HUMAN BEHAVIOUR AND INTERPRETATION IN DESIGN

“Objects are often understood before they are used. Through form, proportion, material and detail they can communicate quietly, inviting certain actions while recalling other objects, past experiences and familiar typologies encountered over time. This accumulated knowledge does not sit outside design practice; it subtly shapes how an object is read, approached and eventually handled.

This work engages with that first moment of interpretation, when meaning and use are still open. A product is not only a tool but also a carrier of cultural and personal references that connect to shared visual languages. Sometimes appearance aligns closely with operation, while in other cases it shifts that expectation just enough to encourage closer attention and allow a different experience to unfold. Recognition becomes an entry point, and the user’s own background actively participates in the outcome.

Within this framework, my practice focuses on the dialogue between how objects are read and how they are used. The pieces in this collection are conceived with attention both to bodily interaction and to interpretation. Ergonomic considerations such as posture, reach, weight and balance are treated as part of the identity of each piece, developed together with its formal language rather than applied as a corrective layer.

Semiotic cues are considered in the same way. Silhouettes, joints, handles and surfaces act as signals that suggest possible actions or anchor the work within familiar typologies, while still allowing different readings to emerge. At times these cues confirm expectation; at other times they gently redirect it, not through visual spectacle but through the experience of use.

The work explores this continuous exchange between understanding and action. How a piece is read influences how it is approached, and the gestures that follow can either reaffirm or subtly shift that initial reading. Forms may echo historical or domestic references, yet they are not quotations. They function as points of orientation from which alternative interactions can develop.

Behaviour, ergonomics, memory and semiotics are considered throughout the design process, not as external theories but as elements that shape the character and presence of each piece. They are developed together with form and material, contributing to objects that aim for clarity in use while allowing meaning to develop through encounter rather than instruction.”

– Mike Simonelli

October 2024