Pop Design

Pop Design was founded in 1958 right after the Post-War period. The name itself refers to the popular culture during the decade. Despite the "ugliness" style of streamlining and the affects that resulted after the second world war, Pop designers sought a more youth-based and less serious approach than previous movements.

Before Pop Design there was the Good Design that was mostly popular in Germany. During this movement there was a development of artificial materials like polypropylene that gave designers the possibility to experiment with design and colours. Having more materials to experiment with and the increase in productivity, resulted in short-lived goods. This meant that people were buying stuff and after a while they toss it away as it is well said "use-it-today, sling-it-tomorrow".

As already mentioned the use of plastic mainly polypropylene was included in new designs. Ray and Charles Eames were among the first to experiment with the bending of plastic in their furniture. Today moulded plastic chairs are still very true to their origins and fully authentic. As technology advanced over the years, there were updated materials within the plastic to meet the environmental requirements.

DAR Chair, 1950

When mentioning Pop Design and the plastic material, one cannot not think of the Panton Chair by Verner Panton. This will be discussed more in detail in the next post.

Speaking of the plastic chairs and the advancement of technology since they were invented, I went to visit the showroom DEX in Qormi that still imports these types of chairs and other designers'.

Panton Chair, 1959-60

The Panton chairs not only were manufactured in a more variety of the already existed colours, but have a matt finish rather than the glossy and shiny surface as it was originated. These are the originally "Panton Chairs" while the glossy ones are called the "Panton Chair Classics".

The PAC-1 armchair was also in this showroom that was originally designed by Ray and Charles Eames in 1950.

Children also have their own designer chairs that can be bought from this showroom. These included the elephant kids chair by Ray and Charles Eames and the miniature Panton Chair called the "Panton Junior".

As already mentioned in the beginning, Pop designers sought for the youth-market and so products had to be cheap and however they were often constructed of a poor quality. This countered the "Less is more" that directed to the Radical Design later in the 1970s.

During the Pop Design period their were a major impact on the world; the first man's landing on the moon in 1969. This led to new designs that were influenced from astronauts that led to a new style called the "Space Age".

Nivico 3240 GM, 1970

References:

thedesignfiles, 2011. Eames Molded Plastic Armchair. [image online] Available at: http://www.stylehive.com/bookmark/eames-molded-plastic-armchair-by-charles-and-ray-eames-from-herman-miller-midcentury-modern-classics-843592 [Accessed 2nd january 2014]

Cheon Lee, n.d. Rare JVC 3240GM Videosphere Ball TV. [image online] Available at: https://svpply.com/item/632819/RARE_JVC_3240GM_VIDEOSPHERE_BALL [Accessed 2nd January 2014]

Streamlining

Streamlining was firstly applied to transportation in the early 20th century. This was to improve the hydrodynamic and aerodynamic performance when travelling at higher velocity. However, the application of rounded, smoothly finished with a tear-drop form, influenced industrial designers and started being used for household goods.

The image on the side is the Boeing 247 the first modern commercial airliner that was developed in 1933 from a military bomber.  As in 1939 the second war hit the world, these shapes of the airliners made a huge impact. 

The origins of the streamlining appearance can be traced to the 19th century when studying the natural life and an appreciation of the efficiency of organic form of fish and birds. 

These ideas were applied to submarines and automobiles which included a long, slender shape, pointed at the front to improve penetration and tapered at the rear to reduce turbulence on airliners.

Dymaxion Car No. 3, 1934

If we go back a bit in time there was the Zeppelin that had the 'streamlined' shape. The first Zeppelin was patented in 1895 and was used as an airline transportation. It's design has the look of the tear-drop shape where the front point smoothly links the rear part for better aerodynamics.

In this period there was also a need for product differentiation and this is where industrial and product designers took over. Aesthetic elements became important in everyday products. The images below show how design of a simple office stapler had evolved in its shape but having the same exact function. 

Star Paper Fastener, 1896

The Hotchkiss Stapler, 1936

Unknown brand name, 2011

As already mentioned, the Boeing 247 is believed to be the first modern commercial airline. This incorporated advances in the use of materials including all-metal construction. Many of the products were made from Bakelite  which is a thermostat plastic suited to mould of streamlined forms. 

During the world war there was a financial depression and in order to fix prices, instead of investing in the development of new products, designers were employed to re-design existing products to make them look new and so they gave them a 'stream line' look. Although this meant of innovative designs, there were also who criticized this style because they suggested that it was too ugly. Thus, this movement stopped in 1950 where eight years later was coined the Pop Design which was more fun and attractable.

References:

Mike, 2013. Deicing Boot Goes Commercial. [online] Available at: http://deicinginnovations.com/?p=5981 [Accessed 2nd January 2014]

Anon, 2013. Antique Stapler Gallery. [image online] Available at: http://www.officemuseum.com/stapler_gallery_magazine.htm [Accessed 2nd January 2014]

Anon, 2012. Antique Stapler Gallery. [image online] Available at: http://www.officemuseum.com/stapler_gallery_strip.htm [Accessed 2nd January 2014]

DesignLaunches, 2011. Core Stapler adding Design To Utility. [image online] Available at: http://www.designlaunches.com/gadgets/core-stapler-adding-design-to-utility.php [Accessed 2nd January 2014]

Superstock, 2014. Zeppelin LZ 10. [image online] Available at: http://www.superstock.com/stock-photos-images/1895-24188 [Accessed 2nd January 2014]

Organic Design

Inspired directly from the International Style, Organic Design also had its roots in Art Nouveau where the artists included the spirit of nature in their works. This design movement was pioneered by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Frank Lloyd Wright. Their aim was to result their works in a greater way more than all their respective parts summed up together. 

Later on artists like Alvar Aalto and Charles & Ray Eames were influenced from this style and developed their works into soft flowing forms by using natural materials as well as plastics moulded into organic forms.

                                                                                             

  43 Chaise Lounge, 1936, Alvar Aalto                                La Chaise, 1948, Charles & Ray Eames

Although Organic Design was paused in 1960, thirty years later was brought back to life and still being applied till the present days. The image below shows a piece of furniture that includes seating related to the ones by Charles and Ray Eames. The designer is not known but surely s/he experimented with the moulding of the plywood like the works of Eames' and Aalto's.

Another designer who used organic forms was Arne Jacobsen. He designed the swan and ball chair having soft flowing curves that later influenced Eero Aarnio in the 1960s and space age designs.

                                                              Swan Chair, 1957-58

                                                                  Egg Chair, 1957-58

                                                                    Ball Chair, 1963

Same as the works by Frank Lloyd Wright, organic designs should connect with the surrounding by means to bring the exterior inside and the interior outside. One of the buildings that was extraordinary in the 20th century was the organic design of the TWA airline building at JFK airport in New York designed by Eero Saarinen who previously collaborated with Charles and Ray Eames on several projects. 

                                                                                

The design of this building connects with the designs of the airlines transportation in America. The completion of this building was done in 1962. In the meantime, in Australia it was being built another icon of architecture in the 20th century.

This was the Sydney Opera House that was completed in 1973. Its designer the architect Jorn Utzon, who died before the building was completed, had the same intention of Eero Saarinen, Frank Lloyd Wright and Alvar Aalto; to connect the surrounding with the design of the building. In this case the Opera House is located in the Sydney harbour and thus its design connects with the sailing yachts. 

References:

Placentero. n.d. Eero Aarnio Ball Chair. [image online] Available at: http://placenterochair.com/eero-aarnio-ball-chair/ [Accessed 15th December 2013]

Anon, 2009. Egg Chair. [image online] Available at: http://zsofiberendez.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/50-eves-a-kagylo-fotel-egg-chair/ [Accessed 15th December 2013]

Fritz Hanson, 2012. Arne Jacobsen. [image online] Available at: http://www.stardustmoderndesign.com/2012/11/arne-jacobsen-egg-chair-in-light-grey.html [Accessed 15th December 2013]

Administrator, 2013. Organic Home Furniture Goes Mainstream. [image online] Available at: http://www.atedadesign.com/tag/organic-furniture [Accessed 15th December 2013]

Kathryn Wells, 2013. Sydney Opera House. [image online] Available at: http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/sydney-opera-house [Accessed 15th December 2013]

dezeen, 2013. Eero Saarinen's JFK terminal to become a hotel. [image online] Available at: http://www.dezeen.com/2013/09/17/eero-saarinens-jfk-terminal-to-become-hotel/ [Accessed 15th December 2013]

archiproducts, 2013. 43 Lounge Chair. [image online] Available at: www.archiproducts.com/en/products/31974/wooden-lounge-chair-43-lounge-chair-artek.html [Accessed 15th December 2013]

Iraia San Miguel, 2013. Charles Eames. [image online] Available at: http://creativityofideas.blogspot.com/2013/01/charles-eames.html [Accessed 15th December 2013]

Art Deco

Rather than a design movement, Art Deco was an international decorative style that emerged in 1920 in Paris while the Western part of the World was dominated by the foundation of the International Style. Art Deco had its roots from the Wiener Werkstatte, Russian Constructivism and the Italina Futurism. This style looked to natural forms same as Art Nouveau in previous years only being less decorative.

Art Deco was a time when people wanted to forget the traumas of the previous World War, enjoy themselves and look to the future. For a long time Art Deco was considered the antithesis of Art Nouveau and modernism. Like their predecessors in the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau movements, designers from Art Deco aimed to eliminate the distinction between fine and decorative arts, but re-include the importance of the role of the artist-craftsman in design and production.

Buildings took over Art Deco style in the late 1920s and because of this it became known as the Skyscraper style as there were competition of which is the tallest building. One of the skyscrapers that was very known at the time is the architect William Van Alen's Chrysler Building in New York which was the world's tallest building for 11 months before it was surpassed by the Empire State Building in 1931.

Art Deco was highly influenced from ancient Egyptian civilization and tribal art. Infact, the Chrysler Building includes a head of an eagle in each corner of the building. As Art Nouveau was also influenced from ancient art, I found this chair (image below) that also includes the idea of having a head of an animal at its edge.

                                                                                                                         Chrysler Building, 1930

                                                                              

                                                                                                                          

       Eagle head, Chrysler Building                                                           Art Nouveau chair

Art Deco was also known for the Odeon Cinemas also called the Odeon style. These buildings were had huge pillars reaching skywards and smooth curves inspired by the ocean liners stretching to the horizon. Mentioning the ocean liners, cruises became popular by this time for not only travelling but also serving as a hotel on sea.

              Odeon Cinema, 1935

One of the designers of this time was Rene Lalique who moved from the curvy style of Art Nouveau to the highly stylised of Art Deco. He used to design mainly glassware where he icluded insects and nature forms in the former style and more organic forms in Art Deco.

                  Graines D'Apereges Lamp, Art Nouveau                             Cire Perdue Vase, Art Deco

References:

Anon, 2012. Rene Lalique VaseWorld Records. [image online] Available at: http://rlalique.com/blog/?tag=r-lalique-cire-perdue-and-rene-lalique-cire-perdue [Accessed 1st December 2013]

Anon, 2013. Rene Lalique Lamp Catalogue. [image online] Available at: http://rlalique.com/rene-lalique-lamps [Accessed 1st December 2013]

Daily Mail Reporter, 2009. Odeon popcorn palaces. [image online] Available at: 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1180949/From-bargain-bin-store-bingo-hall-sad-fate-Odeon-popcorn-palaces.html [Accessed 1st December 2013]

Greenhalgh, P. 2000. Essential Art Nouveau. London: V&A Publications

Thomas, 2013. Metal Works. [image online] Available at: 

http://burritobros.blogspot.com/ [Accessed 1st December 2013]

wikia, n.d. Chrysler Building. [image online] Available at: 

http://parasiteeve.wikia.com/wiki/Chrysler_Building [Accessed 1st December 2013]

Ray and Charles Eames

While working as a draughtsman in his vacations, Charles Eames was studying architecture at Washington University, St. Louis. It wasn't long enough until he dropped out and in 1938 he was offered a fellowship at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. Two years later he was appointed head of Cranbrook's industrial design department. It was here where he met his future wife Ray Kaiser who was a student at Cranbrook and previously studied painting and weaving.

Ray assisted Charles together with Eero Saarinen with their entries for a competition of Organic Design in Home Furnishings which they won in 1940. This led them to two manufacturing techniques; the moulding of plywood into complex curves and cycle-welding. 

In 1941, Charles married Ray and both moved in an apartment in California where they began to experiment with new techniques for the moulding of plywood. They invented the "Kazam! Machine" after the saying "Ala Kazam!" as the plywood formed in the mould like magic.

With the aid of this machine, Ray and Charles produced their first mass manufactured product; the plywood leg splint which was based on a plaster mould of Charles' own leg. Due to the World War injuries, the US Navy commissioned Ray and Charles where they produced 150.000 splints in a rented studio out of their apartment.

                                                                                                             Bending of plywood

                  Kazam! Machine                                                               Moulded Leg Splint

While experimenting with the Kazam! Machine, Charles came along some difficulties which resulted into mistakes and damaging of wood. Then he figured out to make holes on the plywood to release the tension which they also served as a placed where the bandages will go. 

Having made success with these splint, Ray and Charles had one thing in mind; to apply the lessons of the splints to the failed plywood chairs. Before they urge about the look of the chair they will go deep into their designs for not making the same mistakes again.

Injured man using the leg splint

Following the bending of plywood, they introduced the moulded fibreglass chairs and won second prize at MoMA'S International Competition for Low-Cost Furniture Design. Charles always had in mind to make "the best for the most for the least" and with the creation of the innovative fibreglass chair, this was amongst the first unlined plastic seating furniture to be mass produced.

Quote from the movie "The Architect and The Painter"                               DAR Chair, plastic

Later on, these plastic chairs influenced other designers for its lightweight material, strong and affordable. One of which is the Italian Modernista Vico Magistretti who produced the first one-piece plastic chair in 1969.

                                                                                                             Selene, 1969

"As the greatest exponents of Organic Design and two of the most important designers of the 20th century, Charles and Ray Eames demonstrated through practice how modern design can and should be used to improve the quality of life, human perception, understanding and knowledge." (Fiell, 2013, p.232)

References:

The Architect and The Painter. 2011. [video] Directed by Jason Cohn and Bill Jersey. USA: Village studios, Santa Monica (Narrated by James Franco)

Fiell C. and Fiell F. 1999. Design of the 20th Century. Germany: Taschen

designboom, 2010. The monobloc plastic chair. [image online] Available at: http://www.designboom.com/history/monobloc.html [Accessed 30th November 2013]

The Conran Shop, 2013. Eames DAR Armchair. [image online] Available at: http://www.conranshop.co.uk/431705/EAMES-DAR-CHAIR-WHITE/Product [Accessed 30th November 2013]

Herman Miller, 2013. Hewitt National Design Museum. [image online] Available at: http://blog.hermanmillerasia.com/post/2013/01/07/herman-miller-looks-at-cooper-hewitt-national-design-museum/ [Accessed 30th November 2013]

Alex, n.d. Kazam Machine. [image online] Available at: http://makearchitecture.wordpress.com/2-schedule/0405-formwork/ [Accessed 30th November 2013]

International Style

The International Style was coined in 1920, the same year of Art Deco. It was inspired from the previous movements including the Deutscher Werkbund, Constructivism, De Stijl and Bauhaus. This style was characterised by neat rectilinear forms, flat roofs, open interior spaces, lack of ornamentation and use of new materials and technologies. Two good examples that inspired the international style were; the gleaming white concrete houses by Le Corbusier in the 1920s from the Purism period, and the glass skyscrapers by Mies Van Der Rohe in the 1940s from Bauhaus. 

Mentioning skyscrapers, at their early years skyscrapers were being critised, but by this time materials and technologies were advanced and so it was more possible to build these types of buildings. Their advantages at the moment were: 

- easy to build

- adaptable

- hard-wearing

- profitable

Olivetti Building, NYC

During this period there were mass housing problems when it comes to the use of materials. This was during the second world war as the world was suffering due to damaged houses. Because of this , Le Corbusier applied concrete to habitats to try to solve these problems. By this time, concrete was mainly being used in industrial buildings before the architect Frank Lloyd Wright was the first one to introduced reinforced concrete in houses.

                                                                                                               Citrohan House, Le Corbusier

As already mentioned, this style was influenced from De Stijl and this particular house the 'Citrohan House' can be compared with the 'Schroder  House' from De Stijl designed by Rietveld. They are both constructed by having straight lines, steel and glass apertures including in the corners.

                                                                                                     
                                                                                                 Schroder House, Gerrit Rietveld

Moving on, a few days ago I went in a shop in Swieqi and found this little fish tank that reminded me of this style. It is called 'Fish Hotel' designed by Teddy Luong for Umbra and can be stacked on top of each other.

                                                                                                     Fish Hotel, Teddy Luong

References:
Jeffery Howe, 1997. 20th Century Architecture. [image online] Available at: http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/arch/20_schroder.html [Accessed 28th November 2013]

Studyblue, 2013. Le Corbusier. [image online] Available at: http://www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/lecture-10/deck/2845335 [Accessed 28th November 2013]

Jaime Derringer, 2013. Fish Hotel By Teddy Luong. [image online] Available at: http://design-milk.com/fish-hotel-by-teddy-luong/ [Accessed 28th November 2013]

Mary Ann Sullivan, n.d. Olivetti (formerly Pepsi Cola) Building. [image online] Available at: http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/som/som8.html [Accessed 28th November 2013]

Bauhaus

The Bauhaus, back in 1919, was the most celebrated art school of modern times. Unfortunately, it was then closed down by the Berlin police following the orders of the Nazi Government in 1933. Bauhaus was founded by the architect Walter Gropius  in Weimar where he believed that the design form should follow its function. His objective was to "reimagine the material world to reflect the unity of all arts". Along with Gropius, there were Expressioninsts artists including Paul Klee, Oscar Schlemmer and Wassily Kandinsky, who teamed up with other designers employed with the Bauhaus.

Students used to work in their workshops to create useful things like the 'Tea Service' made by Marianne Brandt while she was still a student at the Bauhaus.

This is a good example of form follows function where the design is simple and explains the use of it.

                                

                                                                                               Tea Service, Marianne Brandt

Another example of form follows function is this chair seen in the image where it can be compared with pop design that was formed later on.

                                                                                                         Chair from Pop Design

As already mentioned while discussing De Stijl in the previous post, Bauhaus was influenced from De Stijl and shown how the Gerrit Rietveld's red and blue chair was transformed into Marcel Breuer's chair in 1922. Four years later, Breuer transformed his own chair into a more modern one. He experimented with steel pipes after he was inspired from a bicylcle.

Wassily Chair, 1926, Marcel Breuer

Although Bauhaus was influenced from previous movements including Deutscher Werkbund, Constructivism and De Stijl, it also influenced other upcoming movements. One of the most influential architect was Frank Lloyd Wright where he wanted to combine the exterior with the interior and not two separate areas.

Falling Water, exterior

Falling Water, interior

The 'Falling Water' was designed back in 1935 and nowadays it is still very modern with the use of glass doors and windows, reinforced concrete, skylights and having a fireplace in the middle of the room. Infact, we can currently find houses that were inspired from the same Falling Water'.

                                                          Inspired house, Kiawah Island

References:
Frontdoor, 2013. Frank Lloyd Wright inspired house. [image online] Available at: http://www.frontdoor.com/photos/frank-lloyd-wright-inspired-house-near-hgtv-dream-home-2013 [Accessed 26th November 2013]

graciepi, n.d. Falling Water. [image online] Available at: http://www.graciepi.com/where-is-frank-lloyd-wrights-home-falling-water-located/falling-water-frank-lloyd-wright-location-falling-water-frank-lloyd.html [Accessed 26th November 2013]

Quo, 2013. Frank Lloyd Wright. [image online] Available at: http://joja.info/ARCHITECTS/frank-lloyd-wright [Accessed 26th November 2013]

Fiell C. and Fiell F. 1999. Design of the 20th Century. Germany: Taschen

Group 33, 2011. The Wassily Chair. [image online] Available at: http://group33nom.blogspot.com/2011/04/wassily-chair.html [Accessed 26th November 2013]

the Clog, 2011. Form Follows Function. [image online] Available at: http://blog.erichatheway.com/2011/12/02/20111125.aspx [Accessed 26th November 2013]

La Machine a Habiter, 2013. Bauhaus Design. [image online] Available at: http://lamachineahabiter.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/bauhaus-design/ [Accessed 26th November 2013]

De Stijl

De Stijl (The Style) was first established as an art journal by a small group of architects, designers and artists. They were influenced from the previous movements including Dada, Constructivism, Futurism and Cubism. This movement was founded in 1917, a year before the first world war ended. Because of this, the group's mission was to create a new, international art in the spirit of peace and harmony.

The members were restricted to the use of straight lines, right angles and only primary colours along with the black and white. They made use of these elements in every design involving furniture, buildings and paintings as seen in the images.

                                                                                                 Painting, Piet Mondrian

                          

                                                                                        Furniture, Red and Blue Chair, Gerrit Rietveld

         

                                                                                           Building, Schroder House, Gerrit Rietveld

De Stijl will later on influence other upcoming movements including the Bauhaus. 

                                                     Bauhaus Chair, Marcel Breuer, 1922

Today we can still find this style in furniture, fashion and other products.

Lamp                                               Speakers                            Fashion

References:

Michael Johnson, 2013. De Stijl: Mondrian and His Influence. [image online] Available at: http://arthistory.knoji.com/de-stijl-mondrian-and-his-influence/ [Accessed 20th November 2013]

Kelvin SZE, 2009. Elac FS 247 De Stijl Edition Speakers. [image online] Available at: http://www.itechnews.net/2009/12/14/elac-fs-247-de-stijl-edition-speakers/ [Accessed 20th November 2013]

Anon, n.d. Rietveld/De Stijl Lamps. [image online] Available at: http://www.charlieroe.com/designers/rietveld/rietveld-de-stijl-lamps.html [Accessed 20th November 2013]

Anon, 2012. Furniture Styles. [image online] Available at: http://www.furniturestyles.net/european/german/bauhaus.html [Accessed 20th November 2013]

The Modern House, 2013. House of the week: Rietveld Schroder House. [image online] Available at: http://themodernhouseblog.net/2013/04/21/house-of-the-week-rietveld-schroder-house-utrecht/ [Accessed 20th November 2013]

Designblog, 2011. De Stijl.[image online] Available at: http://designblog.rietveldacademie.nl/?m=201111 [Accessed 20th November 2013]

Lauritz, 2012. De Stijl. [image online] Available at:http://se.lauritzblog.com/2012/01/10/de-stijl-fargglada-rutor-och-svarta-streck/ [Accessed 20th November 2013]