Edith Heath, on elements of good design (from "Edith Heath: Philosophies")
1/4: truth (in terms of materials, method of construction, and use)
2/4: a sense of evolution (has it evolved through [the] search for new understanding of materials, processes, and a good way of life?)
Conversation
3/4: spirit (does it bring dignity and pleasure?)
4/4: perspective (does it exist harmoniously in relation to other things?)
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I was really curious to understand why Heathware so enduringly captured Californian design consciousness for so long, seems so vital even now. This anthology helped!
One framing that explains a lot (for me) is that it's the mass manufacture of an art object, like Eames chairs.
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It's interesting, though, that it seems the Eameses designed for manufacture to a much greater degree. Reading this history, it seems the more common story for Heath was 1. make and refine one-off art objects; 2. figure out how to produce them at scale. More disconnected.
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When she writes about "design" she means something different—but only partially!—from what's meant by "design science". Truth seems like a strongly shared trait. Powerful design science carves the seams of reality in a new way… but involves *finding* those seams, as they are!
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