The Unimportance of Form and Other Arguments

The Unimportance of Form and Other Arguments gathers the early writings of British designer Jasper Morrison, written between 1984 and 2002 and collected and edited by industrial designer Sina Sohrab. Published together here for the first time, these texts map the formation of ideas that would come to define his practice: the responsibilities of design, the value of usefulness, and the quiet authority of ordinary things. From autobiographical manifestos and his 1985 RCA thesis to later essays, musings, and even notes for an unfinished novel, this compendium of 31 texts captures the honing of a lifelong argument about what design is—and what it should be. Taking its title from his 1991 essay The Unimportance of Form, one of his most searching critiques of the designer’s role, the book offers rare access to the early thinking of one of design’s most influential figures, from ideas behind objects not yet iconic to reflections on his expanding relationship with the industry. Celebrated for objects that feel as though they were always meant to exist, Jasper is also a sharp, sceptical, and often humorous writer. A longtime contributor to the Apartamento world—including The Hard Life Notebook (2016) and his introduction to Miguel Milá: A Life in Design—this volume provides a singular glimpse into the formative ideas that would shape a remarkable career.