Theory Reading #2 Design and Culture

In watching the film, Babette's Feast, I was able to not only gain an understanding of that time period in Jubland, Denmark, but also about how design and culture relate. For the two sisters, life was simple, orderly, and structured. They seemed sheltered from the outside world. When it came time for Babette's only wish (to cook a home-cooked French meal for their fathers 100th birthday) the sisters began to worry they were letting sin into their home and that they had made a mistake. It was at this moment where design and culture became interrelated to me. At this time in the movie I was able to see that for Jubland, Denmark, dining was bland and had simple preparations with food. They sat around a small table that was not delicately set and often would sing hymns and pray.  But, for the people of France, dining was more. They not only drank wine, but also had the most finest tableware and the most detailed and elaborate meals (turtle soup and quails). Though I do know that not all people of France eat this way, it shows that culture plays an important roll in design, whether it be food, a building, etc. Different cultures gives the world original and unique designs.

What intrigues me the most about how designs differ in different cultures is that you can learn from the way others design and combine two different cultures designs and make a new design yourself. Traveling and seeing these different designs in different cultures is what has driven me to become a designer and design new things. It is what has made me choose this major.

I am hoping that through watching this film, and being reminded that because of culture we have design and through designing we gain differences in culture, that I will be able to incorporate this into my next project in designing a dining space for a new together holiday.

Babette preparing the food for the feast

The family embraces and enjoys the food Babette has prepared and learns of anothers culture
http://www.listal.com/viewimage/1653256