The Poet of Plastic

Karim Rashid - Ring Door for AlbedKarim Rashid is an incredible industrial designer.

I’ve run into and admired many of his designs without even knowing they were Rashids.

Such as the Method bath & body products. And Morimoto restaurant in Philadelphia.

What’s most cool is his statement on design philosophy, his “Karimanifesto.”

How to define design, today and what is its role?
Karim Rashid - Slice Precision Cutter

Design has been the cultural shaper of our world from the start. We have designed systems, cities, and commodities.

We have addressed the world’s problems. Now design is not about solving problems, but about a rigorous beautification of our built environments. Design is about the betterment of our lives poetically, aesthetically, experientially, sensorially, and emotionally.

My real desire is to see people live in the modus of our time,to participate in the contemporary world, and to release themselves from nostalgia, antiquated traditions, old rituals, kitsch and the meaningless. We should be conscious and attune with this world in this moment.

Karim Rashid - K-8 Dogbowl for Acme

This is a general philosphy for the advancement of society, and parallels the insta-, all the time, everywhere connectivity we are beginning to take advantage of as a species.

“We should be conscious and attune with this world in this moment.”

[Post inspired by idsgn]

Thoughts?