The Business Case for Beauty
Exploring the economic, social and sustainability impacts of beautiful design and its defining role in the 21st century innovation, each designer presented his or her case for beauty. Panelists in this special Canadian event—organized by Ontario’s Design Industry Advisory Committee—included Paul Filek, Burdifilek; Janna Levitt, Levitt Goodman Architects; Helen Kerr, Kerr and Co.; and Scott Torrance, Scott Torrance Landscape Architects. The session was moderated by Arlene Gould of the Design Industry Advisory Committee in Toronto.
Kerr kicked things off with an intriguing analysis of how humans are programmed for beauty. “We are hardwired for beauty,” she proclaimed. “Every part of us can perceive it.” In Kerr’s opinion, beauty gives us delight, leads to desire and allows us to belong. Encountering beautiful objects affects you, she said.
Levitt went on to examine the beauty found in nature and artifacts. “Beauty is an entity in harmony with nature,” she explained. Beauty also is proportion, function, fundamentally experiential, and is context and intent, Levitt detailed.
Filek continued the discussion with a look at how his firm uses beauty to create an integral touchpoint. He believes you can harness the power of beauty by creating points of memory, and also said that beauty is forever changing and evolving. His most poignant comment, however, was that “true beauty is in the details.”
Torrance further commented on the theme of beautiful design engaging all the senses. His design work concerns bringing the beautiful qualities of nature and living things to urban environments. “Green roofs can be unique beautiful places,” he said, noting the health and wellbeing benefits and improved cognitive function that results from being surrounded by nature.
After listening to the panelists, attendees no doubt felt that the case for beauty is an essential one to make.
—Jessie Bove