CHAPTER 2 通読用英文
The Power of Design
1
Good morning, everyone! Welcome to our museum and to our Power of Design exhibition. I’m Nancy Wilson and I’ll be your guide today. To start off, what comes to mind when you hear the word “design”? Fashion design? Car design? Graphic design? In fact, almost everything around us is deeply connected to design. Here you’ll learn about various types of design, how design is related to function, and the social impact of designs.
Generally speaking, design is defined as a combination of shape, pattern, and color. Good design can make products appear more attractive; it can make things easier to use; and it can even affect people’s behavior and mood.
Look at these umbrellas. Some are long, others are short, and yet others have different handles. Umbrellas are a familiar item, but they come in a wide variety of shapes, patterns, and colors.
2
In this section of the exhibition, you will see that in some cases a product’s design is closely related to its function. When you look at these two pots, you can see that the spouts are attached in different places. One is at the top and the other is at the bottom. Why do you think they are in different positions?
Many Japanese teapots have strainers in the spout. They help to prevent tea leaves from getting into the tea cup. It would be difficult to include a strainer in a spout attached lower down on the pot. In contrast, this coffee pot’s spout is attached lower down. That helps to slow down the hot water as it is poured over the coffee grounds so that you can make a good cup of coffee.
Both spouts have the same basic function but different designs because the way the function is performed is slightly different. In other words, the way something is used or the function it carries out often has an effect on its design.
3
The next section is concerned with the effects of design on human behavior. Look at the two crosswalks on the screen. One is ordinary but the other one is unusual because it has a diagonal pattern. Why do you think it’s designed this way?
You normally walk straight across a road, but when you see this new crosswalk, you are subconsciously tempted to walk toward the right. As a result, people walking across from either side of the road don’t bump into each other. This is a good example of how design can change people’s behavior.
Making a diagonal line on a crosswalk is much easier than posting a “KEEP RIGHT” sign in multiple languages. It is also more effective because design sometimes speaks louder than words. This type of design is called “persuasive design.”
4
This is the last section of the exhibition. Here, we look at the social impact of design. In the 1980s, the crime rate in New York City, including on its subway system, was extremely high. The mayor of the city led a campaign to cut crime. By the 1990s, the subway system was less dangerous but various problems persisted. The subway trains were still dark and dirty.
In 2000, Japanese industrial designer Udagawa Masamichi worked with Sigi Moeslinger to improve subway trains through the power of design. On the wall, you can see pictures of the new train they designed.
The introduction of new trains helped make the subway system safer, and passenger satisfaction went up. This shows that a new design can have a direct impact on society.
* * *
That’s the end of our tour. I hope that you enjoyed it and that you learned more about design. I also hope you will be able to take a fresh look at the things you encounter in your everyday life in terms of design. Thank you.
1
Good morning, everyone! Welcome to our museum and to our Power of Design exhibition. I’m Nancy Wilson and I’ll be your guide today. To start off, what comes to mind when you hear the word “design”? Fashion design? Car design? Graphic design? In fact, almost everything around us is deeply connected to design. Here you’ll learn about various types of design, how design is related to function, and the social impact of designs.
Generally speaking, design is defined as a combination of shape, pattern, and color. Good design can make products appear more attractive; it can make things easier to use; and it can even affect people’s behavior and mood.
Look at these umbrellas. Some are long, others are short, and yet others have different handles. Umbrellas are a familiar item, but they come in a wide variety of shapes, patterns, and colors.
2
In this section of the exhibition, you will see that in some cases a product’s design is closely related to its function. When you look at these two pots, you can see that the spouts are attached in different places. One is at the top and the other is at the bottom. Why do you think they are in different positions?
Many Japanese teapots have strainers in the spout. They help to prevent tea leaves from getting into the tea cup. It would be difficult to include a strainer in a spout attached lower down on the pot. In contrast, this coffee pot’s spout is attached lower down. That helps to slow down the hot water as it is poured over the coffee grounds so that you can make a good cup of coffee.
Both spouts have the same basic function but different designs because the way the function is performed is slightly different. In other words, the way something is used or the function it carries out often has an effect on its design.
3
The next section is concerned with the effects of design on human behavior. Look at the two crosswalks on the screen. One is ordinary but the other one is unusual because it has a diagonal pattern. Why do you think it’s designed this way?
You normally walk straight across a road, but when you see this new crosswalk, you are subconsciously tempted to walk toward the right. As a result, people walking across from either side of the road don’t bump into each other. This is a good example of how design can change people’s behavior.
Making a diagonal line on a crosswalk is much easier than posting a “KEEP RIGHT” sign in multiple languages. It is also more effective because design sometimes speaks louder than words. This type of design is called “persuasive design.”
4
This is the last section of the exhibition. Here, we look at the social impact of design. In the 1980s, the crime rate in New York City, including on its subway system, was extremely high. The mayor of the city led a campaign to cut crime. By the 1990s, the subway system was less dangerous but various problems persisted. The subway trains were still dark and dirty.
In 2000, Japanese industrial designer Udagawa Masamichi worked with Sigi Moeslinger to improve subway trains through the power of design. On the wall, you can see pictures of the new train they designed.
The introduction of new trains helped make the subway system safer, and passenger satisfaction went up. This shows that a new design can have a direct impact on society.
* * *
That’s the end of our tour. I hope that you enjoyed it and that you learned more about design. I also hope you will be able to take a fresh look at the things you encounter in your everyday life in terms of design. Thank you.
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