Art, music and design: three different ways of engaging the brain.
We look at art. We listen to music. We live with design.
We can understand and appreciate a painting even when we don't particularly like it. Knowing the artist, the historical context and the reasons behind their choices helps us recognise its value.
Music is different. Sound engages us over time, activating emotions, memory, rhythm and movement. We may fully understand its language, but if we don't enjoy it, it is much harder to ignore.
And what about design?
Design adds another dimension: physical experience.
We look at a designed object, appreciate its proportions, materials and purpose. But then we touch it, use it and live with it. The brain brings together visual perception, touch, movement, memory and emotion.
This is where beauty meets wellbeing.
A bed, for example, can be exceptionally beautiful. But its real value is revealed when we lie down: in the feel of the materials, the support of the body, the temperature, and the comfort that stays with us night after night.
As an architect, I believe good design begins precisely at this meeting point between aesthetics, intelligence and the body.
Because beauty can be admired. Good design must also be felt.
Midsummer Milano — we design dreams
