“Somaesthetic design” as a tool to develop the consumer's somatic consciousness

The relevance of the research is associated with the emergence of a new approach in aesthetics, which can contribute to the development of a "body-oriented" design theory, as well as the formation of promising design concepts. The problem of the research lies in the low degree of formalization of the "embodied approach" in the domestic "science" of design. The authors of the study note that in the West, the most well-known trend within the framework of the "embodied approach" in aesthetics today is the so-called "somaesthetics" of the American philosopher R. Shusterman, in the article they describe the influence of this particular direction on the development of modern design thought. In the framework of the study, "somaesthetics" is considered as a "design project" aimed at transforming a person's body-mind, or his soma, so that through a developed "sensory receptivity" he can open up to a new aesthetic experience in everyday life. In the course of the study, the authors of the article come to the conclusion that "somaesthetics" acquires special relevance in environmental design and digital design, aimed at creating an exciting experience of human interaction with technology. Since the ultimate goal of "somaesthetic design" is the "somaesthetic transformation" of a person, the authors of the article bring it closer to Japanese design. However, according to the authors, for oriental designers it is important to understand the "one-bodyedness" of a person with the world, while in the context of "somaesthetics" the world is thought of as a source of fulfillment of human desires. In the design plan, this leads to the fact that the "oriental" design focuses on returning the consumer to his "somatic consciousness", while in the framework of "somaesthetic design" his task is to become aware of his body.

soma design, somaesthetic design, somatic consciousness, somaesthetic appreciation design, multisensory architecture, Richard Shusterman, Kristina Höök, concept of Super Normal, Naoto Fukasawa, Jasper Morrison