Professor Elam

Weekend July 14, 2012

Design is what set the original Mac Computer at right from the original

PC  at left. Do you see the difference?  Steve Jobs wanted his machine to have the sleek elegant look

of a cuisinart. He wanted the foot print small enough so that it could fit on everyone's desk. 

The PC was much larger, and anything but elegant. But ironically enough since itwas larger everyone assumed it was more powerful, and IBMs got bought by the millions.

but I digress, This post is about Sergio Pininfarina.

While he is most famous for designing gorgeous Italian automobiles, 

his design house did everything from watches to my back up hard drive. 

A Ferrari GTO by the way just became the world's most expensive car selling for over $30 M at auction. But at that price this is not a car, this is rolling auto sculpture. 

I beleive that Universities putting an emphasis on Design would do their students a big favor. Clearly the better designs, like the now famous Apple i series of products, are consumer hits. 

What makes for great design, how does one learn from the great art masters about design. what can engineering teach us about the importance of feel, touch, and lines?  I will be incorporating more of these ideas in our classes.