While at the Rijksmuseum, a collection of silver drinking glasses caught my eye. The cups, which have movable components where a base usually is, can only stand on a flat surface by using the lip of the cup, therefore making the user unable to put their cup down while it is filled. At first, I thought this was a poor design decision if it was indeed unintentional, as it’s inconvenient to not be able to put down your cup. Upon further inspection, I read that each cup was related to a structured drinking or party game. The form and function of the object were indeed fitting for its purpose. Alas, the aesthetics of the silver, lavishly ornamented drinking cups fooled me into thinking they were crafted for a serious purpose.
These cups caused me to reflect on larger design constructs and the connection between visual representation and perceived value. As a designer, it’s important to not only design an object that is the correct solution but to also craft the design solution in a way that will be adopted by the users. How can aesthetic characteristics be used to give objects more or less perceived authority or value? How can designers utilize this understanding to subvert social constructs related to objects with social stigmas or areas in which objects are inherently undervalued due to the communities they serve?
