Publication: An inquiry from user’s perspective into the furniture with open-source recipes in the context of do-ityourself theme
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Date
2020-11-02
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Abstract
The frontiers of today’s world which we know and perceive of and which is defined as the modern
changed along with globalization and digitalization. In this regard, new concepts which come into play
by virtue of the influence exerted by changing paradigms and fringe experiences on human being’s
understanding of consumption and production and the existence of these new concepts on the agenda
shape the theoretical and practical literature in relation to design. Along with fast growth of consumption
and change in consumption culture and the accessibility of information and expansion of information
base, the human being began to be interested either in the production by himself/herself of the objects
which he/she desired to own or owned or in the improvement of such objects by adding something from
himself/herself. This interest launched the advancement of the ‘Do-It-Yourself’ movement whose tracks
we could see on the perspective of humanity’s historical process concerning the practice of doing. In the
context of this movement, recipes including information on how human beings will do the objects which
they are interested in doing are shared as open source on web pages developed under ‘do-it-yourself’
theme. As a response to this approach, human being as the consumer started to produce what he/she
needed and to consume what he/she produced. The relationship of the user, who took a passive and/or
an active part in traditional furniture design, with the furniture of today’s changing understanding of
consumption was addressed through do-it-yourself theme. For this study which was performed on
furniture produced with do-it-yourself theme, an experimental research was configured on the basis of
user’s experience. In the study, an internet site which had a wide network was selected from among
internet sites replete with uploads allowing consumption through production and designated as open
source, equipped with do-it-yourself theme, current in terms of recognition, supported by well-known
institutions and agencies and/or associated with well-known institutions and agencies and endowed with
an experience of more than a decade at least. Three recipes posted on the internet site which was called
as Instructables and categorized under do-it-yourself theme were selected and utilized by authors of this
study who assumed the role of users. The only precondition for selected recipes which would be
practically applied through this study was for them to be for furniture. Authors selected and utilized
furniture which they needed solely in the context of their own life routines. In this process of practice,
authors themselves experienced the do-it-yourself theme on a one-on-one basis directly through the
furniture which they themselves produced. Besides this practice, evaluations on conventional furniture
and user roles were presented in conjunction with the topic. Through theoretical framework and
experimental research under this study, answers to the following questions were sought: Can a different
definition of user be offered under do-it-yourself theme? How is the dialog between user, producer,
designer, design and design recipe from user perspective? Can anybody produce furniture? What are its differences from conventional furniture production and consumption processes? Is there any difference
between do-it-yourself furniture and mass-produced or special fabrication furniture made by furniture
manufacturing sector? In conclusion, it was observed that do-it-yourself theme would be an area of
experience in consumption culture for the user, user’s roles became vaguer, and there would be different
dynamics of production processes and accessibility of information. In the consumption culture, the user
is not just the one who purchases the final product and uses it, but he/she is in a position to experience
the production process fully and the design process partially and to exert influence on these processes.
The user is able to reshape and contribute to the recipe of furniture which is supposed to be emerging as
the final product and consumed by himself/herself. Thus, the user adds new dynamics to the design
process as he/she is involved in processes under the current system of do-it-yourself theme. In this
conjunction, it was found that furniture produced in the context of this theme could not be characterized
as the final product, rather, as the furniture in constant motion.
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Keywords
Furniture, furniture design, user, do it yourself, design recipe
Citation
KOÇ SAĞLAM C., BEZCİ İ., DÜNDAR TÜRKKAN V., \"An Inquiry From User’s Perspective Into The Furniture With Open-Source Recipes In The Context Of Do-It-Yourself Theme\", 6th International Furniture Congress, Trabzon, Türkiye, 2 - 05 Kasım 2020