Despite the fact that Art deco was modernistic, it looked back into the past grasping its inspirational ideas from ancient cultures like Japan, Egypt and America before it was occupied by Europeans. The search for new functional and feasible designs was still being the main horizon, although varied from country to country.
The world war two became the starting point for technological advances, although it was very much related mainly to military and army purposes. During the war two in the midth 40s new materials were discovered and others were improved, as in the case of plastics - bakelite became to be a more flexible material in the sense that it started to be more manageable. The plywood bending was a total revolution of those times, firstly used for splits and bended very roughly. Designers such as Ray and Charles Eames have changed their priorities from war time inventions to civilian life, who came to be one of the most influential innovative designers of all times. The couple got their iconicism in the 50s when the world was reviving from desperate war that took up depression and economical crises around the globe.
The designs of the 50s were very subtle, stylish and sturdy. Taking up a formal approach, designers created furniture and other objects in a style of the absence of decorations, showing the potential of the material at its full, often showing organic flowy forms (that started to develop back in the 30s alongside Bauhausian design). Scandinavia in particular was triggered by nature that was always respected at their utmost, often enough showed no interest in adding more than that which was already created by nature.
Withal, by the 60s the youth culture had grown setting a massive optimism on fire. Although modernistic designs haven't stopped being produced, the colourful, lively and enjoyable pop design was taking up speed. It was now less important to create something that would last for centuries, the joy had to be experienced now or never. With this particular attitude, designers created fairly cheap furniture that was bright and appealing to people who were seeing modernism of the 50s as something dull and uninteresting. There was a need to look forward, not backwards when people still remembered the war time outcomes. The depression was replaced by anticipation that the world is going to change into a better place where anyone can experience the pleasure of one's life, It is during these times the psychedelic era evolved, bring up rear the most unbelievable and surprising designs. The throw away culture provoked designers to create cheap plastic furniture that was not intended to live up and last, I had to be thrown away for the purpose of refreshing lives. The space age also greatly contributed to what pop design and design of the 60s was all about, futurism of space travel took over together with Joe Colombo creating comfortable spaces that were incorporating technologies in the design itself.
On the scent of the late 20th century, the age of decieveness came over. Anti design in Italy, being one of the most radical design movements, started to question things that were once never questioned. After most of ideals and main inspirational sources were exhausted, the idea of good design and what design stood for came to be controversial. The struggle to express one self was much stronger, hence the oppositions of the 70s and 80s such as punk movements, general public acknowledgements and disillusionment in the world structure gave way to radicalism and oppositeness. The anger at uncertainty was embodied in Anti Design, which in turn was bastardizing the most common aspects of furniture that existed. The idea that human creations should not last and must be consumed, was much of a motto for the Memphis group, that was trying to find the syntax of design and its function.
The reaction and response for the given questions did not take long to occur. After a few years of radicalism, people started seeing anti-design as wrong and dysfunctional. Thus environmental awareness came about fuelling up the creation of goods which would reduce the amount of waste in the first place. During the 90s, design was rather unconventional, it was still a search for something new and impressive, however the material was now being respected. A return to modern organic forms was now a new horizon, seeking to be against the existing norms. However despite the change of norms, the value of good design was once again at its highest point, simultaneously creating things that were unseen and advanced with a room for creativeness and uniqueness.
References:
Anon. (n.d.). Memphis Product + Furniture Designers (1981-1985). Available: http://design.designmuseum.org/design/memphis. Last accessed 11th Jan 2015.
Anon. (n.d.). Philippe Starck Royalton Hotel Sculptural Dining Chair . Available: https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/seating/side-chairs/philippe-starck-royalton-hotel-sculpturaldining-chair/id-f_1093472/. Last accessed 11th Jan 2015.
Anon. (n.d.). Well Tempered Chair Ron Arad. Available: http://www.designmuseum.de/en/collection/100-masterpieces/detailseiten/well-tempered-chair-arad.html. Last accessed 10th Jan 2015.
Bürdek, B, E (2005). DESIGN History, Theory and Practice of Product Design. Basel : Publishers for Architecture. p.329-342.
Collins, M (1990). Post-modern design. Germany: Academy Editions. p79-90.
Miller, J (2006 ). Decorative Arts. London : Dorling Kindersley Limited. p314-395.
Pile, J & Gura, J (2014). A History of Interior Design . 4th ed. New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons . p395-402.
Raizman, D (2003). History of Modern Design: Graphics and Products Since the Industrial Revolution. London : Laurence King Publishing. p336-349.
The world war two became the starting point for technological advances, although it was very much related mainly to military and army purposes. During the war two in the midth 40s new materials were discovered and others were improved, as in the case of plastics - bakelite became to be a more flexible material in the sense that it started to be more manageable. The plywood bending was a total revolution of those times, firstly used for splits and bended very roughly. Designers such as Ray and Charles Eames have changed their priorities from war time inventions to civilian life, who came to be one of the most influential innovative designers of all times. The couple got their iconicism in the 50s when the world was reviving from desperate war that took up depression and economical crises around the globe.
The designs of the 50s were very subtle, stylish and sturdy. Taking up a formal approach, designers created furniture and other objects in a style of the absence of decorations, showing the potential of the material at its full, often showing organic flowy forms (that started to develop back in the 30s alongside Bauhausian design). Scandinavia in particular was triggered by nature that was always respected at their utmost, often enough showed no interest in adding more than that which was already created by nature.
Withal, by the 60s the youth culture had grown setting a massive optimism on fire. Although modernistic designs haven't stopped being produced, the colourful, lively and enjoyable pop design was taking up speed. It was now less important to create something that would last for centuries, the joy had to be experienced now or never. With this particular attitude, designers created fairly cheap furniture that was bright and appealing to people who were seeing modernism of the 50s as something dull and uninteresting. There was a need to look forward, not backwards when people still remembered the war time outcomes. The depression was replaced by anticipation that the world is going to change into a better place where anyone can experience the pleasure of one's life, It is during these times the psychedelic era evolved, bring up rear the most unbelievable and surprising designs. The throw away culture provoked designers to create cheap plastic furniture that was not intended to live up and last, I had to be thrown away for the purpose of refreshing lives. The space age also greatly contributed to what pop design and design of the 60s was all about, futurism of space travel took over together with Joe Colombo creating comfortable spaces that were incorporating technologies in the design itself.
On the scent of the late 20th century, the age of decieveness came over. Anti design in Italy, being one of the most radical design movements, started to question things that were once never questioned. After most of ideals and main inspirational sources were exhausted, the idea of good design and what design stood for came to be controversial. The struggle to express one self was much stronger, hence the oppositions of the 70s and 80s such as punk movements, general public acknowledgements and disillusionment in the world structure gave way to radicalism and oppositeness. The anger at uncertainty was embodied in Anti Design, which in turn was bastardizing the most common aspects of furniture that existed. The idea that human creations should not last and must be consumed, was much of a motto for the Memphis group, that was trying to find the syntax of design and its function.
The reaction and response for the given questions did not take long to occur. After a few years of radicalism, people started seeing anti-design as wrong and dysfunctional. Thus environmental awareness came about fuelling up the creation of goods which would reduce the amount of waste in the first place. During the 90s, design was rather unconventional, it was still a search for something new and impressive, however the material was now being respected. A return to modern organic forms was now a new horizon, seeking to be against the existing norms. However despite the change of norms, the value of good design was once again at its highest point, simultaneously creating things that were unseen and advanced with a room for creativeness and uniqueness.
References:
Anon. (n.d.). Memphis Product + Furniture Designers (1981-1985). Available: http://design.designmuseum.org/design/memphis. Last accessed 11th Jan 2015.
Anon. (n.d.). Philippe Starck Royalton Hotel Sculptural Dining Chair . Available: https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/seating/side-chairs/philippe-starck-royalton-hotel-sculpturaldining-chair/id-f_1093472/. Last accessed 11th Jan 2015.
Anon. (n.d.). Well Tempered Chair Ron Arad. Available: http://www.designmuseum.de/en/collection/100-masterpieces/detailseiten/well-tempered-chair-arad.html. Last accessed 10th Jan 2015.
Bürdek, B, E (2005). DESIGN History, Theory and Practice of Product Design. Basel : Publishers for Architecture. p.329-342.
Collins, M (1990). Post-modern design. Germany: Academy Editions. p79-90.
Miller, J (2006 ). Decorative Arts. London : Dorling Kindersley Limited. p314-395.
Pile, J & Gura, J (2014). A History of Interior Design . 4th ed. New Jersey : John Wiley & Sons . p395-402.
Raizman, D (2003). History of Modern Design: Graphics and Products Since the Industrial Revolution. London : Laurence King Publishing. p336-349.