1

Much urban design work is undertaken by urban planners, landscape architects and architects but there are professionals who identify themselves spcifically as urban designers and some university programs that offer degrees

in urban design.

TEXT 6

Read the text and translate it with a dictionary.

What is Ergonomics?

Ergonomics is the application of scientific information concerning humans to the design of ubjecis, systems and environment for human use. Ergonomics comes into everything which involves neonle. Work systems, sports and leisure, health and safety should all embody ergonomics principles if well designed.

Ergonomics is about ensuring a good fit between people, the things they do, the objects they use and the environments in which they work, travel and play.

Ergonomics has a wide application to everyday domestic situations, but there are even more significant implications for efficiency, productivity, safety and health in work settings. For example:

Designing equipment and systems including computers, so that they are easier to use and less likely to lead to errors in operation.

Designing working environments, including lighting and heating, to suit the needs of the users and the tasks performed, where necessary, design of personal protective equipment for work and hostile environments. This improves efficiency, quality and job satisfaction. Designing tasks and jobs so that they are effective and take account of human needs such as rest breaks and sensible shift patterns, as well as other factors such as intrinsic rewards of work itself.

Underlying all ergonomics work is careful analysis of human activity. The ergonomist must understand all of the demands being made on the person, and the likely effects of any changes to these.

Ergonomics needs to be considered in the design of virtually any product, system or environment. Failure to do so may lead to designs which do not fit the physical, psychological or sociological needs of the users, leading to ineffective, inefficient or unsafe designs, which are unlikely to be commercially successful.

The human sciences of psychology, anatomy and physiology provide information about the abilities and limitations of people, and the wide differences that exist between individuals.

Good designers are trained to consider the people who will use the products, systems and environments they design, but they also have many other factors to consider.

fundamental themes of ergonomics, such as 'user-centred design', 'user-

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design industry.

Ergonomics methods can be applied at the earliest stages of the design process, defining user needs and identifying opportunities for innovation.

Some design consultancies employ qualified ergonomists and many other design groups work closely with specialist ergonomics consultancies. Large manufacturers, such as Ford, Philips and Nokia employ ergonomists to work alongside their in-house design teams. Most design projects involve designers, engineers, marketing researchers, brand managers and, increasingly, ergonomists.

Ergonomics is a broad subject area and is applied in many areas of industry, commerce and government. It can be considered under three broad headings:

1 Physical ergonomics: Concerned with human anatomical, anthropometrical, physiological and biomechanical characteristics as they relate to physical activity. The relevant topics include controls and displays, working postures, manual handling, repetitive movements, workplace layout, safety and health, lighting, and the thermal and acoustic environment.

2. Psychological ergonomics: Concerned with mental processes, such as perception, cognition, memory, reasoning and emotion, as they affect interactions amongst people and with products, systems and environments.

3. Organisational ergonomics: Concerned with the optimisation of sociotechnical systems, including their organisational structures, policies, and processes. The relevant topics include communication, statt resource management, work design, design of working times, teamwork, organisational culture, virtual organisations and quality management.

wnai is ergon от ic ocsign ; iirgGncmic Gcsign is a way gi considering design options to ensure that people's capabilities and limitations are taken into account. This helps to ensure that the product is tit tor use by the target users.

Our ancestors didn't have this problem. They could simply make things to suit themselves. These days, the designers of products are often far removed from the end users, which makes it vital to adopt an ergonomic, user-centred approach to design, including studying people using equipment, talking to them and asking them to test objects.

1. Give the definition of ergonomics.

2. What does ergonomics study?

3. "Underlying all ergonomics work is careful analysis of human activity." Explain how vou understand this.

4. What factors should designers consider when designing things?

5. Name three broad headings under which ergonomics is considered.

6. Explain what "ergonomic design" is.

TEXT 7

Read the text, try to understand as much as possible of its contents.

What is a Designer? Designers are a combination of craftmaker, cultural intermediary and opportunistic entrepreneur. And of course they are other things as well. They are

skilled researchers, life-long learners, who understand that design - as a very process of change itself - must be informed by changing knowledge. Indeed, design is an expression and embodiment of knowledge. Research and communication have always lain at the heart of design. Designers are active citizens. They were always encouraged to use design to tackle social and environmental problems and contribute to the national culture. Designers incorporate the seven elements of design to create and enhance style; form, mass, shape, line, colour, texture and pattern. The professional designer:

•analyzes client's needs, goals, and life safety requirements

•integrates findings with knowledge of interior design

•formulates preliminary design concept that are aesthetic, appropriate, and functional, and in accordance with codes and standards

•develops and presents final design recommendations through appropriate presentation media

•prepares working drawings and specifications, ceiling plans, lighting,

interior detailing, materials, finishes, space planning, furnishings, fixtures, and ....... > • i*_ . ".i * i *i-j '11* i и

applicable codes

•collaborates with professional services in the technical areas of ™?ch?.nic?J, electric?.! ?_nd lo?.d-b?aring design.

They integrate this information into a design that is both pleasing to the eye and functional. They will work with the client closely to develop preliminary design concepts that meet their aesthetic, functional, and economic needs while maintaining adherence to building codes and standards. 1. Ask and answer questions on the text. Work in pairs. l.Are designers craftmakers? 2.Are designers skilled researchers? 3.What do they incorporate? 4.What functions of designers are mentioned in the text? 5.Do they work alone to develop design concepts?

2. "Designers are active citizens." How do you understand this?

3. Look through the text again and give its summary.

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Read the text and translate it into Russian.

Interior Design Specializations

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architecture or environmental design; it is equally important to keep in mind thai no specialized branch in any field would be very meaningful if practiced out of context. The best buildings and the best interiors are those in which there is no obvious disparity between the many elements that make up the totality.

./Пне trie arciiitect usually concerns riiinseli witri trie o^erai' design o* buildings, the interior designer is concerned with the more intimately scaled aspects of design, the specific aesthetic, functional, and psychological questions involved, and the individual character of spaces. Although interior design is still a developing profession without a clear definition of its limits, the field can be thought of in terms of two basic categories: residential and nonresidential. ,

2. In today's market, though, residential design is just one small niche where your interior design degree can be put to use. Just as the name implies, residential interior design focuses on the planning and/or specifying of interior materials and products used in private residences. Residential interior designers must be aware of such issues as child safety, family traffic patterns, home wiring and cable needs, switching and security systems, and space requirements for home theater electronics and computer hardware, and the different challenges facing the design of single-family and multi-unit dwellings.

3. Corporate design is another extensive sector. Creating the perfect space for a practicing business can help it thrive, and you can work knowing that your design could be contributing to the wellbeing of its employees. Many architectural and design firms employ people specifically for this purpose.

4. Most large museums employ an Exhibit Designer whose job it is to translate curatorial and educational ideas into gallery installations. Not only must the Exhibit Designer have a highly refined understanding of art objects and how they interact with one another in terms of color and scale, but he or she must also be aware of the principles of conservation and preservation of artworks so that they may be installed with proper light and safety precautions. The Exhibit Designer works closely with the preparator and his or her crew to fabricate special exhibition cabinets, cases, pedestals, or display tables, and supervises the installation of the exhibition or permanent installation and designs proper lighting once artworks are in place.

5. A room's lighting should be aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. A good lighting designer will use combine intensities, direction and color of light to create pleasing spaces. The knowledge and expertise of a lighting designer includes an interior design background that can help size up your architectural needs; an up-to-date knowledge of electrical codes; word on the latest technical advancements in lighting and control system; and experience with maintenance and energy issues.

6. Contemporary designers are much involved with commercial spaces -such as stores, hotels, motels, and restaurants. Many designers and design firms specialize in highly specific spaces such as restaurants, and others may become specialists in the design of showrooms for the garment industry. Frequently, the design of a restaurant, shop, иг hotel must be keyed to a theme, it might be a nautical theme for a yacht club or a theme based on the artifacts of the particular region in which a hotel is located. Obviously, all commercial spaces must be designed in a highiy functional way. A store with a beautifully designed interior will fail if it does not work for circulation of customers, for display, for storage, and above all for sales. Some of these functional needs create difficult design problems. A hotel or motei room, for instance, must be designed for use by individuals, couples, and family groups. Maintenance is also an important factor in the design of commercial spaces.

7. Schools, hospitals, and universities are examples of institutions now extensively using the services of in ten or designers and architects. Many universities have staff designers dealing with the institution's many design needs, from office spaces to dormitories. Certain institutional needs, such as operating rooms in hospitals, are strictly functional, yet the patients' rooms and many other hospital facilities are very much within the scope of interior design.

8. Interior designers select, commission, or purchase artwork, plants, and accessories. In residential interior design, clients usually own many of these things or will certainly be involved in the selection and purchasing, but in interior design for commercial or public spaces this responsibility is in the hands of the desiener.

There are no precise boundaries to the profession of interior design nor, in fact, to any of the design professions. Furniture design, for example, is carried out by industrial designers and furniture designers as well as by architects and interior designers .A,°, g rule furniture designed for msss ^-oroductⁱon is designed by industrial designers or furniture designers; the interior designer or architect usually designs those special pieces that are not readily available on the market or that must meet specific needs for a particular job. Those needs may be functional or aesthetic, and often a special chair or desk designed for a specific job will turn out to be so successful that the manufacturer will put such pieces into his regular line. The same basic situation holds generally true in the design of fabrics, lighting devices, floor covering, and all home-furnishing products.

1. Write 8 questions and ask your groupmates to answer them, first orally, then in writing.

2. Look through the text and name the fields where designers can work.

3. Give the main point of each paragraph in English.

4. What field of interior design would you like to work in? Give reasons.

5. What skills should a designer possess? Sum up the material of Texts 7, 8.

6. 6. What role do designers play in our life?

7. ; *^lf!'.'"' ' ' TEXT 9

8. Read the text and speak about K. Rashid's work.

9. Karim Rashid is a well known contemporary designer, who changed the aesthetics of consumer product design and the nature of consumer culture.

10. He is a leading figure in the fields of product and interior design, fashion, furniture, lighting and art. Born in Cairo, half Egyptian, half English, and raised in Canada, Karim now practices in New York. He is best known for bringing his democratic design sensibility to the masses.

11. Currently he is a top selling designer. His constructions, whether furniture or perfume bottles look more like futuristic objects: simple forms, flowing lines, multi-functional, new materials and use of the latest technology. Created objects by Rashid are always colored with optimistic hues: rose, white, silver, orange.

12. "Ornamentation is a modus operandi for communication, for providing dimension, texture, pattern, depth, and spirit - it is a way to liven up space, to create complementary conditions, to move the eye and break up surfaces, to bring illusion, embellish and give richness to surfaces and materials and objects." - says Karim Rashid. His three - dimensional objects, designs, graphics and icons are meant to inspire, represent, symbolize and energize the worlds of the decorative, from objects to fashion, texture and space. In the last 10 years Karim Rashid received about 30 awards for industrial design. More than 70 of his works are located in museums of design and modern art. He is a frequent guest lecturer at universities and conferences globally.

13. His clients Include Umbra. Prada, Magis, Herman Miller, Foscarini, Georgio Armani, Yahoo, Estee Lauder, and (fuzzim. among others, Karim has designed and produced over 2000 products during his career.

14. Karim Rashid believes in a holistic approach to design in which the sum of the parts is more beautiful than the parts themselves. On a more mundane level, well-designed objects can add beauty and reflect lives of those who use, them.

15. He uses modern materials such as plastic foams and synthetic fabrics to form his design vision. His design for a wastebasket Umbra is one of the most successful industrial products of recent years and it inspired Rashid's "On Chair", which has equal global appeal.

16. For Rashid there is no distinction between high and low design; he is equally at ease designing for mass-production companies as he is designing packaging products for the Japanese fashion innovator lssey Miyake. In the end, according to Rashid, the goal of his designs is always the same: to provide a quality experience to the users of the objects.

1. What iiciuS uucS iv. ivaSiliu W Oi'lv iu;

2. What can you say about colours and materials used in his designs?

3. What other industrial designers do you know? What designers do you like?

17. Unit II Choosing a Colour Scheme TEXT i

18. Read the text and translate it with a dictionary.

19. Three Ways to Colour Scheme

20. Does choosing a colour scheme pose problems? Here are three ways to help you get it right.

21. Colour is probably the most useful of all the tools at the decorators disposal. Handled properly, it can make a small room seem larger, a dark room lighter, or bring about a complete change of atmosphere.

22. Whether you're creating a colour scheme from scratch or updating an existing one, it's important to plan it properly. Take your time, get ideas from other people's colour schemes - in homes, offices or even restaurants - and make a note of those colours that you find satisfying and pleasing.

23. Before you commit yourself to a particular colour, sit down and work out what kind of look you are aiming to achieve. Start by defining the mood you want to convey - it might be warm and cosy, cool and airy, bright and cheerful, restful, pretty or stylish. Then think of which colours convey that mood. For example, warm pinks and reds create a cosy atmosphere, while cool pastels and whites give an airy, spacious feel.

24. Choosing colours and putting them together is partly a matter of taste, although there are general guidelines that can prove helpful.

25. First of all, colours look different in different types of light. A red, which has a distinctly blue tinge in a showroom under strip lights, may lose its bluenees and appear a warm clear red when seen in a sunny room. A rich blue used in a dark room will appear even richer, but that same blue used in a brightly lit room can lose much of its intensity. So it is important to try out a large sample of the colour in the room in which it will be used.

26. Secondly, a colour affects the colours next to it. You may adore a certain pink and a certain green, but together they might prove disastrous. On the other hand, you may find a grey or beige dull on its own, but exactly right partnered with a lively splash of bright pink or orange.

27. This leads directly to the third point: how much colour affects you. An entire room of bright pink or orange may be hard to live with, but small concentrations of those colours can make an all-white room'sing'.

28. Few of us have the luxury of being able to create a room scheme from scratch. One way to avoid expensive mistakes is to try out your chosen colours and patterns by collecting samples- so that you can sec how they work together. Collecting samples will help you get the feel of how to vary your theme colour in interesting ways.

1. Practise reading the text aloud.

2. Ask and answer the questions on the text.

29. l.What can colour do to the room? 2. What should you think of before choosing a particular colour for the room? 3.What general guidelines prove helpful when choosing colours? 4.Are colours different in different types of light? 5.What is it important first to try out in the room? 6.What is the second helpful guideline?

3. Read the text again, divide it into logical parts and entitle each part so as to make a plan.

4. Write a summary of the text according to your plan. 5.What other guidelines can you add?