and fossil fuels are often used.

  • The burning of coal and fossil fuel will generate a lot of greenhouse gases and waste materials. These will eventually lead to global warming when gases such as carbon dioxide are trapped with the ozone layer as they trap heat easily.

  • Water pollution comes in when industries are unable to dispose their waste materials properly.

  • Possible effects that will occur in the future:

  • Global warming ( currently occurring )

  • Acid rain

  • Deforestation

  • Ecosystem destruction

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Industrialism in relation to Consumerism

  • With an increase in variety of clothes, food etc, shopping became an important cultural activity in the 18th century.

 

  • The Georgian period is described by historians as the age of manufacturers, a time when British men and women gained access to a range of material things.

 

  • With the improvements in transport and manufacturing, opportunities for buying and selling became more efficient.

 

  • With the rapid growth of town and cities, shopping became an important part of life.

 

  • Many exclusive shops were opened in elegant urban districts like the Strand and Piccadilly in London and spa towns such as Bath and Harrogate. The desire of people in the past to own more luxurious items created consumerism.

Pros and Cons of Industrialisation

Disadvantages

 

  • Value of original is depreciated due to mass production/ replicas

  • The ‘aura’ produced by the original is lost.

    • Eg. An actor being viewed from behind the screens feel different from seeing one up close in a theatre

  • Increases pollution

  • Exploitation of people/resources

  • Puts a greater distance between the poor and the rich

Advantages

 

  • Improves standard of living

  • Better technology

    • Eg. Consumers rushing to buy the latest smartphones with better functions. Manufacturers will start to earn profit from the smartphones that they are selling and will continue to come up with better phones so that they would be able to earn more money

  • Ensures the flow of economy

  • More affordable products

Summary on Industrialisation

PRE-

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  • Agricultural economy

  • Travelling takes a long time as they travel by animal or by foot

  • It takes a long time before one is able to produce a product

  • Products are usually handmade however there would be some made with simple machines

POST-

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  • Industrial economy

  • Easier to travel due to increase in types of transportation

  • Poor working and Living conditions

  • Higher standard of living

  • Mass production became possible with better technology

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