设计之“道”

老子有云:“道可道，非常道。”意思是，“道”似乎可以言说，但却不是恒久不变的。陈正达老师借用老子的观点来阐释设计的“可道”与“非常道”。它的“可道”在于其普及性和应用性，使设计成为日常生活中不可或缺的组成部分；而其“非常道”则在于其内涵的多变性和社会性，使设计不再仅仅是技术与美学的结合，而是一种反映社会、文化与人类需求的深刻思维方式。

设计的最早形式通常与工艺、建筑和艺术密切相关。设计师并没有明确的分工，很多设计工作由建筑师、工艺师、艺术家甚至工匠共同完成。设计的初衷往往是为了满足功能性的需求，同时使物品或建筑物具备美学价值。

直至19世纪中期至20世纪初，工业革命带来了生产力的飞跃，产品的生产不再依赖手工制造，而是通过机械化生产来实现规模化。在这个时期，设计主要集中于产品的功能性和实用性。设计师着重考虑如何提高产品的生产效率，降低成本，并确保产品的功能性。

自20世纪初，随着社会变革、技术创新和文化思潮的变动，设计逐渐进入现代主义阶段。现代主义设计强调简洁、功能、理性和实用，摒弃了过多的装饰。形式追随功能（Form follows function）成为这一时期设计的核心原则。设计不再仅仅是追求美学，而是要符合产品的功能要求，强调材料、结构与使用方式的合理性。

包豪斯学派成立于1919年，由瓦尔特·格罗皮乌斯（Walter Gropius）主导，强调“功能主义”和“工艺与艺术的统一”。包豪斯追求的是艺术与工业生产的结合，倡导设计要具备现代感、实用性和功能性，同时也要具有简洁的美学形式。

中国现代设计教育的建立，在一定程度上借鉴了西方特别是包豪斯的教育模式。20世纪初，包豪斯学派提出的跨学科的设计教育理念和社会责任感，对中国设计教育产生了深远的影响。然而，由于历史的局限性，中国在引进包豪斯思想时，更多关注的是其设计学科的体系与方法，而忽视了包豪斯强调整个社会改造功能的核心思想。

当前的设计教育，尤其是在中国，往往陷入过度强调技巧和审美的局面，忽视了设计的社会功能和文化背景。随着全球化的加剧，设计不仅仅是服务于美学和市场，更要回应当下社会的需求与挑战。维克多·帕帕奈克（Victor Papanek）曾指出：“设计必须成为一种创新的、具有高度创造性的交叉学科，对人类真正的需要负责。”这一观点强调，设计应当以人类需求为核心，考虑到环境、文化、社会等因素，真正为社会发展和人类福祉服务。

基于此，陈正达教授于2019年首次提出“视觉治愈”的理念，并在2021年发表的著作《视觉治愈》中提出“设计之道”的概念，以新的视角看待设计、定义设计。

设计的可道，是指“设计”已经成为一种热词，人人都在谈论设计，人人皆可做设计，我们的生活已经被设计包裹。设计的“非常道”指设计并非仅仅是技术或美学的堆砌，它是一种方法、技巧和思维方式的结合，需要通过系统的学习与长期的实践来精进。在这一点上，设计的“非常道”体现了其复杂性和不可简化性。设计作为一门技艺，要求设计师拥有足够的知识储备、思考深度以及社会责任感。

设计并非仅仅是功能性的解决方案，而是一种深刻的社会性思维方式。设计不仅仅是对事物形态的塑造，它更是一种社会关系的反映，是人类生活方式的缩影。设计通过其形式、色彩、材质等元素，传递着背后复杂的社会文化背景与思想观念。设计具有多维性和深刻性，它不仅仅是外观的创造，更是对社会、文化、历史乃至人类命运的深刻反思。

设计，作为一种“可道”与“非常道”的双重属性，不仅是一个实践性极强的学科，也是一种不断演化的思想和方法。在面对现代设计教育的挑战时，我们需要从包豪斯的理念中汲取智慧，同时保持对本土文化、社会需求的敏感与反思。正如陈正达教授所言：“设计教育培养的是一种智慧与能力，出了如艺匠般的审美与技巧，还培养一种世界观的思考方法，即设计是一种社会性思维，这是一种深植入文化和社会需求的思维方式。”

The “Dao” of Design

Laozi once said, “The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao.” This means that the "Dao" may appear to be describable, but it is not unchanging. Professor Chen Zhengda uses Laozi's viewpoint to explain the “can-be-spoken” and “cannot-be-spoken” aspects of design. Its “can-be-spoken” aspect lies in its universality and applicability, making design an indispensable part of daily life; while its “cannot-be-spoken” aspect resides in its ever-changing and social nature, making design not just a combination of technology and aesthetics, but a profound way of thinking that reflects society, culture, and human needs.

The earliest forms of design were closely related to craftsmanship, architecture, and art. Designers did not have clear divisions of labor, and many design tasks were completed collaboratively by architects, craftsmen, artists, and even artisans. The original intent of design was often to meet functional needs while also ensuring that objects or buildings had aesthetic value.

It was not until the mid-19th century and the early 20th century, with the advent of the Industrial Revolution, that there was a leap in productivity. Product manufacturing no longer relied on manual labor but was achieved through mechanized production on a large scale. During this period, design primarily focused on the functionality and practicality of products. Designers emphasized improving production efficiency, reducing costs, and ensuring product functionality.

Since the early 20th century, with social changes, technological innovations, and shifting cultural movements, design gradually entered the Modernist phase. Modernist design emphasized simplicity, functionality, rationality, and practicality, rejecting excessive ornamentation. "Form follows function" became the core principle of design during this period. Design was no longer solely about pursuing aesthetics but was focused on meeting the functional requirements of the product, emphasizing the rationality of materials, structure, and usage.

The Bauhaus school, founded in 1919 by Walter Gropius, emphasized "functionalism" and the "unity of craftsmanship and art." Bauhaus sought to combine art with industrial production, advocating for design that embodied modernity, practicality, and functionality while also having a simple aesthetic form.

The establishment of modern design education in China was, to some extent, influenced by Western, particularly Bauhaus, educational models. The interdisciplinary design education philosophy and social responsibility proposed by the Bauhaus school in the early 20th century had a profound impact on Chinese design education. However, due to historical limitations, when China introduced Bauhaus ideas, the focus was more on the design discipline system and methods, while the core idea of Bauhaus about social transformation was somewhat overlooked.

Current design education, especially in China, often falls into the trap of overly emphasizing skills and aesthetics while neglecting the social function and cultural context of design. With the intensification of globalization, design is no longer just about serving aesthetics and the market; it must respond to contemporary social needs and challenges. Victor Papanek once pointed out, "Design must become an innovative, highly creative, interdisciplinary field responsible for addressing true human needs." This viewpoint emphasizes that design should be human-centered, considering environmental, cultural, and social factors, and genuinely serve social development and human well-being.

In this context, Professor Chen Zhengda first proposed the concept of "visual healing" in 2019 and introduced the concept of "The Dao of Design" in his 2021 bookVisual Healing, offering a new perspective on design and defining it.

The “can-be-spoken” aspect of design refers to how “design” has become a buzzword, something that everyone discusses, and everyone can engage in design. Our lives are already enveloped by design. The “cannot-be-spoken” aspect of design means that design is not merely a pile-up of technology or aesthetics; it is a combination of methods, techniques, and ways of thinking, which requires systematic learning and long-term practice to refine. In this sense, the "cannot-be-spoken" aspect reflects its complexity and indeterminacy. As a craft, design requires designers to have sufficient knowledge, deep thinking, and a sense of social responsibility.

Design is not just a functional solution; it is a profound social way of thinking. Design is not only about shaping the form of things; it is also a reflection of social relationships, a microcosm of human ways of life. Through elements such as form, color, and materials, design conveys the complex social, cultural, and ideological backgrounds behind it. Design has multidimensionality and depth; it is not merely the creation of appearance but a profound reflection on society, culture, history, and even human destiny.

Design, as a discipline with both“can-be-spoken”and“cannot-be-spoken”attributes, is not only a highly practical field but also a constantly evolving way of thinking and methodology. When facing the challenges of modern design education, we need to draw wisdom from the Bauhaus ideas while remaining sensitive to and reflective on local culture and societal needs. As Professor Chen Zhengda has stated: "Design education cultivates a kind of wisdom and ability; beyond the aesthetic and technical skills of an artisan, it cultivates a way of thinking with a worldview, i.e., design as a social way of thinking, which is deeply embedded in culture and social needs."