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The Future: Design and My Part In It (Exploring the future of design with
perspectives from Nikian Aghababaie's professional design standpoint)

Article · April 2014

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The Future: Design and my
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Exploring the future of design with perspectives from Nikian Aghababaie’s
professional design standpoint
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Written by

Nikian Aghababaie
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School of Architecture, Design & the Built Environment
Nottingham Trent University
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April 2014
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NIKIAN AGHABABAIE
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There are two aspects in my life that define me, the first is that I consider myself a
perfectionist. I aspire for the very best in everything I do and this has a profound
effect on who I am as a designer and the work I produce. The second is that I am
driven to change the way people live, to change society for the better by pushing
the boundaries of design in my work - therefore one could call me an idealist.
Throughout this essay you will see evidence of these points amidst topics that
explain what my perception of the future of design will be.
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Nikian Aghababaie
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This essay will cover some of the key aspects of Design through the topics of
Materials and Manufacture Processes, specifically focusing on the impact that 3D
Printing has in the future of the design industry and society. Amongst these topics
there will be reference to the author’s personal work, interests and ethics which
establishes who he is as a designer.
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The Future of Materials
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The Oxford Dictionary definition for ‘Design’ is “The established form of a product
from a preliminary sketch or picture to construction from parts” (Sykes J.B 1982). This
definition states that design is a process from a thought to drawings and finally into
form. Focusing specifically on the transition from drawing to form in Product
Design, an imperative aspect is that the product carries out the purpose it was
designed for and this is reliant on the materials it is constructed from and
manufacturing process as noted by ‘Scientific American’:
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Nothing will impact how things are made, and what they are capable of more than the
materials manufacturers use to make those things. New materials change both the
manufacturing process and the end result (Ashley & Greenemeir 2013).
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This perspective demonstrates that material choice is paramount because it defines
the manufacturing process which is necessary and as a result affects over all costs of
producing the item. However this is not necessarily the only way of approaching
material selection. A specific model may need to be manufactured in a particular
way, such as an object which can only be produced by 3D printing - an object
impossible to manufacture any other way, for example, a ball in a sphere without
any links or seams. The choice of materials is greatly reduced to certain materials
such as ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), PLA (Polylactic Acid), wood and even
some metals. Other more strategic approaches to material selection can be
considered. For example, the use of the relatively new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA )
‘analyses and assesses the environmental impacts associated with a product,
processes or service by multi-attribute product evaluations’ (Miettinen and Hämäläinen,
1997, p.292). In Figure 1 it is apparent that this process takes many different aspects
of the product and materials into account giving a reliable solution to the choice in
materials. One of the most paramount factors for most companies when selling a

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product is the cost, which must be considered within the LCA. In the production
phase of a product’s life, the saving potentials correlate to the energy utilisation
from the production of raw materials; that is why composites such as Carbon Fibre,
herein are the most expensive. (Bártolo, 2013)

Figure 1 - Example of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) (SAIC, 2006, p. 1)

With new materials come the possibility of new types of products that could make a
big impact on society. One example is the research into ‘Shrilk’ - a new bio-inspired
plastic from Harvard University’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering.
It is cheap to produce, biodegradable, biocompatible, only half the weight of an
aluminium alloy but similar in strength and toughness. By studying the layered
structure of grasshopper cuticles, complex interactions in chemistry and laminar
design, Javier G. Fernandez, Ph.D and Donald Ingber, M.D, Ph.D were able to
engineer a thin, clear film that has the same composition and structure as insect
cuticles. This type of analysis is known as 'Biomimetic' research - ‘the design and
production of materials, structures, and systems that are modelled on biological
entities and processes ‘(Oxforddictionaries.com, 2014). This material is thought to one
day ‘replace plastics in consumer products and be used safely in a variety of medical
applications’ making it a very desirable material impacting on many lives (Mowatt,
2011). Shown in Figure 2 is a replica of an insect wing which was made from Shrilk,
demonstrating the detail you could achieve with this multifunctional material. The
wide range of possibilities and the way these types of new materials would interact
with people’s lives on a daily basis is a big appeal to the author because of his
ambitions to make an impact on society. This is one reason why Aghababaie chose
design as a course of study; because he knew through the power of creativity and
inspiring new technologies (such as these new materials) he could also contribute to

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Figure 2 - Replica of an insect wing made from Shrilk (Mowatt, 2011)

society. This aspiration is apparent in his work for children with special needs. Shown
in Figure 3 are seven seats, each corresponding to the seven core notes in the
musical scale. When sat on produce produce sound, light and vibrations and are
connected to one another via bluetooth. They encourages deaf, blind and autistic
children aged 5 to 15 years to interact and communicate more easily with other
disabled or non-disabled children.

Figure 3 - ‘Musical Chairs’ Designed by Nikian Aghababaie

Biomimicry is not unique and is a recurring feature in the discovery of new materials,
such as the creation of ‘Velcro’. George de Mestral took the inspiration from the
hooks on Burrs when they stuck to his dog’s fur whilst walking through the park - this
could be considered as accidental biomimetic design (Figure 4).

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Figure 4 - Image of hooks on a Burr (Maggie, 2012)

The reason humans take inspiration from nature is because (according to Darwin’s
theory of evolution), nature’s progression over billions of years is the process of trial
and error leaving only the successful solutions to the current time. As a result the
future of design could be inspired by these pre-existed processes of trial and error,
resulting in a viable solution to many design problems led by humans. One aspect
as mentioned that motivates the author, is the drive for perfection and he believes
that the use of biomimetics will inspire him. Nature perfecting designs over billions
of years appears to be the closest thing to elegant solutions for his design
problems, which are often the most beautifully viable. One website he refers to
when considering design solutions is a developing website called
www.asknature.org and is a catalog of nature’s solutions to human design
challenges. This form of collective information can greatly benefit future designers
by giving them solutions that potentially improves their designs and the world of
tomorrow for consumers.

Another key impact on material science is the use of ‘smart materials’. A common
commercially available example is Shape Memory Alloys are (SMA). For example if a
wire with ‘memory’ in it is deformed followed by heat (around 90ºC) it will return to
the original ‘memory shape’ on its own. These types of smart materials have huge
potential for future applications in many fields such as aerospace, product design
and interior design. However not many designers are aware or able to access these
new technologies because there is little information about SMA and this is mostly
available to universities or large organisations. This means the potential for future
applications in the design world are limited. Current trends in DIY (Do It Yourself)

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fields such as www.instructables.com direct anyone to learn how to make simple

products from most commercially available products. Websites like these for smart
materials are only starting to develop such as www.openmaterials.org and give
power to the independent designer and design community without having barriers
such as requiring special access or being excluded from the institutional privileges.
The author believes it is important that the design community is aware of these
types of technologies and how they are made and work. This is because if designers
aren’t understanding of how new technologies (such as smart materials) work, they
will not be able to shape and improve their functionality. Moreover, if there is no
awareness of the materials that are worked with, this will inhibit designers and their
potential ideas, that ultimately could make a profoundly negative impact on the
advancement of design and hold back the benefits to society. Looking back in
history an example of this would be around the 1900s with the use of Asbestos and
the dangerous health aspects now related to it.
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The last topic that will be discussed on materials is the futuristic field of
Nanotechnology - another region not fully understood or easily accessed by the
public. Current leading technological research into nanotechnology is the material
‘Graphene’. This is composed of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a
hexagonal pattern, found in every pencil and is a very good conductor of electricity,
300 times stronger than steel yet it is flexible. (Warner and Schaffel et al., 2013 P. 16, 298,
366) These features mean that it opens many new fields of opportunity for designers
such as transparent, flexible electronics which could operate much faster than
current ones. These applications are undoubtedly futuristic but without the
understanding from current designers and in depth research these technologies will
not be accessible to the general public. The future of design, therefore, may not
only be dependent on how designers use their knowledge but fundamentally if they
are given the information and opportunity to understand future technologies so
they can implement them within their designs.
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The Future of Manufacturing

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As discussed in the first part of this essay, it is believed that materials and
manufacturing processes are intrinsic aspects that define the product and if it will
fulfil its purpose. Focusing on the manufacturing element, along with agriculture
and transport, production techniques grew vastly and proportionally with each of
the two industrial revolutions. The first began during the late 18th century in Britain
with the birth of the factory when the textile industry converted to a mechanical
process as opposed to the original laborious hand woven technique. Due to the
increase in production of fabric this brought greater volume of material, and
therefore increased, jobs, sales and wealth, leading to financial boom. From the
second industrial revolution came mass production when Henry Ford perfected the
moving assembly line during the early 20th century, making society more mobile,
urban and wealthy. In terms of the future, The Economist believes that society is
currently in the third industrial revolution due to the peak in software, materials,
robots and most importantly, new processes such as 3D printing. (The Economist, 2012)
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New production techniques such as 3D printing allow brand new ways for products
to be made and as a result give birth to exciting new technologies and forms.
Essentially 3D printing takes information from a three-dimensional model designed
on the computer using Computer Aided Design (CAD) software. It is then broken
down into binary (1s and 0s) and using this data as coordinates the print head
positions itself in three-dimensional space to build the object consecutively, layer by
layer. There are many different methods of 3D printing. The original was called
Stereolithography (SLA) and was invented in 1986 by Charles Hull who also founded
the company 3D Systems. (Fleming, 2013) From November 2011 to February 2014, 3D
Systems acquired 18 companies relating to the 3D printing industry (Seekingalpha.com,
2014) to gain market dominance in the 3D printing (and scanning) world. This
indicates that it is becoming a ruthless, competitive market and that big firms such
as 3D Systems are trying to take control of trade by gaining as much market share
as possible by the acquisition of smaller firms that may attempt or are unable to
compete.
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Stereolithography works by concentrating a beam of ultraviolet light focused onto
the surface of a vat filled with liquid photo-curable resin. The layer is raised a very

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small amount to cure the next layer of the liquid onto the previous solid layer and
this process continues until the object reaches it’s final layer and the form is
complete. An image of the SLA method is demonstrated in Figure 5.

Figure 5 - Example of SLA 3D printer in progress (CES 2013, 2013)

One other method of 3D printing is known as Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) -

heating and extruding a filament of plastic material such as ABS layer by layer,
similar to the way a glue gun works. Due to the low cost in parts and method of
printing this is often the cheapest type of 3D printer on the market, however there
are limitations with the ‘resolution’ or quality of print. These restrictions are due to
the nozzle width, viscosity of the extruded plastic and the fact that it relies on
gravity for the filament to fall on top of the previous layer. This reliability on gravity
makes it difficult to print anywhere else other than Earth. Following research, ‘Made
In Space’ (acquired by NASA) demonstrates that the FDM method of printing is
possible in space, despite having to battle against microgravity, differing air
pressures, limited power and variable temperatures. (Snyder and Dunn et al., 2014) The
first 3D printer will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) with planed
expedition from March 2014 to October 2015. The applications for 3D printing in
the space industry seem endless and for the International Space Station alone,
replacing parts without needing to spend large amounts of money and fuel to
transport from earth seem not only economically viable but far better for the Earth’s
environment. Further investigation and applications for these printers in the space
industry include food for astronauts and constructing lunar buildings printing from
the dust on the Moon (cooperation between NASA and Arup Architects). The author
believes that these types of innovations are profound advances in design and the
ever expanding human race, searching for knowledge outside our planet.

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Despite the fact that these manufacturing techniques give designers, engineers and
others powerful new tools to create revolutionary ideas and push the development
of humanity forward, these tools can also be used negatively within society. For
example, on May 3rd 2012 in Texas, ‘Defence Distributed’ fabricated the first
firearm using a high resolution FDM 3D printer and shared it on the internet for
anyone interested to also print one at home. This sparked riots in the US as it was
soon after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. It is now apparent that with
these great production tools, there must be strict regulations and monitoring,
especially as 3D parts on Computer Aided Design can be shared easily through
websites such as www.thingiverse.com were the ‘maker community’ share models
for each other to print easily. In relation to incidences like these, the human
psychological and social behaviour towards 3D printers would be greatly varied
along with the relationships between work and home if 3D printers start to enter
more residences. Other negative aspects could include copyright infringements with
3D scanners and hackers copying and illegally sharing real life products; changes in
cultural characteristics and consumable habits. Relating back to the third revolution,
it is considered that there is a decline in consumer desire for mass produced
products and a shift towards customisable products. (The Economist, 2012) 3D printers
provide that ability directly to the consumer as they can personalise their object to
their specification before printing it conveniently at home. An increase in offshore
production by large corporations (such as Motorola) are now moving back to the
countries that the products are designed from, not because cheap labour wages are
rising, but because companies now want production to be closer to their customers
and design teams so that they can respond more quickly to alteration in demand.
(The Economist, 2012) This rise in personalisation is apparent with future development
on mobile technology such as ‘Project Ara’ by Google. This is a progressive concept
of a ‘modular phone’ where the consumer only buys the specific parts with the
desired features, followed by replacing ‘blocks’ into the frame (Figure 6). This
individuality ranges further from aesthetic desirability but could even aim towards
medical applications such as attaching a finger Oximeter.
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Figure 6 - Rendered image of Project Ara (Kieldsen, 2014)

Following a short interview over the phone with an Autodesk implode (who
preferred to stay anonymous) it was clear even in the leading CAD industry, they are
seeing rapid change in consumer desirability for customisation. However this
increase in personalised 3D printing may not be desirable to all as some people
may feel uncomfortable by how little human input there is on the production of
products, especially regarding 3D printing. These aspects could be related back to
the nostalgic comfort of the fingerprints and slight imperfections from the
production of Wallace and Gromit.

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Conclusion
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To conclude, design is increasingly in the hands of the consumer with rise in
bespoke manufacturing in this ‘third industrial revolution’. Technology is expanding
exponentially, as a result design follows with the applications of Biomimetics,
Nanotechnology, smart materials and the advances in 3D printing. Negative effects
may threaten advancement however with careful legislation this may protect the
future of design.

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Bibliography
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Ashley, S. and Greenemeier, L. (2013). 9 Materials That Will Change the Future of
Manufacturing. [online] 22nd April. Available at: http://www.scientificamerican.com/
article/9-materials-that-will-change-manufacturing/ [Accessed: 8 Apr 2014].
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Bártolo, H. M. (2013). Green design, materials and manufacturing processes.
Leiden, The Netherlands: CRC Press/Balkema, p. 189
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CES 2013: Form1 3D Printer from FORMLABS (Stereolithography). [user generated
content Youtube] khvahik. (11 Jan 2013). Available at: https://www.youtube.com/
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Fleming, M. (2013). What is 3D Printing? An Overview. [online] Available at: http://
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