Assignment: When designers address illness, they often assume a medical posture:
They treat a particular ailment as if works of design were akin to medicine or the
work of doctors. We can compare this to a more caring or comforting role. Think
about the last time you were sick (eg. a cold or flu); imagine a piece of furniture or a
smaller artifact – like a chair, a bed, a pillow, a lamp, or cup– that you might design
and that would make that particular experience more comfortable for you. What
features would this furnishing have?
The larger point of this exercise is that when we’re sick, we often just want to feel comfortable as we get over our maladies. How might works of design take on this less curative and more care-oriented role?
