A long time ago, I attended an architecture presentation that started with talking about cabover trucks. See example above. Cabover is the name for trucks where the cab sits above the front axle. This is different from more conventional trucks where the engine sits in front of the driver. Here you get more of a flat face. Again, see above.
This truck style is credited to Viktor Schreckengost, who first came up with the design in 1932 and later patented it. And it's a pretty big deal in the history of trucking because of the simple fact that this design shaved several feet off the length of the tractor.
This meant something in the 1930s because, at the time, total truck lengths in the US were limited to 42 feet (12.8 m). So by minimizing the depth of the tractor, it created room for a bigger trailer. In building terms, Viktor had found a way to increase the ratio of rentable area to gross construction area.
The point of this example in the presentation was to show that good design solves real problems and that this is how their firm approaches projects. They aim to create value. And I remember this really resonating with me, because it's how I also like to think about design.
Admittedly, there is an element of design that involves making things look good. That's important too. But it's linked to solving problems. For example, one thing you'll often hear people say when talking about design is that things should look "intentional." You want to feel that real thought was put into it.
Arbitrary is bad. For some reason, it doesn't look as good.
Well, what could be more intentional than solving problems and creating value?
Image: Wikipedia
