Thesis (M. L. A.)--University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes special report study entitled: Analysis of vernacular landscape of ancient villages in anhui province. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print.

The Compasso d'Oro (Golden Compass) prize has been awarded to outstanding industrial design products in Italy since 1954. Products range from common household tools to mass means of transportation. They represent a social, technological, and design history covering nearly five decades. This study explores the relationship between selected items of the Compasso d'Oro prizes, and discusses how they reflect the changes in technology, design, and society over five decades from 1950 to 2000. A computer-generated three-dimensional rendering of an interior of an apartment in Milan featured during each decade shows a living space with specific Compasso d'Oro objects that pertain to the domestic environment. A discussion of the themes the objects represent reveals the changes that have occurred during each decade as well as over the course of half a century. This examination helps designers understand the links between trends and objects in order to have a better comprehension of past, current, and future design environments. / Master of Science