The CMF Design approach engaging the

Contemporary Interior Design practice

The interdisciplinary perspective of

branding strategy, marketing and sensorial user experience.

POLITECNICO
MILANO 1863
SCHOOL OF DESIGN

Supervisor. Barbara Camocini

Student. Kang Zhou

Matricola. 903393

Course. Interior and Spatial Design

 CMF design is the acronym of Colors, Materials and Finishes adopted in the meta-design
methodology for strategic projects of given brands to support both functional and emotional
attributes of the identity of entire ranges of products. Since the 1980s, application fields and
design approaches of this emerging discipline evolves as the marketing and user experience
change in recent years.

The break out of consumer-products in recent years has changed people's behavior and
ways of thinking space, strengthening the relationship between the way to look at products
and space. Interior design needs to take these factors into account, thus CMF, as the color
and material solution widely approved in consumer-product design, may provide new ideas
and approaches for interior design and vice versa / conversely.

This thesis briefly introduces the early development and current situation of CMF, by
representing a framework of the general CMF creation process in stages. Projects analysis
are engaged under this framework from three perspectives in terms of brand strategy,
marketing and user experience, which mainly focuses on CMF approaches in products and
relevant application in interiors.

The research is built on primary and secondary data sources, deductive conclusions stem by
representing the discourse of literature into the visual charts, and inducting information of
existed projects in a form of case studies. Reports of interviews with senior practitioners are
also involved as important supplements.

ABSTRACT
Therefore, this study is a tentative proposal of how to properly introduce CMF approaches in
interior design with corresponding adaptive discussion to form a closer relationship with
products and interior space.

CMF design / Interior Design / Brand / Market / User Experience

 CMF Design è l’acronimo di Colore, Materiali e Finitura, adottato nell’ambito dell’approccio di
meta-design in progetti strategici di determinati brands per supportare la definizione degli
attributi funzionali ed emotivi nell'identità di intere gamme di prodotti. Dagli anni '80 ad oggi,
gli ambiti di applicazione e gli approcci progettuali di questa disciplina emergente si sono
evoluti insieme al marketing e all'importanza acquisita dallo studio della user-experience.

La vasta diffusione dei prodotti di consumo degli anni recenti ha cambiato il comportamento
delle persone e i modi di pensare allo spazio, rafforzando la relazione tra il modo di studiare
prodotti e spazio. L'interior design deve tenere conto di questi fattori poiché il CMF, e le
soluzioni cromatiche e materiche ampiamente utilizzate nella progettazione di prodotti di
consumo, possono fornire nuove idee e approcci per l'interior design e viceversa.

Questa tesi introduce brevemente lo sviluppo iniziale e l'attuale significato del CMF design,
rappresentando un quadro del processo generale di creazione della CMF in più fasi, L'analisi
dei progetti è presentata in questo framework secondo tre prospettive: in termini di strategia
del marchio, nel marketing e nella user experience, concentrandosi principalmente su
approcci CMF nella progettazione di prodotti e applicazioni rilevanti negli interni. La ricerca si
basa su fonti di dati primarie e secondarie, conclusioni deduttive derivate dalla
rappresentazione del dibattito letterario attraverso diagrammi, e integrando informazioni sui
progetti esistenti in forma di casi di studio. Infine le restituzioni delle interviste effettuate a
professionisti senior del settore costituiscono fattori integrativi importanti nell’ambito di
questo studio.

ABSTRACT
Pertanto, la tesi costituisce una proposta su come introdurre correttamente gli approcci della
CMF nell’ambito dell’interior design generando un conseguente dibattito per formare una
relazione più stretta tra approccio progettuale per il prodotto e lo spazio interno.

CMF design / L'interior design / Marchio / Marketing / User Experience

 Introduction
1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Research Subjects 1

1.2 Representation and Methodologies 2

1.3 Limitations and Framework 2

CMF Identification
2.0 Identification of CMF Design 5

2.1 CMF in Meta-Design 5

2.2 The Early Practice of CMF 6

2.3 Practitioner of CMF in Industry States 10

2.4 Practitioner interview 13

CMF Context
3.0 Functional and Emotional Context 17

3.1 Functional Context in CMF 18

3.2 Emotional Context in CMF 20

4.0 CMF Creation

4.0 CMF Creation Process 23

4.1 Information Gathering 23

4.2 Narrative Establishing 25

4.3 CMF Strategy 28

4.4 Parting and Break-ups 29

4.5 CMF Palettes 31

INDEX
4.6 CMF Development 32

4.7 CMF Process Mapping 33

4.8 CMF Process Mapping (Interview Feedback) 36

5.0 CMF Perspective 7.0 Conclusion
5.0 CMF Perspective and Case studies 39 110

5.1 MUJI 41

5.1.1 The identity of MUJI 42 8.0 Bibliography

5.1.2 MUJI’s Philosophy 43 112

5.1.3 Color and Material in MUJI’s Products 44

5.1.4 Color and Material in MUJI Store 50 9.0 Figures

5.1.5 Color and Material in MUJI Complex 54 115

5.1.6 CMF in MUJI 59

5.2 Trendy Iridescence 62

5.2.1 A Trend in Various States 63

5.2.2 The Dichroic Addicted 68

5.2.3 Trend Tracking and Following 74

5.2.4 CMF in Trend 76

5.3 Synesthesia in Materials 79

5.3.1 The magic of Bang & Olufsen 80

5.3.2 Alchemical Aluminum 82

5.3.3 Imagination of Wood 85

5.3.4 Hearing Textiles 89

5.3.5 CMF in Bang & Olufsen 94

6.0 Landing to Interior

6.1 CMF in Apple Stores 97

6.2 The Background “Noise” 98

6.3 The Invisible State 101

6.4 White and Light 105

6.5 Standardized Woods 107

INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction 1.1 Research subjects

This study aims at analyzing the relatively new concept of CMF – Colors, Materials and Finishes – with
Initially, the CMF design operates according to the logic of the meta-design1, which is in planning
its  practice/application  in the product design field and  engaging/ending  with a discussion about  its
simultaneously the identity of entire product ranges of a given brand. As a representative example,
possible use in the interior design practice.
the application of CMF concept was adapted in the 1980s by the Italian designer Clino T. Castelli on
CMF is gradually recognized as an emerging concept. It is a methodology based on meta- the occasion of the project to renew the color ranges, materials and finishes of the furniture systems
design, which concentrates color, material and finish in the design process by involving related by Herman Miller2. The contribution to this design approach was the impetus provided by the
factors such as brand, market and user experience. This concept is incline to introduce different proliferation of the emerging new systemic products, however, from the beginning, CMF design has
disciplines, think about the role of colors and materials in functional attributes and emotional
established itself on the previous design models of the color ranges, generally defined as Color
attributes, to form a more comprehensive design strategy. At present, CMF is commonly applied to
design, Material design, etc.
the design of consumer-products and automotive interiors, etc.
This has led to differences in the understanding and operations of CMF design in different industries
The inspiration of discussing CMF and interior design stems from a closer relationship between
over a long period of time. For example, in the automotive industry, Color & Trim department3
interior design and products than before. For example, the concept of space intelligence and the
proposal of a lifestyle based on consumer products. Of course, the rapid innovation of new undertakes the relevant progress, which provides creative solutions in order to achieve clients

technologies in products has also largely changed the way that people may behave in interior spaces. objectives, style and vision. In the era of Nokia4 dominating the consumer electronic goods, the CMD
In the chapter of CMF Identification, a brief introduction of its vicissitude to depict the origin and (Color and material design) was considered as the excellence in its rich product family. This explains
current industry states, interviews with practitioners are involved as supplements. Since CMF has not to some extent, why there are few written materials and even on the Internet about CMF design.
been widely standardized in the current application, there are few systematic materials about it, so
the research is mainly based on the current relatively authoritative or most cited materials. By And the book “The fundamental principles of CMF Design” was published in 2016 by Liliana
understanding its general design approaches, a map of framework would be represented to depict Becerra, which plays an important role in the research of this knowledge filed. The CMF design was
the design process in the chapter of CMF Context/Creation, also as the premise for further case defined as an emerging professional discipline in this book, which consists of the research of color,
studies. material and finishes in consumer-products and industrially manufactured consumer
goods.
The Chapter Fifth introduces case studies to recognize the CMF design approaches in such contexts
from the perspective of brand factors, market relevance and user experience. For example, the first
Actually, the discussion and research on colors and materials in contemporary interior design have
perspective discusses how a brand introduced the color and material preference in products and
never stopped, on the one hand, some classical theories and design approaches are still adopted,
corresponding spaces to build consumer awareness of the brand or cultural identity. The second
either presented by new technologies or applied in different fields, on the other hand, new relevant
perspective is to review how a visual effect has become a trend and its popularity in different fields,
including quotes in interior space. The third perspective is aim to analysis how colors and materials design approaches are proposed to adapt to the changing needs. Studying the application of colors

enhance the user experience, as well as the interior consideration related to the experience. and materials in CMF design may provide any inspiration for interior design, as an inter-disciplinary
study of branding strategy, marketing and sensorial user experience.
To sum up, it dose not to challenge existing principles in interior design. Like the definition of CMF in
meta-design, the conclusion would be a proposal to incorporate some approaches into interior
design considerations.

1. Meta-design is a conceptual framework aimed at defining and creating social, economic and technical infrastructures in which new 4. Nokia Corporation is a Finnish  multinational  telecommunications,  information technology, and  consumer electronics  company,
forms of collaborative design can take place. It consists of a series of practical design-related tools for achieving this.
founded in 1865.
2. Herman Miller, Inc. is an American company that produces office furniture, equipment and home furnishings. 

3. Color & Trim department is a consultancy which provides creative solutions in order to achieve clients objectives, style and vision. /
Technicon Design

1
1.2 Representation and Methodologies 1.3 Limitations and Framework

The research started with a visual representation of the CMF design process, dividing the The main limitation of the research is the lack of systematic research of CMF design, especially
important “key nodes” from branding, marketing and users, which according to the degree of without materials from different sources to support the relevant design approaches. The
participation of the CMF design, and the distribution of developing stages. This provides a framework CMF design as an emerging topic has been developed for nearly four decades, however as a
with easy-access to have a general understanding of CMF design creation. “professional discipline”, which has not a certain scope of research on the relative standard. Also, it is
difficult to acquire the accurate design interpretation of CMF design strategy of certain products in the
Under this framework, the research intends to analyze the correlation or discrepancy between the
brand-based analysis. Actually, through interviews with practitioners, strategies of CMF development
CMF in product design and the color, material in interior space through case studies, which involve
as important confidential, rarely systematically formed as reports for study. Brands are more inclined
the discussion of functional and emotional attributes of colors and materials in branding strategy,
to achieve the market appealing by explaining the CMF nature of specific products. Even commercial
market relevance and user experience. The “key nodes” plays as important indicators in analysis,
institutions engaged in CMF design also rarely disclose information besides marketing.
which makes a clear perspective in a certain scope. Some key factors or valuable approaches in
CMF design could be considered as the counterpoint to form a closer relationship among interior Another limitation could be attributed to the limited field survey, mainly the timeliness. Due to the rapid
space, products and users. market strategies and temporary application, for some case studies, only images materials and field
experiences could be preserved to further facilitate the understandings, which is not systemic,
This research not only combines literature research with field studies but also introduced the
specialized and comprehensive. Hence, this research is more inclined to analyze and to represent the
methodologies of induction.
existing materials in detailed description with case studies which combine with the field research and

Literature research: By collecting the existed literature materials, it could provide the much easier the desk research. Relevant discussions would be introduced to enrich the sources of materials,

and more effective accessibility for domestic and overseas information and achievements on relevant which especially with theoretical support, and the research scope would be defined as the premises.

subjects, which could be direct quotations or to instruct analysis of this thesis. The induction would point out the uncertainties and deviations.

Field Studies: The field research has been partially involved in case studies, with images taking and The general framework consists of four main stages. The first stage would firstly identify the

video shooting, etc. Moreover, Interviews with practitioners provided an industry perspective of the definition of CMF, including its induction context and early development also its current application in

theoretical framework, through which the first-hand materials and perceptions could be acquired to the industry. The second stage represents CMF approaches in consumer-products design into

further deepen the understanding of the related topics, as well as compare the similarities or visualized flow chart. The third stage would recognize CMF approaches in application by

differences between the practical case and relevant discussion. conducting case studies of existing projects from the perspective of brand, market/trend, and user
experience. Case studies including product design and interior design. The fourth stage introduces
Methodology: After finishing the above two studies, it is necessary to induce materials, both deductive result of the inspiration, limitation and adaptive discussion of CMF approach in interior
deductive and inductive methods would be involved. For example, by inducting the design approach design. The interviews could be considered as supplementary material to discuss the practical
of CMF on literature research, the discussion of colors and materials in actual application may application of CMF approaches in the automotive interior / aviation interior design.
introduce deductions or hypothesis, in order to intend to table proposals for respective categories.

1. Meta-design is a conceptual framework aimed at defining and creating social, economic and technical infrastructures in which new 4. Nokia Corporation is a Finnish  multinational  telecommunications,  information technology, and  consumer electronics  company,
forms of collaborative design can take place. It consists of a series of practical design-related tools for achieving this.
founded in 1865.
2. Herman Miller, Inc. is an American company that produces office furniture, equipment and home furnishings. 

3. Color & Trim department is a consultancy which provides creative solutions in order to achieve clients objectives, style and vision. /
Technicon Design

2
Background of Research Framework of Research Contribution of Research
The identification of CMF design development. The representation of CMF creation process and design approaches in application. The proposal of CMF approaches in Interior design.

CMF and Meta-design CMF Creation Process and Design Approach CMF approach in projects. CMF approach in projects.
A brief of Meta-design methodology. The functional and emotional attributes of colors, materials and finishes in CMF. Research form three perspectives. Landing to Interior

CMF in Early Development CMF Design Process CMF Design Approach Brand Perspective CMF approach in Interior Design
CMF analysis in Products / Interior.
CMF practice and relevant theories from 1960s, The visualization of CMF design process with Illustrations of each approach in CMF design CMF analysis in Interior with color, material and
the context of CMF induction. structural description. process with corresponding description. finish discussing in actual interior application.

Market/Trend Perspective
CMF analysis in Products / Interior.

User Experience Perspective

CMF analysis in Products / Interior.

CMF and Industry States Interviews of CMF Practitioners Deduction / Conclusion

Design content of current practitioners. The feedback of CMF design process and the application in working practice. Recognizing CMF approach in Interior design with adaptive discussions.

Fig.1.3.01 The framework of research.

3
CMF IDENTIFICATION
4
2.0 Identification of CMF Design in which this concept was first proposed could be helpful for a better understanding of the theoretical
basis in contemporary design.
There are different opinions towards the emergence of “CMF” concept, some figures out the early
application by Harley Earl from General Motors was the first one in the automotive industry who 2.1 CMF in Meta-design Methodology
convinced that CMF, at the time called Art & Color section[2]. Another common view indicates the
A meta-design methodology is built by gathering and organizing information with a clear and
design concept was proposed with the exact appellation of “CMF” by Clino T. Castelli as early as the
understandable attitude. This systematization brings a set of requirements capable of generating a
1980s, which was adopted in the project known as the “Action Office 2” in Herman Miller’s office
multitude of different but homogeneous and coherent design solutions[4]. It consists of a series of
furniture system.
practical design-related tools for achieving this. As a methodology, its aim is to nurture the
Afterwards, the CMF design now is considered in the meta-design methodology, which is in planning emergence of the previously unthinkable as possibilities or prospects through the collaboration of
simultaneously the identity of entire product ranges of a given brand, and the adoption of "soft" designers within interdisciplinary ‘meta-design' teams[5].
product re-design techniques, based on the periodic renewal of the identity without directly touching
Van Onck (1965), as pioneer in the proposal of meta-design, who underlines the work of a number of
the existed shape of products.
Italian and Brazilian researchers. At the beginning of his career he went to Italy to work with Ettore
This approach inclines to consider and to optimize the identity of products in dynamic context rather Sottsass at Olivetti[6]. His vision was developed in the historic peak of pragmatism, marked by a great
than changing the specific design process. However, different appeals in industries were diversifying confidence in technology of computing, and a success by the new rationality[6]. The meta-design tool
design approaches of color and material, rather than forming a consensus with general design has the abstract nature of types, schemes, structures, principles, guidelines, reference rules; it is a
approaches. Other features of current CMF practice is the intention to establish the Brand-based generative-matrix that can give rise, through application processes, contextualization, adaptation,
visual identity and trendy tracking. (Becerra, 2016.) hybridization, to a multitude of specific projects.

The nature of meta-design allows for the management and control of the complexity emerging from
the multi-scalar and multidisciplinary dimension of the Campus for Citizens project and from its
This working process is advantageous in terms of the choice of color base for systemic products,
systemic nature consisting in diverse elements linked by multifaceted relationships. The
even if characterized by different forms, can be connoted with the base colors or materials that are
interdisciplinary character of the meta-design tool captures knowledge and brings it to abstraction
representative of the brand due to CMF design. Since CMF design manuals and the color matrix[3]
introducing a strategic and extensive dimension that can support design innovation[7].
have a prescriptive role, the designers who create them are rarely involved in the applicative
distribution either of colors, materials or finishes of individual products. (Becerra, 2016.) The notion of meta-design has been applied in many fields, including graphic design, industrial
design, information architecture and system design. These applications, ranging from processes of
Industries and brands have different strategies of specifications and standards for the application of
high-order design to participation and co-evolution. However, these concepts are often tied together.
their colors and materials in products, to a certain extent, this explains why there are few clear
The idea of reflexive thinking about design has been commonly translated in the application field as
development research as the keyword of CMF design on the Internet or published reports. Before
the “design of a design process[5].” From this point of view, the meta-design works on the design
discussing this new discipline and design approaches in the current application, a brief of the context
process itself, rather than to change the design nature, the matter design would recognized as the
concept to transcend design.

[2]. Omuus.com. (2018) , From the beginning to unknown. https://omuus.com/from-the-beginning-to-unknown.

[5]. Elisa Giaccardi. (2017), Meta-design as an Emergent Design Culture.

[3]. Sarah O. Marberry. (1985), Compendium helps designers coordinate color program, Contract.
[6]. Ione Maria Ghislene Bentz, Carlo Franzato. (2017), The relationship between Strategic Design and Metadesign as defined by the
[1]. Lilliana Becerra. (2016), The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish.
levels of knowledge of design, Strategic Design Research Journal.
[4]. A. Mendini. (1969), Metaprogetto sì e no, in Casabella, n.333.
[7]. L. Collina (2005), Design e metaprogetto: teorie, strumenti, pratiche. Milan/Italy: POLI Design.

5
2.2 The Early Practice of CMF

In 1964 the American Herman Miller presented the Action Office office furniture system. The project
was designed by George Nelson, who was responsible for shaping the detailed functional program
defined by Robert L. Propst, head of the Herman Miller Research Department. The change in work
takes the office away from its traditional archetypes far more than the introduction of the typewriter
had done. Although the inadequacy of normal office furniture (desk, filing cabinet, chair and table for
the typewriter) already emerged in the late 1950s in the face of new ways of working, the response
from the furniture manufacturers was not prompt and quick [8].

The Action Office was the first system that attempted a new response, replacing the traditional
furniture catalog with a wide and articulated offer of coordinated components, easily assembled and Fig.2.2.01 The series of metal office furniture produced by Olivetti, BBPR, 1960.

modular in order to cut out in the indefinite space of the Open Office or Office Landscape individual,
protected and equipped workstations [8].
the most suitable person to define the furniture that had to live with those machines.   A dimensional
Changes in Italian market and particular for Olivetti, the only company to offer the integrated offer of
standard that Sottsass summarizes in a rigid spatial grid with a base of 45 centimeters, with relative
machines and office furniture at that time. Olivetti "produced the “Serie Spazio dei BBPR” which was
multiples and submultiples, within which the technical volumes of the electronic equipment are joined
not designed as a system: it was conceived as a set of tables, desks and containers and was
together with relative supports and auxiliary shelves [8].
intended to furnish small rooms or at most areas for no more than five or six people [8].

Serie Spazio, was a system of furniture designed by BBPR, it was a group of Italian architects
composed by 1932 Gian Luigi Banfi (1910 - 1945), Lodovico Barbiano di Belgiojoso (1909 - 2004),
Enrico Peressutti (1908 - 1976), Ernesto Nathan Rogers (1909 - 1969). Fully in step with the
European avant-gardes, they become members of International Congresses of Modern Architecture
(CIAM). They worked in the thirties when the rationalism movement started to spread in Italy. In 1938,
racial laws force Rogers to emigrate to Switzerland. Due to their antifascist commitment, Banfi and
Belgiojoso are sent to the Mauthausen concentration camp in 1944 where Banfi dies[9][10].

BBPR innovates the panorama of office furnishings with the  Spazio  series for Olivetti Synthesis,
winning the 1962 Golden Compass Award. (Fig.2.2.01)

It was Roberto Olivetti who commissioned Ettore Sottsass in 1968 to design a new and complete
Fig.2.2.02 "The art of coloring the office: Olivetti Synthesis Fig.2.2.02 "The art of coloring the office: Olivetti Synthesis
system of furnishings, thinking that the head of design of the company's Electronic Department was combinations", serigraphy Bernardi Milano, 1971 combinations", serigraphy Bernardi Milano, 1971

[8]. Enrico Morteo. (2016), Sottsass: Olivetti Synthesis, https://www.doppiozero.com/materiali/sottsassolivettisynthesis.

[9]. Maria Gabriella Errico. (2012), Tra Razionalismo e Continuità: Ernesto Nathan Rogers e i BBPR.
[10]. Ezio Bonfanti, Marco Porta. (2009), Città, Museo e Architettura: Il Gruppo BBPR nella cultura architettonica italiana 1932-1970.

6
Within these strict parameters, and with unwavering respect for the rigid dimensional grid with its Although some years later Sottsass stated that the use of color had been timid and overly limited in
45cm base, Sottsass and his group proceeded through successive levels, with gradual changes to the 45 series design, in reality the project’s well-structured color code was one of its strongest and
the complexity of the system. The premise was to reduce visual impact and eschew luxury in what most innovative features; so much so, in fact, that Sottsass and Olivetti based the entire marketing
would be a deliberately democratic and modular system. Maximum neutrality – both formal and campaign on color, using the color schemes to introduce the system’s numerous innovations [11].
symbolic – was reserved for the work surfaces (all made from very light grey laminate) and for the
When, however, the design moved away from components that were strictly related to work-based
desk surfaces[11].
tasks (writing, filing) and into the orbit of actions such as hanging up a garment, discarding waste
Starting from a premise that imposes a reduced visual impact and the absence of luxury versions paper, grasping a handle or putting out a cigarette, Sottsass abandoned the rigor of sheet steel, the
within a deliberately democratic and unitary system, maximum neutrality - both formal and symbolic - puritanism of flat surfaces and calm neutral backgrounds, and allowed himself an enormous amount
is reserved for the worktops (all in very light gray laminate ) and to the supports of the desks, which of freedom (Fig.2.2.04). Working with melamine and ABS, he designed pieces that were playfully
Sottsass derives directly from the uprights already used as supports for the machine systems[11]. ironic and joyously colored [11].

No less simple were the modular walls, screens and large cabinets, which had fabric coverings and In this way, the application of color and material innovations at that time greatly improved the
an initial palette of colors that was relatively neutral and understated – integrated and co-ordinated relationship between users and the interior working space, especially with the emergence of
with the dark colors of a limited selection of carpets. A second palette of colors, this time more electronic technology. According to some accounts, the concept of CMF appeared in the automobile
vibrant and contrasting, characterized the smaller containers – the drawer units, vertical filing industry earl as the 1920s[2], through applying colors and materials to strengthen the consumer’s
cabinets, sideboards and suspended shelves [11].(Fig.2.2.02 / Fig.2.2.03) awareness of the product. And this expression is a very experimental exploration of how colors and
materials contribute the relationship between products, interior space and users. Even today, such
forms and settings are widely proceed in working space.

In designing “Sistema 45”, Sottsass was moving through what was mostly unknown territory, as he
later explained: “When we designed the 45 series… there was only Propst’s project, the Action Office
for Herman Miller [8].

The first version of the Action Office was however short-lived and was replaced by a first update in
1968, Herman Miller launched “Action Office 2”, a pioneering system of office furniture that laid the
blueprint for the modern cubicle. Its designer, Robert Propst and the industrial designer Leon
Ransmeier mainly process this work with less aesthetically cared for, but extremely effective and
convincing[12].

Fig.2.2.04 "The art of coloring the office: Olivetti Synthesis combinations", serigraphy Bernardi Milano, 1971

[8]. Enrico Morteo. (2016), Sottsass: Olivetti Synthesis, https://www.doppiozero.com/materiali/sottsassolivettisynthesis.

[11]. Enrico Morteo. (2016), System 45 From the conceptual work to the concept of work, http://kvadratinterwoven.com/sistema-45.
[12]. Leon Ransmeier. Live action: Inventor robert propst and the history of the modern cubicle, https://pinupmagazine.org.
[2]. Omuus.com. (2018) , From the beginning to unknown. https://omuus.com/from-the-beginning-to-unknown.

7
 very rich, more similar to the domestic environment. Or, if you prefer, we transformed the office from a
factory environment to a hotel environment, because it is more connected with the public domesticity
of the hotel than with the private domesticity of the home[13].

The aim was to change dramatically the perception of the work or office environment in the world.
Today it is to easy to understand that our work for Neocon in 1983 was absolutely revolutionary
Before that time everybody was thinking of the office of the future as an environment that would be
very cool, very dry, very futuristic, and very technological. We said, “No, our office in ten years will be
like this – a high-touch office with a polychromatic color scheme, very rich fabrics, materials,
environmental wallpapers, and wood – lots of rich wood.” The feeling of this kind of environment was
absolutely different from the others at that time. In fact, offices are still high touch today. I think it’s
Fig.2.2.05 Action Office 2 “Altar”, one of ten, demonstrating Fig.2.2.06 Action Office 2 “Altar”, one of ten, demonstrating
Clino Castelli’s CMF program, 1983 Clino Castelli’s CMF program, 1983 time to change, right now, but the short-term reality of the office was that one[13]. (Fig.2.2.07)

As is evident, one of Castelli’s primary impetuses in much of his consulting work has been to help
1
“After Propst left Herman Miller in 1980, Jack Kelley who was still working there collaborated with “humanize” the impact of technology[14].
Italian designer Clino Castelli to overhaul Action Office 2 and make it more contemporary, updating
the materials and colors. For an installation at NeoCon in 1983, they created a series of alters out of
Action Office 2 components and they ended up winning best showroom of the year. To put it in
context, Memphis2 was launched in 1979.” Leon Ransmeier Said. [12]

The influence of Ettore Sottsass, with whom Castelli worked in the mid-1960s, for Olivetti, helped to
form his approach to design[10]. In 1978 Castelli established Colorterminal IVI, the first European
workshop for research in color design, and in 1984 he received an IBD Gold Award for his work on
color, material and finishes for furniture company Herman Miller [12]. (Fig.2.2.06 / Fig.2.2.07)

There was a conversation held in 1996 when Castelli talked about the “High-Touch” office for Herman
Miller:

When initially I was asked to work for Herman Miller, I saw what the situation was very clear. If you
remember 1981 and 1982, the American office with systems furniture followed a military kind of
organization. We transformed this through the Herman Miller project and with the showroom at the
Chicago Merchandise Mart for Neocon in 1983. We made it a very “High Touch” kind of environment Fig.2.2.07 The chromatic redesign of the Herman Miller was Fig.2.2.08 A page of No-Form.
actualized according to a global approach to sensorial space.
– introducing a multiplicity of color complexity, as well as other aspects that made the environment

1. Jack Kelly, headed at that time by Robert Propst, inventor of another world's first: the Action Office system. Kelley worked side-by- [12]. Leon Ransmeier. Live action: Inventor robert propst and the history of the modern cubicle, https://pinupmagazine.org.
side with Propst throughout the 60s and early 70s and played a pivotal role in the design of many Action Office components.
[13]. Matteo Vercelloni. (2008), Interni: Clino Trini Castelli, meta-design, p. 61.

2. The  Memphis Group  was an Italian design and architecture group (active 1980-1987) founded by  Ettore Sottsass  in 1980 that [14]. Mitchell, C. T. New Thinking in Design: Conversations on Theory and Practice, Wiley Publisher, p. 62-71.

designed Postmodern furniture, fabrics, ceramics, glass, and metal objects.

8
The enhancement of technology in an environment, as in an office where you have more and more I know that form was impossible to eliminate, even if the dematerialization of the contemporary
machines, is based on a sort of reduction of the sensory stimulation, a limitation of subtle and technological object is a reality. But now with my clients, such as one that is developing a computer
profound experience. The strategy for Herman Miller in the 1980s was to make the environment more in Japan, I have for the past three or four years, for the nineties, said that the technological object
complicated through use of multiple colors, such as the polychromatic schemes, different surface must be rematerialized. I feel that it now reaches maturity in terms of evanescence. In my poetics at
materials used simultaneously, different tactility. All of this was done in order to enrich the environment the moment, for example in my furniture designs, the quantity of objects is my last concern. But if an
with light and shadow-to put in more complexity [14]. object exists we have to abandon the strategy of the seventies and eighties, which tended to
dematerialize the object by making it appear very light through color and shape [14].
In Castelli’s Verbal description, he pointed out the importance of sensory perception and the design
value of polychromatic color and tactile material. Another design exploration by Castelli, which were I think now we have to design objects that are very heavy, very present, very strong in their physicality
known as “ Design Primario”, “Qualistica”, for some years has been summarized in the expression because we want fewer objects around us, but those that exist should be very strong. We should
“No-Form”[15]. (Fig.2.2.09) avoid producing a lot of very light and very camouflaged ones. This is a very important statement
today, I think, and this guided me when I was working on what we have to do in certain fields, like the
As a conjecture, the thinking of CMF design originated from the general concept that focuses on
computer industry in the nineties. Every period is a statement, we must be ready to change strategy
material as the founding element of an icon, beyond its sculptural-compositional aspects[13] .
continuously in the last Milan Triennale most people were working on the design as concept. I said

At that moment, the CMF concept intends to be combined with other design thinking of color, no, I want to do design again as object, and I want to clarify through form what kind of object it is[14].

material, and surface effect by light, which Castelli originally sought to develop the “soft” qualities of
With the change of Castelli's design thinking, the “CMF” concept was not widely recognized in other
design to the exclusion of form.
industries. In the early 1990s, CMF design was still an unknown industry both in consumer products

About the attitude towards the “hard” qualities, Castelli later explained: and in fashion. Understanding the deeper influence and importance of colors and materials was often
left aside and was not considered an entity of its own [16].

On the hand, this field of design has existed in the automotive industry, where color, material and
finishing design had been a curtail part of the design process for decades. CMF design in the
automotive industry is known as Color and Trim design (Fig.2.2.10), which includes in-depth trend
and consumer research and their application to the vehicles[16].

Back to the Herman Miller, Nowadays, the design quality of color and material are still emphasized as
the proud trait their branding strategy, and the relevant research and practice are encouraged with
designers from various fields. In their WHY magazine, numerous reports and conversations are
portrayed with a narrative about colors and textiles in their products, however rarely contains the
keyword of “CMF” design. (Fig.2.2.11)
Fig.2.2.09 ŠKODA Color & Trim exterior color palette, 2017.
Fig.2.2.10 Herman Miller Sync Series Textiles, 2020.

[14]. Mitchell, C. T. New Thinking in Design: Conversations on Theory and Practice, Wiley Publisher, p. 62-71.
[16]. Heini Isoaho . (2016), Color, material and finish design, p. 9-10.

[15]. Giampiero Bosoni. (2016), Un maestro di lungimiranza, http://www.abitare.it/it/design/prodotti/2016/09/13/clino-trini-castelli-cmf-

design/.
[13]. Matteo Vercelloni. (2008), Interni: Clino Trini Castelli, meta-design, p. 61.

9
2.3 Practitioner of CMF in Industry States

The demand for CMF design covers many industries, although with different depicts of title and job
requirements, which is largely due to differences in strategies of colors and materials in application
and manufacturing.

In the automotive industry, the specialists of Color and Materials was defined as the Color & Trim
department before, and recently, international brands have gradually reached consensus and
established their own CMF design team to respond to more refined market positioning and user
experience based on brands and products.

In a report of automotive design in 2019, “A Look at Six Car Design Specialties”, the interview with
Fig.2.3.01 Acura design studio California, US, 2019

CMF designers in Acura design studio (Fig.2.3.01), which provides some information of CMF in the
current design process from a certain perspective. In the conversation of working content and in CMF
department, the interviewee Gypsy, the Color & Materials Principal Designer said:
You can see here the color's quite dynamic. Even though it's a sophisticated shade, there's other
things going on. It's like a fresh new growth contrasting with these smoky elements. So that's what
We incorporate the brand and product identity through the use of color, material and finish. People's
we want to bring to the table. We developed a lot of colors and materials based on that trip, and at
relationship with that makes a really strong connection emotionally. The second thing that we do is
least three colors specifically from that moment, that experience of encountering that cloud[17].
help performance by material choices. We refine that aesthetic of interior and exterior design, bringing
up the level. We also delve into material innovation and cutting edge technology[17].
Then they go into proposals.The other facet of Acura that we convey in the color development is that
we use advanced, cutting-edge technology. A lot of this pigmentation didn't exist before. And one
And some discussions about the inspiration of CMF creation, the Gypsy indicates that the inspiration
principle that we work towards, is a Japanese word called “Omotenashi (おもてなし)1”. One possible
of design approaches from the cross-pollinating ideas, such as fashion, and international design fairs
translation of this word is, it means to have your back scratched before you knew it was itching[17].
and auto show for color group. For visitors about the nebulous definition of CMF design, Gypsy
responded with examples[17].
She explained the Omotenashi working process with a detailed description of the optimization for
each material. When asked about the participation of CMF in the entire design process, she said:
With all of our products we're trying to create an extraordinary experience, so we have to think
outside the box a lot. You can't just get inspiration from sitting at your desk and looking at Pinterest or
A CMF job is really varied. While the actual thing we're working on daily can change day-to-day, with
[17]
Instagram .
a project we're right there in the beginning, conceptualizing the product and [determining the needs
of] our next buyer. All the way through to the end, when we're right there at the plant, planning out
Some other inspiration has been created in to specific effects through natural trips, such as the
parts. It's a really, really a broad span of work that we cover [17]. (Fig.2.3.03)
clouds, she took a sample panel (Fig.2.3.02) to describe.

[17]. Rain Noe. (2019), How Acura orchestrated a massive turnaround with a renewed focus on design. https://www.core77.com/
posts/87484/A-Look-at-Six-Car-Design-Specialties-Part-6-The-CMF-Color-Material-Finish-Designers.
1. Omotenashi (おもてなし) is a Japanese word which represents the act of providing detailed service in a variety of ways to allow guests
to spend a relaxing and memorable time by putting customers first.

10
 As the primary data, another interview with Zhang GuoJun, the Principal Designer of Geely2 CMF
department, he provides more perspective about CMF design in the independent automotive brand.
(see 2.3 Practitioner interviews)

The CMF concept was recently mentioned in the aircraft interior design, a relevant report[18] on the
website Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) in 2019. The exhibition in Salone del Mobile
2019, entitled Softwear, was by Google and curated by Dutch trend forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort. A
cooperation with the design consultancy Tangerine3 (Fig.2.3.04), which known for its work on British
Airways’ iconic yin-yang business-class cabin (Fig.2.3.05) and, more recently, interior designs for
Virgin Australia, Cathay Pacific and Gulf Air [18].

Fig.2.3.02 The sample panel of RDX.

Fig.2.3.03 The CMF application on sample seats of RDX.
We are noticing that the pull of technology no longer means things have to be hard or less
sumptuous [18]. — Emma Partridge, tangerine

We attend these types of shows not to identify trends – these are of no use in the aircraft world where
At the same time, she pointed out the content of “lab-based material research” with technologies.
designs have a longer shelf life – but to be aware of how tastes and expectations beyond the cabin
We do a ton of research--we have an advanced products group here in the building that we can't talk are evolving,” says Emma Partridge, head of Color, Material and Finish (CMF) at tangerine. “What we
about too much. But I can tell you that we experiment with 3D printing, bio-plastics and aspects of are noticing is that the pull of technology no longer means things have to be hard or less sumptuous,”
color and material development that aren't just for decoration, but have some additional functional Partridge says [18].
facets. That's addressing the future and [what will exist in the] next wave of automotive production:
Sustainability, electrification, connectivity, automation. We think about "What experience is the
customer going to have in [a vehicle with those things?]". And we develop proposals for materials
that will support those different modes that we don't currently have now[17].

At last, she described challenges in CMF concept.

Our challenge is that a lot of people are familiar with it and know what's good, but can't really
articulate it. They have a really close connection with the CMF and it has to be perfect for them--if
one thing is off, "I like the color but I don't like the material," they won't buy it. But if they see
something they like they'll say "Yeah, that's my character" and demand will be high. So we really
need to be on point with that. And I think we accomplished that with the RDX1, which is the
beginning of this generation of our CMF[17]. Fig.2.2.04 The sample selecting of Tangerine, 2019.
Fig.2.2.05 The Yin-yang seating system in British Airways, 2019.

[17]. Rain Noe. (2019), How Acura orchestrated a massive turnaround with a renewed focus on design. https://www.core77.com/ [18]. Valerie Silva. (2019), Touching, Feeling: Aircraft Interior Design Gets a Softer Edge, https://apex.aero/2019/03/14/touching-
posts/87484/A-Look-at-Six-Car-Design-Specialties-Part-6-The-CMF-Color-Material-Finish-Designers.
feeling-aircraft-interior-design.

1. The Acura RDX is Acura’s first compact luxury crossover SUV, taking over from the MDX as Acura's entry-level crossover SUV.
3. https://tangerine.net/en/about-us/.
2. Geely  Auto Group is a leading automobile manufacturer based in Hangzhou, China and was founded in 1997 as a subsidiary of
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.

11
As the author of an important reference in this thesis, Liliana Becerra said for this, In this innovative design process, colors and materials were seriously considered in an earlier stage
before mass production, which colors and materials were designed to meet the expected market
If the very companies responsible for replacing the tangible with the digital and thrusting sleek, shiny
segments and tested to be technically available in prototypes. Even in recent years, due to various
screens into our hands are now rethinking the visual and tactile characteristics of their technologies,
factors, Nokia's experienced a huge decline in the personal smart device market, the design
so, too, should airlines, the current approach to CMF in commercial aviation is still very traditional and
approach of CMF has the impressive influence on other competitors of the same generation, and
needs to be pushed forward in general, according to emerging consumer and technological
even today is still considered to have the epoch-making significance.
trends[18].
On Plantronics3 official channel, they released a series documentaries[19] of their design teams
Becerra points to self-driving cars, which transform the ride into an opportunity to perform activities
(Fig.2.2.06), which involves the introduction of CMF design in products. Gregor Magnusson, Director
other than driving, as a site for innovative CMF design. These still-nascent environments, what she
of  CMF  Design at  Plantronics briefly described the functional and emotional attributes of color and
calls “in-between spaces” or “mobile living rooms,” use calmer, more muted colors, textures and
material application in their products family, and those were happed in 2012.
materials, as well as smarter surfaces. “Here, the approach to interior design is very different than the
one traditionally used for commercial aviation interiors,” she says. “We can expect a similarly subtle On the one hand, the large company prefer to form its own CMF design team to develop strategies
approach to commercial aviation interiors moving forward[18]. according to existing work process. On the other hand, more emerging professional institutions or
consultancies, which consist of professionals from multiple fields to process cooperation with brands
As supplementary materials, a direct interview with Wang YuanHao, the Senior Designer of COMAC1
or based on commissioned projects. Regarding the application of CMF design in Fast-moving
interior design team, she shares the actual working experience of CMF application in domestic
consumer  goods (FMCG) and consumer electronic products, follow-up case studies will explain in
commercial aircrafts interiors. (see 2.3 Practitioner interviews)
detail.

In the consumer-products industry, especially in consumer electronics, Nokia was recognized as a

successful case, which brought CMF concept in the design process in the early 1990s. Prior to CMF
design at Nokia, the color, material and finishing decisions were normally made by marketing
executives based on their own perceptions of what the consumers might find appealing. (Fig.2.2.05)

The new approach to design was established by Nokia’s Chief of Design Frank Nuovo, who saw the
deficiencies in the existing design methods. Nuovo introduced CMF design to Nokia by applying his
previous working experience from the automotive industry to the mobile phone design process. While
previously working for Design works in BMW2, which made him realized the importance of CMF
design in automotive design and saw the transforming possibilities to the consumer electronics
industry. Nuovo led a team that was specialized in trend forecasting, colors and materials rather than
the executives’ personal opinions[16].
Fig.2.2.06 Nokia CMD design achieved the IF Awards in 2014. Fig.2.2.07 The design team of Plantronics.

1. The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) is a Chinese state-owned aerospace manufacturer established on 11 [18]. Valerie Silva. (2019), Touching, Feeling: Aircraft Interior Design Gets a Softer Edge, https://apex.aero/2019/03/14/touching-
May 2008 in Shanghai. 
feeling-aircraft-interior-design.

2. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, translated in English as Bavarian Motor Works, commonly referred to as BMW, is a German [16]. Heini Isoao . (2016), Color, material and finish design, p. 9-10.

multinational company which produces luxury vehicles and motorcycles. 

[19]. Poly, Behind the Scenes with Industrial Design -- Episode 1: CMF, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk1SPDLnA7A.
3. Plantronics, Inc. is an American electronics company producing audio communications equipment for business and consumers.

12
2.3 Practitioner Interviews Wang YuanHao ( Senior Designer of COMAC2 interior design team):

1. How did you get in touch with CMF? My major at the post-graduate is also industrial design. The school I attended is Shanghai Jiao Tong
University, the college introduces very professional courses in the field of transportation, which directly
Zhang GuoJun (Principal Designer of Geely1 CMF Department):
lead my choice of industry in the future. I joined the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China in 2015

At first, I worked for Geely Auto as an interior designer. My major in college was industrial design, and and have been working as an aircraft cabin interior designer until now. The concept of CMF is

my graduation design was also related to car styling. In my work, I was engaged with the car interior something I only came into contact after working for a while. It can be said that this is a very new

design according to my preferences rather than the exterior styling. Of course, because of the concept. Sometimes it is even difficult to explain the specific work of CMF for people outside the

“Styling Center” of Geely Automobile, the professional requirements for designers would be higher. industry. Since interior design is not the main business in the entire company's business model, we
have fewer design experience for various models, and CMF design plays a certain role as conceptual
At that time, the entire interior department had few acknowledge of CMF. The job title at the time was design in our work.
called COLOR & TRIM designer. Compared with the CMF design platform we are currently building,
COLOR & TRIM's work content is more focused on particular design approach in car interiors. The
2. How do you define CMF's job content in your industry?
selection and development of the relatedly “Soft materials”, such as defining specific leathers and
textiles, and the color matching of the center console, etc. Actually, it is not difficult to imagine, Zhang GuoJun (Principal Designer of Geely CMF Department):
because in 2013, Geely Automobile as a local brand in China, its market positioning is on the entry-
level, so there is little demand for a systematic CMF strategy in the market environment. At that time, Because I am the earliest group of designers who participated in the interiors design of whole range

the overall shape design of the car was more able to attract the attention of the target customers of products categories in Geely, so after the company started to establish a CMF design platform, I

than the detailed interior design. was also one of the main designers of the department, currently leading 40 to 50 people. The team is
responsible for the CMF development of some models in the company. In fact, CMF is a relatively
Therefore, at the time, the general customer's evaluation of domestic brands of cars was: “there is mature concept in the design of international automobile brands. It ws at least five years earlier than
certain configuration but with poor quality”, which is difficult to deny. After all, international brands like the establishment of the corresponding work process by our team.
Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi have very mature design and development experience, which our
brand couldn't do at the time. Therefore, COLOR & TRIM design is considered to meet the basic Of course, the previous experience accumulated by these brands in COLOR & TRIM helps to quickly

needs of automotive interior and exterior color matching. Designers consider more about the establish an effective CMF design process. In my opinion, CMF's work includes the previous COLOR

processing cost of materials in mass-production. Our strategy at the time with more cost-effective in & TRIM part, and incorporates more professional fields of thinking into the interior design workflow,

design. Benchmarking competitive models, which also draw on the existing design experience of such as our closer cooperation with the marketing department and branding professionals. An

many international brands. obvious example is that the company has been rapidly updating its brand image in recent years while
continuously deepening its research on consumers. In addition, after Geely Automobile acquired
Volvo Cars, we communicated with Volvo designers very frequently. They also participate evaluation
in the review of new car development and put forward valuable opinions.

1. Geely  Auto Group is a leading automobile manufacturer based in Hangzhou, China and was founded in 1997 as a subsidiary of
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.

2. The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) is a Chinese state-owned aerospace manufacturer established on 11
May 2008 in Shanghai. 

13
In general, CMF design belongs to the optimization of the appearance and interior in terms of color The horizontal dimension means how many departments would be organized together to coordinate
and materials in the automotive industry, thereby helping users to establish brand recognition and the work in one stage , and the vertical dimension indicates how the work at different stages should
favorability. From the working level, the CMF workflow needs to coordinate more departments. be delivered and confirmed. This way of working allows us to gradually improve the development
process and evaluation system, which makes the design more convincible and could particularly
meet market expectations.

Wang YuanHao ( Senior Designer of COMAC interior design team):

Wang YuanHao ( Senior Designer of COMAC interior design team):

In the interior design of commercial aircraft, CMF enriches the sensory experience of the relatively
I don’t know this concept very well. Based on your description, I think at least in my current work we
enclosed cabin space in terms of color and materials. For small commercial aircraft or low-cost
would like to focus more on specific design approach and relevant researches. Of course, there are
airlines, CMF design considers how to help Airlines form a unified brand identity. For example, we will
some very professional institutions in our industry that specialize engaged in cabin interior design of
consider the choice of textiles for internal seats to maximize wear resistance and stain resistance,
high-end commercial aircrafts. But one thing could be concluded, since the interior space of the
and choose a color that is consistent with the brand, because at this situation. CMF designers
cabin is limited and full of electrified equipment, our design relies heavily on the advice provided by
consider the functional factors to the greatest extent and to take into account the visual aesthetics,
engineers.
and low-cost airlines will also be very concerned about costs. In some luxury commercial aircraft, the
CMF design needs to communicate directly with the appearance design department of the seats
inside the airport, because usually in the aircraft cabin, the structure of the seat needs a very
sophisticated design, which hides many electronic devices and functional structure. CMF design is
intent to improve the sensory and quality perception of these structures.

After all, for high-level positions, the luxury of the seat directly determines the customer's impression
of the airline brand. According to my current understanding, CMF plays an important role in
enhancing the added value of aircraft interior design.

3. What do you think of the relationship between CMF and Meta-design? In their feedback, both of them indicated the CMF could be considered as a new concept in their
industry, truly there have been already existing design approaches in their work flow, the CMF
Zhang GuoJun (Principal Designer of Geely CMF Department): concept introduces a more comprehensive perspective from different industries and professional
fields. Moreover, this concept has been gradually recognized by more practitioners, to manage the
If only discussing the concept of Meta-design, I am not very clear. However since you explained the
project with this “design language”. And they emphasized the importance of CMF in their future
definition for me. I think it it is closely related to the CMF design process. Indeed, in such process of
works. There would be also additional discussions from these two practitioners, which concentrate
establishing this CMF design platform, the most important thing we need to consider is how to
on the CMF design process. (see 4.8 CMF Process Mapping (Interview Feedback)
coordinate the work between different departments, including the horizontal and vertical dimensions.

14
CMF CONTEXT
15
 Identification Information Narrative CMF Strategy / Parting and Break-ups CMF Palettes CMF Development
Gathering Establishing

Consumers analysis Storytelling Mood board

Personalized

Value perception CMF indicator

Target consumer

User personas Establishing keywords

User Context Neutral attribute

Target samples
MicroTrend tracking
Inspirational samples CMF palettes

Gaps/Opportunities
Design localization Technical CMF spec
Identification

Third read
Big-Pic trend tracking Cross-pollinating idea

Market positioning First read Second read CMF harmonies Time / loops

Life span and innovation cycle

Permanent / Flexible elements Defining part breakups Product visualization Verification
Competitive strategy

Brands Factor Product architecture Product design Part break-ups appearance Product prototypes  

Product portfolio Using environment Part break-ups in CMF Working with suppliers

Visual identity Scale proportion

Tasks & risks analysis Product brief Standardized guidelines

Fig.3.0.01 The map of CMF creation process.

16
3.0 Functional and Emotional Context The whole creation process are distributed into several stages, from left to right, the direction
indicates the design project from the initial stage to the completion. The staged classification in the
At present, the publications on sale as the main topic of CMF design with systematic introduction are
actual project process will be more complicated because of changing external factors. Here, it is
very rare on the market. Thus, a very important bibliography, The Fundamental Principles of CMF
mainly organized according to the prompts in the literature.
Design: Colour Material Finish (Fig.3.0.02), has a certain value in the research of CMF design with
summative and constructive opinions from a very practical perspective, especially for beginners, this
helps readers to establish a general understanding of the current CMF design in the consumer-
products. Before the discussion of CMF creation process, the author emphasizes the importance of
the context in the application of CMF design on products, which as the priority or prerequisite
involves the relevant aspects of consumers, brands and marketing.

In the practice of color material and finish design, context is everything. Understanding and leveraging
the right context the where products will live can make the difference between a successful or failed The “key nodes” cover two main lengths, which respectively indicate the stage to which a particular
product. (Becerra 2016.) approach belongs, and some will span multiple stages. Each “key node” indicates its attribute
through various colors with single or gradient color. For example, the cyan is assigned with mainly
Moreover, since an important research in this thesis would be a representation of the general CMF
“User/consumer attribute”, the red red is assigned as “Brand attributes”. The brights yellow is
design process, which consists of the colored "key nodes" to represent approaches in the design
assigned with “Design relevant works” in CMF, such as creating color and material strategy that
process, to the relevant characteristics, thereby establishing a more intuitive read. (Fig.3.0.01)
designers provide greater engagement. The gradient color is aim to depict the workflow that requires
the collaboration. For example, some ideas need to start from “User/consumer attribute”
consideration to specify the design strategy, the gradient appears from gray-blue to bright yellow.

In addition, in the design process, the appearance design is highly related to the color and material,
so as a counterpoint, vermilion is assigned to indicate “appearance design attributes”, the lightness
and saturation of colors decrease as the design works are confirmed to the next stage.

Fig.3.0.02 Lilliana Becerra, The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish，2016.

[1]. Lilliana Becerra. (2016), The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish.

17
3.1 Functional Context in CMF Design

There are different functional needs and expectations when it comes to interacting with product.
Target consumer MicroTrend tracking
Defining and identifying the consumer group can help to portrait the consumer in order to create a
more accurate product strategy. Consumer segmentation is a common way to describe the result of
user classification according to a set of similar characteristics and consumption behaviors. Based on Based on the different industries, there are different families objects of sharing similar functionality or
the different business models, companies would target one or several consumer groups. (Becerra brand strategy. Even in the same category, targeting a specific group of user by presenting a
2016.) particular visual aesthetic of specific family. The design of CMF for protect families are usually
determined by the brand strategy and marketing positioning. In parallel, the context in which
To create well targeted CMF design, it is very important to work closely with the people who create
products will be utilized contributes a great number of decisions regarding its color material and finish
consumer segmentation within large organizations or companies. They can be part of internal division
specifications. One of them is the space where products would be fully functional and operational.
or department which is usually called “Consumer Insight”, is an interpretation of trends in human
The product can not be absent from the using scenario, and it is also directly related to the user
behaviors which aims to increase the effectiveness of a product or service for the consumer, as well
operation, and usually coexist in the same place with other products. (Becerra, 2016.)
as increase sales for the financial benefit of those provisioning the product or service[20] . They could
also be external agency or institution fully dedicated to consumer understanding. Actually in some
professional institutions which involve the design solution by applying CMF, they usually have the Product portfolio Using environment
experts in this field to prove the design strategy.

Because of the technical constraints, external regulations or restrictions and the certain required
Consumers analysis User Context
performance. Products have their lifecycles / lifespans in every industry. Making products with higher
quality to produce the longer lasting than others. CMF design must carefully considered useful life-
cycle / lifespan of products in order to guarantee its accurate performance and endurable aesthetic
appeal. (Becerra, 2016.)
Once the consumer segment have been clearly defined, by materializing their aspirations into tangible
design elements, the people who have certain interdisciplinary background would help designers to CMF design approaches are versatile for various industries, certain colors and materials or finishes
bridge the gap between the world of consumer insights and the world of design. This process they look good on a range of products but may not transfer well on other applications. The main
ensures the concept would also received by the right group of consumers. They could also be purpose of the product is important when translating a similar CMF design approach from one
external agency or institution fully dedicated to consumer understanding. Actually in some industry to another. A good example to describe this principle is the difference in time-to-market
professional institutions which involve the design solution by applying CMF, they usually have the cycles. Consumers have certain expectations on products in terms of functionality and aesthetics
experts in this field to prove the design strategy. (Becerra 2016.) according to the categories they belong to, fashion wear, consumer electronics, automotive ,etc.

[1]. Lilliana Becerra. (2016), The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish.

[20]. Jure Klepic. (2014), What Are Consumer Insights and How Do They Impact Marketing Effectiveness?,The Huffington Post.

18
 In this description, they indicates the “flexibility” in CMF approach of product design and in production
process, and highlight the CMF design in consumer’s using experience and the value in market
Life span and innovation cycle
positioning. In many cases the marketplace dictates the product innovation cycle. Market retailers
drive an important aspect of the creation of CMF design variants as they directly request exclusive
colors materials and finishes from product manufacturers. A sense of exclusivity in color and material
Brands Factor Product architecture would help the product differentiate from the competition, such as the American brands get used to
chose an exclusive color to represent their identity against other competitors. (Becerra, 2016.)

Generally products are designed for a longer period in the market, however, some industries
encourage a shorter lifespan with innovation of products, such as the seasonal refreshments in
Market positioning
fashion industry. The fast-pace industry prefers to apply border aesthetic experimentation in CMF
design, in contrast, the slow-pace mainly relies on more traditional and a long-lasting aesthetic
appealing. The lifespan of specific products are design with various strategies even within the same
Competitive strategy
product category. Different products are given different meanings in the product architecture, which
also directly determines the life cycle of these products. This is a market-driven result and part of the
brand strategy. Through this approach the products offered by different retailers could be exactly the same in terms
of form and functionality that is where apply unique and exclusive colors, the best example may be
The CMF design strongly contribute to the “quick update” in products, the ideal CMF design offering
Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
the longevity and timelessness of athletic and functional elements for products with a longer life-cycle
in mind, and a quick personalization opportunities for what is considered a fast “product update”
supported by changing or tweaking small portions within the small line of products. (Becerra, 2016.)

Based on the professional institution Baolab1, which concentrate colors and materials solution in
design, they introduce the CMF experts:

Baolab  work at enhancing the sensorial qualities of a product, in consideration that consumers are
most likely to link to it their personal use experiences. A competent re-design of the object’s “light”
characteristics – color, materials and surfaces – can very often set new sensorial and functional
values, without having to turn its production process upside down. A well-defined CMF project does
help the end user perceive the product the best; this can highly influence its repositioning on the
market.

[1]. Lilliana Becerra. (2016), The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish.

1. https://baolab.net/

19
3.2 Emotional Context in CMF Design In this case, giving the product the value, which beyonds simple functionality and then turns into the
reflection of the physical experience and emotional connections. Added value can be real or it can be
Almost consumer-products design in the market are trying to evoke positive emotions through
just a perception. (Becerra 2016.)
sensorial experience, which could elevate the value of the products. Emotional attributes are
considered together with functional factors in the product design process, compared with the Real value are most likely be tangible and measurable through the use of higher materials, intricate
importance of functional attributes in product architectural and market aspects, emotional attributes surface finishes or complex manufacturing processes, utilized to provide a product with better quality,
are more emphasized, through the use of colors and materials to establish the goodness of the higher-performance and therefore higher price point. A typical example is that consumers'
product and the user's experience and the identity of the product's brand. preferences and pursuit of luxury goods with exclusive and precious materials and complicated
manufacturing processes, consumers are pleasure to be informed of the uniqueness and scarcity of
At least 80% of CMF design is about the perceived value it creates for consumers. Consumers with
these products. (Becerra, 2016.)
different backgrounds such as various ethnicities, social status or education or gender factors, is
looking for aspirational objects to fulfill the emotional needs and intangible benefits such as the
status, beauty and belonging. (Becerra, 2016.)
Design localization
This strategy in CMF design to acquire such value is not only through the knowledge of actual high-
end manufacturing processes, which are easier considered as the direct way by CMF design to
Perceived value can be created in order to provide a product with appearance of being high-end.
improve the performance and expressiveness of products, such of the application of precious
This purpose could be achieved through the use of low-cost novelty surface finishes, eye-catching
materials or astonishing finish effect by cutting edge technology.
color combinations, or by creating an overall aesthetic composition with a resemblance to a luxurious

The cultural connection that is purely based on emotional perceptions transforming ordinary objects object. It is possible to convey a sense of prestige at affordable price without necessarily using

into status symbols. Besides those products are design for serving purely functional purposes, the expensive materials or technologies. For example, the application of trendy color in products are

objects surrounding are the reflection of us involve the self-awareness and value identification. When perceived with extra value than ordinary or outdated ones, even with the same color processing.

objects are defined as products, especially in consumption, that people consume in ways that are (Becerra, 2016.)

consistent with their sense of self, and consumers use possessions and brands to create their self-
Understanding the cultural background of the targeted consumers and engaging with the context in
identities and communicate these selves to others and to themselves[21]. (Becerra, 2016.)
which the product will be placed. Different from the physical environment, the discussion of cultural
factor here is the market places in different regions with its cultural background. (Becerra, 2016.)

There are different and ever-changing influences for each consumer group, even those groups are
User Context Value perception
constantly shitting merging and evolving. In this circumstance, products need to support different
aesthetics value and aspirations according to the different influences of trends which could be global
or local, a fusion of both.

[1]. Lilliana Becerra. (2016), The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish, pp. 22.

[21]. Jennifer Escalas. (2013), Self-Identity and Consumer Behavior. Journal of Consumer Research, Volume 39

20
With the development of communication, the cultural background dominated by regions is gradually competitors, and this visual language has also become the connection between the product lines,
changed by the Internet and the media, and the emergence of subcultures may various of and such, it will be reflected in the product according to the changes in branding.
geographically influenced, this makes it possible for a strong visual elements to be perceived in a
The visual language of color and material normally indicates the relevance of different product families
wider range and in a shorter time, to achieve preference or unpleasant. The same color or material
in the same generation or the same product family in different generations.
would be perceived differently depending on culture, and the localization strategy in design become
extremely important for a success in the local marketplace.

Besides the different understanding of colors and materials in cultural consideration, there is a general An interesting phenomena of iconic aesthetics is a certain constant desire to re-visit the past by
appealing of the natural sense. Traditionally, the materials that better seem to maintain the real and looking back to the previous decades, the contemporary reference to vintage is deeply charged with
perceived value through time, from culture to culture, are those derived from natural resources. images of affection and memorabilia of the recent past, generally influenced by the non-digital era.
The functional attributes of color in the material are weakened, instead the emotional stories and
Plastic is widely used as substrate in products, however, since the lower cost in mass-production
narratives in this way are emphasized, which to convince consumers with the certain visual language.
with cheaper price , it incline to recognized with lower perceived value in products, and minerals like
(Becerra, 2016.)
diamonds, crystal, glass and precious metals such as gold, platinum and titanium are at the top of
the list when it comes to high real and perceived value, thus, a large number of contemporary finishes And other visual languages are a sequence of technical material innovation and performance which
such as coating, which emulate visual characteristics of this original materials in order to invoke a has radically changed manufacturing processes from factors or functionality. In this research of case
feeling of high-end. (Becerra, 2016.) study, a chromatic film which originally designed by 3M1 are widely used in consumer-products by
different brands, which could be an example to describe the influence of the visual language.
In addition, some other plastic processing methods can create visual appearance of natural wood or
(Becerra, 2016.)
leather, and even imitate the responding tactile sense. This changes the nature material from lower
perceived value to higher.

Visual design languages are the overall composition of forms, lines, materials and in general visual
cues of products. Sometimes these elements because iconic representation of technology and time
in products. The visual design language has the vital importance when positioning products on
specific market tier or consumer segments. (Becerra, 2016.)

Within the field of brand-based visual design language, CMF design contributes with iconic and
instantly recognizable visual identity in products, brands will form their own unique visual language,
thus establishing consumers' associations with them to distinguish their products from other

Visual identity

[1]. Lilliana Becerra. (2016), The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish.

1. The 3M Company is an American multinational conglomerate corporation operating in the fields of industry, worker safety, US
health care, and consumer goods.

21
CMF CREATION
22
4.0 CMF Creation Process 4.1 Information Gathering

The research of CMF creation in this thesis mainly based on the indication in The Fundamental The aim of gathering information is to help designer to depict accurately the expectation for product.
Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish[1], and an attempt to represent the relevant One of the process could be in the interview with targeted consumers. Formulating questions
information. Starting from design approaches in CMF creation, taking the CMF design as the main focused on functional fitness related to colors, materials and finishes, which could be the foundation
clue in product design (the product design process contains many other parts, CMF design accounts to draw the consumer insights related to functional elements. This interviews may not directly ask the
for a part of it), analysis of design approaches with descriptions are introduced in this creation question about the specific product, instead a deep research of different objects that surround the
process. All those design approaches are classified into six important stages, which finally visualized users to understand the context.
into a process distribution map.
And before the development of new product, relevant tasks and risks have been analysis in order to
CMF design should be conducted in parallel with product ideation and development so that it can form a team and to communicate effectively with other teams or departments.
support any has physical aspects such as scale form and functionality . (Becerra 2016.)

The author believes that CMF designer should participate in the early stage of product design, and in
some professional institution, they provide a more comprehensive tasks for CMF designers. Consumers analysis Tasks & risks analysis

The tasks of a CMF designer begin from industry research to the creative process, strategic portfolio
design, eventually to the execution and finally to design quality supervising. CMF designers need to The project brief is a short summary document outlining the overall scope of this project, the specific

be aware of the upcoming consumer and design trends, but also the new innovations in processes task at hand, the budget and the expected timeline, it is the single most important pieces of

and materials. They need to be capable to supervise the production and application of the information required in order to initiate the CMF design process. Without this premise, the project

techniques. Understanding production processes enable creation of the most functional and beautiful could not be clearly defined into the successful goal, that means the clearer task, the better design.

product[2]. In this stage, professionals from different fields such as branding marketing are all involved, the
information of consumers’ aging, gender, geographical location, type of market and product
In the past, the application of color and material was considered with less priority than the
categories are discussed as much. (Becerra 2016.)
appearance and shape in product design, however, the functional attributes are not the only
dominance in products, especially in such a market full of products with the same functionality. More over the market research and competitors information with potentially interesting and
competitive features are also very useful, some emerging technologies are considered, actually
Sure, CMF design can be applied last in the process, but then you are not utilizing the full power of
professional suppliers are usually invited from the early strategy to the final development.
the discipline. To create differentiation for a product to be competitive – or even disruptive – CMF
design is vital in the early stages. As a CMF designers, research is the key to understand WHAT
problem are we finding a solution for. Our business is to create the next generation product
propositions and creating tangible solutions[2].
Product brief

[1]. Lilliana Becerra. (2016), The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish, pp. 36.

[2]. Omuus.com. (2018) , From the beginning to unknown. https://omuus.com/from-the-beginning-to-unknown.

23
For some independent consultancies, the project brief comes directly from the client, within the larger Gaps/Opportunities
organizations or companies they prefer to build their own CMF teams, it may come from the product Identification
planning the marketing department or it can be created in conjunction with the overall product design
team. This form of organization is sometimes because companies want to keep their leading place in
exclusive products among competitors, for some innovative attempt, they may looking for Market positioning
cooperations with independent consultancies. (Becerra, 2016.)

The product brief also indicates the possible accomplishments in terms of manufacturing This work consists of mapping or positioning existing and future products according to market tiers
technologies within a given time frame and budget. Generally creating completely new CMF design and target consumers. (Becerra, 2016.)
will automatically increase the project complexity and will most likely result in a higher manufacturing
Within large organizations, this information is generally available through the consumer insights or
costs as well as the longer production and time to market.
portfolio planning departments. Within smaller companies, this process is normally outsourced to
The CMF design involvement is classify in different levels. The most basic level consists of supporting external consultants. In such consultancies, researches of clients and industries are truly important as
the "refresh" of the existing product portfolio. This can be achieved by creating new colors, materials their advantage.
or finishes variants without necessarily changing the existing product design.
Baolab conduct an on-going broad research for a wide range of our clients, global players in their
This approach mainly concentrate to address the “quick updates” with the emerging aesthetic and respective industries. We inspire them first and jointly develop novel product concepts, in different
consumer trends, especially in the FMCG industry (fast moving consumer goods), this approach fields.1
could help the fast product turnaround in new looks while operating under very tight budgets.
This process can be conducted through different methodologies and existing sources, bibliographies
The most complex level consists of specifying many different new parts and components for a single and references. Key is that the market survey processes conducted by designers will by nature focus
product. Such as the case in projects involving the CMF design for aviation and automotive interiors, more on qualitative, rather than quantitative methods of assessment. One approach is to visit the
where besides the many different parts — a car interior typically has more than 350 parts — there are market place to observe, photograph and purchase similar products or potential competing
also many different materials, finishes and technical requirements for every part according to industry products, designers devote themselves into the actual consuming activities, both as the consumers
standards. The CMF design process for automotive interiors typically begins about 42 months before and designers to think the product. This process gives an idea of existing functional features and
initiating its production. Information from an interview in this research with the senior practitioners aesthetic trends currently happening in the marketplace. (Becerra, 2016.)
could introduce more or less. (Becerra, 2016.)
Compare with the data and information from consumers interview, designers could process some
Surveying and analyzing the market is a fundamental grounding exercise to get closer to the target judgements more accurate on the design purpose, designer concentrate existing innovations out
consumers. Before the detailed comparison in the competitive product, general competitors' analysis there worth to be noted and in some cases improved — an approach that can avoid wasting time
and market research are conducted by experts with professional backgrounds in marketing, and resources, that could be thought as the preliminary field research. (Becerra, 2016.)
statistics, and business strategy, in order to see the gap and opportunity.

[1]. Lilliana Becerra. (2016), The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish, pp. 36.

1. https://baolab.net/

24
Visiting and surveying the market can also involve cross-pollinating ideas from different industries and
Identification Information Narrative CMF Strategy / Parting and Break-ups CMF Palettes
anticipating similarities of product preferences and usage. For example, some innovations from smart Gathering Establishing

electronic devices were applied for the general home appliance, and this brought new looks in the
Consumers analysis Storytelling Mood board
design of home appliance, the emerging smart refrigerators with touchscreen and AI assistant, Personalized
changes the user experience in a certain way, however, those smart features were used to be
recognized only in the application of electronics devices. (Becerra, 2016.) Value perception CMF indicator
Target consumer

User personas Establishing keyw

Cross-pollinating idea User Context Neutral attribute

MicroTrend tracking
Inspirational samples CMF palettes

Gaps/Opportunities
The “key node” in the first stage and relevance of the context in CMF are represented orderly in the Design localization
Identification
map to depict the general design process in early period, which consists of the project establishing
Third read
and information gathering from different professionals. (Fig.4.1.01) Big-Pic trend tracking Cross-pollinating idea

4.2 Establishing a Narrative

Market positioning First read Second read CMF harmonies

Besides the technical and practical work that lies beneath CMF design, it is equally important to
create and develop an engaging narrative for every project. (Becerra, 2016.) Life span and innovation cycle
Permanent / Flexible elements Defining part brea
In view of the fact that most of the information currently on social networks is transmitted visually. Competitive strategy
Attractive visual identity of products with compelling storytelling, which engages clients and ultimate
consumers. This process is more effective if the stores are based on real world events, emerging
Brands Factor Product architecture Product design Part break-ups appearance Product prototype
consumer behavior or current market trends, in order to make the story more reliable, more relevant
and more engaging. Product portfolio Using environment Part break-ups in CMF

For the product, different ways could be applied in storytelling, however, most of them initiate by Scale proportion
Visual identity
creating a general context or a framework, which consumers are normally familiar, and then
connecting the initial problem or challenge in this situation, finally, the solution with design strategy Standardized guid
Tasks & risks analysis Product brief
would be proposed to complete the story and to convince the functionality.

Fig.4.1.01 The early stage of CMF creation process.

[1]. Lilliana Becerra. (2016), The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish.

25
Storytelling is in itself an entire discipline, but key for CMF design is that the message of the story, There are different labels of trends, ranging from the macro level, which involves big picture changes
besides being relevant to actual market events, also has to be intriguing, creative and unique from a and events, to the micro level, which focuses on tangible and quantifiable manifestations of the
color, material or technology perspective. (Becerra, 2016.) macro trends. For instance, the institution Design Group Italiain2 indicated the 2018 CMF trend as
the revival of Minimalism. (Becerra, 2016.)

Storytelling
Big-Pic trend tracking MicroTrend tracking

Such as the brand could build the storytelling about the performance of materials, innovation Minimalism, the most enduring global style, has trained our eye using elegance, essential shapes,
technology in products or the exclusive design philosophy, etc. Stories need to be carefully organized balanced geometry, neutrality in all aspects, uniformity in textures, and absence of decoration. From
for the right purpose, in some cases, story has been already part of the brand, and must be time to time and with moderation, minimalism is the perfect base for displaying the color of the year
transferred into different CMF elements, such as the iconic color or material in the brand. In other or the retro inspiration having its moment.  At Salone del Mobile, commercial brands employed this
cases, new messages will be applied for the brand with a fresh CMF story. However, the information logic of minimalism, somewhat reconsidering its application, yet maintained its reassuring perfection.2
in stories should be perceived properly by consumers, in a certain time.
Actually, consumer products respond to the quick shifts in technologies, socio-cultural attitudes and
All of them are rooted in a collective return to consciousness that we are experiencing at the moment, general dynamics of offer and demand within the market place. The indication of the trend above
which is pushing us to re-evaluate how products are made, where they come from and what their looks like a proclaim of a general aesthetics or style in products design, this implied a time-sensitive
actual environmental impact is. Storytelling could also create an easier way for consumers to create market preference. But for the practical strategy of trends in products, the trend tracking process is
information and remembers, instead of throwing facts, statistics, and testimonials, focus on making based on constant observation, documentation and analysis of different shifts within the market
the brand thoughtful, memorable, and real[22]. (Becerra 2016.) context, it is necessary to understanding, managing and leveraging the context in the professional
field.
Trend tracking and analysis is considered to be a very important content in CMF design.

Since this is an ongoing process that runs in parallel with the design of products, it also allows us to
By analyzing heterogeneous sources, Baolab recognize the emerging formal languages and on-going
look back in time in order to discover patterns of evolution which can in turn, help anticipate possible
trends that we translate into appropriate tools of interpretation: mood and material boards, color
future scenarios, as well as emerging consumers' needs, desires and aspirations. And this is Micro-
palettes, personas profiling.1
trend tracking, in smaller scale and concentrate on products. When designing colors, materials and

This process happens now naturally on an on-going basis almost like a trained intuition. The main finishes, all levels of trends are important. Although some brands tend to connect colors and

essence when working with trends is to understand that they are not static, but a fast moving, living materials with micro-trends only, it is important to also understand the impact that big picture level

entity which is always changing, merging and diversifying. That is the reason why searching on the trends will have on the products we are designing. Several companies, who are also suppliers, create

Internet, there would not be an exact same result for the trend in specified period, and even in the color forecasting on a seasonal basis, in order to promote their brand and innovations to potential

same industry. clients. Such as Pantone3 or Les Couleurs® Color4. (Becerra, 2016.)

[1]. Lilliana Becerra. (2016), The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish.
3. https://www.pantone.com/

[22]. Celinne Da Costa. (2019), Reasons Why Brand Storytelling Is The Future Of Marketing, Forbes.
4. https://www.lescouleurs.ch/en/the-colours/colour-keyboards/

1. https://baolab.net/

2. http://mdw.designgroupitalia.com/2018/cmf-trends/

26
Creating personas is one of the many different types of design ethnography tools, utilized
Identification to obtain
Information Narrative CMF Strategy / Parting and Break-ups CMF Palettes CMF Developm
Gathering
and communicate cues and insights about consumers. it is a representation of the goals and Establishing

behavior of a hypothesized group of users, which are synthesized from data collected from interviews
Consumers analysis Storytelling Mood board
with users[23]. They are captured in 1–2-page descriptions that include behavioral patterns, goals, Personalized
skills, attitudes, with a few fictional personal details to make the persona a realistic
character. (Becerra, 2016.) Value perception CMF indicator
Target consumer

User personas Establishing keywords

User personas
User Context Neutral attribute
Target samples
MicroTrend tracking
Inspirational samples CMF palettes
Mood board
Gaps/Opportunities
Design localization Technical CMF sp
Identification

Third read
The main difference between personas and mood boards is that personas focus onBig-Pic
the lifestyle
trend tracking Cross-pollinating idea
context — social activities, environments, culture — while mood boards focus on key and concrete
aesthetic cues to support the design process. Usually a mood board is the visual presentation or
Market positioning First read Second read CMF harmonies Time / loops

a collage consisting of images, text, and samples of objects in a composition. It is recommended to

create personas and mood boards in parallel when working with CMF design. This process could
Life span and innovation cycle

help designers to materialize and articulate values into visual and functional aesthetic elements, then Permanent / Flexible elements Defining part breakups Product visualizat

delivering these elements with colors and materials on the product. (Becerra, 2016.) Competitive strategy

The “key node” in the second stage, which consists of theBrands

narrative building, trendProduct
Factor tracking in
architecture Product design Part break-ups appearance Product prototypes  
products, methodology of user analysis and design element materialization . (Fig.4.2.01)
Product portfolio Using environment Part break-ups in CMF Working with supp

Visual identity Scale proportion

Tasks & risks analysis Product brief Standardized guidelines

Fig.4.2.01 The medium stage of CMF creation process.

[1]. Lilliana Becerra. (2016), The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish.

[23]. Humphrey, Aaron. (2017), User Personas and Social Media Profiles. Persona Studies. 

27
4.3 CMF Strategy Generally, functional attributes here could be recognized not only the CMF related physical
performance in products but also corresponding perception by consumers.
A CMF strategy carefully considers how users relate to products through a series of touch points:
from first interaction to long-term usability, and ultimately the product re-purchase. (Becerra 2016.) As the parallel dimension in the indicator, emotional attributes tend to have a more flexible or
changing nature depending on external influences, emotional values and market trends, which
A touchpoint is any interaction that customers feel about the product, brand, business or service[24],
correspond to aspirational and evocative elements. All concepts are based on the external perception
through this interaction, the value of the products could be perceived in order to generate the actual
of how colors, materials and finishes present a story and tend to change and evolve over time,
using experience. In consumer-products, this partly determines whether consumers are willing to re-
depending on various influences, such as classic, contemporary, luxurious, natural, etc.
purchase this product for this next time.
In most cases, the emotional attributes of products are not achieved only with the selection of one
There are several existing Qualistic[14] tool to position and map out sensorial at a functional attributes
color, one material or a specific finish effect, but rather through the combination of all of them
in products, which to imply the perception of quality from a subjective point of view[14]. Liliana
together with the final product and marketing strategy. The emotional expression through CMF will be
Becerra, the author of this book, proposes an indicator that considers the qualitative nature of CMF in
amplified and easily recognized through this combination and generating relevant association or
terms of emotional and functional attributes. This chart has two major dimensions to analysis these
impression. (Becerra, 2016.)
attributes in the product, in order to create a general strategy for the color, material , and finish in the
CMF design. (Becerra 2016.) Some attributes are neutral could be highly functional or highly emotional, depending on product
requirements. Beside the visual elements, tactility, as the representative feature in CMF can effectively
The functional attributes are related to rational elements and characteristics of design, which tend to
enhance the visual appearance of a product and simultaneously support its functionality. In many
have a more permanent nature, represented by tangible, quantifiable measures. The technical and
cases, tactility is an inherent characteristic of a material or a surface, but not directly effects the
physical performance requirements such as: durability, rigidity, flexibility and strength. These features
specific performance. Tactility can also be an "added" property, achieved through different finishing
are highly related to the expected lifespan in products. This is from the functional category to discuss
processes, which could highly enhanced the experience of interaction while keeping the original
the application of color, material and finish in products, to meets expectations and requirements.
features of the material.

Considerations also include how to make consumers perceive these fictional attribute in applications.
For example, visual strength used to he connected with heavy and robust materials, however, with
current developments of high-tech material, structural surfaces of products are becoming thinner, Neutral attribute
lighter and stronger, deceiving preconceived visual aesthetics.

Comfort is another required property for most products, but especially in close contact with body or
the skin. Materials or finishes must provide users with high-performance properties as well, such
textiles are utilized somehow beyond providing comfort, they can comply with specific regulations
CMF indicator
and requirements, like fire retardancy, water resistance, breathability and acoustic isolation.

[1]. Lilliana Becerra. (2016), The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish.

[24]. Interaction design foundation./www.interaction-design.org/

[14]. Mitchell, C. T. New Thinking in Design: Conversations on Theory and Practice, Wiley Publisher, p. 62-71.

28
4.4 Parting and Break-ups
Permanent / Flexible elements
The appearance design in products, the parting purpose is largely restricted by the material
characteristics and processing technology. In CMF, different parts of the product are processed
separately, and part breakups should go beyond simple aesthetic styling of products, and into value The flexible elements are mainly classified into entry level and exclusive level, in entry level the lower

propositions that users can recognize intuitively through universal cues. The consumers should cost processing technology are normally applied for easier mass production, and in a higher or more

perceive the purpose conveyed by the application of the color or the material in the product. exclusive level, variants with special or limited CMF edition that include expensive manufacturing

(Becerra, 2016.) technology or handicraft details which are hardly reproduced. These classifications are different in
every product and industry, for some product design, it doesn't classify samples in this approach.
The first read is usually corresponds to the visual perception of main area or the most visible part for a
Part break-ups in CMF considerable distance, this indicates the size and the overall shape of silhouette, with general color. In
CMF driven product innovation, the first read will be the material technology and its finish effect,
especially when it makes a strong and iconic visual statements. (Becerra, 2016.)

Besides the intended product functionality, part break up can also be a driver or a consequence of
the manufacturing processes. This approach is currently growing in product design, bringing an entire
First read Second read
range of opportunities and constrains. Especially when thinking of the entire life cycle of a product —
design for disassembly — or when maximizing manufacturing processed and design functionality.
(Becerra, 2016.) Second read corresponds to the elements and functional parts products, which are normally
integrated to the main form. These require a closer look with interacting, such as operating keys and
buttons in the products. The second read also could be the texturing detail or specific finish effects of
Part break-ups in appearance the first read, such as the matte, glossy or metallic or pearlescent. The third read corresponds to
specific details of the product, such as borders trims and accents to emphasize the functionality of
form to evaluate the perceived value of products. This details I normally applied in high-end products,
Permanent Versus Flexible Elements Part break up can also be utilized as a way of moving products
with extra time manufacturing and handicrafts processing, which the features could not be easily
up or down different market price points and consumer segmentation tiers. In product design, certain
reproduced in mass-production, thus, that's applications are rarely seen in entry-level products, or
elements designed to be permanent components and others designed to be more flexible or
design with lower-cost processing. (Becerra, 2016.)
upgradable through different CMF variants. For technical consideration, some permanent
components attend to be processed with higher performance, and some flexible smaller components
are considered as changing parts. This strategy allows more variations with certain number of parts.
(Becerra, 2016.)
Third read

[1]. Lilliana Becerra. (2016), The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish.

29
The personalized details and the third read provide at the “added-value”,
Identification Informationwhich couldNarrative
be generally CMF Strategy / Parting and Break-ups CMF Palettes CMF Development
Gathering
understand the extra quality for more emotional perception Establishing
rather than accomplishment of
functionality.
Consumers analysis Storytelling Mood board
Personalized

Personalized Value perception CMF indicator

Target consumer

User personas Establishing keywords

Scale proportion User Context Neutral attribute

Target samples
MicroTrend tracking
Inspirational samples CMF palettes
Each read with corresponding proportion in the product, normally the third read I tend to be smaller
Gaps/Opportunities
Design localization Technical CMF spec
to emphasize the precise of manufacturing and the first read are always have a larger scale. The
Identification

colors, materials and textures should be perceived in good as whole, and also in the level of details. Third read
Big-Pic trend tracking Cross-pollinating idea

The “key node” in the third stage, which consists of an indicator of CMF classification, permeant/
flexible elements in parting and break-ups and how elementsMarket positioning
could be read with different scale or First read Second read CMF harmonies Time / loops

proportion in the product. (Fig.4.4.01)

Life span and innovation cycle
Permanent / Flexible elements Defining part breakups Product visualization Verification
Competitive strategy

Brands Factor Product architecture Product design Part break-ups appearance Product prototypes  

Product portfolio Using environment Part break-ups in CMF Working with suppliers

Visual identity Scale proportion

Tasks & risks analysis Product brief Standardized guidelines

Fig.4.4.01 The medium-late stage of CMF creation process.

30
4.5 CMF Palettes different understanding among culture and product, and each industry has its own technical
terminology or jargon with CMF attributes.
CMF palette is the physical collection of samples or tangible representations of color, material and
finish corresponding to each of the product parts. Depending on the level of complexity of the Defining and analyzing the application with part break up of the product, in order to calculate the
product, palette can vary in size and overall level of detail and complexity. (Becerra 2016.) amount of actual parts and the amount of corresponding colors, materials or finishes need to be
specified. Since this can be a complex process, it helps to number each of the parts to be specified
and to organize them either under permanent/fixed elements or under first, second or third read.
(Becerra, 2016.)
CMF palettes

Inspirational samples
In CMF palette, necessary information should be included to communicate clearly and articulate the
design proposals. Physical display and digital documents are orderly combined. In CMF palette, the
key essential elements are the mood board and persona combination, there could be keywords to
describe the functional and emotional attributes in color, material and finishes. Physical samples are
Standardized guidelines
always involved, the visualization of the proposed design with corresponding part break up should be
properly accounted and clearly listed.
It often helps to request an expanded view with all the external parts from the industrial designers or
the product engineers as well as orthographic views of the products (front, back, sides, top and
bottom), in order to begin the CMF exploration. Ideally, each of the parts that will change color or

Establishing keywords material should be isolated in a separate digital layer. (Becerra, 2016.)

When creating an initial and more inspirational palette, the samples can vary from any source, such
actual objects, existing material and surfaces effects ,etc. However, as the palette becomes more
Defining part breakups grounded on tangible manufacturing technologies, there must be standardized guidelines and
references. Every material and finish industry has their own guidelines and standards. It is crucial to
work with the suppliers when ideating a CMF Palette in order to achieve within the given project brief
and the most immediate manufacturing constrains.

Establishing keywords to support the product narrative and its functional characteristics. Every
Large organizations incline to obtain and utilize samples from current suppliers, already pre-approved
proposed CMF variant needs separate palette. The functional to the emotional attributes in the CMF
for mass production, in order to shorten and maximize production time. For this purposes,
indicator could be translated into keywords, using actual dictionaries to communicate and further
companies have own internal materials library and CMF design team to organize processes.
guide the process. Meanings and associations of descriptive words and visual elements can be vary

[1]. Lilliana Becerra. (2016), The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish.

31
Before committing to a final design, physical material and color samples might look good together, An accurate and clear specifications document should be created for each supplier. Visual and
but completely different when applied to the product, in different compositions and distributions. written technical specification document created by designers to guide suppliers. The CMF
There would not be an accurate impression without visualizing the CMF in digitally or physically on the specification normally consists on an exploded view of the product's elements with corresponding
product. A process of visualizing different palette options is the creation of CMF harmonies. These are callouts and numbers per part. It is always recommended to include a target sample with the
defined as the composition, which representing the overall distribution and combination proportion of supplier's spec and to keep a duplicate sample as a reference to check back on the results once the
colors, materials and finish, according to the product part break up. The CMF break up of the development is done. CMF specs tend to be complex documents that take time to be created and
harmonies should correspond directly with the first, second and third read or the fixed and permanent require a lot of attention to be prepared. (Becerra, 2016.)
elements of the products.

Technical CMF spec Target samples

CMF harmonies Product visualization

The physical prototype could be a visualizations as "appearance models". Although computer Once the CMF specs are done, the next step is to brief the suppliers, which the requested color or
programs are able to stimulate the realistic visualization with corresponding color and materials finish effect can in fact be achieved with the specified materials. Usually the first loop of development
variants, creating physical prototypes are really important, especially when products have complex is not satisfying, thus, working with suppliers and manufacturers should be seen as a process of trial
forms and detailed part break ups. This indicates a more realistic sense of scale, composition, look and error where new opportunities and restrictions are discovered along the way. In terms of CMF
and feel, or the tactile features could not be evaluated without physical model. development time frames, it is recommended to calculate for about three loops of sample matching
until a satisfactory outcome can be approved for mass production. Product innovation within CMF
design truly resides in the accurate allocation of time and resources for R&D, especially when
Product prototypes   development time and costs are not underestimated or under planned. (Becerra, 2016.)

4.6 CMF Development

Working with suppliers
Once the CMF palettes have been concluded, the process of development begins by identifying
suppliers for samples preproduction of new designs. The amount of samples to be developed
depends on the complexity of the proposed CMF design elements. Suppliers of different materials
and technologies tend to work separately yet simultaneously and in order to properly manage this Time / loops
process. (Becerra, 2016.)

[1]. Lilliana Becerra. (2016), The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish.

32
Strategy / Parting and Break-ups CMF Palettes CMF Development The “verification” process is not originally suggested by the author in reference, however, after
discussing with practitioners through interviews, they certainly pointed out the importance of
verification process, which could be recognized as the premise before committing the delivery for
Personalized next stages. Sometimes, the verification process could involve professionals or experts from different
departments, which participate the meeting to evaluate whether the design meets expectations and
dicator what kind of technical support is required from many aspects.

CMF is considered with more flexibility in design process, which often needs to be compromised or
Establishing keywords
changed according to existing restrictions, thus, for CMF designers, the “verification” becomes truly
l attribute important, not only because parameters and indicators that need to be determined in collaboration
Target samples
and subsequent processes, designers also need to ensure the original design intent could be
tional samples CMF palettes
properly delivered in the “verification” process. (Fig.4.6.01)

Technical CMF spec

Third read Verification

ad Second read CMF harmonies Time / loops

4.7 CMF Process Mapping

nent / Flexible elements Defining part breakups Product visualization Verification There are two maps with representation of CMF design process, “Key nodes” are organized from the
initial stage to the completion. The overall structure of the chart has been already explained in chapter
3.0. In addition to the map with “Key nodes”, another version with brief descriptions was represented
eak-ups appearance Product prototypes  
for quickly retrieving relevant information, which could be more effectively identified for the
counterpoint of different “Key nodes”, in order to roughly form an impression of the CMF design
Part break-ups in CMF Working with suppliers
process. (Fig.4.7.01)

Scale proportion Since CMF is considered as in Meta-design, the correlation and stages of each process are not fixed,
but dynamically based on their respective approaches and external factors, and in real projects, the
Standardized guidelines
design processes are often carried out in parallel, the map could only represent a very limited scope.
(Fig.4.7.02)
Fig.4.6.01 The late stage of CMF creation process.

33
 Identification Information Narrative CMF Strategy / Parting and Break-ups CMF Palettes CMF Development
Gathering Establishing

Consumers analysis Storytelling Mood board

Personalized

Value perception CMF indicator

Target consumer

User personas Establishing keywords

User Context Neutral attribute

Target samples
MicroTrend tracking
Inspirational samples CMF palettes

Gaps/Opportunities
Design localization Technical CMF spec
Identification

Third read
Big-Pic trend tracking Cross-pollinating idea

Market positioning First read Second read CMF harmonies Time / loops

Life span and innovation cycle

Permanent / Flexible elements Defining part breakups Product visualization Verification
Competitive strategy

Brands Factor Product architecture Product design Part break-ups appearance Product prototypes  

Product portfolio Using environment Part break-ups in CMF Working with suppliers

Visual identity Scale proportion

Tasks & risks analysis Product brief Standardized guidelines

Fig.4.7.01 The map of CMF creation process.

34
 Identification Information Narrative CMF Strategy / Parting and Break-ups CMF Palettes CMF Development
Gathering Establishing

Storytelling
Mood board
Concentrating the facts and figures to demonstrate
The Mood boards are the conceptual aid and emotional connection with targeted consumers and relevant Personalized
the application of certain material and specific color,
product in the physical world. (Materializing and articulating intangible, aspirational values into visual and Aftermarket industries may focus on personalizing and upgrading products based on CMF, such as brand
which based on the consumer appeal, brand value
functional aesthetic elements) logo, handcrafted details.
and profits.

Value perception CMF indicator

A thinking tool guiding CMF projects through creation of palette and corresponding design strategies.

Added value in the product for targeted consumers.

Target consumer / Intended user Emotional attribute
Defining and identifying the consumer group External influence and emotional value : Changing nature / Qualitative facts : Aspiration and evocative

Consumers analysis according to the set of similar characteristics, Aesthetic : trend and emotive perception and Keywords

The target consumers and corresponding context. Functional attribute

consumption behavior in order to match the
Rational elements and performance : Permanent nature / Quantitative facts: Tangible and measurable

appropriate business model.

Performance : Tech and physical and Keywords Establishing keywords
User personas
Persona are archetypes or representation of people, The actual dictionaries for communication and further guide the process.The accurate descriptive words
their life, desire, aspiration and values, which are and visual elements based on each industry.
Contextual user research based on the real world data. Neutral attribute
FUNCTIONAL CONTEXT /
Tactility and comfort depends on type of the industry and the product, and emotional expectation.

Materializing the aspiration into tangible design Supplementary feature of acoustic, breathability or physical resistance.
elements by applying consumer segments.
Target samples
EMOTIONAL CONTEXT /
Target sample with the supplier's spec and to keep a
MicroTrend tracking
The cultural connection of emotional perceptions, duplicate sample as a reference to check back on
Customers’ behaviors and insights, forecasting
transforming ordinary objects into status symbols. Inspirational samples CMF palettes the results
emerging trends.
Source of initial samples : actual objects, existing The physical collection of samples or tangible representation of color, material and finish corresponding the
materials explorations, intriguing surfaces, novelty each part (breakups) of products. Also design documents and indication.

color or material effects, surface treatments.

Key essential elements, mood board/persona combination, keywords of sensorial and functional CMF
Design localization attributes. Technical CMF specification
Localization strategy for specific marketplace/regions and consumer. CMF spec is visual and written technical
specification document created by designers to
guide suppliers through the development of task of
Third read pre-production samples.

Big-Pic trend tracking Cross-pollinating idea Specific details such as borders, trims and accents, which emphasizing the functionalities, form, simply to CMF spec normally consists an exploded view of
The big-Pic of new emerging of technology or Ideas from different industries and seeking elevate the perceived value of products, especially for high-end and premium products.
products’ elements (orthographic view), with
response to the change of market. similarities of product preference and usage. Entry products sometimes skip the third read process to achieve lower production cost. corresponding callouts and numbers per part.

Gaps/Opportunities Identification Market positioning First read Second read Time / loops
CMF harmonies
Analysis of excited product architecture and Surveying and analyzing the market, mapping and positioning the existing and future products according The main area or the most visible surface of The surface element and functional part, which are Loops of sample matching until the satisfactory outcome could be approved for mass-production and the
Visualizing different palette options for the overall
potentials in the market.. to the market tiers and target consumers. identification from a considerable distance.
integrated to the main form. The medium-sized parts accurate allocation of time and resources for R&D.
distribution and combination proportion of color,
with interactive features by end users.
material and finish according to breakups.
CMF driven innovation : material tech and finishing The finishing, color or texturing details of the main
effect and iconic visual statement. surface.

Life span and innovation cycle

The inherent lifespan and the marketplace dictates the product innovation cycle.

Permanent / Flexible elements Defining part breakups Product visualization Verification

The breakups could be utilized of products for different market tiers and target consumers within the life- The organization and specification of breakups.
The physical “appearance models” of prototypes.
CMF application on physical prototypes for the
span. Certain elements designed to be permanent / flexible / upgradable of CMF variants.
The classification of permanent / fixed first/second/ The computer realistic visualization. confirmation in comprehensive tests with other
Competitive strategy third read. The CMF exploration for product family. departments.
Permanent elements : the repeating part of product in the same range with different cover.

Comparing similar products of potential competing products. Flexible elements : neutral for entry level, exclusive for expensive manufacturing or handcraft details.

Product architecture Part break-ups appearance

Product design Product prototypes  
The product purpose in the entire product range and The product would be designed with the functionality, manufacturing process, lifespan in each component
The appearing design of specific product. The inventing process consists breakups and partial functionalities in physical form.
eco system. for product appearance.

Brands Factor Product portfolio Using environment Part break-ups in CMF

Working with suppliers
The identity and brand strategy.
The product category involves the product family, The functional satisfaction in physical using scenario The aesthetic styling, intuitive recognition, functionality, visual effect / manufacturing process for color and
Making sure the request is realistic, more specifically, that the color or finish effect could be achieved with
brand strategy and marketing position. with users and other products. texture variations.
specific materials. The cooperation with suppliers could be seen as a process of trial and error test, which
new opportunities and restrictions might be discovered.

Scale proportion
Visual identity
The colors, materials and textures should be perceived in good as whole, and also in the level of details.

The direct visual display of the characteristics, and identity of business, it presents a significant distinction
The parting in appearance design partly effects the proportion and sale of each break-up.
from industry competitors.

Tasks & risks analysis Product brief Standardized guidelines

Team Building on objectives, the clarification of main The product brief and manufacturing technologies within given time and budgets. /refreshing the existed Existed standardized reference system for communication with suppliers and manufacturing.
goals and workflow of different teams. product portfolio

Fig.4.7.02 The map of CMF creation process with the brief description for each.

35
4.8 CMF Process Mapping (Interview Feedback) For the study of the material itself, we have our own R & D team and laboratory to conduct small
batch production and design prototype matching of potentially attractive materials. We call this type
What do you think of this representation of CMF design process in actual work?
of material "x-marks", which represents materials that require a lot of investment to develop. There

Zhang GuoJun (Principal Designer of Geely CMF Department): are also some materials that have been widely used in large-scale production, and we are very
familiar with their characteristics. These materials are called “non-x-marks". In the project, these two
First of all, I think that the flowchart you gave is very comprehensive, it accurately describes the actual types of materials will be designed with corresponding proportion according to the different models.
process of our work. In relatively high-end models, the new materials will be more likely to be used in vehicle interiors.

Compared with the three perspectives provided in your chart, our design process mainly introduces For product considerations, or how to apply materials to products, "part and break-ups" is a crucial
five important factors, including (people) consumers, (machines) products, (materials) specific colors part of our work. We need to define the material of each component and be very clear that it is in
and materials, (methods) It contains processing technical details and engineering related, and finally production. The cost is closely related to the process.
(context) environmental factors, which largely include market factors.
As a simple example, our team and Volvo design team participated in the development of the CMF
As the internal design department of an automobile company, we consider a lot of product sales and interior of the new "Lynk & Co" car. Before the specific design work, we did a lot of user research,
costs, which is why I think the workflow in the chart is very ideal, because of the cost of new material research, market trends Research and how to define this emerging brand, I mean the
consideration, it is difficult for us to comprehensively identify every product in actual operation. identity. There are many functional and emotional considerations in this.
However, we will consider all the above factors, but it depends on different projects.
Obviously, the interior design in the car is the crucial part that the user needs to contact frequently. In
From the user's perspective, the content of "consumer segments" is very important, it is a valuable such a small space, any unharmonious factors will remind the user during daily use, this includes
indicator for us to consider users. It includes analysis of users. For example, companies regularly visual and tactile consideration, Thus It is a failed design. Therefore, we are very thoughtful about the
organize events to collect user’s feedback and opinions, but those feedbacks could not directly use of each piece of material, and bold and innovative materials will be more popular than younger
determine design ideas, not all users provide professional suggestions. But these feedbacks will users. Their curiosity about new things allows them to accept more cutting-edge designs.
serve as important references in the design.
Of course, communication with suppliers is another complicated process, and we will have
In addition, we will create "persona" for the user's lifestyle, such as the user's preference for interior professionals to coordinate the corresponding work, some of which are closely related to mass
style and fashion preference, which can be considered as the color and material reference for the production.
user's portrait.

In terms of the market, we will carefully analyze the existing competitive products, such as other
brands of cars of the same level, and also forecast the industry trends. At the same time, the
innovation of materials and processing technology brought by different industries “cross-pollinating”,
such as electronic consumer products, those will also inspire our ideas in design, which should be
regarded as "inspirational samples" to some extent.

36
What do you think of this representation of CMF design process in actual work? of the seat, which industrial designers consider more, and what we provide is from textile with
comfort and safety performance considerations, such as flame retardancy and water resistance.
Wang YuanHao ( Senior Designer of COMAC interior design team):
There are some soft materials in the cabin that also undertake specific acoustic functions. Because
Actually, this seems to be much more complicated than the process I have encountered in my actual
the entire airport environment is difficult to simulate in a physical manner, it is difficult to imagine
work. Thank you very much for sharing this part of the research.
dropping an airplane in the office. Therefore, the effect of using computer graphics to simulate colors

First of all, our work has little to do with the consumer electronics industry or product design, and materials in actual use has also become an important part of our work. "Material visualization"

because the parts involved in our work are not mass-produced, or the conventional cabin is partly We will also introduce virtual reality or augmented reality technology to simulate the final effect to

shaped and not very complicated If it is an innovative design, it is more concentrated in high-class evaluate the CMF quality.

positions in business class seats and first-class cabins. For economy class, our primary design task
is to ensure the comfort and functional requirements of seat textiles, and the aesthetic approach is
also very simple.

If it is the conceptual design of the seat part of business class or first class, we will consider it more
carefully. The design methods involved can be seen in the flowchart, so I think this shows a very
complete process. We often use inspiration from the fashion industry and consumer electronics
industry to obtain materials and colors, especially the innovative application of certain colors and
patterns in textiles.

In addition, since our customers and most of them are various airline companies, they have a very
distinctive brand identity, so we will also consider this as an important reference in the design process
of colors and materials. The brand factor has a large proportion in the design.

From the perspective of the market environment, because the manufacture and production of aircraft
are mainly by two companies, Boeing and Airbus, our company currently does not have many
commercial aircrafts developed. Therefore, in this monopoly environment, product innovation and
iteration is certainly slow, airlines would like to invest a lower price to upgrade the visual experience,
rather than the overall replacement, I think this is an important part of our work in the CMF design
process. If this can also be defined as "Permanent and flexible parts”.

At least in my daily work, the functional requirements of the materials are not particularly high,
because some materials that require specific performance, such as the frame and support structure

37
CMF PERSPECTIVE
38
5.0 CMF Perspective and Case studies

The research of “CMF perspective” are mainly based on various case studies of existing projects, by
analyzing the design strategy of colors, materials and finish effect from three perspectives, which
mainly enclose the approach in brand, market and user experience. Each “perspective” may involve
several relevant case studies, through the induction of existing information, reasonable inferences or
deductions of the design approach would be proposed, with the analysis of relevant “Key nodes” in
CMF creation. The analysis would be considered to provide a different perspective to understand the
design intention of color and material in products or in interior space.

The perspective / 1 starts form the Japanese brand MUJI, which the idea of color and material
plays an important role in its brand philosophy, so that from its products, retail space, various
commercial business to the hotels or even home design services, all above are considered as
implements of this idea. Several cases studies are introduced to depict the CMF with the "brand
attributes" in its products and interior space of its various businesses.

The perspective / 2 concentrates on an eye-catching finished effect，the gradient and dichroic

color trend. Since trend tracking and forecasting is a representative professional work in CMF, this
research including relevant case studies of this color preference by introducing a timeline of its
popularity in various fields. This can offer a perspective on how a certain color or finish effect has
become a trend or a visual state, widely exists in products and interior spaces.

The perspective / 3 was inspired by innovations of user experience through establishing

emotional perception between people and CMF in products. From the three major categories of
aluminum, wood and textiles in Bang & Olufsen’s products, focusing on how the CMF design evokes
innovative user experiences and perceptions through products and using contexts, normally interior
spaces. The research emphasizes how user experience was formed by engaging a close connection
between “emotional attributes”in CMF and human perceptions.

39
PERSPECTIVE / 1
40
Fig.5.1.01 Typical products of MUJI.

5.1 MUJI However, such a “de-branding" company has a unique and strong visual identity of its brand, Muji
today carries more than 7,000 items ranging from clothing and household goods to food and even
In today’s marketplace, brands prefer to process the eye-catching marketing strategies for more
houses. Behind such a huge product system, the consideration of colors and materials in design has
attention, Muji keeps its own design philosophy of functional, quality design with the Japanese
been usually talked about with several well-known designers, such as Naoto Fukasawa(深澤 直⼈),
minimalistic aesthetic offered at a reasonable price, “MUJI is enough” is the key phrase to
Kazuko Koike((⼩池 ⼀⼦) and Kenya Hara(原 研哉). Muji's stores and hotels have consistently
encapsulate this concept. The brand’s relentless focus is on the product and does away with any
implemented the design language of their products, which provides an easier access to research the
unnecessary decoration or ornamentation. (Fig.5.1.01)
CMF concept in products and relevant spaces.

41
5.1.1 The identity of MUJI Therefore, the brand is also distinguished by its emphasis on recycling and its avoidance of waste in
production and packaging. From its refillable pens, notebooks, bottles to soap dispensers, Muji is
Since the 1950s when brands were born in the age of modern marketing, companies have tried to
indeed making a loud statement in today’s world of consumerism.
differentiate themselves from their competitors through branding and identity creation. To succeed in
the marketplace today, it is not only mandatory for companies to offer high-quality products. In At that time, Japan was going through the consumer spree brought by the post-war economic take-
addition to that, a strong brand management practice needs to be in place. Today, it is almost off. Because of a high conscious of brand effect in consumption. Japanese consumers were willing to
impossible to identify a category leader that does not also embody a certain personality in the pay extra prices for branded products, and their love of brands sparked the emergence of a mass-
marketplace. In comes the Japanese antithesis – Muji 無印良品 (Mujirushi Ryohin むじるしりょうひ luxury market where owning expensive, exclusive products seemed essential rather than aspirational.
ん), which means “brandless quality goods[25]”.
Muji’s generic, brand-less and anonymous products were a statement against the excessive labeling
Launched in 1980 with only 9 household and 31 food products, Muji started as a product brand and high price tags accompanying luxury goods. While it was popular at the time to buy a brand-
within supermarket chain The Seiyu in Japan. The Muji product range was designed to offer cheap name product regardless of its practicality, Muji had foreseen that a growing segment of the
and good quality products and was marketed using the slogan “Lower-priced for a reason”. Wrapped population placed a premium on functionality, affordability and quality over marketing hype, inflated
in clear cellophane, with labels of plain brown paper and red writing (Fig.5.1.1.01), the original range price tags, and status symbols[26].
focused on ways to save the customer money. While other shops only offered intact, perfect slices of
The philosophy of simplicity and universality has indeed seen in all products by this company through
dried shiitake mushrooms and threw the remainder ends away, Muji decided to package the ends
its entire development. With the absolute basic specifications available. The company’s persistent
and sell them. While other shops only sold straight spaghetti and threw away the U-shaped ends,
non-branding effectively became its unique identity. With packaging kept to a bare minimum and
Muji decided to package the U-shaped ends and sell them[26].
limited natural colors, products are aesthetically attractive to customers who prefer unbranded
products. It examines products through three lenses, as articulated in its three product development
priorities: material selection, process streamlining and packaging simplification. Muji searches
worldwide for the most suitable quality raw materials, even materials that are typically discarded by
other manufacturing companies. Processes that have no bearing on a product’s quality are
eliminated.

For instance, if the bleaching process for pulp is omitted, the resulting paper is light beige in color.
Muji realized that this paper can be used for its packaging and labels as there is no additional value in
bleaching the paper to turn it white (Fig.5.1.1.02). The resulting paper is remarkably pure, natural and
refreshing when combined with its products – a large contrast to the over-embellished products in the
marketplace[26].

Fig.5.1.1.01 The early poster of Muji. Fig.5.1.1.02 The sample tags of Muji products.

[25]. Ryohin Keikaku. (2016), 企業情報 Corporate Information. 

[26]. Martin Roll. (2019), Muji – The Global Strategy Behind The Japanese No-Brand Brand. www.martinroll.com.

42
5.1.2 MUJI’s Philosophy The approach that Naoto Fukasawa wanted was to observe and to distinguish people’s spontaneous
behaviors in design, in order to stimulate a natural unconscious interaction between people and
Muji's “conservative” strategy of CMF has compressed the practical use of colors and materials in
objects. In this way, the appearance of a product will no longer to tell people how to use with detailed
thousands types of commodity to a very limited extent, which is directly related to its unique design
instructions, but a trigger that encourages people to do something and to be engaged in the action
ideas and brand philosophy. Muji‘s products are not attributed to individual designers. While it has
when they see the product.
stated that some of its products have been the works of famous international designers, one of the
most well known is Naoto Fukasawa and his “Without Thought ” design. Take the MUJI CD Player as an example (Fig.5.1.2.03). The original design intention of this Cd player
with shape as the kitchen fan attached on the wall. There is a string hanging down from the main box
In this concept, by observing the people’s subconscious behavior, the design of products has to
and that reminds you a switching operation like the fan in the kitchen. When you attempt to pull the
achieve an object “without thought”, that is able to meet subconscious needs rather than create new
string, and once you do that, this behavior has an interesting coupling with your previous simple
ones or attract unnecessary attentions. There are examples that is always taken out to explain this
operation, like the same action of switching, the player will be turned on successfully[28]. In this case,
design concept, the banana packing and the notch on the umbrella handle.(Fig.5.1.2.01/Fig.5.1.2.02)
the key point is using the string of the kitchen fan to remind users of the intuitional action , pulling the

“Finding ideas in people’s spontaneous behavior and realizing these ideas in design is what Without string. And this design philosophy was applied to Muji’s products, which Nato Fukasawa explained:

Thought is about.” Said notable Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa. As Naoto Fukasawa explained,
“The first thing I designed for MUJI was this CD player. Everything in our lives is integrated. In other
Unconscious is not equal to without thinking, but a reaction made by parts of body based on the
words, unified. It’s not just a thing. You pull the string and the music flows out as air flows. It’s the
prior or existing daily experience and knowledge stored. It does not take long for this
entire physical sensation. From the perspective of MUJI fulfilling the consideration aspect of this
“unconsciousness” to surface. This belongs to a natural way for people to interact with products[27].
experience, I think this CD player expresses this thought in a straightforward way[29].”

Fig.5.1.2.01 The sample tags of Muji products. Fig.5.1.2.02 The sample tags of Muji products. Fig.5.1.2.03 Muji CD player in Muji Hotel, designed by Naoto Fukasawa.

[27]. Naoto Fukasawa (09, 2006). Naoto Fukasawa: Without a Thought. Design Dwell magazine.

[28]. Peizhong Xu (2013). “Without Thought” Philosophy of Design Applied to Product Design.
[29]. MUJIglobal.(2015), 深澤直⼈ Naoto Fukasawa. Micro Consideration. https://www.muji.com/us/flagship

43
“Without Thought” is a phrase that I like to use. MUJI starts by thinking of things that we do naturally
and without thought, always thinking about what is most appropriate for day-to-day living.
Oftentimes, people regret buying too much or eating too much. Therefore, MUJI achieves the
ultimate level of comfort in what is “Just Right[29].”

“This is how MUJI thinks of all of its products, such as the mattress with legs, rather than a bed, or a
shelf with a minimum amount of structure, and polypropylene boxes that make organization easy.
MUJI is continuously counter balancing its position against society in order to give harmonies to
people’s lives[29].”

“I think the making of a product is about drawing a line within a space. It is the line in the center that
remains balanced no matter how much pressure is applied from either side. All of us at MUJI are Fig.5.1.2.04 Muji’s products in its “compact” storage system.

united in drawing this one harmonious line. Of course, finding the size that is “Just Right,” and for
example, a thickness for table legs and tabletops that is “Just Right,” is what we are constantly
considering[29].” 5.1.3 Color and Material in MUJI’s Products

Nato emphasized the a connection of the experience, from the interaction between users and This directly determines the CMF approach in its design strategy of products. The color and materials

products to the integration between individual products and series. When the single product is in Muji’s products are normally processed into the state, which the substrate conforms to its most

weakened to just meet its basic requirements, the combination of products achieve a certain familiar appearance in people's impression.

compatibility, to avoid the abrupt between. Muji’s design attempt to build the using experience with a
For example, the colors of almost wooden components in Muji’s furniture are classified with only two
reasonable expectations for the product instead of highlighting the product's own characteristic.
types to commit the demand of “Just right”. The lighter Oak to create the general sense of natural,

In terms of processing and materials, MUJI chooses the easiest processing methods and the which are largely applied as the main tone with numerous application in Muji store and Muji Hotel.

materials that are “Just Right.” As a result, MUJI offers a very compact lifestyle without things being (Fig.5.3.04) This beige wooden finish with open grain, which is in line with people's overall impression

too big. Let’s take a look at the complete modules and the lifestyle that comes from our ideas about of the color on wood products without fine processing. This expressed the original state of natural

this kind of compact living, or what we call “Compact Life[29].” wood. And about this consideration, Nato Fukasawa indicated:

“In the project, we have standardized basic dimensions of storage products, which were initially The Japanese word “manma,” which means “as-is,” has been used for a long time. Materials, as they

varied, based on our module design concept. In addition, thinking about the “Compact Life” concept. are. Natural flavors, no flavors added. Based on this concept of natural appearances, with no

In the project, you can see the very minute level of detail with so much micro consideration. MUJI dressing up, product development begins with the materials. Linen is one of these. There are some

believes that people deserve the leading role in life, not things. MUJI aims to provide the background, products in which wool from animals is also used as-is, without any added colors. Material coloring is

to play a supporting role to you, the leading actor[29].” (Fig.5.1.2.04) another point of definition. MUJI uses natural dyes that are made of plant parts that are usually
thrown away. Rose stems, for example[29].

[29]. MUJIglobal.(2015), 深澤直⼈ Naoto Fukasawa. Micro Consideration. https://www.muji.com/us/flagship

44
Fig.5.1.3.01 Muji’s packing paper.
Fig.5.1.3.02 Muji’s Pulp storage units.
Fig.5.1.3.03 A collection of Muji’s products.

Another iconic color is originally from the kraft. In terms of packaging, Muji uses bulk, standardized In the analysis of CMF approach with functional, emotional and neutral attribute in Muji’s products. An
packaging(Fig.5.1.3.01) to highlight the natural colors and shapes of its products, while at the same obvious emotional attribute of color and material in Muji is the natural perception in the product. Not
time conserving resources and reducing waste. Either Kraft paper products or the pulp1 furniture only the raw materials are taken from nature, wood, bamboo or rattan, but even the processing
system (Fig.5.1.3.02), the slightly rough surface and color is recognized as a more direct relationship methods of natural materials are treated as "minimalism" to ensure their functional properties of “Just
with raw materials, with a visual similarity to the beige color of wood products. right”, so that the original surface characteristics of the materials could be displayed.

For artificial materials, "White product" is another visual identity of Muji, made of different plastic And the “Just right” philosophy of artificial materials in products could be seen as environmentally
materials or even metal, such as SOFT Polypropylene and Polyethylene. Unlike the current large friendly or recycled materials with the most basic processing methods to reduce the burden on the
number of products that give plastic items a higher sense of value through advanced surface environment in manufacturing, is a design concept with anti-consumerism thought. About the
processing technology, this uncolored “plastics” are not intended to emphasize the added value of functional attribute in the design strategy, Muji does not shape its products to extremely high quality
the material, but to meet the common perception of plastic by users, so this “white plastic” product and durability, but defines its material design strategy to just meet the product's life cycle.
has a sense of prototype with a lower processing degree. Compared with plastic products that are
In the Muji's complex product families, the different components are made of corresponding materials
delicately camouflaged, Muji's products appear more natural and closer to the original texture of the
with each approach, for example, the compact storage system could disciple a lot. In the steel unit
raw materials.
shelf, this modular system, the steel frame as the skeleton with several specification (Fig.5.1.3.04),
However, even if they are all white substrates, different processing techniques create a variety of finish the corresponding modular storage units are flexibly installed in this frame, Muji introduces this
effects, the senses and using experience will also become rich. (Fig.5.1.3.03) This simultaneously diemsion with the concept of Japanese building size units "saka(尺)" and “ken(間) [30].” 
satisfies the unified visual perception and differentiated use experience in details.

1. Kraft pulp is darker than other wood pulps, but it can be bleached to make very white pulp. Fully bleached kraft pulp is used to
make high quality paper where strength, whiteness, and resistance to yellowing are important.

[30]. MUJI. (2020), Standard Module Design, https://www.muji.com/hk-en/campaign/20SS_storage/size.html

45
 Fig.5.1.3.05 The Muji Compact storage components. Fig.5.1.3.06 The Muji Compact storage components.

These metal frames form the main stress-bearing components in the system and are also the parts
that require the most durability and rigidity. In this way, the polished stainless steel with metallic luster
is in line with people's understanding and expectations of metal performance, the steel frame has
only this finished effect.

And the internal components such as shelves or side panels have more flexibility, which are made by
medium rigid and durable materials, in contrast to the main frame, both the wooden laminate and the
bent metal sheet are processed by matte finish rather than glossy reflective surfaces[31]. The relatively
smooth surface provides enough friction while also having a certain degree of wear and scratch
resistance. (Fig.5.1.3.05)

The storage units are made of light and softer materials such as PP plastic, kraft paperboard, woven
rattan or bamboo products. The durability and rigidity of these materials are far less than the above.
As the most frequent and interactive parts with users, the design approach of these materials is
closely related to the sense of touch and weight. The colors and materials application of these parts
form a direct visual and tactile experience. And compared to the shelf, the lifespan of these
components are shorter. (Fig.5.1.3.06)
Fig.5.1.3.04 The schematic diagram of Muji’s storage shelf and its product matching.

[31]. MUJI. (2020), Muji Furniture Catalog.

46
 Longer lifespan glossy stainless steel. Distributions on emotional / functional axis are classified from most natural
Rigidility stainless steel
perception to fine manufacturing appearance, or in tother word, a sense of artificial and machining.
The materials in this diagram only involve the relatively common materials in “Compact Storage” and
tin paint matte steel home furniture. This may partially reflects the application approaches of materials in products.

In a wider range of Muji's products, colors and materials are orderly applied on daily products,
clothing and furniture etc. A research of a general color appealing of Muji’s products provides some

bamboo oak walnut pulp interesting aspect of its color design approach. This research was held by three students at China
Academy of Art, 420 different products are selected as samples in the Muji store, after merging some
Emotioanl Functional similar colors on products, 44 representative colors were chosen for further research with proportion
Natural Fine processing
Handicraft Machining
analysis, to roughly describe the frequency of colors in the Muji's product system. Since there was no
practical and professional color extraction equipment in this study, samples would be considered as
woven bamboo gloss pp
the color that roughly represents the products.
matte pp matte pp
woven woven In the map of “Proportion of the colors”, selected samples were classified into the increasing
reed rattan
sequence of color frequency in products, which the length of colored bar indicates the number of
occurrences of the corresponding color. Another map at the bottom indicates the same result with
the proportion represented into the block diagram with scaled areas. (Fig.5.1.3.08) Each one has a
kraft/paper
specific title to briefly disciple this color with material, because some of them are pretty similar, which
are originally from different materials, such as wooden beige and Kraft beige.
Shorter lifespan
Flexibility
The 44 colors were later reorganized into 8 larger categories with the number of color application in
Fig.5.1.3.07 The general materials in Muji Compact storage components, distributing in lifespan and functional/emotional dimension. 420 items, which based on the similarity of hue, named from top to bottom in the chart, according to
the proportion from larger to smaller. (Fig.5.1.3.08) They are “(Approximate) White”, “(Light) Grey”,
“Beige (Sand)”, “Dark Grain”, “Terra-cotta”, “Rose Quartz and Serenity”, “Greenery”, “High saturated
Based on this example, a chart (Fig.5.1.3.07) briefly represents the weight between functional / points (Various hues)”. Among them, transparent or translucent application in products are classified
emotional attributes and lifespan might be helpful to understand this approach. In this diagram, the as (Approximate) White category and the smallest proportion with high saturated colors has been
materials are placed in two orientations, one indicates the general performance like the rigidity or the taken separately in this map.
material strength. In this dimension, the paper and Kraft components tend to designed as
consumables that need to be changed frequently, natural woven and plastic PP components are Since complex patterns rarely appear in Muji’s products, which makes color prefer to play a more

mostly designed as moveable storage units. In contrast, wooden panels and bending steel plates as important role in the visual identity of products. This color strategy is also inseparable from the

shelves are mainly bearing the contents and installed to the frameworks, which are processed in consideration of materials and finishes in Muji’s design approach.

47
 Fig.5.1.3.09 The cover of Muji Furniture Catalogue . Fig.5.1.3.10 The inner page information of Muji Furniture
Catalogue.

published on the website with product manual, which provides relevant information of dimensions,
materials and finish treatments and installation notes. (Fig.5.1.3.09)

However, the specific materials and processing technology of some “wooden” furniture are not clearly
marked, which is different from IKEA's detailed labeling with each product. Some curt indication of
material information causes some question or suspension of the actual use (Fig.5.1.3.10). Steel unit
shelf as the example, the internal unit named “Stainless Unit Shelf Oak 2 Drawer”, no clear
information to indicate whether the practical use of the shelf board in this furniture is the crude oak
Fig.5.1.3.08 The color categories and frequency in 420 products with amounts, statistics by Zhu Ningli, 2013. product with cutting process or fiberboard/multi-layer board with wood veneer.

In Muji’s products, a large number of light-paint oak products or oak grain veneer finish effect have
become the main appearance of Muji’s wooden furniture, and some of them have another choice by
This map depicts typical colors with lager area, such as white series, lighter grey and beige. Although
darker paint of walnut colors, and the wood grain effect are prefer to be unified as similar on different
there might be subtle deviations in specific color collecting in this study, and the coverage of samples
components. For example, both the components of solid wooden frame and multi-layer boards
was not even comprehensive, especially considering the total amounts in Muji’s product architecture.
covered with veneer, the surface effect of light oak is surprisingly consistent.
However, this chart could still represent the the color appealing in products to a certain extent.

Colors like beige, sand or light brown are normally seen in some appendix or storage units, which are
A rough classification has been organized according to the materials and finishes appealing of Muji
made by kraft paper, natural rattan harmoniously combined with the wooden furniture.
products on its official website and catalogue[31]. All conventional products in retails have been

[31]. MUJI. (2020), Muji Furniture Catalog.

48
 Despite a certain variation of colors in textiles, only a few representative colors and finish effects in the
WOOD / BAMBOO / PULP chart (Fig.5.1.3.11) could almost cover the appealing of Muji on natural materials, metal structure and
plastics products. The material of many accessories and appendix in the regular modular furniture,
which are woven by rattan or bamboo.

On the one hand, it enriches the visual and tactile experience while using raw natural materials. On
the other hand, the weaving process is direct exposed to evoke a feeling of reminiscent of traditional
Japanese culture among the craftsmanship. Even if with this simple process, it can create a rich
RATTAN / PAPER
perception experience, and there is no disharmony to match the furniture system with an industrial
sense.

The types of color and finish effect of metal parts in products are also very limited, mainly including
white / light gray or dark gray / black matte surface with powder coating or polished stainless steel. In
addition, a large number of plastic products (the ingredients include PP and PE) are also designed as
ALUMINUM / STEEL / TIN white or translucent to transparent products with different smoothness or gloss. (Fig.5.1.3.12)

Metal components are weakened into functional components in the furniture system, and the finish
effects are usually treated as black and white powder sprayed or polished stainless steel for easy
maintenance and cleaning. A few tin alloy products are mostly used in outdoor environments.

PP / PE / ACRYLIC

Fig.5.1.3.11 The brief classification of representative materials in Muji’s products. Fig.5.1.3.12 A typical composition of Muji modular Compact storage.

49
Beside Muji’s iconic “white plastic” (Polypropylene and Polyethylene etc). The packaging design of
Muji's cosmetics are developed with more colors to indicate the difference among various effects,
however even these emerging color preference are still within the existing color and material
approach, with frosted surface effect and lower saturation. (Fig.5.1.3.13) In addition, Muji's color
strategy on fabrics and textiles is also more incline to natural materials with low saturation dyeing or
monochrome blended materials, sometimes, dark denim fabric could be seen in products. Of course,
the fabric here does not include the fabrics of the Muji clothing brand. (Fig.5.1.3.14)

There are more than 7,000 different products[32] displayed in an orderly manner in Muji's global
stores, and the types of products are constantly increasing or updating. For this, Muji spent a long
time to sort out a set of their own management manual “MUJI GRAM”[33]. This manual series of more
Fig.5.1.3.15 Neat shelves display in Muji stores.
than 2,000 pages of business management guidance contains detailed specifications from how to
establish a store, team building to daily operation and maintenance. It is very detailed, but the content
in this manual belongs to the company's management confidential and is rarely disclosed.
5.1.4 Color and Material in MUJI Store
The manual mentions how to help customers understand the product information to the greatest
There are more than 900 Muji stores around the world, and it is still expanding. Although Muji has
extent. The expression on the product display is the similar products and their regular arrangement,
carried out appropriate localization work according to stores in different regions, which contains the
and the label of each product is consistent on the shelf. (Fig.5.1.3.15)
language translation of product information, printed products, etc., however, any where inside the
store, the design of the interior space is always surprisingly consistent, and customers will clearly feel
the specific atmosphere created by Muji. (Fig.5.1.4.01)

“The first MUJI store opened in 1983, a little over 30 years ago. It was a fairly small store, and it was
from this small space that MUJI started. The biggest difference between then and now is that MUJI
didn’t have as many products. Since the first store, we grew to the hundreds of stores we have now.
But we still use the same materials, and our concepts have not changed.[34]”

As one of the Muji’s founders, Takashi Sugimoto suggested the design of Muji stores. 

The interior design of the store is proposed to provide a space for communication between
consumers and Muji’s products, and he also mentioned another very inspiring idea about how the
single product disappears on the shelf, thus forming a customer's general impression of Muji rather
Fig.5.1.3.13 Muji’s cosmetics package. Fig.5.1.3.14 Muji Beads Sofa (Bean Bag).
than only focused on specific commodities. (Fig.5.1.4.02)

[32]. Ryohin Keikaku. (2009) What is MUJI?.

[33]. 松井忠三 (2015). 解密⽆印良品, p. 46-50

[34]. MUJIglobal. (2015). Takashi Sugimoto Works for MUJI.

50
Fig.5.1.4.01 The cashier in Muji store. Fig.5.1.4.02 Neat shelves display in Muji stores.

“Products may end up going off on their own. For example, say we sell a certain product in our stores
this summer and then again next year. We can’t always sell the exact same thing. So we end up
perfecting products… trying to add a competitive edge to a product. When the number of products
increases and they sell well, these products end up moving on their own toward perfection. They take
on a life of their own. A certain “allure” that doesn’t naturally exist with a single product is inevitably
present when products are set in rows on store shelves.[34]”

This statement provides an interesting perspective on how to view and think about the display
strategy of shelves in Muji stores. When the products are very neatly arranged on the shelves,
people's impression of the product is more inclined to engaged with a specific color or material,
which could be attributed of the CMF strategy in Muji's product design, most of the single product is
applied with the same or similar materials or colors. When they are formed into a group on the shelf,
a unified visual experience will be perceived by consumers from a certain long distance. Therefore,
consumers were initially attracted to a certain color or material, and then getting closer to find more
information about this product. (Fig.5.1.4.03)

People’s attention not to be distracted too much on all products, but more on needed ones. For
Fig.5.1.4.03 A diagram to Simplify the shelves display into color blocks, statistics by Zhu Ningli, 2013.
those are out of sight, which are prefer to be well integrated into the surrounding environment.

[34]. MUJIglobal. (2015). Takashi Sugimoto Works for MUJI.

51
So as far as the application of colors and materials in interior space is concerned with the original
intention to serve the products. Takashi Sugimoto also affirmed this premise.

“The theme I most want to address in all of my work is “living life.” Needless to say, for MUJI, it all
comes down to the products we sell. We have to sell products, and to do that, we have to keep
prices down and get rid of the frills.[34]”

In such an environment, the product becomes the main interface and interacts with consumers. The
ceiling surface and the ground are extremely weakened into a single color or material. Normally, the
electromechanical facilities in the building are exposed and there is no additional suspended frame.

You would rarely see any complex pavement on the ground in Muji store or any settings with strong
Fig.5.1.4.05 Gestalt laws of grouping / similarity.

visual elements. The colors and materials that originally applied to the interior design were replaced
by the colors and materials of products themselves, and the shelving from the ground to the top
formed the concept of the "wall" in interior space. (Fig.5.1.4.04)
similar colors or materials. Once they are placed on the shelves uniformly, they are visually integrated,
and tightly packed with the grouping strategy strengthen the overall sense in visual perception, even if
From the Similarity and Proximity principle in Gestalt laws of grouping[35] (Fig.5.1.4.05), human
the shelves have occupied almost vertical space of the interior. (Fig.5.1.4.06)
perception tends to observe repeated things as a whole within a certain distance, a natural and calm
color preference in Muji's “conservative” CMF design could effectively avoid the messy feeling when
the products are organized in similar colors and materials, a large number of products share the

Fig.5.1.4.04 Muji Promenade, Santa Monica, California, US, 2018

Fig.5.1.4.06 Muji Promenade, Santa Monica, California, US, 2018

[34]. MUJIglobal. (2015). Takashi Sugimoto Works for MUJI.

[35]. Soegaard, Mads. (2012). Gestalt Principles of form Perception, Interaction Design.

52
 A brief representation of color and material strategy in the interior of Muji Promenade suggests a
similar tone between the colors in the space and the colors of products (Fig.5.1.4.09). This effectively
blurs people's perception of interior space and rather to pay more attention to products.

Indeed, Muji has many other business types, in line with its brand design philosophy, more innovative
attempts of colors and materials are applied to the latest interior spaces.

light oak grain original oak grain

veener board
Fig.5.1.4.07 Muji Promenade, Santa Monica, California, US, 2018

When trying to summarize the most visible colors in MUJI stores, the results are often strongly linked
to the color systems of their products. In the interior space, the visual perception of strong colors will
be enlarged by the size, for example, the color setting on the ceiling, the ground and large-scaled
light gray dark gray polyvinyl chloride
walls. The light beige, darker grey/ black is most seen in the product system has been widely applied paint paint coverings
to the main visual surface. (Fig.5.1.4.07/ Fig.5.1.4.08)

polished powder stainless

steel coating steel steel

Fig.5.1.4.08 Muji Promenade, Santa Monica, California, US, 2018

Fig.5.1.4.09 Main materials representation of Muji Promenade.

53
 5.1.5 Color and Material in MUJI Complex

Since it launched in Japan, Muji has always stuck to its roots of providing functional, value-for-money
products. As a result, the brand has always enjoyed success from positive consumer perceptions of
its beautifully simple, useful and affordable products. It has followed an expansion strategy using the
same core principles into other product categories. As at May 2019, the Muji brand portfolio consists
of 5 brands. (Roll, 2019)

Muji retail store: This is Muji’s primary brand where it offers all its home products from socks to
luggage bags to food items. This represents Muji’s original offering.

Café&Meal Muji: Café&Meal Muji is a cafeteria dining concept that aims to cook food as simply as
possible to bring out the natural taste of fresh ingredients, amidst a relaxing and clean ambience.
(Roll, 2019)

Muji Outdoor: As part of Muji’s sustainability efforts, it operates three campgrounds in Japan across
Niigata, Gifu and Gunma, three scenic areas well known for outdoor recreation, occupying a total of
approximately 230 hectares of forest. (Roll, 2019)

Muji Home: In August 2017, Muji launched the Muji Hut in Japan, its brand-new prefabricated house.
It is designed to be functional in any landscape, including mountains, oceans and gardens. (Roll,
2019)

Muji Hotels: Muji has opened hotels in Shenzhen, Beijing, and most recently in Ginza, Tokyo on the
6th–10th floors of Muji Ginza in March 2019. (Roll, 2019)

Muji, Ginza, as the global flagship with the largest scale of Muji store and includes almost indoor
business of Muji brand. The official posters intuitively introduce the brands and business types
included in the Muji Ginza center by drawing an architectural section with vivid human activities, as
well as the representative Muji colors on the poster(Fig.5.1.5.01). There is an obvious
correspondence between the render of colors in this poster, the overall tendency and proportion are
very similar to the color system in the product. (Roll, 2019)
Fig.5.1.5.01 The opening poster of Muji Ginza.

[26]. Martin Roll. (2019), Muji – The Global Strategy Behind The Japanese No-Brand Brand. www.martinroll.com.

54
The focus is on the quality of ingredients, as seen in the brand’s 16 Grain Rice, 100% raw sugar and
fresh yuzu juice from Kitagawa-Mura. Colors and materials in its emerging brand of dining experience
tends to render the beige and wood sense with different materials in interior spaces, which responds
the fresh ingredients in food. Beige stucco plasters and various types of wooden panels are engaged
for the rich and warm perception in the space. (Roll, 2019)

The rough stucco plaster applied on the wall easily reminds people of fertile soil and crops, in this
contrast, beans of different colors are neatly placed in glass bottles and displayed on the shelves, and
its natural color matches the application adopted by the tone in this brand. All bright and eye-
catching artificial colors are avoided in the space as much as possible, this brings a kind of space
atmosphere in which all things are not deeply processed and maintain their original state. No matter
Fig.5.1.5.03 Muji Café&Meal, Muji Ginza.
the unprocessed original scar on the wooden panel or the rough surface of the wall, all these
seemingly random material treatments are providing a comfortable context for an orderly expression
of products.
In the space environment dominated by real natural texture, the use of smooth metal finish could well

In some places that require people’s attention, color and material applications in such points tend to balance the “rural state” in this interior atmosphere and the surrounding city context, with the

apply higher contrast. For example, the white table-top with exquisite samples of food, dessert tray reflection of interior colors, such a surface would not be perceived too obtrusive, however it is indeed

with matte black paint and the important notes on blackboards. (Fig.5.1.5.02) full of modernity with various visual experience. (Fig.5.1.5.03)

Fig.5.1.5.02 Muji Café&Meal, Muji Ginza.

Fig.5.1.5.04 Muji support, home design service, Muji Ginza.

[26]. Martin Roll. (2019), Muji – The Global Strategy Behind The Japanese No-Brand Brand. www.martinroll.com.

55
MUJI support is a new service that helps people design their home with professional solutions. Color
and material settings in this space deliver a considerable neutral preference, the dense arrangement
products on high shelves in the retail store were replaced by prefabricated wooden panels with looser
installed components by Muji. The obvious white folders are treated as an element and placed on the
shelves, which suggested a “working space” for discussion and communication (Fig.5.1.5.04).

The application of colors and materials here is lighter and represents with symbolic imagery in interior
design and home installation. And when Muji's products are properly installed in this environment,
this application gives people a hopeful expectation with Muji.

Fig.5.1.5.06 Printmaking style of Guest rooms indication, Muji hotel Ginza.

The guest rooms indication has been painted with a traditional Japanese printmaking style
(Fig.5.1.5.06), which particularly figures out the large amount of wooden finish in guest rooms. In the
schematic, only natural materials such as wood, rattan and tatami are more finely depicted as
textures, which people could easily read the natural preference and then be satisfied in the real
space. (Fig.5.1.5.07)

Fig.5.1.5.05 Reception, lobby of Muji hotel Ginza.

According to the introduction on Muji hotel official website[36], a large portion of the stone sourced for
the hotel comes from recycled materials, some of which in a previous life were old paving stones from
Tokyo’s old trolley-way system (Fig.5.1.5.05). Other parts of the hotel were crafted from recycled ship
debris. All those materials arise people’s memories of the Tokyo use to be, a bustling port in the
Showa era. Beside these particularly attractive materials with meaningful emotional attributes, wood
are normally used in both public areas and guest rooms.
Fig.5.1.5.07 Guest rooms of Muji hotel Ginza.

[36]. Muji. (2020), Muji Hotel Ginza. https://hotel.muji.com/en/

56
Fig.5.1.5.08 Mini bar, Guest rooms of Muji hotel Ginza.
Fig.5.1.5.09 Mini bar, Guest rooms of Muji hotel Ginza.
Fig.5.1.5.10 Guest rooms of Muji hotel Ginza.

Since Muji covers almost all daily necessities in life, that means all the products you can see and The application of the natural wall covering or plaster attempts to imitate the finish effect of recycled
touch are made by Muji (Does not include some electrical appliances, fire emergency equipment). pulp and beige paper. In this situation, the colors and materials in interior design is limited to the
The colors and materials become “invisible again” in this space, In the general hotels, the eye- design approach based on the brand's CMF appearance in products. (Fig.5.1.5.11)
catching decorative paintings or striking artworks could rarely found in this guest room. The attractive
elements in common hotel environment are replaced by the “Just right” products. Therefore, it is easy
to understand that the application of colors and materials in interior space gives way to the products,
and become the background. (Fig.5.1.5.08)

Walls, floors and some fixed furniture are decorated with very similar wooden finish to form a unified
visual experience. And the gap between horizontal and vertical spatial perception are gradually
diminished in this design approach. However, Muji’s white or black products have become particularly
conspicuous, the industrialized smoothy texture is particularly delicate against surrounding natural
materials. (Fig.5.1.5.09)

The visual perception of fabrics and textiles is somewhere in between, as the soft material in the
space, it contributes a considerable importance of touch and tactile. Beside the universal white
bedding, the colors of textiles in sofa, seats and carpet are still considered within the color system of
Fig.5.1.5.11 Guest rooms of Muji hotel Ginza.
products. (Fig.5.1.5.10)

57
 tactilities. Colors tend to be less saturated with the contrast in lightness, beige and navy blue are
complementary colors in hue to balance the warm and cold mood in the interior atmosphere.
Unevenly painted plaster creates a unique “natural value" and sort of Japanese aesthetics, such as
[37]
“wabi-sabi  (侘寂) ”, this could be considered as the “uncertainty” in such restrained space
environment.

oak grain oak grain

veener/solid flooring/panel
Fig.5.1.5.12 Guest rooms of Muji hotel Ginza.

The Muji hotel provides several room types with various layouts, however, the design approaches in
colors and materials are very similar. Generally, the floor paving (Except for the bath area) is uniformly
light oak with open grain, which the color and visual effect is consistent with fixed furnishings and wall
white paint beige plaster beige textile
panelings, the actual materials and exact finish may differ according to the divergence in installation wall wall wall covering
process. For example, the wooden sheets in fixed wardrobes maybe applied with oak veneer on
synthetic panels, or the wooden surface on desktop was processed with much more smoothy than
flooring, in order to achieve the delicate touch. The wooden materials of movable furniture are
matching for the fixed ones and general atmosphere. (Fig.5.1.5.12)

The wall effect normally consist of the beige wall covering with a paper-like tactility and the rough
plaster in s similar beige mood, thus, a contrast between two finishes has been created to rich the light/mediun light/mediun light/mediun
experience both in visual and tactile. (Fig.5.1.5.13) The ceiling and few wall space present a pure and upholstery carpet cushion
matte white paint.

The colors in textiles are also very restrained in guest rooms, various shades of neutral grey and navy
are normally seen on sofas, cushions and carpets. Despite the similar color and tone, a variety of
fabrics can enrich the visual and tactile perceptions, thereby avoiding the monotony. The warmth
Fig.5.1.5.13 Main materials representation guest rooms of Muji hotel Ginza.

created by the guest rooms is reflected in materials and finishes as more textiles and the versatile in

[37].  Koren, Leonard. (1994), Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets and Philosophers.

58
5.1.6 CMF in MUJI minimal types of color and material. The approach of such color and materials continues in its brand-
based space.
With the analysis of the Muji design philosophy and the colors/materials in products and interior
space, some valuable information can be sorted out and discussed in the conjunction with some The CMF approach of interior space incline to represent the similar quality from products to the
specific approach in the CMF design process. atmosphere in space. The color preference in interior design and products design are highly
overlapped. In space, most visual elements create a sense of retreat or restrained through colors, the
The discussion mainly involves the contribution and thinking of CMF in brand relevance, some may
contrast are usually to emphasize the interacting with the product. Based on the philosophy of “Just
involves marketing or user experience, but would not be emphasized here. The analysis of listed
right”, the strategy of materials and treatment methods in space tend to be presented with
items the “Key nodes” are distinguished with certain relevance to Muji in CMF design strategy, or
considerable tactility and convenience with concise states. Decorative elements not related to
Muji's design strategy could be recognized as the effective information to supplement it.
the brand rarely appear in interior design, instead the cultural symbol is tend to be invited.

The general principle of the design is to reduce the complexity of modeling and shaping, thereby to
Visual identity enrich the visual experience through redesign specific materials, installation art composed of
products, or natural objects. In addition, like the strategy of its products in stores, the sense of order
produced by the repeated arrangement of the same items is very common in interior design.
Product architecture Product portfolio
MUJI tends to invite the modular design to organize the combination of colors and materials between
different products. Different partings in single product are usually designed with the same or similar
colors and materials, unless the contrast for indication of operation or specific performance of
Life span and innovation cycle components. For the single product, the permanent and flexible elements are usually distinguished as
the some replaceable consumables, and in modular products, the permanent components are
designed with solid and rigid materials with more durable and easy-to-maintain surface effect.
The influence of Muji's brand image on CMF design in products could be derived from its
“conservative” or “restrained ” color and material strategy, which is closely related to its “Just
right” design philosophy. Getting inspiration from nature, the process of colors and materials in
Part break-ups in appearance
products are highly uniform, versatile and intuitive, which makes Muji represent a brand identity
against consumerism. Products in Muji are distinguished into different families, with the high
compatibility in size and function, and unified colors are normally seen in application, thereby,
different families could match easily with each other for versatility, especially in the modular system. Part break-ups in CMF

CMF design strategy is classified according to functional attributes such as durability and rigidity,
emotional attributes such as cultural association and handicrafts. At the same time, carefully
Permanent / Flexible elements
calculating the life span in product architectural, to form a complete systemized product with

59
 have been introduced in its cosmetics series. The Muji Hut prototypes as the topical design show
First read Second read some exploration of emerging life style with Muji.

Third read Standardized guidelines

MUJI's product design is to discard unnecessary details as much as possible, and the user's
Working with suppliers
intuitional operation is encouraged. Because of its CMF strategy, the First read in Muji’s products
are usually pure and direct, and the Second read would be the highlight in the product, which
represents the functional design concern of use experience, such as tactile feeling and natural With an extensive and expanding supply chain of 200 suppliers with 800 subcontracted
value. This approach in interior works with a sort of similar appearance from product, the priority of manufacturers across 20 countries in Asia[26], Muji’s scale of production of various apparel,
color and material are organized with different scales, normally the application of CMF in interior has household goods and food products. Only in China, some manufacturers that used to process Muji
the First read to create an overall sense, and the Second read generate interactions with products have started to develop their own brands through the online marketing.
the certain information. This visual suggestion could be seen in interior design to help people
manage their attention from the overall impression to the closer distance with more details. The third Many of these products are very similar to the original design of Muji with some minor changes.

read is rarely emphasized in Muji’s products, especially considering its “Just right” philosophy and Compared with other manufacturers, these brands with rich OEM experience have obtained valuable

market positioning, personalized design is not also seen in Muji’s products. guidance from Muji's strict production regulations. This partly proofs that Muji emphasizes the
standardization of processing in its communication with suppliers, thus meeting the quality of brand
production. As a result, we see highly consistent colors and materials in the goods processed by
Big-Pic trend tracking various manufacturers. This is due to the strict quality control of Muji.

The same operation is also retained during the space design and installation process of Muji, its
recent home renovation business has upheld the rigor of its brand on colors and materials, and
Market positioning
promised strict requirements in the design and construction process. Based on the CMF specification
in product processing design, this greatly promotes the standardized workflow of colors and

For a long time, MUJI was not considered a trendy brand and its market positioning and price materials in interior design and installation with different supplier.

strategy does not encourage from choosing the most cutting-edge technology in products. However,
MUJI is constantly expanding new business models. Innovative projects are launched with many
professionals form different field. The basic color and material system of the brand has not been
changed significantly by the market, but it dose mean there is no innovation in Muji, two new colors

[26]. Martin Roll. (2019), Muji – The Global Strategy Behind The Japanese No-Brand Brand. www.martinroll.com.

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PERSPECTIVE / 2
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Fig.5.2.01 3M™ DICHROIC™ film, 2014.

5.2 Trendy Iridescence commercial furniture design and also in architecture worlds, such as Apple revealed a temporary new
look for the “Cube” on the 5th Avenue that makes it shine with a rainbow iridescence. (Fig.5.2.1.01)
The design world is having an iridescent moment. You may recognize the “French Touch” chair, which
pays homage to experimental artists like Daft Punk, Cassius and Etienne de Crecy on modern
electronic music in 2016. Or the collection called “Iridescence” by Tom Dixon, inspired by the rainbow
sheen of an oil spill. Moreover in 2019, the dichroic effect could even be considered abused as the
marketing visual concept in smartphones by larger amount of brands. This prismatic visual finish
effect of light, color, and chromatic reflection has also made its way into the fashion industry,

62
5.2.1 A Trend in Various States Originating in California in the 1960s and ’70s, the  Light and Space movement1 was concerned
primarily with the use of light and geometric objects in creating ethereal environments that affect the
As the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, Leatrice Eiseman has been watching the
viewer’s perception. These artists were influenced by their own environs, both natural and artificial;
trend since its conception. Eiseman traces the popularity of translucent designs rendered in glass and
the quality of L.A. light, the changing surface of the nearby ocean, and the materials at use in the
plastics back to Philippe Starck’s famed Louis Ghost Chair, designed for Kartell in 2002 as a modern
city’s ubiquitous car culture were all inspirations. Because of their innovative manufacturing processes
update to the Louis XVI chair [38].
and pioneering uses of acrylic, resins, and paints, these artists also earned the label “Finish Fetish[38].”

Originally produced in clear acrylic, the chair has since become available in various colors, and other
Many of the most prominent members of the movement have enjoyed a resurgence as of late. Over
designers been influenced by the concept. “Over the years [the style] has gotten more and more
the past couple years, for example, Bell, Robert Irwin, and Doug Wheeler have all had major gallery
sophisticated and more beautiful,” Eiseman says of iridescence[38].
retrospectives (Fig.5.2.1.03). In 2013,  the Guggenheim put on a huge Turrell exhibition, and his

Experimentation and technological development over the past decade have made the materials, immersive piece Light Reignfall opened at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art[38]. (Fig.5.2.1.04)

glazes, films, and finishes that produce these effects more refined and accessible. However, As the
story behind the iridescence trend, it may has a certain related to a matter of perception.

Inspiration form Starck’s could be seen in the works of furniture pieces and home accessories by
colored glass and plastics to create. In 2017, the Japanese design studio Nendo[39] has created
pieces in a similar style, with its plastic  rocking horses  for Kartell and  elegant glass cubes  for Glas
Italia. (Fig.5.2.1.01/Fig.5.2.1.02)

Fig.5.2.1.03 Larry Bell's Still Standing at Hauser & Wirth in Fig.5.2.1.04 Light Reignfall, James Turrell , The Guggenheim,
Chelsea, NYC, 2020. NYC, 2013

Diogo and Juliette Felippelli, named their studio JOOGII, think that a subliminal affect on their
iridescent acrylic furniture by Turrell piece at LACMA. The “French Touch” Collection with geometric
shapes, and coated with a dichroic film by 3M that changes hue and saturation with varying light.
They indicate the furniture was inspired by ’90s French house music and early Daft Punk. “I feel like
Fig.5.2.1.01 H-Horse,Philippe Starck, Ferruccio Laviani and Fig.5.2.1.02 The soft for Glas Italia. 2015
there’s been a lot of call backs to ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, when the world was a little more colorful.”
Nendo design for Kartell, 2016
Juliette says[38]. (Fig.5.2.1.05/Fig.5.2.1.06)

[38].Meg Miller. (2017),  The Weird And Fascinating Story Behind Design’s Iridescence Craze, Co Design, https:// as light, volume and scale, and the use of materials such as glass, neon, fluorescent lights, resin and cast acrylic, often
www.fastcompany.com/
forming installations conditioned by the work's surroundings. Whether by directing the flow of natural light, embedding artificial light
[39]. Guido Minciotti.(2016), Bestiario di design. Nendo mette Kartell a cavallo sull’H-Horse.https://guidominciotti.blog.ilsole24ore.com
within objects or architecture, or by playing with light through the use of transparent, translucent or reflective materials, Light and
Space artists made the spectator’s experience of light and other sensory phenomena under specific conditions the focus of their
1. Light and Space denotes a loosely affiliated art movement related to op art, minimalism and geometric abstraction originating in
work.
Southern California in the 1960s and influenced by John McLaughlin. It was characterized by a focus on perceptual phenomena, such

63
 plays out like a feedback loop: The more a material is applied and experimented with, the more
affordable it becomes and the more it can be used[38].

One major driver in democratizing the iridescent effect is the manufacturing company 3M, the makers
of Scotch Tape, Post-it notes, and many other adhesives, abrasives and laminates. In 2000, 3M
released a dichroic finish that is used in a variety of products, from fishing lures to expensive glass
furniture. The latter typically requires an advanced manufacturing process that sandwiches the finish
between two glass sheets[38]. In 2013, the company had noticed an increased demand for iridescent
coating, so they developed a dichroic adhesive that can be applied with heat and easily removed. It
feels a bit like cellophane wrap, and has the same visual effect as the finish, but at a fraction of the
cost. It’s what gives JOOGII’s collections its disco vibe[38].
Fig.5.2.1.05 French Touch Collection, studio JOOGII, 2016 Fig.5.2.1.06 French Touch Collection, studio JOOGII, 2016

In 2014, 3M™ released the DICHROIC™ Glass Finish DF-PA film (Fig.5.2.1.07) which offers a way to
create unique, ever-changing color to many interior building surfaces. Influenced by the color of the
Eiseman relates recent popular interest in the hyper-color aesthetics with things that mutate and light, this transparent film provides a dichroic color effect, meaning it appears to change color when
change based on how the light hits. In her point of view, the fascination can be traced back to viewed at various angles. The “Blaze” films shift colors in the warm and chill tones films. The PVC-free
infancy, that the human field of vision is still developing and starts to incorporate colors first, then film has a clear, pressure-sensitive adhesive that can be applied to glass. A hard coated surface layer
textures and finishes. Being intrigued by shimmering, shiny objects is “intrinsic to human helps resist scratching during normal use.
development, which makes it more compelling for artists and designers to try to recreate that
effect[38]. And for the reason why such popularity in recent years, she thought the technology is the
great enabler.

Before this super thin film with dichroic effect, dichroic glass was originally created by adding small
traces of gold and silver to a glass melt. In the 1950s and 1960s, NASA revitalized the production of
dichroic glass as a protection mechanism for astronauts, which was used as an effective barrier
against harsh radiation[40].

There’s no uniform process for creating the iridescent effects today. While the original glass finish may
be par for the course for established designers, for younger designers or architects working on a
large scale, proprietary processes aren’t financially or logistically feasible. As Eiseman points out, the
proliferation of a trend relies heavily on economic accessibility—the point at which the aesthetic
Fig.5.2.1.07 3M™ released the DICHROIC™ Glass Finish DF-PA, 2014.
becomes attainable for those outside of the exclusive, high-end market. In effect, the rise of a trend

[38].Meg Miller. (2017),  The Weird And Fascinating Story Behind Design’s Iridescence Craze, Co Design, https://
www.fastcompany.com/

[40].Jennifer Geleff, (2020), Kaleidoscopic: 7 Mesmerizing Dichroic Glass Structures, https://architizer.com/.

64
Although, based on the detailed introduction of 3M™ catalogs, it indicates that this film would only be
attached with flat and bent hard surface such as Glass, acrylic, polycarbonate or Interlayer glass, the
fashion industry has the quick response to introduce this emerging visual impact to the seasons.

Almost in the same year, Nike posted the Sportswear’s Women's Nike Blazer Mid sneaker, which
represented the exact same effect if the sneaker’s surface, while instant customization made the
Blazer stand out on the court, the latest fabrication would make it shine on any surface. Upping the
ante with color, Nike Sportswear’s (Fig.5.2.1.08) newest version features a completely iridescent
upper, combination white/ice outsole and metallic laces. and also in 2014, the Japanese fashion
designer, Issey Miyake1 released the “BAO BAO” series tote bags (Fig.5.2.1.09), which are composed
by triangular fragments in sense of metallic iridescence.
Fig.5.2.1.10 The iOS 7, Apple, 2013.

This dichroic finish effect on the fabric or soft textiles could not be directly acquired by the application
of the 3M film, this at least implies that such impressive visual effects was starting to lead the
popularity in consumer-products from 2014. design”[41]. Google had introduced their ‘Material design’ and Windows had their ‘Metro’. It looked
cool & refreshing compared to the detailed skeuomorphic designs that were a rage at that time. They
At that time, CMF design has been developed in consumer-electronics, and for the smart devices,
were great for low-resolution mobile devices where the designs looked clean, and variety of colors
brands have their own color preference, such bold effect could not be seen in the smartphone.
and with the advent of higher resolution mobile devices- it didn’t have the same aesthetic impact[42].
However, there was a revolutionary change of the user’s interface in the operation system called “Flat
In 2013, Apple unveiled  iOS 7 (Fig.5.2.1.10), which shifted to a flat UI design with use of brighter
colors, typography, as well as blurred, translucent overlays[43]. This “prescient” approach caused a lot
of criticism at the time, some people believed that Apple's visual interface from the detailed
skeuomorphism[46] styling design to chromatic flattening is an aesthetic retrogression[45].

In the iOS 6 or earlier version, the interface were draw with detailed in specific effect such in the real
world, for example, the “Note” application has a beige background with the real texture of the paper,
even including the color of the grid lines during the printing process and the uneven edges caused by
the tearing, and the application of the “Calendar” is also rendered into the leather textured near the
screen edge of the interface, to simulate the context as writing the schedule in an advanced leather
book. Metaphors of varying scale are employed to liken digital actions and ideas to real world
counterparts[44].
Fig.5.2.1.08 Sportswear’s Women's Nike Blazer, 2014. Fig.5.2.1.09 BAO-BAO, Issey Miyake, prism rainbow, 2014.

1. Issey Miyake is a Japanese fashion designer. He is known for his technology-driven clothing designs, exhibitions and fragrances, [43]. Seifert, Dan. (2013), Apple announces iOS 7, 'biggest change' since the introduction of the iPhone, coming this fall. 

such as L'eau d'Issey, which became his most well-known product. [44]. Phil Ohme. (2016), Smart Depth is the end of flat design, https://blog.prototypr.io/

[41]. Carrie Cousins. (May 28, 2013), Flat design principles, designmodo.com.
[45]. ARTery. (2013), iOS7.. When Flat Design Goes Wrong, http://fredrickroyster.blogspot.com/

[42]. Quovantis. (2018),Why Gradients are back to rule in 2018?, https://uxplanet.org/

[46]. Connor Turnbull. (2013), Flat Design, iOS 7, Skeuomorphism and All That, https://webdesign.tutsplus.com/

65
As technology advanced, the flat design seemed to fit well in the scenario too. The screens became angles. Refracted hues and tones give the impression of transparency and density, changing based
high-def, and the need to display crisper imagery doubled. Displaying boxes and textures without on the viewing position. each unit os constructed from laminated glass glued together at intersecting
drop shadows was a lot easier. Hence, flat designed seemed to accommodate in the present planes, which cause their profiles and compositions to change drastically when seen from different
world[47]. This refreshment in the visual interface has also significantly conducted the user’s perspectives. the shelf, for example, appears to intersect, yet is actually formed by individually glued
preference towards more Iridescent color of smart devices. parts. the ‘shimmer’ series features rounded corners — both with curved bases for tables and semi-
circular shapes for shelf edges[49].
However, bolder effects with gradient or exact dichroic visuals were not widely used in smart devices
at that time, which more or less were limited by processing technology, especially like the common These were several items comes in opaque or transparent glass with micro-dot finish to create the
effect in today’s phone case with the nano-scale coating could not be processed in reasonable change of translucent colors. And the design of smoothy gradient changes were also involved in
price[48]. other items[49].

However, more artists and brands were starting to sate this fascinating effect in products or artworks. Although the designer did not clearly point out that the concept of ink dots similar to screen printing
The Italian brand GLAS which mainly concentrate in the new processes and possibilities of glass and pixels-shaped dots (Fig.5.2.1.12/Fig.5.2.1.13) was added to such a gradient effect, but from the
manufacturing has announced their new collection named Shimmer, which was firstly presented at items has direct gradient effect, it can be seen these details are processed intentionally (Fig.5.2.1.14).
the Salone del mobile 2015.
This magic effect was later transferred into new thought by a talent Italian design team
By employing an iridescent multi-chromatic finish,  the designer Patricia Urqiola  added an ethereal “Formafantasma”, in 2016 they created a set of lighting installations with dichroic glasses. This art
element to her ‘shimmer’ series (Fig.5.2.1.11). the tables, consoles and shelves designed for GLAS installation named “ANNO TROPICO” for exhibition in Peep-Hole Art Center[50].(Fig.5.2.1.15)
italia transform themselves when exposed to various light sources or when viewed from a variety of

Fig.5.2.1.13 Simmer, Glas Italia, designed by Patricia Urqiola, Fig.5.2.1.14 Simmer, Glas Italia, designed by Patricia Urqiola,
Fig.5.2.1.11 Simmer, Glas Italia, designed by Patricia Urqiola, Fig.5.2.1.12 Simmer, Glas Italia, designed by Patricia Urqiola,
2015. 2015.
2015. 2015.

[47]. Evie Harrison. (2019), All ThatFlat Design is in and Gradient Design is Gone for Good – Is This True?, https:// [50]. Edoardo Tescari. (2016), Formafantasma Anno Tropico.
www.business2community.com/.

[48]. Alicja Stankiewicz. (2019), Self-healing nanocoatings for protection against steel corrosion.

[49]. Designboom. (2015), Patricia urquiola designs shimmer furniture collection for glas italia.

66
The whole project is inserted in an environmental situation, which through the construction of wall-
diaphragms corresponding to several windows screens and modulates the intensity of daylight. The
nature of this work transforms not just the architecture but also the functioning of the exhibition
space, in which the opening hours will vary depending on seasonal changes of the lighting[50].

These models narrate the path that comes prior to the invention of the finished objects: dichroic
glass, optical lenses and a parabolic mirror, assembled with industrial materials like bricks and iron
rods, shape the light, generating reflections and shadows in the space. On the walls 3D renderings
printed on millimeter paper reproduce details of the objects on display, superimposed on graphics
and numerical data drawn with a pencil[50]. (Fig.5.2.1.16)

Other talented art works or something could be recognized as furniture made by Germans Ermičs,
Fig.5.2.1.17 Germans Ermičs and Lonneke van der Fig.5.2.1.18 Ombré Glass Chair, Germans Ermičs, 2017.
his “Shaping Color” series (2015–16) is similarly conceptualized. Uninterrupted rectangular panels of Palen, Sample for Raf Simons, 2016.

glass come together neatly to form a low table, a shelf, console, or mirror. In the first iteration of the
series, Ermičs married two complementary tones; in the second, he pared down his palette further, Then he was no longer satisfied with processing only with monochromatic, iridescent trend we are

playing with the density and richness of a monochromatic tint. In those designs, a single hue bleeds gradually seeing in his works.

out from a corner, shifting from dark to light; or it fades upwards, as if a momentary breath of color
Though glass is currently his focus, Ermičs—who was born in Riga, Latvia—began in print,
had fogged the surface[51].
experimenting with graphic design while in school, and later landing an internship at the esteemed
Rasmus Koch Studio in Copenhagen. From there, he took an interest in interior design, he said, is
when he began working hands-on with materials and conceptualizing larger-scale projects. His
background in two-dimensional design, he conceives of his glassworks as “two-dimensional thoughts
materialized in objects[51].” (Fig.5.2.1.17/Fig.5.2.1.18)

The color is one of the main drivers of his work, he takes cues from the world around him,
synthesizing hues into RGB, and lets one color lead him to the next. And with these poetic and
conceptual expression in pioneering attempts, which gave more confidence for a larger amount of
application with this iridescent color trend.

Fig.5.2.1.15 ANNO TROPICO in exhibition in Peep-Hole Art, Fig.5.2.1.16 Colore - Test 1LED, dichroic glass, concrete,
2016. electrical materials, 2016.

[50]. Edoardo Tescari. (2016), Formafantasma Anno Tropico.

[51]. Jacqui Palumbo. (2018), Designer Germans Ermičs Reimagines What Glass Can Be.

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5.2.2 The Dichroic Addicted

In larger scale such as architecture or interior space, there were some impressive cases with the 3M
film. In 2015 cooperation among the SOFTLAB worked with 3M and BBDO to create the 3M LifeLab
at SXSW.

The structure was not simply a space that showcased 3M products, but was created using some of
the amazing materials created by 3M. The design was a multi-functional structure that acted as a
ceiling, spatial divider, and custom interior display elements. The modular structure was designed to
turn the interior of the 3M pavilion into a kaleidoscopic prism using 3M’s dichroic film[52].

As visitors move through the space and the sun passes over the tent during the day the color and
Fig.5.2.2.03 3M LifeLab at SXSW, Austin, TX, United States, 2015.
reflectivity of the film changes. All of the interior elements were laminated with glossy white Di-Noc, a
3M architectural finish. The Di-Noc captured the light cast by the sun through the dichroic film above
creating a dynamic landscape (Fig.5.2.2.01) of light that changed throughout the day. The exterior of
develop many of 3Ms products. It was considered that the interior as an atmospheric material
the tent was clad in a custom surface made of triangles of Scotchlite fabric that were held together
created through light and program that visitors would walk through. The detailing of all these
using zippers. It is one of the first times the retroreflective material was used at an architectural
elements was driven by the need to deploy the structure very quickly and retain a tactility that is both
[52]
scale . The various elements and details in 3M LifeLab were designed to work together to create a
playful and innovative. The structure was made by over 3000 3M (Fig.5.2.2.02) cable ties to
cohesive and dynamic experience echoing the same work that goes into the material science used to
construct the display and bar elements as well as the complex dichroic ceiling. The modular structure
was made of aluminum pipe that snapped together quickly using over 1200 unique 3D printed joints
and sockets[52]. (Fig.5.2.2.03)

And in urban landscape, this film were popular for artists. Nova was commissioned by the Flatiron
23rd Street Partnership through a competition held by the Van Alen Institute. The installation takes its
initial inspiration from the traditional gazebo (“I shall gaze”) as a pavilion within in a landscape that
looks out in all directions. In such rich historical context of the Flatiron Plaza site to frame the various
landmark buildings and pedestrians through a series of scopes[53]. (Fig.5.2.2.04/Fig.5.2.2.05)

These scopes create a pavilion that is different from all sides at street level, but from views above the
pavilion looks like a seven pointed star. The structure is made up of aluminum that gains its strength
through a cell-like structure similar to a sponge or soap bubbles. Each cell acts like both a stone and
Fig.5.2.2.01 3M LifeLab at SXSW, Austin, TX, United States, Fig.5.2.2.02 3M LifeLab at SXSW, Austin, TX, United States,
part of a three dimensional truss. Each cell is unique, exposing a crystalline interior[53].
2015. 2015.

[52]. Architizer. (2015),3M SXSW 2015 Austin, TX, United States.

[53]. Architizer. (2015), Nova - Madison Avenue, Manhattan, New York, NY, United States.

68
 The overall structure is made of a modular system we developed with the help of ARUP. Each cell is
made of two dimensional panels that get attached together to form a three dimensional cell. These
cells come together to form a structurally stable dome in the center with each scope acting as an
arch. This expressed both a very stable shape and a surface with many different angles to take
advantage of the kaleidoscopic affects produced by the 3M Dichroic Film[53].

Soon, as a raising trend, this was perceived as a global preference. In 2017, during the Festival
design week by Nanjing University of the Arts, their students purely invited the same 3M Dichroic Film
as the main visual elements to create the art installation called, the floral pavallion(花之亭)[54]. The
creative concept of the work is derived from the "Flora (FLORA)”in the myth.

Fig.5.2.2.04 Gazebo “I shall gaze”, Flatiron Plaza, NYC, 2015. Fig.5.2.2.05 Gazebo “I shall gaze”, Flatiron Plaza, NYC, 2015. The design team used the pavilion as the meaning to give it a new construction poetry. By applying
parameterized tools (Fig.5.2.2.07) , the "flower" shape is reinterpreted and expressed by digital
means Temporary exhibition pavilion with visual tension, space interest and hierarchy. This work
consists of 272 hollow stainless steel balls as structural positioning nodes, and a total of 703
stainless steel round tubes with various lengths to form a simple support structure system. The
triangular grid formed by the structural system is obtained by the computer by subdividing and
optimizing the special-shaped curved surface[54]. (Fig.5.2.2.08)

Fig.5.2.2.06 Gazebo “I shall gaze”, Flatiron Plaza, NYC, 2015.

On the interior the aluminum structure is clad in acrylic laminated with 3M Dichroic Film creating a
kaleidoscopic affect. The dichroic film changes color and reflectivity depending on the viewing angle.
The dichroic along with the mirrored finished composite aluminum panels cladding the exterior turns
each cone into a pedestrian scale kaleidoscope that remixes the surrounding buildings, urban context Fig.5.2.2.07 Parameterization design of The Floral Pavilion / Fig.5.2.2.08 Floral Pavilion / Nanjing University of the Arts,
[53]
and pedestrians in fun and unexpected ways . (Fig.5.2.2.06) Nanjing University of the Arts, Nanjing, China, 2017. Nanjing, China, 2017.

[53]. Architizer. (2015), Nova - Madison Avenue, Manhattan, New York, NY, United States.
[54]. Arch daily. (2017), Floral Pavilion / Nanjing University of the Arts 花之亭 / 南京艺术学院设计学院.

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Fig.5.2.2.09 Floral Pavilion / Nanjing University of the Arts, Nanjing, China, 2017. Fig.5.2.2.10 Canvas’s office, L.A., US, 2017.

Exposed to sunlight or cloudy weather, completely different visual experience would also vary from “The [office] was conceived as a space where the content and imagery of [clients] could take the
viewing angles by the dichroic film. After the installation was completed for pubic visiting, it was loved foreground, but would always be seen through the active shifting energy of Canvas,” Peter Knutson,
by viewers of different ages due to the artistic visual expression and the fantastic space field A+I’s director of strategy, says. “To this end, the dichroic glass offers reflection of and transparency to
composed of the sun's epidermis and colored shadows. (Fig.5.2.2.09) the activity within the space but through an ever-shifting dynamic veil of color[55].”

This is the metaphor of the traditional mind of beauty could be acquired by a technological material
and finish effect through initing the architectural parameterization design.

This dichroic film has been also applied to create a dynamic spatial impression in interior, the glass
inside the creative media agency  Canvas Worldwide‘s new Los Angeles office (Fig.5.2.2.10) does
change throughout the day. Like a visual mood ring, the iridescent expanse changes its gradient
sheen depending on the time of day and the angle you see the glass. If Rainbow Brite were an
account exec, she’d request this for her office[55].

The architects at A+I–the same firm behind Squarespace’s monochromatic N.Y.C. office–used color
as a metaphor for Canvas’s brand. Most of the 36,000-square-foot office in the Silicon Beach
neighborhood, in west L.A., is austere, and the vibrant glass is offset by a white box, which
represents the blank slate of each client coming to the firm. The jolt of color from the glass represents Fig.5.2.2.11 Canvas’s office, L.A., US, 2017.
[55]
the creative energy Canvas brings to its work . (Fig.5.2.2.11)

[55]. Diana Budds. (2017), If Rainbow Brite Had An Office, It Would Look Like This, https://www.fastcompany.com/.

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Druing the Salone del Mobile 2019, this exhibition called “Affinity in Autonomy” by Sony was first
presented and later received a success at the London Design Fair 2019,  “Affinity in Autonomy”
represents a glimpse of the future of AI  and how it will grow to create meaningful and positive
emotional connections with humans.

“Affinity in Autonomy is an interactive exhibition by Sony Design that envisions the relationship
between humans, emotions, AI, and robotics[56].”

The impressive illusion was acquired by the application of the DICHROIC™ （The officials indicates
the support of 3M™ ）created the visual identification from physical / digital graphics to space
atmosphere, such in the website appearance, glass curtain of facade and big-sized posters in the
exhibition exterior (Fig.5.2.2.14). Fig.5.2.2.14 Affinity in Autonomy, Sony, Milano, Italy, 2019.

This visual elements was highly emphasized through every corner in this exhibition, beside the
conceptual part of the sensorial experience, installations were built around two of Sony's sensor
DICHROIC™ to some extend could be recognized as a simulation of the visual effect on CMOS
technologies: the CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) image sensor and the back-
surface. (Fig.5.2.2.17/Fig.5.2.2.18)
illuminated Time-of-Flight image sensor, which calculates the distance to an object by measuring the
time it takes for light to reach it and reflect back to the sensor (Fig.5.2.2.15/Fig.5.2.2.16). The

Fig.5.2.2.12 Affinity in Autonomy, Sony, Milano, Italy, 2019. Fig.5.2.2.13 Affinity in Autonomy, Sony, Milano, Italy, 2019. Fig.5.2.2.15 Affinity in Autonomy, Sony, Milano, Italy, 2019. Fig.5.2.2.16 Affinity in Autonomy website, Sony, 2019.

[56]. Eduardo Simoes. (2019), Affinity in Autonomy – An interactive experience by Sony, https://designwanted.com/.

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Fig.5.2.2.17 Affinity in Autonomy website, Sony, 2019. Fig.5.2.2.18 CMOS indication,Sony. Fig.5.2.2.21 Resonance, Samsung, Milano, Italy, 2019.

Same in the Salone del Mobile 2019, coincidently, another exhibition named “Resonance” by "The Resonance exhibition is composed of empathy, discovery, and moments of deep immersion,"
Samsung, which intended to provide a smilier Iridescent experience for visitors, while explained the company. The audience will interact with the artwork based on everyday behaviors –
showcasing  Samsung's design philosophy under their slogan: "Be Bold. Resonate with Soul[57]”. from breathing, making sound, and movement that completes an exhibition both created by and
(Fig.5.2.19/Fig.5.2.2.20) dedicated to the audience themselves.” Three installations are housed within the Empathy and
Discovery zones[57]. (Fig.5.2.2.21)

Although the gradient colors on the wall were mainly created by the change of the lighting system
and dynamic effect in Samsung’s LED monitor, the dichroic films were also massive applied on the
windows as the film to generate a fascinating effect by the natural light, in order to match a similar
atmosphere in interior space. The preference for this specific effect has a strong connection with its
bold CMF design in the 2019 product line, a full perspective of this would be introduced in next part.

It is not only Samsung and Sony that were engaged to this trend, the famous “Apple Cube”
(Fig.5.2.22) as the landmark on the 5th avenue in New Your city, has been covered with the 3M
dichroic film, to celebrate the reopening of its Apple store[58]. The new look is gorgeous, but also not
permanent, that the iridescence is caused by a wrap covering the glass that is “temporary”.

Fig.5.2.2.19 Resonance, Samsung, Milano, Italy, 2019. Fig.5.2.2.20 Resonance, Samsung, Milano, Italy, 2019.

[57].Dezeen Staff. (2019),  Samsung's Resonance installation invites visitors to make art with "everyday behaviours”, https://
www.dezeen.com/.
[58]. Jay Peters. (2019), The dazzling iridescence of APPLE’S rainbow cube on fifth avenue, https://www.theverge.com/.

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 Saks shopping center has been completely renovated in the ground floor and mezzanine. Saks has
moved its boisterous cosmetics section up one floor and now displays their real money-makers
(handbags and accessories) on the ground floor. And the undeniable showstopper here is the
dichroic-clad central escalators along with the surrounding glass railings. The design is compliments
of Dutch architect, Rem Koolhaas, and it shows that his immense talents are not limited to just
exterior architecture. This escalator redesign is part of the $250 million that Saks spent on their recent
renovations. Brick & mortar retail has seen a decline in recent years and it's in a brand's best interest
to make that in-person shopping experience as impactful as possible. This installation is by far the
best use of dichroic glass we at Paris Forino have seen[59]. (Fig.5.2.2.25)

Fig.5.2.2.22 Apple Cube 5th Avenue, NYC, US, 2019.

This was the first Apple Store with 24 hours open, the same iridescent color effect in the iconic Apple
logo, as an evident for the direct connection between the physical dichroic trend and the visual
preference in virtual interface. This legend of effect has never stopped in the 5th avenue, recently in
Saks Fifth Avenue. (Fig.5.2.2.23/Fig.5.2.2.24)

Fig.5.2.2.25 Saks shopping center 5th Avenue, NYC, US, 2019.

Obviously, this psychedelic color effect can form a visual identity in architecture and interior spaces,
on the one hand, compared to the common interior atmosphere, the high saturation spectrum and
reflection produced by the dichroic film leading a priority in people’s perception. On the other hand,
the changing color effect produced by dichroic feature according to the light and viewing angle
generates a strong visual state, which is much different from the relatively constant visual
characteristics of traditional materials in interior, and the emotional perception by this finish effect
Fig.5.2.2.23 Apple Cube 5th Avenue, NYC, US, 2019. Fig.5.2.2.24 Apple Cube 5th Avenue, NYC, US, 2019.
could be amplified due to the larger-scaled application in interior than in products.

[59]. Paris Forino. (2019), Trends We Love: Dichroic Glass, https://www.parisforino.com/.

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5.2.3 Trend Tracking and Following Just one year later, Samsung was not satisfied to only apply the gradients effect, in order to stay
ahead of the competition, the new Galaxy  S10 introduced the effect, which was delivered radical
In 2019, almost Android operation brands were emphasizing their quick response to innovations of
change with a magical feel “prism colors”, the design team aimed to create iridescent hues that
this trend. This particular finish has experienced a rave in the consumer-electronics market. As the
change depending on how they catch the light, so each device refracts light to produce a vast
leading brand of electronics, Samsung keep developing series of smart devices by their own design
spectrum of colors. (Fig.5.2.3.01/Fig.5.2.3.02)
teams all over the world. The SDE team involves:
“To create Prism White, we overlaid around 1,000 sheets of nano-films together, each with different
Product Design Team / Product Innovation Team / User Experience Team / Trend Experience Team,
reflectivity,” explained Duyeong Choi, a member of the Design Team’s CMF Group responsible for
and in Milano, Material Experience Team mainly concentrate on exploring the world of materials
color. “It was especially difficult to fine-tune which colors would stand out the most[60].” ( Samsung
through research, analysis, and studies that investigate how manufacturing technology can trigger
newsroom, March 29, 2019) (Fig.5.2.3.03)
and amplify interaction. As early in 2018, Samsung has applied the gradient color effect on the
smartphone case of A9 series, however, at that time the surface of the case just invited some eye- This trend of consumers’ preferences was not only applied by Samsung, same year, the Huawei
catching color without dichroic effect. immediately released their next generation smartphone P30 series with similar finish effect and new
storytelling. This finish which named “realm of the sky” (Fig.5.2.3.04) is processed by 15 layers, of
As the strong competitor, another consumer electronics brand in China, Huawei introduced their
which the progressive plating process composed of 9 layers of nano-vacuum optical coatings. And
latest Smartphone series P20, which also involved the gradient color in a darker tone, called “Aurora”.
innovative use of micron-level inkjet printing process, a micron-level inkjet prints a colorless layer to
This finish effect is similar to the polarization reaction that occurs in metals during electroplating, and
protect the glass before coating[61].
it has been widely recognized by the market after its introduction.

Fig.5.2.3.01 Affinity in Autonomy, Sony, Milano, Italy, 2019. Fig.5.2.3.02 Samsung Galaxy S10, 2019. Fig.5.2.3.03 Samsung Note10, 2019. Fig.5.2.3.04 Huawei P30 Pro, 2019.

[60].Samsung newsroom. (2019),  [Interview] How the Galaxy S10’s Design Team Created a Galaxy for Everyone, https://
news.samsung.com/.

[61]. ⼆楠ErNan. (2019), The changing Huawei P30 and the “realm of the sky” , https://club.huawei.com/

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Fig.5.2.3.05 One plus 8 Pro, 2020. Fig.5.2.3.06 One plus 8 Pro, 2020. Fig.5.2.3.08 Xiaomi Mi 9, 2020. Fig.5.2.3.09 Vivo X23, 2020.

Other consumer-product brands and manufacturers have also joined this trend with different It's not just fluid software and durable hardware that makes a good phone, explains Lau in Beautiful
narratives. Even the consumers could recognize those effects are almost same, actually there must to (Be)hold, but design is important too - and by design he doesn't mean interaction or whatever, but
be some subtle difference, for each brand, they are willing to introduce engaging stories of their pure CMF (Color, Materials, Finish), according to the traditional definition given by another great Italian
design to differentiate their identity through the trend. One interview was held with the CEO of One designer, Clino Castelli, in the early eighties. He is proud of the effort on design of how they examined
plus smart phone (Fig.5.2.3.05/Fig.5.2.3.06). He pointed out their design philosophy: “over 300 combinations” (Fig.5.2.3.07) of colors in order to identify the best ones that could be
obtained with new kinds of glass[62]. Although the color and finish effects were carefully considered by
CMF team during the development of a smart phone design, and hundreds of samples were made to
find out the colors and effects that are most suitable for their own brand expression, as the final
results, the market preferences and trends are always need to ingratiate. (Fig.5.2.3.08/Fig.5.2.3.09)

Since the main functionalities in consumer electronics are extremely similar, products are the most
direct way for consumers to distinguish the identity of the corresponding brands in daily using, as the
competitive strategy from various brands, similar visual effects are designed to meet consumers’
preferences for the trend in product design, normally the general visual appeals by the tread with
subtle differences from each brand. In addition, the renewal and innovation cycle of consumer
electronics is also closely related to the trend, and the rapid iteration of smart phones also invites
bolder design for such quick change in the market.
Fig.5.2.3.07 One plus prototypes of phone case, 2020.

[62]. Alessandro Scarano. (2020), Smartphone design explained to those who think it's all the same. https://www.domusweb.it/

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5.2.4 CMF in Trend
Big-Pic trend tracking Cross-pollinating idea
If this particular visual effect stays only due to the gorgeous color gradient, it may be possible to
glimpse one or two in a series of futuristic works by Giacomo Balla1 with the saturated pink and
green, such as Transformación forma-espíritu, early as the 1910s, or the psychedelic lighting effects
Market positioning
in 1970s, from Dan Flavin2 with his visual arts. However, when “dichroic” became a trend, there were
two another characteristics in terms of materials and finish effects, not only in color. A fragile but
strong visual effect built on plastic-likes materials, and changing rainbow colors with on glossy This situation could be considered as the trend stems from its application in other industries, which
surfaces. was optimized by the designers and engineers with the particular processing technology in
consumer electronics. The technical requirements of processing such effect on the smart phone
The physical characteristics of plastic-likes have the specific Fresnel values3 which different from
case are much higher than the accomplishment on the general film, in addition, some other functional
metal lic or crystal, which shows its particular reflection and refraction effect, the “cheaper sense” of
features need to be considered including durability, tactility and layer thickness. At the beginning, this
plastic. The functional attribute in plastic are perceived with fragile or not rigid, especially artificial
finish effect was mainly applied in flagship products in each brand, normally with the concern of
invention for quicker mass-consumption, thus, this attribute was leading a general perception of
processing costs. With the optimization of processes and the reduction of costs, such trends were
plastics. In addition, when this changing “rainbow colors” was invited on this artificial surface, the
widely introduced into mid-range products which counties this trend in a lower market position,
glossy effect represents an affordable enjoyment, which the uncommon “natural wonder” could be
thereby, the high-end product line will be reserved for the next emerging trends.
easily reproduced. And the lifespan of plastic just like a rainbow is short and with the uncertainty.

The realization of such surface effects on different products stems from the innovation of materials
and processing technology, which would be different with various application in each industry, such Competitive strategy
as this effect on textile in fashion wearings, and totally different processing with a similar effect on the
furniture. Th dichroic film in this research provides a general solution for larger-scaled application in
In order to form the brand identity, each brand would emphasize its own characteristics in this trend,
interior spaces with a reasonable price.
which accompanied by slight differences in its products, this is largely due to the strong
Due to the wide application of this eye-catching visual effect in different fields, it gradually evolved competitive situation in the consumer electronics market. On the one hand, all brands need to
into a trend realized by more people, then was introduced in consumer-products with a new state. introduce the advanced technological innovations in their high-end product lines, on the other hand,
Samsung and its design team firstly introduced this visual effect in its flagship product family Galaxy S flagship products are designed to response any challenge from other brands, which also including
series and later with a sublet optimization in Note series, with its success in market, almost other visual appealing in design, thus a trend was strengthen by competitive strategies with a similar visual
competing brands immediately released new devices with similar effects in its flagship product line. preference from various brands. While sharing the similar effects, different brands introduced various
These products form a competitive relationship with the high-end market among different brands. materials such as glass substrate to create more delicate visual perception and tactility.

1. Giacomo Balla  (18 July 1871 – 1 March 1958) was an Italian painter, art teacher and poet best known as a key proponent of 3. This value shows how much of the ray is reflected off the surface versus how much is absorbed. Surfaces viewed at grazing angles
Futurism.
reflect more of the incoming light compared to surfaces facing the camera.

2. Dan Flavin  (April 1, 1933 – November 29, 1996) was an American minimalist artist famous for creating sculptural objects and
installations from commercially available fluorescent light fixtures.

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Life span and innovation cycle

Since there is a strong relevance between the technological development and the innovation of
consumer electronics industry, products are designed with an expected update cycle, which also
leads to a certain lifespan of most products. This is why more bolder visual effects or designs can
be introduced into consumer-electronics, and as the trend fades, these products will soon be
replaced by newer ones. In interior space those designs are considered to just meet the trend, would
later gradually lose its charm over time by its fading, maybe in a longer cycle. However, If such an
effect could be simply replaced in the installation, or the space is originally designed for
temporary use, thus, the strong elements like dichroic would be an excellent choice to create an
uncommon visual experience or a state, this flexible design approach could enhance a certain visual
experience instead permanently change the nature of interior space.

First read Second read

CMF harmonies

A trend is often accompanied by a relative strong visual perception, or normally widely recognized in
various fields. The colors and materials in the trend need to be readable, to create a more direct
visual identity. If a trend is difficult to represent, or complicated to be recognized, then it would be
difficult to get widespread. Therefore the “First read” should be extremely important in application for
people to quickly identify the trend through visual perception. This will leading a more direct
expression in application, for example, less detail would be applied to weaken the visual state of
this “First read”, sometime additional elements would interference the perception towards this effect.
And in interior design, a certain visual effect may dominate the atmosphere of the entire space. it is
recommend that other neutral materials would be considered to avoid over contrast, especially
when emphasizing the trend in design.

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PERSPECTIVE / 3
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Fig.5.3.01 “Exist to Create” concept visual image, Bang & Olufsen, 2019.

5.3 Synesthesia in Materials

Since Bang & Olufsen was founded in Struer, Denmark in 1925, every product symbolizes the In their latest series 2019, the concept “Exist to Create” introduces the highly emotional creativity of
harmony and balance of technology and design, which is created to improve the quality of life and color and material in products, rather challenging peoples’ imagination with a synesthesia perception
enjoyment of customers. "Different from others" is the spirit of biggest creativity. In the course of of visual, hearing and even touch. The Bang & Olufsen describe this deign process of making a
nearly 90 years of development, Bang & Olufsen is known around the world for high-quality materials, product is a magical transformation, an alchemy1. (Fig.5.3.01)
reliable performance, stylish appearance, user-friendly design and perfect after-sales service.

1. https://www.bang-olufsen.com/

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5.3.1 The Magic of Bang & Olufsen People who don’t have a B&O always think it’s just about design. But people who have a B&O often
forget to talk about the design—they say it’s about the way the product works. B&O’s customers
Bang and Olufsen, otherwise known as B&O, the Bang and Olufsen brand is a staple of Danish
were an elite group, according to Torben Ballegaard, the company’s CEO, he also indicated their
history, and a perfect example of what can be achieved in the branding world, with a strong purpose,
clients are business or liberal arts professionals over 20 years old, internationally oriented, appreciate
a powerful dedication to long-standing values, great product design and aesthetics. As the most
the fine things in life and have a passion for perfection.[65] The brand offers them products that allow
innovative, and revolutionary audio visual brands in the world. Their legendary story has already well
them to feel good at home, have a striking look, are easy to use, manufactured to the highest
known as its high-priced strategy of products.
standards, and that last 15 to 20 years instead of the industry typical 24 months[64].

Without the “competitive” priced, the thing that makes it special is the fact it knows how to innovate,
Another highlight is about innovations in using experience, Ballegaard described this as “a touch of
evolve, and create with its customers in mind. Over the years, B&O has centered its growth around
magic”, some sublet consideration in design such as the glass doors of a CD player that open with a
the idea that technology should be both beautiful, and functional at the same time[63].
hand wave, or the TV screen that turns towards watchers when they switch it on. People who believe
This  distinguished Danish company  has delivered some of the most revolutionary products the
in their products then attract others. That idea of buying a product that lasts and represents
electronics the world has ever seen, alongside some truly unforgettable marketing and branding
something appeals to people of a certain culture[64]. He convinced the value in the connection of the
strategies.
emotional power by designers and the power of clients in the market. There is sustainability and

B&O considered itself the only brand that bridged the home electronics and lifestyle/luxury growth[64].

categories. Compared with bigger players, the company featured classic products with long life
With an introduction of the new range of smaller products with lower prices for younger customers
cycles sold in relatively small volumes, but at price points and margins that declined much more
from 20121. Now in Bang & Olufsen, there are three main categories involve almost products.
[64]
slowly than industry averages. Said Peter Eckhardt, head of B&O’s product development .
However, every unique design always has much stories to tell behind the product. (Fig.5.3.1.01)

From the branding perspective, it’s easy to recognize the  Bang & Olufsen identity  in everything the
company does. As B&O continues to build the brand, it consistently looks for new ways to showcase
the brands purpose, and values. In such a competitive industry, B&O is surrounded by challenges , it
manages to stand out in the marketplace by designing products for an almost cult-like following of
people who put quality and design first[63].

The ever changing appeal of Bang & Olufsen just indicates how sustainable this company could be.
This brand is building around customer experience, considering every aspect of design from the way
the item looks, to how it feels, sounds, and works. It’s B&O’s devotion to impeccable customer
experience that has made it so appealing throughout the years. By combining technology with visual
appeal, B&O has found its differentiator, and continues to impress loyal customers, and attract new
ones[63]. Fig.5.3.1.01 Portable products in On-the-go category, Bang & Olufsen, 2018.

[63]. Stewart Hodgson. (2017), A brand for sensational sound & vision: The Bang and Olufsen story, https://medium.com/.

[64]. Robert D. Austin Daniela Beyersdorfer. (2007), Bang & Olufsen: Design Driven Innovation.
[65]. Factiva. (2005), Bang on target,” Digital Life.
1. https://www.bang-olufsen.com/

80
Known for design, Bang & Olufsen had never employed in-house designers. As design director Jacob Jensen become chief product designer for B&O in 1964 and is credited with developing the
Flemming Møller Pedersen explained, this was intentional: B&O design style, which is still used today. Through his time at Bang & Olufsen, Jensen developed
over 200 products for the company. During this time he established a minimalistic, horizontal, and
We don’t want “designers” to be “unduly” influenced by other parts of the organization . . . “which
severe design style that became characteristic of his product designs[67].
have” to worry about optimizing the daily business. “Designers” don’t need to understand our
industrial limitations . . . manufacturability, or what sound can come out of which form. Designers Jensen’s first complete product for Bang & Olufsen was the Beomaster 5000 tuner and amplifier,
have to be free to look in an unconditioned way at what’s happening in our society, how people live released in 1967. Jensen credited Bang & Olufsen's Roderik Madsen for the vision in taking on a
and furnish their homes, and then come up with proposals that could be good for B&O. It’s up to our revolutionary new design[66].
engineers to make it work[64].
The spirit of innovation and experimentation only grew deeper as Jensen's partnership with his fellow
One of B&O’s most prominent designers, David Lewis, had been working with B&O since 1964 and Bang & Olufsen designers and engineers evolved. Together, they created landmark Bang & Olufsen
had created some of its most famous designs. Formerly an apprentice of B&O’s main designer Jacob designs that challenged the domination of the multinational corporations they found themselves
Jensen, Lewis had remained with B&O when Jensen and the company split in the 1980s. However, competing with. With every new Jensen product came a story of collaboration and creativity: the
this legendary designer, Jacob Jensen has been permanently written on the wall, in Bang & Olufsen Beogram 4000 turntable(Fig.5.3.1.02) with its revolutionary twin arms, designed in the home
official website, they introduces him: basement of aero engineer, Karl Gustav Zuethen[66]. In terms of concept, performance and technical
design, this record player was much ahead of its time. All functions were governed by computer-like
For nearly three decades, pioneering designer Jacob Jensen gave form to Bang & Olufsen's vision. It
logic circuits and just pressing START, that was all. Through the unique detector arm (parallel to the
became a defining collaboration that would consolidate the company’s reputation as a world leader in
pickup arm) these circuits could judge the size of the record, determine its normal playing speed and
sound and design[66].
instruct the pick-up arm to lower the stylus into the lead-in groove[67].

Born in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1926, Jensen left school at thirteen and trained as an upholsterer.
Bored by the humdrum tasks at his father's workshop, the young Jensen started tinkering around,
making designs and models of everyday items. These eventually caught the eye of an architect who
told Jensen’s father that the unusual furniture designs clearly came from someone with great
potential. Spurred on by this encounter, Jensen enrolled at the Danish School of Arts and Crafts in
the late 1940s, where under Jørn Utzon's tutelage, Jensen was the first graduate in the new
discipline of industrial design. He continued to ride the wave of this movement and in 1951 started
working for Bernadotte & Bjørn – Denmark's first industrial design studio[66].

In 1958, Jensen prepared to set up his own company: Jacob Jensen Design, in Denmark. Soon
thereafter, Jensen started to work with Bang & Olufsen.
Fig.5.3.1.02 Beogram 4000, Jacob Jensen, 1972-1975.

[66]. Bang & Olufsen. (2020), A dialogue between past and present.
[67]. Daniel Giebel. (2017), function follows form: BANG & OLUFSEN design classics, https://magazine.bulangandsons.com/

81
Another classic integrated home music system, the Beocenter 9000, which went through nearly 80
conceptual designs before its final incarnation[66]. The cool, clean design is carried out via
microprocessors. The Beocenter 9000 is electronic through and through: the operating instructions
for the relatively complicated apparatus with its many functions are built into the control equipment.
Only the entirely everyday basic functions are visible in standby. When they are touched gently, the
upper glass sheet - the 'magic mirror' - lights up. Several possible choices emerge only when they
are needed[68].

The sheet of the Beocenter 9000 disappears into the side of the apparatus and makes the user feel
like the actor in a science fiction film. The plus values of products cannot be created on the
background of qualitative or quantitative marketing surveys. Jensen read the trends of the time and
uses his intuition to fulfill consumers' unconscious wishes gives him a special state as an artist in Fig.5.3.2.01 Beosound 2 aluminum shell in process. Fig.5.3.2.02 Beosound 2 aluminum shell in process.

product development[68].

5.3.2 Alchemical Aluminum that cutters, grinders and steel transporters provide the soundtrack, which sheets and tubes of
aluminum are transformed with an alchemist touch. First up is brushing and polishing. Ib pointed to
Mostly of these innovations in the pure aesthetics were designed with a representative material
the touch panel ear cup cap on the wireless BeoPlay H8i headphones to illustrate how the polishing
Aluminum, which with the cognition of its high performance and the association for future technology.
create a spiral like-structure in the aluminum; its centered reflections swirl like a shiny wheel of fortune
[66]
Curiosity was the starting point for Bang&Olufsen’s pioneering work with Aluminum . In 1955, when
when you turn it around[66]. (Fig.5.3.2.03)
the industry convention was to use heavy metals such as cadmium, chrome and nickel in audio
products, engineers at Bang&Olufsen became intrigued by the possibilities of aluminum, for the
functional attribute, the aluminum is a material that was strong, flexible, flat and resistant to corrosion.
In today’s products of Bang&Olufsen, the slick, mirror-like aluminum surfaces effect have become an
integral and ubiquitous part of their design aesthetic.

“Aluminum has had an instrumental effect, not just on how our products perform,” says Ib Kongstad,
“but also on how they are designed[66].”

Since Ib Kongstad was joining Bang&Olufsen in 1984 as a chemical engineer he has worked as a
technical specialist in anodizing, which is the electro mechanical surface treatment of aluminum. This
process, taking place at the Bang&Olufsen factory headquarters in the northern Denmark town of
Struer, (Fig.5.3.2.01/Fig.5.3.2.024) builds up a resistant oxide layer that gives aluminum surfaces their Fig.5.3.2.03 The conceptual rendering of BeoPlay H9 in Exist to Create, 2019.

handsome glaze and make them so durable[66]. Ib Kongstad described the process in a poetic way

[66]. Bang & Olufsen. (2020), A dialogue between past and present.

[68]. Beoworld. (2006), BeoCenter 9000,https://www.beoworld.org/.

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 “At Band & Olufsen, the aluminum is real aluminum, and the wood is real wood. That’s what has
always separated them from other companies. People who recognize and value something like that
will also treat other things differently.” But as far as Pascal van Loo can tell, there seem to be less and
less of such people: “Average seems to be the new standard, doesn’t it?! But for me, Bang & Olufsen
products have passion, a soul, a story – and the story of such classics today is worth more than the
products themselves. If more people knew about the story of Bang & Olufsen, the brand would be
much more present today[67].”

Such narrative of alchemist in the new “Exist to Create”, the aluminum has been depicted with highly
emotional expression, that it does not give the functional induction and how excellent of this product
could be, instead a double exposure has been introduced to show a transform from the bare
Fig.5.3.2.04 The conceptual rendering in Exist to Create, 2019.
aluminum ore to an extremely refined finish. (Fig.5.3.2.04)

The use of aluminum on this headphones is really impressive and carefully engineered. The surface of
This “alchemist” concept has been fully expressed by the ManvsMachine, which pays homage to the die-cast slider arms are sandblasted, and the outside hairline surface is brushed in the direction of the
constancy of care in honest materials and conscientious design choices that are at the heart of the experience wear and tear. This also gives it a matte finish, which contrasts the glossy touch interface
[69]
Bang & Olufsen brand . As a loyal supporter and distributor of Bang & Olufsen, Pascal van Loo on the ear cap. The inner circle of the touch interface is only 0.2 millimeters thick and utilizes a
does not skimp on his appreciation of the honest design on materials. Once in an interview of him, he technology whereby the touch sensor registers the forging of the aluminum[66].
explained:
From a functional point of view, this advanced processing technologies guarantee the high quality of
the product from material properties and performance to a delicate surface touch, such as shaping it
in one piece, the dissonance from joints and corners could be eliminated. And for the acoustic
performance, aluminum is a “dead” material causing no distortion of the sound[66].

However, these attributes are expressed emotionally, and would be directly captured intuitively by
users, this is a perfect example to describe how to achieve an impressive“user experience” through
the material and finish processing. (Fig.5.3.2.05/Fig.5.3.2.06)

About this colored finished, an outstanding feature is the dyed aluminum in Bang&Olufsen products,
normally, one single product involves various colors, this largely richen the options by different user
preferences. Moreover, using aluminum as a substrate, more surface processes have been
Fig.5.3.2.05 The conceptual rendering in Exist to Create, 2019. Fig.5.3.2.06 The conceptual rendering of BeoPlay H9 in Exist to developed to meet different design approaches to fulfill the aesthetic and technical requirements.
Create, 2019.

[69].Bēhance. (2019), Exist to Create : Campaign Bang & Olufsen. https://www.behance.net/

[67]. Daniel Giebel. (2017), function follows form: BANG & OLUFSEN design classics, https://magazine.bulangandsons.com/
[66]. Bang & Olufsen. (2020), A dialogue between past and present.

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Fig.5.3.2.07 The conceptual rendering in Exist to Create, 2019. Fig.5.3.2.08 The conceptual rendering in Exist to Create, 2019. Fig.5.3.2.09 The conceptual rendering of aluminum in Exist to Fig.5.3.2.10 The speakers panel of Beovison Harmony, 2019.
Create, 2019.

Beside the brushed effect of the aluminum, polished or matte surface are represented emotionally in Another material that is widely used in products and cannot be ignored is the brand's love of wood
this visual promotion. The aluminum foil with the brushed surface is rendered to flow like the silk, craftsmanship. While maintaining the original texture and natural properties of the wood, the Bang &
creating a tactile impulse, which is an excellent analogy through computer graphics technology. Olufsen is constantly exploring its potential through the design and advanced technology. Various
(Fig.5.3.2.07/Fig.5.3.2.08) corporations with different designers in order to form a versatile nature of this material.

In another product, the latest smart television, “Beovision Harmony1”. The television is based on mid-
century entertainment cabinets that hide the TV panel behind two delicate blinds to fully integrate with
the living room. The main structure of the speakers are made by the combination with Oak strips in
different thickness and aluminum components in constant size. The two materials installed at intervals
produce a gradual sensory effect as a whole, and an excessive transition from metallic aluminum
to wooden materials.

With this design, the materials are proposed into a fluid state with a dynamic rhythm. Following this
concept, a harmonious fusion is represented as the the liquid aluminum passes between the oak
slices. The inherent impression of a solid, high-performance metal material was transformed into a
surreal intent, with a lighter, softer and smoother touch than oak. At this time, people's perception
was changed of the material in this design. Although, materials are still formed into a simplicity with
Fig.5.3.2.11 Beovison Harmony, 2019.
the minimalist aesthetic. (Fig.5.3.2.09/Fig.5.3.2.10)

1. https://www.bang-olufsen.com/

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5.3.3 Imagination of Wood

The existence of wood has played an integral part in B&O products. The use of wood is driven by an
unwavering vision for the exacting standards of craftsmanship and engineering, and also this
preference are normally seen in Scandinavian Design. On the one hand, it creates an association and
the respect toward nature, on the other hand this concept was built on the strong connection
between products and the interior space.

“Wood has always been an important aspect of Nordic architecture and furniture design because of
its individual character, robustness and versatility, and we are proud to carry this forward in our
Beovision Harmony[70]”, says John Mollanger, Bang & Olufsen’s Executive Vice President of Brand
and Markets. (Fig.5.3.2.11)
Fig.5.3.3.01 Beovison Harmony, 2019. Fig.5.3.3.02 The poster of Bang&Olufsen in Salone del Mobile,
2019.
This strong connection was originally carved at the beginning of the brand’s identity, B&O
considered itself the only brand that bridged the home electronics and lifestyle/luxury categories.
In their “design stories”[71], the technical development of this product has been briefly
Compared with bigger players, the company featured classic products with long life cycles sold in
introduces form the very first prototypes made by cardboard to more detailed mechanical
relatively small volumes, but at price points and margins that declined much more slowly than
structures to pursuit this “unreachable” design proposal. And behind, it is their design-driven
[64]
industry averages. Said Peter Eckhardt, head of B&O’s product development .
innovation[64]. (Fig.5.3.3.03/Fig.5.3.3.04)

“This problem of what to do with a screen when it’s turned off is something we’ve been
thinking about for some time[70].” Jakob is Bang & Olufsen’s Mechanical Lead in the Vision
department, which a moveable speakers in the wing-shaped are integrated in the front of the
television. (Fig.5.3.3.01/Fig.5.3.3.02)

“People want to have large and immersive screens to enjoy movies on, but basically the
larger the screens become, the less attractive it all is, with this big black monolith taking over
the room. We’ve tried working with different technologies, LCD screens and more, trying to
figure out how to solve this[70].” Jakob explained the design purpose. “When the Beovision
Harmony idea emerged, the deal-breaker was the combination of having this transformation
where we lift the screen and rotate the speaker fronts and have this graceful and dramatic
shift between two states – all of a sudden it was a beautiful fluid motion[70].”
Fig.5.3.3.03 footage in Bang & Olufsen Design Stories: Our Creative Director of Design, 2019

[70]. Bang & Olufsen. (2019), Magic unfolds: Bang & Olufsen debuts Beovision Harmony at Milan Design Week.

[64]. Robert D. Austin Daniela Beyersdorfer. (2007), Bang & Olufsen: Design Driven Innovation.
[71]. Bang & Olufsen. (2020), Bang & Olufsen Design Stories: Our Creative Director of Design.

85
Fig.5.3.3.04 footage in Bang & Olufsen Design Stories: Our Creative Director of Design, 2019
Fig.5.3.3.05 The conceptual rendering of aluminum and wood oak in Exist to Create, 2019.

As design director Flemming Møller Pedersen explained to the design of B&O, this was intentional: Just several months ago in April 2020, there was an event that Bang & Olufsen Presented  a
minimalist showroom located in Tokyo, Japan, designed by Schemata Architects. Instead of sitting in
“We don’t want “designers” to be “unduly” influenced by other parts of the organization . . . “which
one place for a long time and listening to music there, one constantly hops from one place to another
have” to worry about optimizing the daily business. “Designers” don’t need to understand our
and gets various types of information simultaneously as if surfing the internet[72]. (Fig.5.3.3.06)
industrial limitations . . . manufacturability, or what sound can come out of which form. Designers
have to be free to look in an unconditioned way at what’s happening in our society, how people live This installation offers visitors such a contemporary sensory experience through B&O products.
and furnish their homes, and then come up with proposals that could be good for B&O. It’s up to our Sounds loop, and one can get different types of information depending on the time and place. In
engineers to make it work[64].” order to create such an experience, the designer built a sound grid system modeled after traditional
Japanese wood joinery[72]. (Fig.5.3.3.07)
Based on the professional experience of creating the high-quality sound performance, the design
team were emphasizing the excellent hearing experience in this surreal design. Such design highlights In the interview of Schemata, he indicates that the fundamental concern is to create an inspirational
are also cleverly visualized in the way of people's imagination of sound. and joyful experience for clients. Those structure were made by the wooden sticks into a symbol of
Japanese traditional architecture, which the aim of this structure was originally designed to support
Unlike the design of woven textiles commonly used as covering panels in audio system, solid
the roof of the house. Products of Bang & Olufsen were orderly placed at the junctions in cross
materials such as wood and metal aluminum are depicted as extremely soft images in the conceptual
structure. Those speakers have became important points in the framework that were supported by a
video “Exist to Create”, which following the rhythm and vibration of the background track and
Japanese narrative. The wood as the crucial material in the traditional Japanese architecture
showing the waveform curves similar to sound, that is a brilliant metaphor. (Fig.5.3.3.05)
represented a state, which built a connection with the products of Bang & Olufsen.

[64]. Robert D. Austin Daniela Beyersdorfer. (2007), Bang & Olufsen: Design Driven Innovation.
[72]. Leo Lei. (2020), Bang & Olufsen Presentation by Schemata Architects, https://leibal.com/.

86
 fan-shaped surface composed of wooden strips is gradually opened, a process that simulates the
structure of the speaker opening from a vertical position to parallel. This is an intuitive representation
of a product mechanical move. Another very creative expression is to render the wooden panel to be
stacked like the cream with the surreal elasticity and extensibility. (Fig.5.3.3.08/Fig.5.3.3.09)

Fig.5.3.3.06 Bang & Olufsen Presentation by Schemata Architects, Tokyo, Japan, 2020.

Fig.5.3.3.08 The conceptual rendering of wood oak in Exist to Create, 2019.

Fig.5.3.3.07 Bang & Olufsen Presentation by Schemata Architects, Tokyo, Japan, 2020.

In this context, a strong emotional attribute of the wood would be perceived by clients and then
turning into a cultural identity of the product. And this metaphor introduced the familiar building
structure in the traditional culture supports a new concept and idea that provides people a brand new
experience. This may delivery a concept that products have cultural support with a strong correlation. Fig.5.3.3.09 The conceptual rendering of wood oak in Exist to Create, 2019.
A slightly exotic impression of this changing panels has been expressed in the “Exist to Create”. The

87
Through associations between forms, a poetic design of wood in B&O’s product was inspired by the
truly instrument, the strings of the cello, where beautiful melodies begin. Then designers Torsten
Valeur, David Lewis turned this concept into a product with neatly arranged wood components. The
BeoLab 18 is an update on B&O’s iconic BeoLab 8000 – a tall, slender and striking speaker, and first
released in 2013. (Fig.5.3.3.10/Fig.5.3.3.11)

Fig.5.3.3.12 Beolab 18, Bang & Olufsen, 2013. Fig.5.3.3.13 Footage in Immaculate Wireless Sound - Great
sound deserves Bang & Olufsen, 2013.

In 2015, Bang & Olufsen released a produce with an incredible user experience through the wood.
The “Moment” is an ambassador for both of the qualities in a new lifestyle and interaction between
users and products. The removable controller was integrated to a solid base, which is actually

Fig.5.3.3.10 Footage in Immaculate Wireless Sound - Great Fig.5.3.3.11 Footage in Immaculate Wireless Sound - Great
double-sided. There's the sparse wooden panel, but flip it over, it’s aluminum surrounding a large
sound deserves Bang & Olufsen, 2013. sound deserves Bang & Olufsen, 2013. touchscreen[75]. (Fig.5.3.3.14/Fig.5.3.3.15)

This iteration artfully blends 21 thin wood panels with aluminum accents to create the sort of futuristic
aesthetic that gets B&O’s products placed in motion pictures so often. Technically, driver compliment
involves two 4-inch mid-woofers and a 3/4-inch tweeter powered by the same duo of 160-watt
internal amplifiers. The design here allows the speaker to radiate sound in 180 degrees, an approach
that is mean to deliver a wide and realistic sound stage, delivering that “you are there” feeling when
listening to music[73]. 

The application wood in such sized product has a certain consideration of how to meet the design in
the interior space, the Bang & Olufsen emphasized the warm of feeling and the “furniture-feel[74]”
attributes. The color strategy of the wood components offers totally five different options, they are
separately Maple, Smoked oak, Walnut, Black and White. (Fig.5.3.3.12/Fig.5.3.3.13) Fig.5.3.3.14 Beolab Moment, Bang & Olufsen, 2015. Fig.5.3.3.15 Beolab Moment, Bang & Olufsen, 2015.

[73]. Caleb Denison. (2013), B&O’s new Beolabs are adorably named, insanely designed, exceptionally wireless
, https://www.digitaltrends.com/.

[74]. Bang & Olufsen. (2020), Adding the natural touch to technology.
[75]. James Trew. (2015), B&O wants you to touch wood to control your music at home.

88
 A color wheel with concentric circles provide intuitive options to choose and to discover musics
based on the mood. Colors represent intensity and emotion, while the circles dictate how close the
music is to user’s personal collection, the central more certain and further form would be something
unknown. It's certainly an interesting take on discovery.

This product as a perfect example to describe double operations with a similar emotional connection.
There is nothing complicated through a touch with a wooden furniture, or even a tree. And the
laminate surface engages users to explore the product in the most natural way, bedside the logo of
Bang & Olufsen, only shallow grooves are carved on the wooden side and waiting for users to draw a
circle in a mild way. (Fig.5.3.3.16/Fig.5.3.3.17)

Fig.5.3.3.16 Beolab Moment, Bang & Olufsen, 2015. Fig.5.3.3.17 Beolab Moment, Bang & Olufsen, 2015. The logic of “color control” completely exceeds people's expectations for digital touch screens. This
is based on a human’s general perception of color mood, people project their emotions in a certain
color range, and this particular color range also responds to people's emotions through music
Each side represents a different way to interact with the music, and both of them look like something playback. The color here becomes a visual connection between the user's emotions and music.
that wouldn't be out of place in an interior design magazine. Especially when nestled between two of Therefore, this product satisfies the user's emotions from multiple senses of visual, hearing and
[75]
the firm's equally manicured speakers and the function supports to connect B&O's wireless ones . tactility. Thanks to the people’s inherent perception of color and material, the magic design simplify a
series of complex logical operations into an intuitive transformation between the senses, a
There is capacitive sensor just under the thin layer of laminate, thus when using the wooden side, the
Synesthesia.
interaction was called habit-learning “PatternPlay." It could learn the users’ music-listening patterns
and preferences. The Moment is taking note in every operation, and will start auto-playing the music 5.3.4 Hearing Textiles
[75]
that users want to hear with just a single touch of the wooden panel .
Soft materials such as fabrics, textiles and leather are very important in professional sound products
The wood side meets people's experience of this natural material and intuitive interactive logic, simple of Bang & Olufsen. In small-sized products, the choice of textiles or leather is not only for aesthetic
and with a slightly uncertainty, but generally meet your expectation. This expressed the sense of non- considerations, but also as a medium for a direct contact with human skin. Such frequent contact
reproducibility and randomness produced by a natural material. places high demands on comfort and tactility. For example, the design of the headphone in Bang &
Olufsen are extremely emphasizing the comfort, Soft synthetic textiles are rendered as the
On another side, it's effectively a digital tablet. There's a conventional UI that lets users browse sound
marshmallow and the white colored leather is depicted in a “milky” way. In this scenario, soft
collection via the usual filters such as artist, album, etc. The Moment also aggregates all musics into
materials such as textiles create a high-quality user experience. It has the feature that hard materials
one seamless catalog. While this interface is more conventional, there's still a little B&O magic on this
cannot achieve, which belongs to its excellence in functional performance. In addition, the genuine
side of the controller[75].
leather creates the perceived value to the high-end products. (Fig.5.3.4.01/Fig.5.3.4.02)

[75]. James Trew. (2015), B&O wants you to touch wood to control your music at home.

89
Fig.5.3.4.01 The conceptual rendering of synthetic textiles and Fig.5.3.4.02 The conceptual rendering of leather and aluminum Fig.5.3.4.03 BeoSound Shape, 2017
aluminum in Exist to Create, 2019. in Exist to Create, 2019.

In larger sized products, the textiles has been given some different meaning in the design. An Through the collaboration of designers and engineers, basic modules with different functions have
interesting perceptive by “BeoSound Shape” provides color and material solutions both in the finally achieved a modular installation and his process completes the definition of the product. All
product and the interior space. technical challenges and engineering details are cleverly hidden behind the textiles panels, and users
most consider how to choose their favorite colors and forms in their own interior space, thus
Compare to emphasize the statement of design-orientated products,  the “BeoSound Shape”  in
designers left the most interesting to the users. (Fig.5.3.4.05)
modular wall-mounted speaker system offers a different solution for “hiding” the product in interior
space. The narrative of this product mainly concentrate in new possibilities for the senses, from
sound performance to the visual experience of the interior space. The designer Øivind Alexander
Slaato indicated the inspiration for the “Beosound Shape” speaker is a combination of the hexagonal-
shaped structure in nature and the spectrum of the snowflake[76]. The mathematical feature allows a
repetitive and expanding form for this and the designer created additional auditory sense in this form.
(Fig.5.3.4.04)

Because of this modular tile concept, it allows customers to choose the size, shape, color and even
the sound performance according to personal preference. Each tile functions as a speaker, amplifier
or acoustic damper and can be pieced together in endless combinations and sizes to serve rooms
big and small. This flexible system can be rearranged to form new patterns or tiles can be added to
Fig.5.3.4.04 The design concept of BeoSound Shape,2017 Fig.5.3.4.05 BeoSound Shape, 2017
boost sound performance or acoustic dampening properties[76].  (Fig.5.3.4.03)

[76]. Bang & Olufsen. (2020), Beosound shape, The story of shape.

90
Modularity is not the newest concept in design, however, the form of this product provides extremely dynamic and ever-changing visual perception rather than a static communication which a preset
high degrees of freedom and possibility through the visual and auditory characteristics of colors and dialogue provided by the designer.
materials. From the perspective of product functionality, the arrangement offers a variety of auditory
B&O suggests a patented technology called "band on the wall", a unique up-mixing algorithm that
settings based on personal preferences and the nature of the space. The arrangement is sometimes
distributes the signals across the speakers making the correlated signal appear in the center from
not fixed in a certain position in the space, these may be shaped as a group on the whole side on the
every listening position instead of sitting in the center of a stereo perspective.  It is described as a
wall, or scattered in all corners. (Fig.5.3.4.06)
“sound carpet” or architectural sound[76]. (Fig.5.3.4.07)

Fig.5.3.4.06 Technical structure of BeoSound Shape, 2017

Finally, all these functional approaches are hidden under a flexible color strategy, the variety of colors
and surface materials redefine the perception of all modules in space. With this “separation” of
functionality and emotional attribute, this modular system offers countless possibilities, in other
words, it can adapt to different using scenarios to the greatest extent.

Generally speaking, the design of the product hopes to emphasize the uniqueness of its own
aesthetics, so that the user can recognize it to the greatest extent, and feel its functionality and
aesthetics. In contrast, the design philosophy of “Beosound Shape” transfers the priority to their
consumers and using contexts. The appearance of products are determined by the actual settings, a Fig.5.3.4.07 Kvadrat’s wool textiles on BeoSound Shape, London, UK, 2018.

[76]. Bang & Olufsen. (2020), Beosound shape, The story of shape.

91
In this design approach, each module is covered with soft textiles without excessive ornaments, thus, Such the palette engages designers like Johanna Grawunder and Sophie Ashby[78], to develop some
when these modules are combined in a large area and placed in an interior space, the perception of relevant installation in interior space, and this product was involved in their mood board.
colors and materials will be amplified, just as the smallest flaws in the sound will be amplified.
Bang & Olufsen's design philosophy encourages designers to consider the product based on the
At Salone del Mobile Milano 2017, Bang & Olufsen launched an experimental event (Fig.5.3.4.08) to user's actual experience and scene, and for most audio equipment, their use scene is the interior
introduce closer relationship between products and interiors. The modular “Beosound Shape” has environment, thus, it can partially explain that images in product catalog tend to show the real
been the main actor to create in a highly artistic visual impression to enhance people’s perception of a product in a more specific scene, sometime surrounding with appealing details.
new interior soundscape. Besides a detailed introduction of the “Beosound Shape” in technical
aspects, the colored textiles have been applied as an eye-catching elements in interior space, such
as divides or screens.

Base on the official indiction, the design manifesto of this large-scaled dome structure (Fig.5.3.4.09)
was aim to create an inspiration which to engage people live with the sound[77]. Even without a
consideration of the acoustic attribute in this installation or any other settings, the design may inspire
a perspective of colors and tactile materials in this interior space. A simple instance, the module was
form like a palette, according to the user’s preference, it provides a color tone and got rid of the
aesthetic contradiction and competition between different products in the interior space.

Fig.5.3.4.08 Bang & Olufsen Exhibition in Salone del Mobile Milano 2017. Fig.5.3.4.09 Bang & Olufsen Exhibition in Salone del Mobile Milano 2017.

[77]. Bang & Olufsen. (2020), BeoSound Shape - Technology or Art?

[78]. Wallpaper*. (2020), Creative talents explore the possibilities of Bang & Olufsen’s BeoSound Shape system.

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On Bang & Olufsen’s website, they are sharing stories about their designers, products and lifestyle, “B&O Play exists in a corner of consumer electronics world defined by design. And that’s merely the
etc. This could be recognized as the storytelling that introducing their products in some ideal using beginning. The brand and its designers view sound as furniture for the home and conceptual design
scenarios, in order to emphasize the life style. Moreover, they offer the customized color and thinking drives invention.” He identified their design process: “We have framed our whole process on
materials service to better coordinate the atmosphere of home or any other place (Fig.5.3.4.10). being a lifestyle brand, rather than a tech one[79].” 
Such the method is actually quite different from the marketing methods presented by conventional
It is not difficult to imagine that the product in Bang & Olufsen’s are partly defined as the sculptures or
consumer electronics. About this strategy, Jakob Kristoffersen, the brand’s Concept and Design
furniture rather than household appliances and this makes the design in products have more interior
Manager pointed out:
design considerations. (Fig.5.3.4.11)

Fig.5.3.4.10 BeoSound Shape, 2017 Fig.5.3.4.11 Bang & Olufsen products catalog, 2020.

[79].David Graver. (2018), Concept + design manger for B&O play, Jakob Kristoffersen, https://coolhunting.com/.

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5.3.5 CMF in Bang & Olufsen For the emotional context, the value perception through these materials are normally represented by
a delicate manufacturing and fine processing, which would convey the luxury and high-end
Bang & Olufsen defines its brand as a global luxury lifestyle brand in official annual report, and their
approach of the product. Generally the oak wood and metal aluminum could not be recognized as
deign mainly focus on products of audio innovation, in addition, the aesthetics and high quality in their
rare materials in products, however, the CMF design of the product largely takes into account of its
product design are emphasized in its statement, with other characteristics such as the unrivaled
use environment, that partly determines the user experience and corresponding space. The interior or
craftsmanship[80] in terms of digital sound devices.
domestic space is considered as the most important scenario of its products’ storytelling, especially

Bang & Olufsen’s aspiration is to become the most desired audio brand in the world[80]. To achieve in the categories of “Flexible Living” and “Staged”[80].

this, the company will strengthen the luxury-lifestyle positioning and continue to create innovative and
The products in category “Staged” are defined as used in stationary settings for immersive listening
progressive products based on its core capabilities of sound, design, and craftsmanship. Its
or viewing experiences, these products normally with a permanent state, which makes the it
luxury-lifestyle positioning ensures the CMF have a certain consideration in its design, especially it is
collectible rather than common electronics. The complex operation and multi-functions normally in
more willing to draw more inspiration from cooperation with external teams or independent designers
digital electronics have been replaced by a simpler and intuitive user experience, the CMF in such
instead establishing an internal design team to complete all works.
product creates a closer association with the furniture and interior design. For example, the
design of the good seat is to provide a comfortable experience to a large extent, in this logic, the seat

Consumers analysis User Context would not be endowed with multiple functions or any complicated using interactions, but only to
satisfy one functional approach with the simplicity and harmonious aesthetics in interiors. And
the simplicity in CMF design could be represented as the exquisite craftsmanship and authentic
expression of material to rich the aesthetics in the category of “Staged”.
Target consumer
The colors in Bang & Olufsen’s CMF could be seen form a perspective of the flexibility in trend, the
category “On-the-go” introduces some smaller and potable products in lower price, and the CMF in
After clarifying its positioning, user research is more targeted to achieve the product design purpose.
these products is intent to evoke certain dynamic states, which brighter and trendy colors design
The brand regards its sound performance as the core of product functionality, and product design is
are purposed to engage younger people in a larger market place. The changing using environments
the physical implement of achieving this sound quality or innovation, which could be perceived
vary the CMF approaches in portable products.
by its unique using experience. In terms of CMF functional context, this aspiration has been
materialized to respond the the appealing of its consumer segment. In its design language,
natural wood and metal aluminum are widely engaged as the most representative materials in the
products, various processing techniques based on these two materials give more expression on
Storytelling Value perception
different products. Another common material in its product with higher flexibility is textiles, which
enhance the tactile experience and comfort in closer contact with users, moreover, theses materials
sometimes have the certain acoustic consideration in the product design.
MicroTrend tracking Using environment

[80]. Bang & Olufsen. (2018), Annual report 2017/18.

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The conceptual CG rendering “Exist to create” would be an example to introduced the color and which reduces the abrupt of the LED display in the space. With the switch, the TV screen will slowly
material design in Bang  &  Olufsen’s product with an extreme innovation, which the materials are rise, and the wooden panel rotates from vertical to horizontal, and finally people would focus on the
rendered with a realistic effect but in a surreal state, such as the ductile wooden sticks or liquid screen. It transformed a technical operation such as turn on turn off, into a series of perceivable
metal aluminum. The materials in this visual Mood board are represented with genuine details, the moving actions. and this magic transform with the material creates an exceptional using experience.
wooden grain with matte surface and the aluminum has its metallic reflection, this familiar perceptions
of real materials have been completely changed into a highly emotional state through the CG
tech. This visual expression indicates that its CMF design is faithful to real materials with the First read Second read
innovative formation, to create an exceptional using experience.

Mood board Third read

In this way, the ““Exist to create” could be also recognized as the metaphor to the design philosophy
Permanent / Flexible elements
in Bang & Olufsen, the pursuit of the sound and audio technology relies on technical supports, that is
the core of this brand, however, all these highly rational details related to technology are cleverly
hidden in pure and natural materials, that makes all products seem to have nothing to do with those The “First read” in Bang  &  Olufsen’s design would be recognized as pure and complete to
complicated structure, ugly wires and integrated circuits. emphasize its professional by introducing the tightness and accuracy in material processing. The
“Second read” in some products are seen as precision finish effects on metal aluminum shell,
The product is designed as an artwork or some kind of interior decoration similar to furniture. Visually,
parting structures are usually avoided, making the visually single molding. The “Third read” could be
it has the beauty of craftsmanship, but there is no technical rigidity and alienation. It visually
normally seen in Bang & Olufsen’s products, especially in the high-end series. Such as the wooden
established a connection with people's familiar things, like a fine processed chair or any
components in “Beovision Harmony” are processed with handicraft and carefully polished, or the
contemporary furniture, while retaining its uniqueness, without any sense of abrupt or strange. And
delicate logo on any surface. For the permanent elements in the products, the design are usually
more worth mentioning is that a simultaneous perceptions are happening at the same time in using,
inviting rigid structures with higher performance, and for the flexible elements, like the decorative
the visual perception, the interaction with touch, and the main function of the product, the hearing
panels, this replaceable structure enable optional colors and materials for further upgrading.
experience, all these senses are closely connected through an intuitive operation. Therefore, the
association of the hearing is based on a certain color and tactile experience, the sound creates a
visual state, or to make an analogy, synesthesia.

For example, usually advanced LED TV will increase the size of the panel as much as possible, which
is usually called a “borderless design”. When the “Beovision Harmony” in turned off state, the product
is only a stereo. The wooden and aluminum panels are emphasized in front of the black scream,

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LANDING TO INTERIOR
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6.0 CMF in Apple Stores

If the discussion is to clarify the CMF approach in interior design, then more considerations and A not-so-appropriate analogy, like the unique aesthetic and industrial design of Apple’s products
analysis of the interior should be introduced. Of course, the CMF design approaches in this research among various brands, the Apple Store could be easily identified from a certain distance even in the
mainly stem from the representation and a collation of “The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: center of the city, besides to the impressive architectural form, it can also inspire the thinking about
Colour Material Finish”, and the author pointed out that the CMF approaches discussed in this book the contribution of colors and materials. Some current projects by Foster + Partners1 would be
focus on the topic of consumer-products and the corresponding design process, and the starting the representative case studies accompanied with CMF approaches, the “Key Nodes” for
point is mostly from CMF at the product level, from the perspective of brand, market and user further discussions. (Fig.5.3.4.11)
experience. (Becerra, 2016.)

The author indicates the category of colors and materials in interior design, that it is another
professional discipline, which differentiates from consumer products in terms of scale and
duration, etc. Therefore, the part of the interior space mentioned in the previous case studies in this
research are limited to the specific aspect in discussions, such as analyzing the colors and materials
of the brand identity, or looking at the state of the specific finish effect in the interior and its
application from the perspective of the trend ,or other more. (Becerra, 2016.)

Therefore, when introducing the interior cases for further discussions, the colors and materials related
to the brand identity, market or trend and user experience would also be considered to a certain
extent, however most would focus on how CMF approaches may provide a perspective to
analysis of the colors, materials and finishes in interior consideration.

Based on these premise, the Apple Store could be regarded as suitable case studies and analysis of
CMF in interior design. From the perspective of the brand, Apple Store in its global layout is
designed as the experience center of their products, and are often recognized as the landmark any
surroundings in the center of the city. It is an "icon", so a consistent brand identity has been
formed in people's impressions, which contains some very representative colors and materials,
such as bright shades of white or light gray, or large areas of glass curtains as the building facade.

In addition, according to the different venues, the design of Apple Store in different regions could
ensure its uniqueness, which makes the Apple Store not only stand out from the many buildings
surrounding, but also allow each store to have a distinguished characteristic. Fig.6.0.01 Interior of Apple Store Piazza del Liberty by Foster + Partners, Milano, 2018.

[1]. Lilliana Becerra. (2016), The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish.

1. Sir Norman Robert Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank, OM, RA, is an English architect whose company, Foster + Partners,
maintains an international design practice. 

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6.1 The Background “Noise”

From the perspective of color and material to form a general identity of the Apple Store, it creates a
simple and neutral idealized color impression in the space. In interior applications, colors with
higher lightness and lower saturation are often seen, with a completely retained interface to form a
relatively pure sense in visual experience.

Except for the introduction of some green plants, usually, the interior space presents a relatively low
complexity, and the color contrast in the hue is very little, the overall appearance shows a neutral
color preference. For example, the Apple Stores Regent Street in London, natural stones (Italian
Castagna stone) are proceeds in the warm gray[81], which is widely used as the main interface on the
wall. The surface is carefully polished to form a matte texture, and excess reflection will be avoided
(Fig.6.1.01). The strip-like patterns of natural materials normally remains to be arranged neatly in
parallel. The same application of this natural stone has also been applied in the Apple Orchard Road,
the first Apple flagship in the Singapore[82].

This material are considered as a complete visual perception in design and processing, the walls and
staircases are made from sandblasted stone, while the balustrade – seemingly carved in to the wall –
has a smooth, curved, and honed finish that is pleasant to touch. The stone walls and balustrade

Fig.6.1.02 Stairs of Apple Store Dubai by Foster + Partners, Dubai, 2017.

were created by a combination of handicraftsman-ship and CNC robotics, and were dry assembled
at the manufacturing site to make sure each piece fit perfectly before installation[81]. And in Apple
Orchard Road, an higher spiral stairs (Fig.6.1.02) has been built for a dynamic expression through this
solid material, an unusual definition of stone in shaping. This harmonious tone was achieved by
introducing less kinds of material with various processing instead chromatic material categories,
such as the subtle difference was emphasized by a darker polishing of the stone in handing groove.
Fig.6.1.01 Apple Stores Regent Street by Foster + Partners, London, 2017.

[81]. Archdaily. (2016), Apple Regent Street / Foster + Partners.

[82]. Amy Frearson. (2017), Foster + Partners opens "one of our greenest Apple spaces yet" in Singapore,https://www.dezeen.com/.

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 It is widely applied in the interior space(Fig.6.1.05) of the project and extends to the building and
surrounding environment (Fig.6.1.06). This is a typical building material in the Lombardia region[83] ,
which people are familiar with this in local city context. Although this Apple Store has a very
different architectural manifesto from the surrounding buildings, a closer perception of this building
could be acquired by introducing this material.

Fig.6.1.03 Handrail of Apple Stores Regent Street by Foster + Fig.6.1.04 Handrail of Apple Store Dubai by Foster + Partners,
Partners, London, 2017. Dubai, 2017.

In a certain distance, this handing groove area is visually as a different material, or shadow casting on
the surface, in closer, this part would be perceived as a continuous surface with the same
material[82]， a metaphor of the stone carving art. (Fig.6.1.03/Fig.6.1.04)

Fig.6.1.05 Interior of Apple Store Piazza del Liberty by Foster + Partners, Milano, 2018.

Part break-ups in CMF

From the technical analysis, in this way, the same material is distinguished by colors and processed
finishes to indicate the structure in perception and visual guidance. The handrail is an important
interactive part of the entire surface, and its functional properties have been expressed through this
visual “part break-ups” instead of introducing two physical materials to form this difference.

Similar to this natural design, in Apple Store Piazza del Liberty in Milano, a massive application of
another stone (the Gray Beola stone)[83] with local characteristics has been emphasized in this
project. The cool-gray surface retains the graininess of the original stone without fine polishing. The
stone itself does not have obvious patterns, instead resulting in a stillness and unified tone.
Fig.6.1.06 Exterior of Apple Store Piazza del Liberty by Foster + Partners, Milano, 2018.

[83]. Niall Patrick Walsh. (2018), Foster + Partners' Milan Apple Store Opens to the Public With Dramatic Waterfall Entrance.

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The introduction of local materials is often seen as a response to local culture and context in
architecture and interior design. A sense of familiarity could be connected with people, and a
soundless communication could be built among architecture, interior space with the surrounding
environment and people through materials.

Design localization

The localization strategy in consumer-products is widely regarded as the catering of colors and
materials to the target market and corresponding consumers, it also draws inspiration from local
culture, in consumer products, local elements tend to be expressed in a more direct and strong way, Fig.6.1.07 Apple Stores Hangzhou by Foster + Partners, Hangzhou, 2015.

so that consumers could accurately capture the cultural symbols and corresponding visual elements
in design. The expression of this design element in the interior space would be considered more
carefully, especially in a larger scale, to reach a state of harmony with the general spatial ambience. compared to the nature of the “First read” that is aim to be “Visible” in the product, such materials
As the application of the Beola stone in this space, it occupies almost the vast majority of the wall are no longer noticeable by weakening the color in Apple Store’s interior. In contrast, as a part of
and the ground. People would realize its existence, but they may not be distracted by it, as if the the urban landscape, this monochrome blocks can be well recognized in the complex urban
sound of rain is actually loud, but it will be ignored. The stone works in a massive but talks in landscape in a certain distance. When observing these materials more closely, their surface effects
whisper. (Fig.6.1.06) and patterns retain the details of the “second read”. However, those details are considered as a
delicate expression of inherent characteristics to keep a real state of the material. For example, the
In addition to natural stones, a neutral gray tone can also be achieved through other materials. Such
patterns of natural stone are carefully stitched into continuous lines, or neatly arranged aluminum
as another common feature in some Apple Stores, the aluminum panels[84]. Compared with natural
panels that are precisely cut and installed.
stones, metal aluminum is one of the main interfaces in the space and is usually processed into a
unique smooth, that such finished effect is in line with people's impression of the aluminum. This
metal effect creates more detailed reflection and more precise technology in processing than natural First read Second read
materials. It creates an ideal surface that is more complete than natural materials, which without any
flaw and random textures. (Fig.6.1.07)
Moreover, another factor to form the “First read” in interior is the lighting, that is certainly more

In closer touch, these materials represent very different feelings, but generally form an overall sense, obvious with even subtle changes than products. In visual perception, the “first read” in products

a light-colored neutral visual experience as the background of the Apple Store in people's mind. As engage the most attention of users, however in interior, the strategy may differ from states to form an

the counterpoint, “this Background” constitutes the “First read” of the space. It dominates the enclosed space, which lead considerable influence on the senses and emotional perception. If there

overall atmosphere of the space as a whole in vertical walls and even on the ground. However, would be a context for products, thus the interior space is the context surrounded.

[84]. Amy Frearson. (2015), Foster + Partners completes Apple store in Hangzhou, China, https://www.dezeen.com/.

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6.2 The Invisible State

Another iconic design element that is almost considered to be a must in the Apple Store. The huge
glass structure or curtain in facade. This functionally can be regarded as an indoor and outdoor
medium, becoming an important part of shaping the space. Visually, the huge transparent glass
introduces the natural light into the interior space, and from an exterior perspective, it invites the city
landscape and surrounding environment to a closer state.

From the outer perspective, the huge transparent facade makes it possible that the pure visual
background in the store with a special aesthetic and visual perception could be perceived without any
reservation. In some Apple Stores, huge glass is even formed as a monumental and poetic urban
sculpture in design, which emphasizes an exclusive identity of the brand with its Logo.

The application of glass may be considered as an “engaging material”, which is always connected
with a large “Apple” icon. When used as an architectural facade of the Apple Store, it allows the
indoor environment and activities to be directly perceived by people are passing by, and when it
exists as a "sculpture", it creates the engagement that internal things are physically isolated by this
transparent material, but they are visually presented, which arouse people's curiosity and desire to
explore.

This may explain why it can be used as an important material in the main channel. For example, the
Apple Store Piazza del Liberty has a huge fountain entrance in the that square.

Fig.6.2.01 Stairs of Apple Store Piazza del Liberty by Foster + Partners, Milano, 2018.
The site was originally the historical Apollo cinema. The fountain catches the attention of the curious
people, or the Portal, as it is called, a form of a parallelepiped eight-meter high from which 56 jets of
water flow, and the imposing staircase that recalls a Roman amphitheater (Fig.6.2.01). The Milanese
brand identity in stores. Or the glass can be regarded as a metaphor for the “screen”，which is
store has a similar concept as the one in 5th Avenue in New York: a geometric glass architecture
normally applied in Apple’s electronic products, providing the exclusive visual experience of virtual
that expands to the underground. Actually, the store where you can get the Apple products and
space. In interiors, the application of glass often introduces light, which is the same as the screen, the
accessories is reached by going down a couple of floors[83].
light and visual perception, and every Apple device will display its logo on the boot interface.
Almost every Apple store, its highly recognizable icons (  ) will be visually connected tightly wit the
glass. This is largely related to first Apple Store in Manhattan, New York. The well known “Apple
Cube”. Apple then remains this symbolic material and geometric minimalist design as a distinctive
Visual identity

[83]. Niall Patrick Walsh. (2018), Foster + Partners' Milan Apple Store Opens to the Public With Dramatic Waterfall Entrance.

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Unlike products, visual identity in space could sometimes overlap each other or appear in a dynamic Nevertheless, the color preference still follows a bright and neutral tone with lower saturation, It also
manner. Apple Store Piazza del Liberty introduced the fountain as a design element, to represent an can exist as a background or can be perceived with more details at a closer distance. In this design,
Italian city culture behind the glass, which generates an overlap with Apple’s design aesthetics, to emotional attributes such as cultural consideration and local elements are perfectly organized with the
from a dynamic visual experience. This makes this store keeps its uniqueness with the general brand innovation of technology. At the same time, this design also introduces another thinking of the
image. material in the interior application, the distance between the person and the material directly affects
the visual experience, in other words, the layering of the material at different observation
Similar design language could be seen in the Apple Store in Macau[85]. The Macau scheme takes the
distances.
form of a “luminescent cube” with a pure geometry and warm “paper lantern” (Fig.6.2.02) glow
seeking to draw pedestrians through its  bamboo  grove and external event  plaza. Upon entering,
visitors are surrounded by glowing stone panels, shimmering by day in reaction to the sun, and softly
radiating a warm glow at night to contrast with the bright lights of Macau[85]. Like the water behind
the glass, here the natural stone pattern provides a doubles surface for both exterior and interior.

An innovative glass-stone composite facade is comprised of five glazed layers integrated with thin
layers of stone, creating a definable translucent stone materiality not dissimilar from stained glass.
This glass facade here have two states, a clear transparent and fuzzy translucent. (Fig.6.2.03)
Obviously, this is a visual experience directly related to the changing light, the “First read” here
builds a certain connection with a dynamic visual identity, instead of being the stationary
background.

Fig.6.2.02 Facade of Apple Stores Macau by Foster + Partners, Macau, 2018. Fig.6.2.03 Facade of Apple Stores Macau by Foster + Partners, Macau, 2018.

[85]. Niall Patrick Walsh. (2018),Stone, Glass, and Bamboo Meet in Foster + Partners' Recently-Opened Apple Store in Macau.

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Another eye-catching glass application in Apple Store is sometimes associated with stairs, which
creates the perceptional conflict of glass as a fragile material. The anti-slip treatment of the surface
not only guarantees safety in functional attributes, but also enriches the visual layerings aesthetically.
There may be a sense of fear by pedestrians without this polishing process, and various transparency
of surface makes the whole stairs lighter in visual (Fig.6.2.04). The matte surface was processed in
line with detailed edges, this finish effect could be considered as the “Second read” or even “Third
read” in small-scale details. (Fig.6.2.05)

Fig.6.2.05 Stairs of Apple Stores Hangzhou by Foster + Partners, Hangzhou, 2015.

Third read

Mirror stainless steel is used as a material with a very strong visual perception in the recent Apple
Stores, the extremely polished surface gives it an unparalleled reflection effect. It reflects all the colors
and light from the surrounding environment without inherent color or tone, which makes it like a
chameleon, disappearing in the space but in a noticeable way. Its reflection of light comes from its
morphological changes, and colors and materials in the space are formed in a special effect on its
surface. Like a sound as a metaphor, an Echo with distortion effects. Such characteristics may
cause uncertainty in the perception of its volume. Regular application of this materials would
emphasize the quality of accuracy in products. The effect of this mirror surface is carefully polished to
form an aesthetic of advanced processing technology. In the application of interior design, a small
amount of mirror stainless steel can also evoke such perception, and compared with the neutral

Fig.6.2.04 Stairs of Apple Stores Hangzhou by Foster + Partners, Hangzhou, 2015.

expression of metal aluminum, stainless steel in people's perception is more in line with the cold and
technical sense conveyed by its metallic nature.

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Another noteworthy point is “scale proportion” of this material in the space could form different
visual experience. For example, stainless steel is applied to blade-shaped staircases arranged in a Scale proportion
neat manner. The specular reflection forms a sharp contrast with the diffuse natural stone surface in
the background, and the introduction of light render this contrast more intense. The unique surface
such materials with strong finish effects, the application in space is not only related to the scale and
properties of stainless steel make it a strong visual impact even if it occupies a certain small
proportion in space, but also to a large extent affected by the shape and form applied. (Fig.6.2.07)
proportion in the space area. (Fig.6.2.06) When it is given on a complete curved surface, it becomes
less sharp in visual perception, even with a larger proportion in interior space. This implies that for

Fig.6.2.06 Stairs of Apple Store Piazza del Liberty by Foster + Partners, Milano, 2018. Fig.6.2.07 Stairs of Apple Stores Fifth Avenue by Foster + Partners, NYC, 2019.

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6.3 White and Light boundary between inside and outside, Most recent Apple Stores use a plank ceiling or narrow
lengths of fabric stretched over light boxes. (Fig.6.3.01)
In addition to introducing natural light into the indoor environment through glass on the facade, the
materials and colors of store's ceiling take into account the interior light environment and the setting Apple Fifth Avenue’s ceiling is divided into a grid with circular cutouts trumpeting upward to reveal the
of artificial lighting. sky. The store’s artificial lights respond to natural rhythm of the sunlight by gradually shifting color
temperature throughout the day[86]. (Fig.6.3.02)
In Apple Stores Fifth Avenue, the main interior space is located underground, an innovative tunable
white-light ceiling to match the exact wavelengths of sunlight at different times of day, blurring the And another lighting solution for the underground space is the backlit ceiling panel in Apple Store
Milano, the light inside a single subterranean space (Fig.6.3.03) from above through skylights and the
artificial lighting arrays[83]. This way of combining natural light and artificial light sources on the
roof ceiling is not uncommon, however, the stable and uniform light provided by backlighting allows
the interior of the space to not only feel the comfort brought by natural light but also form a stable
indoor lighting environment in dynamic natural light (Fig.6.3.04).

Since the backlight distributes the lighting components over a large area and provides illumination
with a soft light-emitting panel, the dazzling light generated by a large number of point lights is
avoided. The uniformly illuminated panel visually creates a slightly luminous a pure white
perception.

Fig.6.3.01 Ceilings of Apple Stores Fifth Avenue by Foster + Partners, NYC, 2019. Fig.6.3.02 Ceilings of Apple Stores Fifth Avenue by Foster + Partners, NYC, 2019.

[86]. Chris Welch. (2019), Apple’s iconic fifth avenue store is Bach and bigger than ever, The cube looks the same, but everything
around it is new, The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/

105
Fig.6.3.03 Section figure of Apple Store Piazza del Liberty by Foster + Partners, Milano, 2018. Fig.6.3.05 Ceilings of Apple Stores Hangzhou by Foster + Partners, Hangzhou, 2015.

largely affected by the use environment, especially some surface effects are easily changed by the
surrounding environment, and it is difficult to accurately identify colors in the absence of lighting.
The expression of CMF in the interior space can be optimized through lighting settings to obtain
better perception. The external natural light will change drastically due to the weather, so it will directly
determine the product display in the space. The lighting integrated by the ceiling system in the interior
ensures that the colors and materials can be clearly identified in a stable state. In some
environments, people need "standard white" as a reference to feel other colors.

The definition in photography is called white balance. For cameras, white balance is the process of
removing unrealistic color casts. Proper camera white balance has to take into account the "color
Fig.6.3.04 Ceiling structure of Apple Store Piazza del Liberty by Foster + Partners, Milano, 2018. temperature" of a light source, which refers to the relative warmth or coolness of white light, digital
cameras often have great difficulty with auto white balance (AWB) — and can create unsightly blue,
orange, or even green color casts. The human eyes could judging what is white under different light
This “white” is also applied in a larger area to create a purist spatial sense in Apple Stores Hangzhou. sources, however, in the indoor environment, artificial light sources cannot fully simulate the
The whole ceiling was designed with a custom-made lighting panels that creates a dynamic artificial characteristics of natural light in the perspective of the spectrum. Specific wavelengths will seriously
solution to balance the impact of outdoor light on the interior (Fig.6.3.05), and it allows the monolithic affect the rendering of colors, this makes the application of most colors and materials in interior
aluminum plate in the space to maintain a constant neutral tone, such as the grey card1 in should be considered with an accurate lighting solution, so that “white” could be perceived as
photography. Generally, the application of colors and materials on products is static, and is the real white.

1. A  gray card  is a  middle gray  reference, typically used together with a reflective  light meter, as a way to produce consistent
image exposure and/or color in film and photography.

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6.4 Standardized Woods
Standardized guidelines
The Apple Store can form a unified impression visually and sensory, even if there are differences in
materials such as localized design thinking, besides the preference for specific colors in the interior
space, another important factor is the standard display furnishing of every store in the world. can get a consistent background on the senses when experiencing products in any Apple Store.
By abstracting common materials of furnishings in the interior environment, a symbolic perfect
These Maple wood standardized furnishings including movable tables and chairs, which are provide wooden surface with neutral colors could provide a similarity in sensory experience. About the
the convenience for customers to experience products quickly, moreover the same material in fixed “Neutral attribute” of this material, the wood can provide a warm and natural tactility that is so
wall-mounted showcases are also introduced in every Apple Store to display product accessories. In different from conventional building materials such as setons, metal aluminum, etc. From the
addition, some electronic display, advertising pictures and even facade Greenery would be integrated perspective of material perception, wood evokes the softest perception among the general
into this wall display system. There is no doubt that this kind of wood furnishing is the most direct materials in interior, which providing a certain contrast for its industrialized products. (Fig.6.4.02)
medium with products and consumers in the interior space. (Fig.6.4.01)

All wooden furniture retains the open inherent wood texture, and usually has no defects on the
Using environment
surface, such as wood knots or uneven color. And all the furniture has a concise shape and is cut
with sharp edges, like an industrial product that has been delicately processed. The introduction of
natural materials gives these industrial products a furniture-like feel to imitate a daily use scenario with
an extremely concise form. This setting provides a standardized guide for its display and all Neutral attribute
products will be organized to experience in this unified small “Using environment”, thus consumers

Fig.6.4.01 Wall system of Apple Store Union Square by Foster + Partners, San Fransisco, 2016. Fig.6.4.02 Wall system of Apple Store, unknown.

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And the smooth and open wooden surface also has a certain degree of stain resistance and scratch
resistance. Due to its standardized production and design, the replacement of furniture will be also
very convenient. In order to better support their product display and experience, these wooden
furniture have also been carefully designed to meet functional requirements such as providing
wireless power for products[87].

Compared with the CMF considerations in products, the colors and materials in interior design not
only need to meet the functional and aesthetic requirements, but also the social factors in

Fig..6.4.04 Wall system of Apple Stores Fifth Avenue by Foster + Partners, NYC, 2019.

Consumers analysis Storytelling

communication venues provided by public buildings, which include group psychology and
Behavioral analysis. That is so different from the relationship between individuals and products. For
example, the Apple Store's introduction of real plants into the interior space may lie in simulating the
scene of people's social behavior in outdoor squares or streets. These green vegetations are planted
in ring-shaped benches, arranged in a very neat manner, to visually form an impassion of urban
streets, which is not only to introduce the natural perception into the interior space, but to evoke the
language of urban lifestyle territory. (Fig.6.4.01)

This setting provides an excellent narrative for products and corresponding communication, as if
people will sit on a bench under the tree to intuitively talk with each other. The experience of daily life
is connected with the product and it also a natural storytelling to the context of user experience.
(Fig.6.4.01)

Fig..6.4.03 Apple Stores Regent Street by Foster + Partners, London, 2017.

[87]. Blair MacGregor. (2016), Apple details 'magic' gesture-controlled store tables in new filing.

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CONCLUSION
109
In processing of this research, the information about CMF is very limited. As a design concept based design appeals by establishing keywords, defining material partitions and visualization. Design
on the Meta-design, there is few existing conclusion with a clear framework and systematic definition considerations of CMF about brand identity would be interesting topics as reference in interior design.
in various fields. However, specific methodologies and design approaches involved in CMF are
The application in different fields vary design approaches from CMF in products to the interior space,
relatively clear, which as the practical solutions have been taken into practice. That means design
especially the contrast in size and scale, even consideration of lifespan, which determines the
approaches with the certain flexibility in the CMF design process, which relies on the
perception of colors and materials in interior design. For example, the visual classification of CMF as
interdisciplinary analysis from different perspectives, and makes it possible to introduce CMF in a
the "First read" and "Second read" could not be directly applied as an inherent methodology in
wider range through the coordination of different design approaches.
interiors. Or even the definition and application of “Permanent and Flexible elements” in CMF needs
The research mainly from the consumer-product industry where the CMF concept has been widely to be optimized according to the long-term using in interior design. Besides, the market aspects in
approved, by inducting the approach of colors, materials and finish effects in product design to a product design could not be represented as the sam way in interiors. Such as an analysis of the trend
representation of CMF framework, which consists of CMF consideration and corresponding indicates its particular expression in each field.
solutions in brand, market and user experience.
Finally, this thesis invites the comparative analysis of CMF in product design and interior
Existing color and material relevance has been normally considered in interior design approaches, design, which partly shows the possibility of CMF being used as the meta-design concept in interior
and the value of CMF in this context is by introducing sophisticated solutions from another field to design, form particular perspective of brand, market and users experience to consider the
interior consideration. This may provide some inspiration, especially in some interiors preferred inspirations and limitations.
some scenario with products. Therefore the interior design could form a closer relationship with
the product in terms of color and materials.

In this thesis, through interpretation of design approaches of functional and emotional attributes in
CMF, there would be a certain value to interior design, but also with limitations.

The research and classification of materials in the CMF could effectively provide a wide range of
references for interior design. For example, the application of emerging materials in consumer
products can be quickly transplanted to interior spaces with the specific design purpose. Some
design approaches such as CMF indicator can be introduced to clarify colors and materials in interior
design. Persona and Mood board have been widely approved as design approaches for user analysis
and conceptual materialization in interior design, while CMF ’s functional and emotional analysis of
colors and materials in the user experience may provide additional valuable information, to create an
ideal interior space that is more in line with product using scenarios. Also, the idea similar to CMF
palette could improve the efficiency for a systematic design evaluation based on specific interior

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
111
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16 Heini Isoaho . (2016), Color, material and finish design, p. 9-10. 43 Seifert, Dan. (2013), Apple announces iOS 7, 'biggest change' since the introduction of the iPhone, coming this fall. 

17 Rain Noe. (2019), How Acura orchestrated a massive turnaround with a renewed focus on design. https://www.core77.com/ 44 Phil Ohme. (2016), Smart Depth is the end of flat design, https://blog.prototypr.io/
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46 Connor Turnbull. (2013), Flat Design, iOS 7, Skeuomorphism and All That, https://webdesign.tutsplus.com/
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47 Evie Harrison. (2019), All ThatFlat Design is in and Gradient Design is Gone for Good – Is This True?
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21 Jennifer Escalas. (2013), Self-Identity and Consumer Behavior. Journal of Consumer Research, Volume 39 48 Alicja Stankiewicz. (2019), Self-healing nanocoatings for protection against steel corrosion.

22 Celinne Da Costa. (2019), Reasons Why Brand Storytelling Is The Future Of Marketing, Forbes. 49 Designboom. (2015), Patricia urquiola designs shimmer furniture collection for glas italia.

23 Humphrey, Aaron. (2017), User Personas and Social Media Profiles. Persona Studies.  50 Edoardo Tescari. (2016), Formafantasma Anno Tropico.

24 Interaction design foundation./www.interaction-design.org/ 51 Jacqui Palumbo. (2018), Designer Germans Ermičs Reimagines What Glass Can Be.

25 Ryohin Keikaku. (2016), 企業情報 Corporate Information.  52 Architizer. (2015),3M SXSW 2015 Austin, TX, United States.

26 Martin Roll. (2019), Muji – The Global Strategy Behind The Japanese No-Brand Brand. www.martinroll.com. 53 Architizer. (2015), Nova - Madison Avenue, Manhattan, New York, NY, United States.

27 Naoto Fukasawa (09, 2006). Naoto Fukasawa: Without a Thought. Design Dwell magazine. 53 Architizer. (2015), Nova - Madison Avenue, Manhattan, New York, NY, United States.

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54 Arch daily. (2017), Floral Pavilion / Nanjing University of the Arts 花之亭 / 南京艺术学院设计学院. 81 Archdaily. (2016), Apple Regent Street / Foster + Partners.

55 Diana Budds. (2017), If Rainbow Brite Had An Office, It Would Look Like This, https://www.fastcompany.com/. 82 Amy Frearson. (2017), Foster + Partners opens "one of our greenest Apple spaces yet" in Singapore, https://www.dezeen.com/.

56 Eduardo Simoes. (2019), Affinity in Autonomy – An interactive experience by Sony, https://designwanted.com/. 83 Niall Patrick Walsh. (2018), Foster + Partners' Milan Apple Store Opens to the Public With Dramatic Waterfall Entrance.

57 Dezeen Staff. (2019),  Samsung's Resonance installation invites visitors to make art with "everyday behaviours”, https:// 84 Amy Frearson. (2015), Foster + Partners completes Apple store in Hangzhou, China, https://www.dezeen.com/.
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85 Niall Patrick Walsh. (2018),Stone, Glass, and Bamboo Meet in Foster + Partners' Recently-Opened Apple Store in Macau.
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86 Chris Welch. (2019), Apple’s iconic fifth avenue store is Bach and bigger than ever, The cube looks the same, but everything
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61 ⼆楠ErNan. (2019), The changing Huawei P30 and the “realm of the sky” , https://club.huawei.com/

62 Alessandro Scarano. (2020), Smartphone design explained to those who think it's all the same. https://www.domusweb.it/

63 Stewart Hodgson. (2017), A brand for sensational sound & vision: The Bang and Olufsen story, https://medium.com/.

64 Robert D. Austin Daniela Beyersdorfer. (2007), Bang & Olufsen: Design Driven Innovation.

65 Factiva. (2005), Bang on target,” Digital Life.

66 Bang & Olufsen. (2020), A dialogue between past and present.

67 Daniel Giebel. (2017), function follows form: BANG & OLUFSEN design classics, https://magazine.bulangandsons.com/

68 Beoworld. (2006), BeoCenter 9000,https://www.beoworld.org/.

69 Bēhance. (2019), Exist to Create : Campaign Bang & Olufsen. https://www.behance.net/

70 Bang & Olufsen. (2019), Magic unfolds: Bang & Olufsen debuts Beovision Harmony at Milan Design Week.

71 Bang & Olufsen. (2020), Bang & Olufsen Design Stories: Our Creative Director of Design.

72 Leo Lei. (2020), Bang & Olufsen Presentation by Schemata Architects, https://leibal.com/.

73 Caleb Denison. (2013), B&O’s new Beolabs are adorably named, insanely designed, exceptionally wireless
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74 Bang & Olufsen. (2020), Adding the natural touch to technology.

75 James Trew. (2015), B&O wants you to touch wood to control your music at home.

76 Bang & Olufsen. (2020), Beosound shape, The story of shape.

77 Bang & Olufsen. (2020), BeoSound Shape - Technology or Art?

78 Wallpaper*. (2020), Creative talents explore the possibilities of Bang & Olufsen’s BeoSound Shape system.

79 David Graver. (2018), Concept + design manger for B&O play, Jakob Kristoffersen, https://coolhunting.com/.

80 Bang & Olufsen. (2018), Annual report 2017/18.

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FIGURES
114
 1 Fig.1.3.01 The framework of research. 28 Fig.5.1.1.01 The early poster of Muji.

2 Fig.2.2.01 The series of metal office furniture produced by Olivetti, BBPR, 1960. 29 Fig.5.1.1.02 The sample tags of Muji products.

3 Fig.2.2.02 "The art of coloring the office: Olivetti Synthesis combinations", serigraphy Bernardi Milano, 1971 30 Fig.5.1.2.01 The sample tags of Muji products.

4 Fig.2.2.02 "The art of coloring the office: Olivetti Synthesis combinations", serigraphy Bernardi Milano, 1971 31 Fig.5.1.2.02 The sample tags of Muji products.

5 Fig.2.2.04 "The art of coloring the office: Olivetti Synthesis combinations", serigraphy Bernardi Milano, 1971 32 Fig.5.1.2.03 Muji CD player in Muji Hotel, designed by Naoto Fukasawa.

6 Fig.2.2.05 Action Office 2 “Altar”, one of ten, demonstrating Clino Castelli’s CMF program, 1983 33 Fig.5.1.2.04 Muji’s products in its “compact” storage system.

7 Fig.2.2.06 Action Office 2 “Altar”, one of ten, demonstrating Clino Castelli’s CMF program, 1983 34 Fig.5.1.3.01 Muji’s packing paper.

8 Fig.2.2.07 The chromatic redesign of the Herman Miller was actualized according to a global approach to sensorial space. 35 Fig.5.1.3.02 Muji’s Pulp storage units.

9 Fig.2.2.08 A page of No-Form. 36 Fig.5.1.3.03 A collection of Muji’s products.

10 Fig.2.2.09 ŠKODA Color & Trim exterior color palette, 2017. 37 Fig.5.1.3.04 The schematic diagram of Muji’s storage shelf and its product matching.

11 Fig.2.2.10 Herman Miller Sync Series Textiles, 2020. 38 Fig.5.1.3.05 The Muji Compact storage components.

12 Fig.2.3.01 Acura design studio California, US, 2019 39 Fig.5.1.3.06 The Muji Compact storage components.

13 Fig.2.3.02 The sample panel of RDX. 40 Fig.5.1.3.07 The general materials in Muji Compact storage components, distributing in lifespan and functional/emotional
dimension.
14 Fig.2.3.03 The CMF application on sample seats of RDX.
41 Fig.5.1.3.08 The color categories and frequency in 420 products with amounts, statistics by Zhu Ningli, 2013.
15 Fig.2.2.04 The sample selecting of Tangerine, 2019.
42 Fig.5.1.3.09 The cover of Muji Furniture Catalogue .
16 Fig.2.2.05 The Yin-yang seating system in British Airways, 2019.
43 Fig.5.1.3.10 The inner page information of Muji Furniture Catalogue.
17 Fig.2.2.06 Nokia CMD design achieved the IF Awards in 2014.
44 Fig.5.1.3.11 The brief classification of representative materials in Muji’s products.
18 Fig.2.2.07 The design team of Plantronics.
45 Fig.5.1.3.12 A typical composition of Muji modular Compact storage.
19 Fig.3.0.01 The map of CMF creation process.
46 Fig.5.1.3.13 Muji’s cosmetics package.
20 Fig.3.0.02 Lilliana Becerra, The Fundamental Principles of CMF Design: Colour Material Finish，2016.
47 Fig.5.1.3.14 Muji Beads Sofa (Bean Bag).
21 Fig.4.1.01 The early stage of CMF creation process.
48 Fig.5.1.3.15 Neat shelves display in Muji stores.
22 Fig.4.2.01 The medium stage of CMF creation process.
49 Fig.5.1.4.01 The cashier in Muji store.
23 Fig.4.4.01 The medium-late stage of CMF creation process.
50 Fig.5.1.4.02 Neat shelves display in Muji stores.
24 Fig.4.6.01 The late stage of CMF creation process.
51 Fig.5.1.4.03 A diagram to Simplify the shelves display into color blocks, statistics by Zhu Ningli, 2013.
25 Fig.4.7.01 The map of CMF creation process.
52 Fig.5.1.4.04 Muji Promenade, Santa Monica, California, US, 2018
26 Fig.4.7.02 The map of CMF creation process with the brief description for each.
53 Fig.5.1.4.05 Gestalt laws of grouping / similarity.
27 Fig.5.1.01 Typical products of MUJI.

115
54 Fig.5.1.4.06 Muji Promenade, Santa Monica, California, US, 2018 81 Fig.5.2.1.10 The iOS 7, Apple, 2013.

55 Fig.5.1.4.07 Muji Promenade, Santa Monica, California, US, 2018 82 Fig.5.2.1.11 Simmer, Glas Italia, designed by Patricia Urqiola, 2015.

56 Fig.5.1.4.08 Muji Promenade, Santa Monica, California, US, 2018 83 Fig.5.2.1.12 Simmer, Glas Italia, designed by Patricia Urqiola, 2015.

57 Fig.5.1.4.09 Main materials representation of Muji Promenade. 84 Fig.5.2.1.13 Simmer, Glas Italia, designed by Patricia Urqiola, 2015.

58 Fig.5.1.5.01 The opening poster of Muji Ginza. 85 Fig.5.2.1.14 Simmer, Glas Italia, designed by Patricia Urqiola, 2015.

59 Fig.5.1.5.02 Muji Café&Meal, Muji Ginza. 86 Fig.5.2.1.15 ANNO TROPICO in exhibition in Peep-Hole Art, 2016.

60 Fig.5.1.5.03 Muji Café&Meal, Muji Ginza. 87 Fig.5.2.1.16 Colore - Test 1LED, dichroic glass, concrete, electrical materials, 2016.

61 Fig.5.1.5.04 Muji support, home design service, Muji Ginza. 88 Fig.5.2.1.17 Germans Ermičs and Lonneke van der Palen, Sample for Raf Simons, 2016.

62 Fig.5.1.5.05 Reception, lobby of Muji hotel Ginza. 89 Fig.5.2.1.18 Ombré Glass Chair, Germans Ermičs, 2017.

63 Fig.5.1.5.06 Printmaking style of Guest rooms indication, Muji hotel Ginza. 90 Fig.5.2.2.01 3M LifeLab at SXSW, Austin, TX, United States, 2015.

64 Fig.5.1.5.07 Guest rooms of Muji hotel Ginza. 91 Fig.5.2.2.02 3M LifeLab at SXSW, Austin, TX, United States, 2015.

65 Fig.5.1.5.08 Mini bar, Guest rooms of Muji hotel Ginza. 92 Fig.5.2.2.03 3M LifeLab at SXSW, Austin, TX, United States, 2015.

66 Fig.5.1.5.09 Mini bar, Guest rooms of Muji hotel Ginza. 93 Fig.5.2.2.04 Gazebo “I shall gaze”, Flatiron Plaza, NYC, 2015.

67 Fig.5.1.5.10 Guest rooms of Muji hotel Ginza. 94 Fig.5.2.2.05 Gazebo “I shall gaze”, Flatiron Plaza, NYC, 2015.

68 Fig.5.1.5.11 Guest rooms of Muji hotel Ginza. 95 Fig.5.2.2.06 Gazebo “I shall gaze”, Flatiron Plaza, NYC, 2015.

69 Fig.5.1.5.12 Guest rooms of Muji hotel Ginza. 96 Fig.5.2.2.07 Parameterization design of The Floral Pavilion / Nanjing University of the Arts, Nanjing, China, 2017.

70 Fig.5.1.5.13 Main materials representation guest rooms of Muji hotel Ginza. 97 Fig.5.2.2.08 Floral Pavilion / Nanjing University of the Arts, Nanjing, China, 2017.

71 Fig.5.2.01 3M™ DICHROIC™ film, 2014. 98 Fig.5.2.2.09 Floral Pavilion / Nanjing University of the Arts, Nanjing, China, 2017.

72 Fig.5.2.1.01 H-Horse,Philippe Starck, Ferruccio Laviani and Nendo design for Kartell, 2016 99 Fig.5.2.2.10 Canvas’s office, L.A., US, 2017.

73 Fig.5.2.1.02 The soft for Glas Italia. 2015 100 Fig.5.2.2.11 Canvas’s office, L.A., US, 2017.

74 Fig.5.2.1.03 Larry Bell's Still Standing at Hauser & Wirth in Chelsea, NYC, 2020. 101 Fig.5.2.2.12 Affinity in Autonomy, Sony, Milano, Italy, 2019.

75 Fig.5.2.1.04 Light Reignfall, James Turrell , The Guggenheim, NYC, 2013 102 Fig.5.2.2.13 Affinity in Autonomy, Sony, Milano, Italy, 2019.

76 Fig.5.2.1.05 French Touch Collection, studio JOOGII, 2016 103 Fig.5.2.2.14 Affinity in Autonomy, Sony, Milano, Italy, 2019.

77 Fig.5.2.1.06 French Touch Collection, studio JOOGII, 2016 104 Fig.5.2.2.15 Affinity in Autonomy, Sony, Milano, Italy, 2019.

78 Fig.5.2.1.07 3M™ released the DICHROIC™ Glass Finish DF-PA, 2014. 105 Fig.5.2.2.16 Affinity in Autonomy website, Sony, 2019.

79 Fig.5.2.1.08 Sportswear’s Women's Nike Blazer, 2014. 106 Fig.5.2.2.17 Affinity in Autonomy website, Sony, 2019.

80 Fig.5.2.1.09 BAO-BAO, Issey Miyake, prism rainbow, 2014. 107 Fig.5.2.2.18 CMOS indication,Sony.

116
 135 Fig.5.3.2.08 The conceptual rendering in Exist to Create, 2019.
108 Fig.5.2.2.19 Resonance, Samsung, Milano, Italy, 2019.
136 Fig.5.3.2.09 The conceptual rendering of aluminum in Exist to Create, 2019.
109 Fig.5.2.2.20 Resonance, Samsung, Milano, Italy, 2019.
137 Fig.5.3.2.10 The speakers panel of Beovison Harmony, 2019.
110 Fig.5.2.2.21 Resonance, Samsung, Milano, Italy, 2019.
138 Fig.5.3.2.11 Beovison Harmony, 2019.
111 Fig.5.2.2.22 Apple Cube 5th Avenue, NYC, US, 2019.
139 Fig.5.3.3.01 Beovison Harmony, 2019.
112 Fig.5.2.2.23 Apple Cube 5th Avenue, NYC, US, 2019.
140 Fig.5.3.3.02 The poster of Bang&Olufsen in Salone del Mobile, 2019.
113 Fig.5.2.2.24 Apple Cube 5th Avenue, NYC, US, 2019.
141 Fig.5.3.3.03 footage in Bang & Olufsen Design Stories: Our Creative Director of Design, 2019
114 Fig.5.2.2.25 Saks shopping center 5th Avenue, NYC, US, 2019.
142 Fig.5.3.3.04 footage in Bang & Olufsen Design Stories: Our Creative Director of Design, 2019
115 Fig.5.2.2.26 Affinity in Autonomy, Sony, Milano, Italy, 2019.
143 Fig.5.3.3.05 The conceptual rendering of aluminum and wood oak in Exist to Create, 2019.
116 Fig.5.2.3.01 Affinity in Autonomy, Sony, Milano, Italy, 2019.
144 Fig.5.3.3.06 Bang & Olufsen Presentation by Schemata Architects, Tokyo, Japan, 2020.
117 Fig.5.2.3.02 Samsung Galaxy S10, 2019.
145 Fig.5.3.3.07 Bang & Olufsen Presentation by Schemata Architects, Tokyo, Japan, 2020.
118 Fig.5.2.3.03 Samsung Note10, 2019.
146 Fig.5.3.3.08 The conceptual rendering of wood oak in Exist to Create, 2019.
119 Fig.5.2.3.04 Huawei P30 Pro, 2019.
147 Fig.5.3.3.09 The conceptual rendering of wood oak in Exist to Create, 2019.
120 Fig.5.2.3.05 One plus 8 Pro, 2020.
148 Fig.5.3.3.10 Footage in Immaculate Wireless Sound - Great sound deserves Bang & Olufsen, 2013.
121 Fig.5.2.3.06 One plus 8 Pro, 2020.
149 Fig.5.3.3.11 Footage in Immaculate Wireless Sound - Great sound deserves Bang & Olufsen, 2013.
122 Fig.5.2.3.07 One plus prototypes of phone case, 2020.
150 Fig.5.3.3.12 Beolab 18, Bang & Olufsen, 2013.
123 Fig.5.2.3.08 Xiaomi Mi 9, 2020.
151 Fig.5.3.3.13 Footage in Immaculate Wireless Sound - Great sound deserves Bang & Olufsen, 2013.
124 Fig.5.2.3.09 Vivo X23, 2020.
152 Fig.5.3.3.14 Beolab Moment, Bang & Olufsen, 2015.
125 Fig.5.3.01 “Exist to Create” concept visual image, Bang & Olufsen, 2019.
153 Fig.5.3.3.15 Beolab Moment, Bang & Olufsen, 2015.
126 Fig.5.3.1.01 Portable products in On-the-go category, Bang & Olufsen, 2018.
154 Fig.5.3.3.16 Beolab Moment, Bang & Olufsen, 2015.
127 Fig.5.3.1.02 Beogram 4000, Jacob Jensen, 1972-1975.
155 Fig.5.3.3.17 Beolab Moment, Bang & Olufsen, 2015.
128 Fig.5.3.2.01 Beosound 2 aluminum shell in process.
156 Fig.5.3.4.01 The conceptual rendering of synthetic textiles and aluminum in Exist to Create, 2019.
129 Fig.5.3.2.02 Beosound 2 aluminum shell in process.
157 Fig.5.3.4.02 The conceptual rendering of leather and aluminum in Exist to Create, 2019.
130 Fig.5.3.2.03 The conceptual rendering of BeoPlay H9 in Exist to Create, 2019.
158 Fig.5.3.4.03 BeoSound Shape, 2017
131 Fig.5.3.2.04 The conceptual rendering in Exist to Create, 2019.
159 Fig.5.3.4.04 The design concept of BeoSound Shape,2017
132 Fig.5.3.2.05 The conceptual rendering in Exist to Create, 2019.
160 Fig.5.3.4.05 BeoSound Shape, 2017
133 Fig.5.3.2.06 The conceptual rendering of BeoPlay H9 in Exist to Create, 2019.
161 Fig.5.3.4.06 Technical structure of BeoSound Shape, 2017
134 Fig.5.3.2.07 The conceptual rendering in Exist to Create, 2019.
162 Fig.5.3.4.07 Kvadrat’s wool textiles on BeoSound Shape, London, UK, 2018.

117
163 Fig.5.3.4.08 Bang & Olufsen Exhibition in Salone del Mobile Milano 2017.

164 Fig.5.3.4.09 Bang & Olufsen Exhibition in Salone del Mobile Milano 2017.

165 Fig.5.3.4.10 BeoSound Shape, 2017

166 Fig.5.3.4.11 Bang & Olufsen products catalog, 2020.

167 Fig.6.0.01 Interior of Apple Store Piazza del Liberty by Foster + Partners, Milano, 2018.

168 Fig.6.1.01 Apple Stores Regent Street by Foster + Partners, London, 2017.

169 Fig.6.1.02 Stairs of Apple Store Dubai by Foster + Partners, Dubai, 2017.

170 Fig.6.1.03 Handrail of Apple Stores Regent Street by Foster + Partners, London, 2017.

171 Fig.6.1.04 Handrail of Apple Store Dubai by Foster + Partners, Dubai, 2017.

172 Fig.6.1.05 Interior of Apple Store Piazza del Liberty by Foster + Partners, Milano, 2018.

173 Fig.6.1.06 Exterior of Apple Store Piazza del Liberty by Foster + Partners, Milano, 2018.

174 Fig.6.1.07 Apple Stores Hangzhou by Foster + Partners, Hangzhou, 2015.

175 Fig.6.2.01 Stairs of Apple Store Piazza del Liberty by Foster + Partners, Milano, 2018.

176 Fig.6.2.02 Facade of Apple Stores Macau by Foster + Partners, Macau, 2018.

177 Fig.6.2.03 Facade of Apple Stores Macau by Foster + Partners, Macau, 2018.

178 Fig.6.2.04 Stairs of Apple Stores Hangzhou by Foster + Partners, Hangzhou, 2015.

179 Fig.6.2.05 Stairs of Apple Stores Hangzhou by Foster + Partners, Hangzhou, 2015.

180 Fig.6.2.06 Stairs of Apple Store Piazza del Liberty by Foster + Partners, Milano, 2018.

181 Fig.6.2.07 Stairs of Apple Stores Fifth Avenue by Foster + Partners, NYC, 2019.

182 Fig.6.3.01 Ceilings of Apple Stores Fifth Avenue by Foster + Partners, NYC, 2019.

183 Fig.6.3.02 Ceilings of Apple Stores Fifth Avenue by Foster + Partners, NYC, 2019.

184 Fig.6.3.03 Section figure of Apple Store Piazza del Liberty by Foster + Partners, Milano, 2018.

185 Fig.6.3.04 Ceiling structure of Apple Store Piazza del Liberty by Foster + Partners, Milano, 2018.

186 Fig.6.3.05 Ceilings of Apple Stores Hangzhou by Foster + Partners, Hangzhou, 2015.

187 Fig.6.4.01 Wall system of Apple Store Union Square by Foster + Partners, San Fransisco, 2016.

188 Fig.6.4.02 Wall system of Apple Store, unknown.

189 Fig..6.4.03 Apple Stores Regent Street by Foster + Partners, London, 2017.

190 Fig..6.4.04 Wall system of Apple Stores Fifth Avenue by Foster + Partners, NYC, 2019.

118