01 Feb José Antonio Giménez: Why Articulado?
How easy it is for people to pick up designing and … how hard it is for designers to pick up a pen and start writing!
That sentence is the starting point for the book you have (maybe) in your hands. And it is a sad reality. All those who have been directly or indirectly involved in making Articulado more than just a simple dream are keenly aware of this.
They have sweated blood to get some of the top names in design both here in Spain and worldwide to write about design. And it has not been for a lack of insistence!
In point of fact, it is not too hard to read about design in daily newspapers, and there are indeed some—more or less reputable—columnists in design magazines or new media platforms. But very few, if any, of them are actually designers. And the few who are, all seem to live on the dark side of design or do not really exercise as such. Naturally, there is the odd notable exception. And this book contains some of them.
Then, who in fact writes about design? Historians, publicists, psychologists, economists, fashion experts, artists, etc. Articulado wishes to readdress this imbalance.
For once, designers and professional scribes associated with design are putting pen to paper … Every time a bunch of designers get together, whether for a meeting, a product presentation or for a coffee after any act they attend, it doesn’t take long before you hear voices criticising the profession but it is not so often that they take that crucial step further and broadcast their views so that they can be heard beyond the radius of their voice projection.
I only wish it were as difficult for people to “pick up designing.”
Acknowledgments. Ideas are nothing but that, ideas. It is hard to organise them, to put them on paper. But it is the only way to give them form. On most occasions they remain there, inert. Other times they sprout nearly spontaneously. But it is only with the help of others that they can take on material form.
ADCV (Association of Designers of Comunidad Valenciana) and, by extension, all its members truly believed in the project. Without them, Articulado would have never seen the light of day.
Our gratitude also to the Impiva (Institute of Small and Medium Enterprises) for its support. We believe that Articulado will prove useful for both design professionals and manufacturers. It is an informal vision about “what we do” and “why we do it.” Its goal was, and is, to explain the importance of bringing designers on board in industrial processes and in corporate communication to improve companies’ competitiveness, image and identity.
Only in that way shall we be able to consolidate markets and to open new lines of trade with emerging economies and in sectors that have a head start in technological R&D and Innovation, not forgetting another “I”: investment. And, as you know too well, that is the road to profit albeit, let us not deceive ourselves, in the medium to long term. And always with perseverance.
Public institutions are taking great strides forward. But there is still a need for training and information in our business fabric about the benefits of well applied design. This book is yet another link in that chain. And Impiva is key to achieving our goal.
Thanks to all of you who have contributed with articles. Your proposals, views, reflections and different ways of understanding design will help readers of Articulado to learn more about the importance of this profession and about the need for designers to be part of the ongoing development of our society.
Though many of these collaborations did not fit in this first volume, they are not forgotten and, with the support of the Valencian public administration, they will be part of future editions of Articulado.
We also want to thank those who have helped this book to germinate. Not all of them have been included in these lines, but they know well that we are indebted to them. Thank you.
More: Articulado’s book · www.sanserif.es