This documentary presents a theory of design as an interdisciplinary practice in which architecture, furniture, film, exhibition, and photography are treated as a single continuous activity rather than separate specialized crafts, guided by shared principles: "never delegate understanding" (direct, hands-on engagement with materials and problems), designing for the intended user as a "good host," and the goal of producing "the best for the most for the least" through industrial production. A second recurring principle treats constraints (budget, materials, manufacturing limitations, even the rigid structure of a circus performance) as generative rather than limiting, with design solutions emerging from iterative prototyping ("work, working, working") rather than from a pre-conceived stylistic decision. The theory also extends into visual communication design, using techniques like multi-image sequencing and exponential scale progression (as in the "Powers of Ten" concept) to convey complex or abstract information to a broad, non-specialist audience.
This documentary presents a theory of design as an interdisciplinary practice in which architecture, furniture, film, exhibition, and photography are treated as a single continuous activity rather th…