The Flying Underbelly
Oh, the promise! I know I am being manipulated but I willingly participate anyway. Shopping at Ikea is a curated experience occurring through space and time. Like an amusement park ride, I give myself over to it as I enter and ascend to the top floor to work my way down, as intended. The diverse displays provide visual stimulation and invite exploration. Rarely have I left with only what I was initially seeking. Design's influence extends far beyond manipulating the visual and tangible and can include inflecting behavior. The Ikea store is as designed as any of its products. I appreciate its persistent assertion that thoughtful, and even unexpected Design can make life more efficient, comfortable, better. It is this potential that drew me to the field. Fairly quickly, however, I realized it's designing the largely invisible stuff like organizations, collaboratives, programs, and policies that can be most satisfying and potent. Arriving on the ground floor of Ikea, where one picks up the unassembled furniture on full display above, is both revelation and disappointment. The vibe shifts from aspiration to utilitarian, but with no less commitment to intention. Long rows of industrial grade shelves are stacked with flat-packed boxes. So much stuff enshrined for consumption. I bring part of the experience, and promise, home with me, loaded into the back of my car, although perhaps not before stopping for a quick drink at the café near the exit to quench a thirst that has only been further piqued.
