The romanticism and rationalism in Apple's design

When it comes to Apple's products, I believe we all have some of the key words on our heads: "Concise, exquisite, high-end, cool ...". Many people have not yet used Apple products, has been attracted by its product design, this is Apple's design charm.

Apple's industrial design has always been at the forefront of the industry. What kind of process does its product design go through? ID Commune has pointed out that Apple's design can be divided into "romanticism" and "post-romanticism". As I understand it, "post-romanticism", if used "rationalism" to describe may be easier to understand (the classification criteria are based on product morphological characteristics), the following is an analysis of the two different periods, the characteristics of Apple products.

The Romantic period (1998-2001), the eruption of product design and exploration period.

The real starting point for Apple's design should be in 1998, during the year, when the IMac G3 released. It also marks the arrival of the Jonathan Ive era of Apple's design. Until then, Apple's products had no place in the industrial design, only to say "well". Although it has applied to the arc line, but no distinctive features. With a bunch of PC products, it's hard to tell which Apple products are.

The emergence of the IMac G3, breaking the personal computer in the eyes of the consistent rigid stiff image, let the eyes of one of the bright. On this product, the curve is the absolute protagonist. The plump lines and rounded corners form a body with fascinating curves, and you can see the rounded lines at any angle. In addition to the ubiquitous curve, the imac carries two other important features Apple has in the Romantic period: translucent plastic texture, changeable colors. The imac's stunning styling has once caused other manufacturers to scramble for a model, and a wave of the imac.

From this product, we see Apple's pent-up design inspiration for the outbreak of the situation, like a runaway Mustang, wanton run, sway at ease. This is a bold attempt to make the people have a new understanding of computer products, the imac designed to make personal computers more user-friendly and vitality. At the same time this product is becoming a symbol of fashion and current.

After the IMac G3, products with "romantic" ancestry emerged. Stretch lines, translucent plastic appearance, rich colors are their common characteristics.

In evolving products, we also see subtle changes in design.

In the 2000 launch of the Cube mainframe, began to the more thick and stable direction of development, the use of the curve has been convergent, the appearance of a regular concise cube. You will find that this product line has more lines than the curve, the curve from the wanton free curve over to the basic curve, more rational. What you see more is the plane, not the surface. such as the four rounded corners of the front border. Although the cube has failed in Apple's history, its design success is unquestioned (a number of international industrial design awards, as well as a collection of science museums), and the design of the cube also affects Apple's own design. The advent of the cube can be seen as a turning point in the "Romanticism" period, suggesting that Apple's design style is slowly converging and settling, moving closer to a more concise and sedate direction.

In 2001, the PowerMac Quicksilver version was released, contrasting the PowerMac G3 version, the color became transparent and white, and the cosmetic modification was further reduced (even the logo of Apple on the front of the chassis was removed), and the product looked more sedate and seamless. The emergence of this evolutionary version heralds a gradual shift in the design side of Apple's products.

The same year, PowerBook Titanium G4 (commonly known as "Titanium Book") released, this is Apple's first product shell on the use of a large number of metal materials. The appearance of Simplicity founder is more like the evolution of cube design style. At this time, we already feel that this product has Apple pedigree with the previous product is significantly different: the metal shell to enhance the product's heavy sense, the use of lines more concise and compact, more simple appearance. These features were inherited by Apple's later notebooks, which laid the foundation for the MacBook and MacBook Pro and became a hallmark of the "rationalism" period.

The same year also released the first generation of the ipod, its design, is "Titanium book" style continues to sublimate, the same metal shell, more concise lines, more heavy appearance, the plane with rounded corners of the perfect combination. Its appearance shows that Apple's design style has completed a successful transformation process, "rationalism" has slowly penetrated into the design of various products.

Rationalism period (2001-present), product design stability period, design more stable, concise, more emphasis on practical.

2003, PowerBook G4 aluminum (commonly known as "Aluminum Book") released. This notebook is now the Apple Series notebook Classic. It can be said that up to now the latest MacBook Pro, in the design is based on PowerBook G4 to do subtraction, fewer surfaces, fewer lines.

In the same year, Power Mac G5 released, the entire aluminum shell, straight and rounded corners of the combination of the whole product rigid. In this product, we saw more sharp lines, more stable appearance and more concise design, the appearance of no superfluous decorative, more powerful interpretation of Apple in the "rationalism" period has a new feature: "Practical." The chassis is also a classic, now Mac Pro, in addition to the chassis behind the changes in the interface, there is little change in appearance.

The release of the two aluminum-metal shell products in 2003 suggests that Apple has fully entered the "rationalism" period. Later products increasingly use aluminum as a shell material to show the appearance of the product texture and noble temperament.

The concept of "rationalism" is also evolving for a long time, with tough lines and sharp right angles being used in large numbers. Starting with the 2008 version of the imac, everyone gets an aluminum-shell imac while also getting a sharp 90-degree edge. This design gives Apple a clear, sharp line profile when it is in a complex lighting environment. The MacBook Air, a new generation of Macbook,macbook pro edges, has also become a gorgeous 90-degree blade. The 90-degree angled edge of the notebook, in addition to having previously said the advantages, but also let the notebook in a closed state appears more rigorous and stable, but for the user is not good news, too sharp edge so that users in the process of using a notebook may be cut.

Fortunately, the latest ipad has been released, we are pleased to see the edge of the change, still have a sharp line contour, but a more excessive surface, so that the edge of the angle to become larger. With a rounded edge of the iphone, the comfort is not reduced, a more tough and concise. From this edge of evolution we can see that Apple's design is still evolving, more human, more practical.

Finally, to illustrate, in the "rationalism" period, "Romanticism" still exists, this is Apple's product is so attractive source, but most of the time, the "Romanticism" brought about by the design more rational. Like the latest MacBook and Magic Mouse, we see the return of Romanticism: the smooth surface, the translucent plastic texture. At the same time, pure white, minimalist design and solid shape make them more rational in design.

The content and views of the article are personal opinions, welcome to discuss.

Source: http://uedc.163.com/1016.html