Fluctuating objects waiting for consolidation

Abstract

The idea of opacity as opposed to transparency in modern design projects emerges with the arrival of the post-industrial period in history. The term is suitable for highlighting the importance of opacity in contemporary design projects and can be viewed as social, functional or matter opacity in addition to an aesthetic category. However, there is a new and more radical form of opacity entailed by contemporary design, especially in the last decade: the spreading of what is today considered a “design object” to the most evident aspect, to the intangible organization and, in particular, to the emotional dimension. Over the last twenty years, new practices and visions have come up. These are not linked to the classical design of “industrial product”, but entirely reflect what is understood as a design project culture: services design, interface design, design for productive environments, interaction design, experience design, strategic design, etc.