Is "utilitarian" a style? Can there be style in the lack of style?

@konstruct I'd argue that "utilitarian" can sort-of be a style, but is definitely not a "lack of style". Rather, design is informed by many factors including functionality, which is dependent on many things (how, when, by whom is the item used? to what end? what are the constraints? the cultural context? the technologies and materials available at this time?)

As an example, some consider the Dieter Rams approach to design to be very minimalistic and utilitarian, but his objects still ended up defining a specific style and are not driven purely by "utility".

Some very simple objects could be considered as purely utilitarian with no style, for ex. a plain pickaxe. Yet, depending on the material used for the handle, the shape of the head, how it was forged... a historian could define what period it was made in, and attribute a "style" to it.

So to me, "utilitarian" is a descriptor that usually means "this design favours being efficient at its primary function(s) and attempts to convey it"

@equisett enjoyed reading your answer :]

@konstruct cargo shorts

@idk truth

@konstruct I think “utilitarian” is a series of styles - each one is the aesthetic of the unique problem-solving style (and preferences) of the person who created it. everyone’s bare practicality ends up looking different and I find that beautiful

for example when a bunch of people are problem-solving at a table together, they tend to lay out papers and tools and etc. in a specific pattern and each one will look different, in terms of organization (or lackthereof) and overall layout. and no two tables will look the same, even if they’re trying to solve the same problem

@kasdeya just like there are different approaches to teaching, there are different ways to be utilitarian *nod*

@konstruct I love this question btw! I’ve always had a deep appreciation for bare practicality and all of the different forms it takes. like programming languages or conlangs like Lojban or Esperanto. I love seeing how different people try to optimize different things in very different ways - and I definitely have an aesthetic appreciation for it. in fact I think one of the main reasons that I write code is because I want to make something for myself to aesthetically appreciate, which is why I’m always learning new languages to write code in

@kasdeya the beauty of trying to do a thing right