MORPHOLOGICAL DETERMINISM IN PRODUCT DESIGN: FROM CORPOREALITY TO TRANSFORMATION

Abstract

The aim of the article is to outline the art-historical discourse of morphological determinism in product design through the lens of the interaction between artistic practices, anthropometric norms, and the processes of form transformation. The study analyzes the genesis of form-making, where art acts as the basic «genetic code» of design, determining the logic of an object’s emergence and functioning. The concept of anthropogenicity is examined, proving the impossibility of ignoring the physical laws of the world – from gravity to optics – and the parameters of the human body, even in the most radical artistic experiments. Special attention is paid to the phenomena of “post-artistic” and “post-art”, where functionality gives way to emotional provocation, disharmony, and aesthetic play within the socio-cultural context. The study employs the method of linear modeling of form evolution using the example of chair design. Three key vectors of development are identified: the “line of the body”, the “line of geometry”, and the “line of destruction/ transformation”. The first line traces the path from structural ergonomics (M. Breuer) to the anthropomorphic design-sign (F. Novembre). The second line demonstrates the evolution from a rationalist manifest (G. Rietveld) to an intellectual installation (V. L. Seaward) that structures space. The third line, based on the projects of Marc Newson (e.g., the “Orgone” chair), reveals the potential for continuous transformation of a form within its own conceptual boundaries through changes in material language and partial destruction. It is proven that these vectors are capable of cross-cultural recombination, as exemplified by Joris Laarman’s “Bone Chair”, where biological growth algorithms are combined with high-tech digital design. The author concludes that morphological determinism is not a limiting factor but serves as the foundation for creating a dynamic artistic space. The process of form-making in modern design evolves from simple need satisfaction to the creation of complex sign-symbolic systems, where the design object becomes a full-fledged language of culture. The value of a modern design object is determined not only by its function but also by its emotional sincerity, the intellectual depth of the concept, and the ability to present a morphological paradox. Morphological determinism thus balances between the anatomical code of the human body and the desire to break beyond it through geometry or experimental deconstruction.