Methods for assessing the aesthetic quality of modern furniture

For a number of years in our country, leading research and design organizations have been working in the field of creating aesthetic criteria for determining product quality.

In 1969-1971 VNIIS (All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Standardization) has developed a draft GOST on the terminology of aesthetic quality indicators, a draft of guidelines for determining the aesthetic level of quality industrial products of mass production with the classification of aesthetic indicators. In 1971 VNIITE (All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics) issued "General guidelines for assessing the aesthetic level of industrial products," published a collection of articles on the relationship of the standard with the functional and aesthetic requirements for the formation of products. VNIISM (All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Building Materials) is constantly working on the methodology for regulating the aesthetic qualities of materials through the approval of standards introduced by the Ministry of Building Materials and Products.

One of the most effective measures to improve product quality is its certification, which is aimed at the timely and effective implementation of scientific and technical achievements in production, updating the product range and systematically improving its quality.

Permanent work on the integrated solution of issues of architectural aesthetics is conducted by TSNIIEPHills, TSNIIEP medical and resort buildings, TSNIIEP trade and residential buildings and tourist complexes, KievZNIIEP and other institutes. In 1972, the Central Research Institute for Efficient Housing issued the “Basic Provisions for the Consideration of Aesthetic Requirements when Developing Standards” [68], the basic principles of which can also be used to identify the aesthetic quality of furniture.

The “Basic Provisions” rightly states that the basis of the aesthetic evaluation of a person’s surroundings is the practice and criteria of the usefulness of certain properties of objects, as well as features of perception. In each specific historical and economic period, the interpretation of the concepts of expediency and benefit changes. Aesthetic requirements at each stage are formulated depending on changes in the perception and evaluation of the properties of objects. The development of industrial production (its overdose technology) largely determines the shaping of an industrial product, which forms the basis for an aesthetic evaluation of industrial products.

One of the important prerequisites for improving the quality of construction as a whole, ensuring its artistic value is the aesthetic compatibility of not only the elements of building structures, but also the built-in equipment, decorative materials, furniture.

The aesthetic indicators of the quality of building elements established in the “Basic Provisions”, divided into indicators of the type of products, indicators of the appearance of products (shapes, including dimensions, textures, colors), can be fully applied to the definition of the aesthetic quality of furniture.

Aesthetic indicators include a number of characteristics. The form is characterized by a line (contour, seams), a plane (division, pattern), volume (plasticity), tectonics, rhythm, proportionality (proportions) and scale. The texture is divided into natural, processing, decorative coating. The color can be natural or obtained by coloring.

Thus, the aesthetic criterion of the appearance of the product is complex and consists of a set of aesthetic indicators of form, texture and color, the first of which is also a complex indicator, including a number of individual indicators.

Aesthetic properties are determined using the nomenclature and values ​​of the indicators most significant for this product (with the introduction of the weighting factor for each indicator). Evaluation of the product by individual indicators or their complex is carried out by an exact or expert method. Accurate is the evaluation of the aesthetic properties of the product, expressed in any units accessible to measurement. Expert assessment is the evaluation of properties that correspond to descriptions, definitions, drawings, etc. The expert assessment for a single indicator is given in points on a four-point system from the arithmetic mean of all expert evaluations for this individual indicator. In the integrated assessment method, single indicators are selected by type, design and appearance of the product. The weight coefficient of the selected aesthetic indicators for this product in each case is set by the expert.

According to the method of determining the quality of furniture for public premises developed by the TsNIIEP medical and resort buildings, the nomenclature of furniture quality indicators along with others (9 groups in total) includes aesthetic ones: expressiveness, originality, harmony, integrity, compliance environment and style, etc. The methodology states that the furniture is a part or element of the interior and that its aesthetic indicators should be considered in relation to the interior of the premises. The interconnection of furniture with the interior provides a method of modular coordination of sizes, which makes it possible to harmonize and proportion the whole and parts of the interior, creating a rhythm in the alternation of the combined elements. The method of modular coordination corresponds to the production of furniture based on the unification of structural elements.

The author considers the category of expressiveness to all furniture characteristics (shape, color, pattern and texture of front surfaces, accessories) and indicates that the aesthetic requirements are partly taken into account in the technical requirements for the quality of furniture, including its planes, lines, textures, colors. A large role in the aesthetics of furniture is the quality of the facial texture.

One of the important problems in determining the quality of a furniture product is the determination of the weight of indicators of individual properties. On the basis of the experimental work carried out at VNIITE, we established the weight of indicators for furniture: utilitarian properties - from 0.45 to 0.65, average 0.55; aesthetic properties - from 0.35 to 0.55, average 0.45.

The method describes methods for quantitative assessment of the technical level of the product. In the GDR, a scoring organoleptic rating system 2 is used, which consists in the following. For the comparability of the quantitative evaluation of products, a number of formulas are used, by which the quality factors for such a comparison are determined.

To calculate the coefficients, it is recommended: to establish a list of features that best describe the quality of the product; determine the coefficient of significance (integer) of each of the signs, taking into account their importance for the quality of the product as a whole; set for each indicator the number of points according to the degree of quality.

The varieties of quantitative evaluation shown are based on the unified principle of the application of indicators of the weighty criteria for evaluation, scoring scenes, comparability with standards.

In the methodology for assessing furniture, a draft reference card is proposed with specific evaluation criteria. The weight of the evaluation criterion for comfort and aesthetic indicators is given in points; comfort - only 11 points, including ease of use of the product - 6, ease of care for the product and cleaning the room - 2, ease of placement in the room - 3; aesthetics - only 9 points, including the integrity of the composition, harmony - 6, stylistic expressiveness - 3.

Acquaintance with the methods of determining aesthetic indicators shows that work in this area is based on finding objective criteria that determine the quality of furniture, including aesthetic. This is undoubtedly progressive and contributes to improving the artistic level of the furniture produced.