From protoypes to monotypes. Neo-craftmanship in architecture and design

Abstract

[EN] The paper focuses on characterizing a current design trend —sometimes called neo-craftsmanship— that uses manual processes to create unique objects. About a century ago, pioneers of modern architecture and design pushed their primary trend towards prototypes definition in their massive industrial —mechanical and serial— production. Nowadays, an opposite impulse can be identified looking for monotypes definition —single products or from limited series—, with high manual intervention and capable of being customized to assume the individuality of each user. On one side, creative strategies used by mo-dernist designers founded their design process on objective criteria: rational, functional or economic. Nevertheless, in this other case, designers prefer subjective criteria based on expressiveness, significant forms, chance or casual associations. In some way, this trend supposes a return to the art and industry debate between crafts and design that presided over the genesis of the modern movement. It is possible to find this trend not only in post-industrial societies but also in those in their process of industrialization, where it appears as a differentiated alternative. In this last case, design methodologies or strategies are applied to push an economic development best based on sustainable exploitation of local resources or applying traditional productive techniques, skills or capacities. Finally, the paper identifies and proposes study cases as representative examples in product design and architectural activities to illustrate this trend. Some of them can also be connected to design strategies aligned with environmental sustainability positions: reuse, reduction and recycling of materials and products; preference for low-polluting industrial processes; water and energy saving; life cycle management; local production and consumption; and so on.