The ugly vernacular

Quite regularly, a cry is heard "But MySpace and Craigslist are SO UGLY!!"

Likewise, in <table>-abhorring circles, there's a meme that says "good" design is learnable and will finally permeate the mainstream, a kind of trickle-down theory.

I'd like to propose a different viewpoint: look at your city's streets, or your office desktop. Do they look like a Prada shop or Praystation? Well, mine look more like MySpace and Craigslist. I like to think that the alleged randomness and unstylishness of these sites may be connected to their success*. 

The designer Tibor Kalman (of Colors fame) was fascinated with vernacular and ugly design.

Tibor's vernacular and ugly portrait.

Likewise, the architect Rem Koolhaas thinks the dullness of the modern city may be something we actually want, and says: Beauty isn't what I'm primarily interested in. I think appropriateness is more important.

For some reason, I think that a Plan 9 screenshot is appropriate to close this post:

* Mentioning the word success should be enough to make that espèce de complainant shut up.

Comments

[Darius Bacon]

I was about to claim that craigslist isn't ugly, it's just plain, but then I had to go and look at it. Oops. And there can be no argument about myspace.

[Manuel]

Yes, but I think they're appropriate. I'm not visiting craigslist for the aesthetic experience.

[MasterOfDesaster]

really right, and nothing new i think. but how you want to tell this your/a client...

"form/design follows function"

But the client wants everything, so he will get his BEAUTIFUL (and functional) design...

second thing: I have to deal with MY office desktop, million of users have to deal with MySpace(they don't think very mutch about design:( , user/accessibility:( ).

[Manuel]

Working for others is often painful... I think, with apologies to Phil Windley, we can say, "clients get the design they deserve".