Outer Profile

Outer Profile is the external boundary or silhouette that defines the overall shape and form of a design object when viewed from any given angle. In industrial and product design, the outer profile serves as a crucial element that determines not only the aesthetic appeal but also the functional aspects of an object, including its ergonomics, manufacturability, and interaction with surrounding elements. This fundamental design characteristic encompasses the complete external geometric definition of a three-dimensional object, including its contours, edges, and surfaces that are visible from various viewpoints. The concept gained particular significance during the modernist movement, where the emphasis on clean lines and simplified forms elevated the importance of carefully considered outer profiles in design. In contemporary design practice, outer profiles are meticulously developed through various stages of the design process, from initial sketching to advanced 3D modeling, ensuring that the final form achieves both aesthetic harmony and functional requirements. The manipulation of outer profiles has become increasingly sophisticated with the advent of computer-aided design (CAD) software, allowing designers to create complex geometries while maintaining precise control over every curve and intersection. This aspect of design is particularly crucial in products that require aerodynamic properties, space efficiency, or specific user interactions, and is often a key criterion in design competitions such as the A' Design Award, where the thoughtful execution of outer profiles can significantly impact a product's success in the market and its overall design evaluation.

Author: Lucas Reed

Keywords: silhouette, boundary, contour, form, geometry, profile

Help us improve the Design+Encyclopedia, contribute your alternative definition for Outer Profile today!

About the Design+Encyclopedia
The Design+Encyclopedia is a crowd-sourced reference of information on design. Unlike other crowd-sourced publications on design, the Design Encyclopedia is edited and actively monitored and publishing is only possible after review of submitted texts. Furthermore, editors of the Design Encyclopedia are mostly consisting of award winning designers who have proven their expertise in their design respective fields. Information posted at design encyclopedia is copyrighted, you are not granted a right to use the text for any commercial reasons, attribution is required. If you wish to contribute to the design encyclopedia, please first register or login to A' Design Award and then start a new design encyclopedia entry.