Question

Three views of a building are shown below. Visualise the form of an electric iron (for ironing clothes) based on the image(s) of the given building. It should match the design language with relevant details. Sketch and render the form of the electric iron.

Hint:

Think of the iron as a liquid form that has been frozen. The handle should feel like it has been "pulled" out of the main body, not attached to it. Use shading to make the surfaces look like a continuous, seamless skin.

Answer 1

This question tests "form sensitivity" – the ability to analyze the visual language of one object (a building) and apply it to another (an electric iron). The building shown is the Heydar Aliyev Center by Zaha Hadid, famous for its fluid, organic, and futuristic forms. Step 1: Analyze the Building's Design Language The key characteristics of the building's form are:

Fluidity and Curvilinear Forms: There are almost no straight lines or sharp corners. The structure flows and curves seamlessly.
Organic and Natural: The shapes are reminiscent of natural formations, like waves or geological strata.
Seamless Integration: Different parts of the building (roof, walls, ground) appear to emerge from one another as a single, continuous surface.
Minimalism: The form is complex, but the surface is clean and largely unadorned, emphasizing the shape itself.
Futuristic Aesthetic: The overall look is modern and forward-looking.

Step 2: Translate the Design Language to an Electric Iron Now, apply these principles to the functional parts of an iron: the body, the handle, and the soleplate.

Overall Form: The iron should not be made of distinct, assembled parts. Instead, it should look like it was sculpted from a single piece of material. The body should flow seamlessly into the handle.
Handle: Instead of a traditional closed-loop handle, it could be an open, ergonomic curve that sweeps up from the main body, similar to the arches of the building.
Body: The main body of the iron would be a smooth, undulating shell. The transition from the body to the pointed tip would be a gradual, elegant curve.
Soleplate: The soleplate would follow the overall curved outline of the iron's base, but its bottom surface would, of course, need to be flat for functionality. The edge where the body meets the soleplate would be a smooth, continuous curve, not a sharp seam.
Details: Functional details like the temperature dial or steam buttons should be integrated flush into the surface, or be touch-sensitive controls under the smooth shell to maintain the minimalist aesthetic. A traditional, clunky dial would break the design language. The power cord could emerge from the rear of the iron in a way that continues the flowing lines.

Step 3: Sketching and Rendering

Lines/Strokes: Use long, sweeping, confident lines to define the form. Avoid short, scratchy lines. The quality of the line should echo the fluidity of the design.
Perspective: Draw the iron in a 3/4 perspective view to best showcase its three-dimensional form and flowing curves.
Surface Shading: Use smooth gradations of tone (shading) to describe the curved surfaces and give the iron a sense of volume and depth. Highlights along the crests of the curves will emphasize the form and suggest a glossy, modern material, similar to the building's cladding.
A successful sketch would be instantly recognizable as an iron but would look like a futuristic, sculptural object that clearly belongs to the same design family as the building.