OF DESIGNS

“Great design is about more than good looking products. It has the power to shape how we experience life”— Stephen Bayley, author, critic and columnist

Design—whether man-made or naturally occurring—is a fascinating subject of study. With the advent of three-dimensional printing and other modern technologies, we are now able to craft a vast array of objects in innovative forms. At the same time, science has begun to unravel how patterns emerge in nature. Yet, despite these developments, most of us rarely pause to notice the designs, both simple and complex, surrounding us—whether in everyday objects or the natural world. As someone once aptly said, “A good design is harder to notice than a poor one, because good designs fit our needs so seamlessly.”

Designs of Ordinary Things

I have always been fascinated by the ingenious design of the humble safety pin—so simple, yet so effective. The sharp point is rendered safe by tucking it into a clasp. While its origins trace back to ancient Egypt, it was American mechanic Walter Hunt who perfected its modern form in the 19th century. Remarkably, it remains in common use even today.

Look around at the variety of tables—teapoys, writing desks, ironing boards, workbenches, and stools of all kinds. The same holds true for chairs, almirahs, beds, and other furniture, whose designs have evolved to meet our functional needs, while also appealing aesthetically.

In our gardens, we find a dazzling variety of fruits and flowers. The tools we use to tend them also come in many shapes and sizes. With technological advances, we now even have designer varieties of plants and better agricultural tools.

Our kitchens, too, are filled with an array of utensils, glasses, plates, mugs, and cutlery—each thoughtfully designed for specific functions. One vessel that has always fascinated me is the Kindi, traditionally used in Kerala. This small spouted metal pot, typically made of brass or bronze, is crafted to pour water in a controlled stream—without contaminating the rest—making it both hygienic and aligned with ritual purity. A truly marvellous design!

Even the humble bicycle reflects functional design at its best. In contrast, the designs of aeroplanes, trains, buses, and cars have undergone significant evolution over time. I remember, as a child, seeing only a few car models—Ambassador, Landmaster, and Fiat. Today, we are spoiled for choice, with ultra-luxury vehicles representing the pinnacle of design.

Trains remain the lifeline of everyday travel in India. I’ve journeyed extensively by train in my younger days. Back then, the now-defunct third-class compartments had hard benches, with no cushioning. Families carried large holdalls filled with bedding, clothes, and utensils. Spreading these on the compartment floors allowed everyone—children included—to sleep comfortably during long journeys. The introduction of cushioned second-class seats eliminated the need for those bulky holdalls almost overnight.

Another marvel of modern design is the flush toilet. Even more efficient are the vacuum-operated toilets now being introduced in some planes and trains in India. I do hope they become standard everywhere soon.

Similarly, India boasts an astonishing diversity of clothing, all richly designed with ethnic flairs.

Human beings have been designing homes since ancient times, adapting them to terrain and climate. Today, eco-friendly homes are in vogue. I was fortunate to meet Laurie Baker, the visionary British-born Indian architect who revolutionized affordable, sustainable housing in India, particularly Kerala. He championed the use of local materials and traditional techniques, like the Rat-Trap bond—a double-wall system that reduces construction costs and materials while enhancing insulation. Inspired by his philosophy, we incorporated many of his ideas while building our family home in the 1980s.

My mother’s ancestral home, a traditional Tharavad, was built in the Nalukettu style—four wings arranged around an open courtyard (nadumuttam), following Vastu principles. It beautifully reflects Kerala’s climate, aesthetics, and cultural values. These elegant homes are no longer being constructed, but they remain symbols of ecological and architectural wisdom.

Modern gadgets, too, tell a story of design evolution. Early computers once filled entire rooms; now, sleek laptops fit into our backpacks. The industrial revolution was, in many ways, a design revolution—ushering in mass production. Breakthroughs like radio, television, and mobile phones have reshaped our world.

Faulty Designs

Of course, not all designs are flawless. Take my refrigerator: the vegetable crisper is inconveniently placed at the very bottom, requiring me to use a custom-made stool just to access it, without hurting my back and knees! Thankfully, newer models have moved the crisper to the top.

Our modular kitchen has sharp-edged overhead cabinet doors that I frequently bump into. Why couldn’t they have rounded those edges?

India’s sleek new high-speed trains—Vande Bharat—are a major improvement over the Rajdhani Express trains. However, on a recent short journey, I was dismayed to find no bottle- holders in the compartment. As a result, empty bottles were rolling around on the floor—an avoidable nuisance caused by a small design oversight.

Speaking of trains in India, have you ever noticed how difficult it is to board them, especially the earlier ones? The high steps made it nearly impossible for elderly or physically challenged individuals without help. Simple changes in design could make a world of difference.

I recall my time in the US, way back in the nineties, attending a training program. The water dispensers there were brilliantly designed—when you turned the tap, a stream of water arched directly into your mouth. No paper cups, no water spillage. Efficient, simple, hygienic. As Einstein said, “The best design is the simplest one that works.”

Patterns in Nature

Patterns in nature are equally, if not more, fascinating. What’s surprising is that their explanation lies not in biology, but in mathematics. Patterns in nature often follow the Fibonacci sequence, the golden ratio, fractals, or Mandelbrot sets.

Nature’s Numbering System

Fibonacci numbers—named after Leonardo Fibonacci—form a sequence where each number is the sum of the two preceding it. These numbers appear remarkably often in the natural world, earning them the name “Nature’s Numbering System.”

Take a walk in nature and you’ll see them: in the arrangement of leaves, flower petals, pinecones, and even pineapples. Some flowers—like periwinkle and hibiscus—have 5 petals; lilies have 3; delphiniums may have 8; corn marigolds 13; asters 21; daisies 34, 55, or even 89. Sunflowers may display 89 or 144 florets. The spiral arrangement of petals, at about 0.618034 of a full turn, maximizes exposure to sunlight and other resources.

Golden Ratio

I had heard of the golden ratio long ago, but didn’t quite understand it. Represented by the Greek letter φ (phi), it's approximately equal to 1.618 and appears in nature, art, architecture, and design. It’s considered aesthetically pleasing, creating balance and beauty.

Mario Livio, in his book The Golden Ratio, notes: “Nature loves logarithmic spirals; from sunflowers, seashells, and whirlpools to hurricanes and giant spiral galaxies—it seems that nature chose this marvellous shape as its favourite ornament.”

Though different, the Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio are closely linked. Dividing one Fibonacci number by its predecessor yields a value that approaches φ as the sequence progresses.

Fractals

Fractals are self-replicating patterns—shapes that look similar at every scale. As someone once put it, “Mother Nature is a hell of a good designer.” Fractals are her blueprint.

You’ll spot fractals in:

• Ferns, where each frond resembles the entire leaf

• Tree branches splitting and re-splitting

• Spiral shells and lightning bolts

• Jagged coastlines, mountains, and clouds

Fractals help us model the complexity of real-world phenomena—from weather systems to computer graphics to biological growth.

Mandelbrot Set

Benoît B. Mandelbrot, a French-American mathematician, was a pioneer in fractal geometry. Using computer graphics, he revealed how intricate patterns can emerge from simple rules. His famous Mandelbrot set, discovered in 1979, showed that even chaotic-looking forms like clouds or coastlines have underlying order—a kind of “playful irregularity” of the universe.

Design of the Natural World

When we marvel at nature’s patterns, we inevitably wonder—who designed them? Charles Darwin proposed that life evolved over time through natural selection. Though initially controversial, his theory still holds today.

Interestingly, Francis Collins, who led the Human Genome Project and served as Director of the U.S. National Institute of Health, argued in his book The Language of God that “an intelligent cause is the best explanation for certain features of the natural world.” His views on intelligent design sparked considerable debate among scientists.

The World of Designs

Design is a defining activity of our times. Design revolutions are simultaneously unfolding across disciplines. Today, good design is not just good functionality and aesthetics —it’s good business. But importantly, as someone wisely said: “A good design creates culture. Culture shapes values. Values determine the future.”

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