Form
Author Dan Harfield
Often, beautiful design happens when you stop trying to make things look good and instead let honest problem-solving, material truth and manufacturing logic create the aesthetic.
This month, I’ve been inspired by form as an authentic expression of function and process.
In these four examples, form is a direct, unadorned consequence of what the object needs to do and how it’s made.
Dive in…
Audi F1 R26 Concept
Audi’s F1 study offers a generous lesson in pure form language. Movement, engineering and performance settle into a single, confident gesture. Every surface blends with intent.
The CMF work carries a raw quality that heightens the sculptural clarity of the body. Function sets the parameters and the form delivers an elegant, high-impact response.
Tilt Beauty
Ease of use often creates the strongest design cues. Case in point: Tilt Beauty. Their make-up tools have been intentionally crafted to make application easier for those with hand dexterity impairments and that requirement drives every design decision.
The result is a family of inclusive products with a calm confident presence and a brand voice shaped by real usability.
Hu watch
As design trends revive the naughties and late 90s , this absolute classic from Ross Lovegrove and Issey Miyake has re-entered the conversation with striking relevance. A master of form, Lovegrove’s work is the epitome of capturing movement and organics into product and the HU watch is no different.
The CMF brings the form into focus by guiding light across the undulating surfaces and drawing attention to the sculptural rhythm of the case. A simple, elegant example of form doing exactly what it needs to do.
AUTARKEIA 1 LP
This collaboration between Materia and algorithm designer Benjomerty builds a surface inspired by the tiny patterns on a gecko’s footprint. The texture grows through an autonomous algorithm and carries a nice mix of precision and spontaneity.
It shows how designer and machine can work together to push bio-inspired ideas in a really natural way. The choice to 3D print the piece brings the detail into sharp focus and gives the form a tactile presence that feels fresh, playful and inquisitive.
