Beyond Modern 1920s –

De Stijl

International Style

Post-war design

Neo-modernism

De Stijl (1917-1931)

1. Painting is an autonomous interworking of form, surface and color

2. Sought to eliminate all traces of the emotional and personal in art

3. Neo-plasticism – return design to its most primal, basic elements (color and line)

De Stijl (1917-1931)

Piet Mondrian – artist

Gerrit Reitveld – architect

Theo van Doesburg – graphic designer

Composition with Red, Yellow and Blue, Mondrian, 1930

•about nothing more than line & color•white voids of space•planes of color•structure—black lines

Red, Yellow, Blue Chair, Gerrit Rietveld, 1917

(Painted in 1921) Beechwood and plywood construction

•originally black & white•black is structure/white is space

•color starts to communicate function•yellow represents wood itself

Berlin Chair, Gerrit Rietveld, 1923

•black & white—positive & negative•exploring relationship between opposites

Theo Van Doesburg•Mondrian—too complex; doesn’t like direction, leaves group

Zig Zag Chair, Gerrit Rietveld,

1934

•cantilevered chair—small supports•plywood•starting to explore

began using diagonals in axonometric

form

Schroeder House, Gerrit Rietveld, 1924, Utrecht

hired Rietveld because she believed structure would help to mold her children in their formative years

liked the idea of putting his building in

with all the old, classical homes of the

area—for more of a contrast

•color was only used as an accent•balance between linear black components and planar white surface

moveable walls—solving problems of open floor plans

like taking one of Mondrian’s paintings & making it 3D—Rietveld used color to define space

Berlin Chair

The International Style

•modern movement eventually becomes the international style•not synonymous—modernists were too cold; evolved to international style•something anyone across the globe could appreciate

Scandanavian Modernism

Alvar Aalto

(1898-1976)

Viipuri Municipal Library, Alvar Aalto,

1933-35 Viipuri, Russia

•undulating ceiling•very open—lots of natural light

loved wood—organic nature of ceiling responds to organic nature of wood

Chair 68, Stool 60, Viipuri Library, c. 1932, birch

•bentwood is used again—for its warmth•very simply made•meant to be mass produced

Paimio Sanitorium, Alvar Aalto,

1929-39

Paimio, Finland

•won architectural competition for design in 1929

Paimio Scroll Chair, 1930-31bent laminated and solid birch frame with lacquered bent plywood seat

•sled base—meant to moveable•not cantilevered•looks a little more inviting and comfortable than some•all furniture designed by Aalto & wife

Lounge Chair #43, 1936, bent laminated and solid birch frame with textile webbing

Charles and Ray Eames

•war takes all materials—really have to be innovative•MoMA creates competitions to promote furniture design/development•turn away from the austerity of Bauhaus and create “post war design”—war makes design stop in Europe and turn to U.S. for first time

Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen

LCW, 1945

Organic Design in Home Furnishings – 1940

(exhibition/competition)

•appreciate idea of bentwood—but they bend it in all 3 dimensions•conforms to body

1st version—winning design

Organic Design in Home Furnishings – 1940

(exhibition/competition)

Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen

LCM, 1946

•shell—anything user touches—seat & back•substructure & legs—reduced to a minimum

2nd version—winning design

Eames Lounge Chair & Ottoman, 1956

•highly regarded as status symbol—even more comfortable & soft•rosewood ply & leather seat—shell•cast aluminum base—structure

follows idea of shell & structure

shell

structure

Eames House, Case Study House #8— Santa Monica, CA

•Charles met Ray at school and married•interested in creating housing that was easy & cheap to build

Eames House, Case Study House #8—Santa Monica, CA

general structure

metal truss

studio

•corrugated metal roof exposed as texture•loved to collect things—very eclectic•simple planar geometry•strong interest in Asian culture

•can see impact of glass in design—looking out huge cliff over the ocean

textile caterpillar—piece of artwork

collection

topped stairs with skylight to create a shaft of light

Florence Knoll (1917- )

Chromed base. Hardwood frame

covered with expanded foam. Cushions in foam at variable density - not

removable

10mm thick glass on a triple chrome plated bar stock

steel.

Knoll tables & sofa—but who designed the chairs?—success lies in ability to “snatch up” popular pieces of

furniture for manufacture

interior designer in her own right—influenced heavily by Eames’

connection with the De Stijl movement—

sense of clear geometry, color &

planes

most famous commission—CBS headquarters

Richard Neutra (1892 - 1970)•from Europe but comes to U.S.

•created a modern regionalism for Southern California—”California Style” relative to modernism

•combined a light metal frame with a stucco finish

•creates light, effortless appearance

tries to connect you to the outside—view, reflecting pond, wood

•abstraction of nature•architecture extends & integrates with nature•interiors are as if “you are on stage”

furniture becomes

a little more

scultpural

•furniture not placed against walls—walls become view•fireplace on one wall of one material becomes popular

created spaces where you can move in and out

seamlessly

Philip Johnson (1906 - 2005 )

“All architecture is shelter, all great

architecture is the design of space that contains, cuddles,

exalts, or stimulates the persons in that

space.”

Glass House, Philip Johnson, New Caanan, CT

(1949) all about technology—the ability to have a glass house

bathroombathroom

architecture is very diminished

•living/dining area—using textiles to delineate space•selected a suite of Mies van der Rohe’s furniture

fine art pieces used intermittently

bedroom & bathroom

guest house for privacy—a study in opposites

1950s• post WWII prosperity – consumerism

– hit an all time high• suburban utopia• boom in home ownership

1950s• clean lines and simplicity• mass produced furniture• softer, warmer forms (Aalto, Eames)• good design derived from technology

Atomic Age

Tulip Furniture

named for the dropping of the atomic bomb

Eero Saarinen—1957•just one leg—wanted to clear up the “slum” of legs•one leg make piece appear more weightless

•new technologies help to create new aesthetic—unbroken line/molded furniture•flared, circular aluminum base

Chickenwire Chair•Harry Bertoia —worked for Knoll—sculptor•molded furniture—mostly made of air•welded steel rods—visually light

eventually padded entire front

Noguchi Table, 1950s

Isamu Noguchi•designed for Herman Miller•plate glass top—freeform, sculpted bases•creates a sense of weightlessness

Egg Chair Arne Jacobsen

•single aluminum base•usually leather upholstery•etiquette becoming very informal

1960s• youth emerged as a strong market force• social taboos/traditions came under attack• prosperity in western economies• jet travel and the space race (adventure)

• 1940s—recovering from war• 1950s—”domestic bliss”

Globe Chair, Eero Aarnio, 1960very casual

designer, Eero Aarnio

somewhat similar to streamlined moderne

t.v. design informed by space suit

Model 400, Roger Tallon, 1964

polished aluminum frame with latex-foam seating•reflective nature of polished aluminum makes support “blend” into surroundings

Ribbon Chair, Pierre Paulin, 1966

•bent, tubular metal frame•tensioned rubber seat over top

•filled with latex foam cushion•fabric cover

Bouloum Chair, Oliver Mourgue, 1968human form clearly dictating furniture

Blow Chair, by De Pas, D'urbino,

Lomazzi & Scolari in 1967

•first mass produced inflatable chair•more of a youth culture statement •utilizes new materials & technology •questioned presumed permanence associated with furniture •emphasized disposability

Anatomical easy-chair

•envelope containing highly resistant expanded polystyrene pellets•cover in Nailpelle, Lancio or leather.

Sacco, Gatti, Paolini, Teodoro, 1969

1960's Kartell Storage Unit

•original storage container element (model 4970) •designed by Anna Castelli Ferrieri for Kartell Italy c1967•constructed from white ABS plastic•consists of two interlocking units—the lower one on casters

Vanna Venturi House, Robert Venturi, 1964, Chestnut Hill, PA•does not follow classical theory

•uses a version of modern ideals—in opposing manner

archarch

large voidlarge void

led to the development of postmodernism in architecture during the 1970s

Venturi’s theories advocate the use

of historical allusion and

symbolism, while rejecting the

perceived sterility of orthodox

modern buildings

1970s• energy crisis of 1973• petroleum by-products increase in price

– plastic becomes too expensive

• socially responsible design approach• environmental and economic concerns

•low-income housing for predominantly African American

•consists of 33 11-story apartment buildings on a 57 acre site

•totaling 2,870 apartments

Pruitt-Igoe, Pruitt-Igoe, St. Louis St. Louis MissouriMissouri

•shortly after its completion, living conditions began to decay

•by the late 1960s, the extreme poverty, crime, and segregation brought the complex a great deal of infamy

Pruitt-IgoePruitt-Igoe

•demolished within 20 years of completion

•critics have cited the failure as an example of how planned urban communities often fail

•designed as an attempt to emulate the public housing projects in NYC, but with little regard for the vast difference in economies and population distributions in the two cities

•claimed to mark the day that “modern architecture died”

Wiggle Chair, Frank Gehry, 1972

•exploration in new materials—corrugated, laminated cardboard

•shows that cardboard can look elegant & has remarkable strength and resilience

•cantilevered

•really heavy; not very moveable

Little Beaver Chair, Frank Gehry, 1980

1970s interior by Joe Columbo

•exhibition vignette

•shows that social taboos becoming even less formal

high tech architectu

reincorporates elements of high-tech

industry and technology into building design

Pompidou Center, Rogers and Piano, 1977, Paris

mechanical systems exposed and color coded

Postmodernism

Piazza d’Italia, Charles Moore, 1976, New OrleansPiazza d’Italia, Charles Moore, 1976, New Orleanstake classical references and do whatever you want with

them—should not be held to rigid examples

color is used for the sake of color—doesn’t look as if it is about form; more about plane

1980s• caricature of classical details• breaking of the “rules”• color for the sake of color• the end of “drab rationalism”

Portland Building, Michael Graves, 1980, Portland

postmodernism sometimes referred to as a caricature of classical features

•criticized not only by design community, but by Portlanders as well

•windows bevel in—no regard to Portland weather

•workers in building have high incidence of sickness

Chippendale and Queen Anne, Robert Venturi, 1984 (silk screen printed,

molded plywood)postmodernism sometimes referred to as a caricature of

classical features

•MEMPHIS was a Milan-based collective of young furniture and product designers—debuted in 1981 & led by Ettore Sottsass

•after its 1981 debut, Memphis dominated the early 1980s design scene with its post-modernist style

Kandinsky Sofa, Sottsass, 1979 lacquered wood and textile

“acting out” against neutrals—attack it with color, pattern & form

Carlton (name of

piece), Sottsass (designer), 1981

bookcase/shelving unit

Ginza Robot, Umeda, c. 1980

•laminates become all the rage

•completely dishonest in use of materials

First Chair, de Lucchi, c. 1980

•Memphis style split the design world

•caused a media sensation after years of drab rationalism

Kristall End Table, de

Lucchi, c. 1980

Ettore Sottsass: 1980's Memphis Design Modern Tahiti Lamp

•polychrome enameled metal "duck" •with pivoting head •mounted on a black and white confetti-patterned laminate base

1990s• self-contained structures• new age of architects using

logarithmic equations to design• human form now a “lab rat”

A to Z lineAndrea Zittel; 1993-94

•self-contained structures•furniture can almost fold into a box when it is time to move

Aronoff Center of Design, (DAAP Building, University of Cincinnati, Peter Eisenman,

1996part of the new age of architects using logarithmic equations to design

four stories tall

looks like building is slipping…

…like it is not stable“spine” connects three different buildings

•interiors mimic exterior haphazard nature

•columns don’t seem to support large mass

geometries collide violently

•almost intentionally making occupants feel uncomfortable

•human form is now nothing more than a “lab rat”—compare to age of the Vitruvian man

•angles sometimes even appear to decapitate users

Aeron Chair, Donald Chadwick and William Stumpf, 1992

•combines distinctive looks with pioneering ergonomics

•adapts naturally and adjusts precisely to fit people of all sizes and postures doing all kinds of activities, all day long

•recycled aluminum and fiberglass reinforced polyester frame and base with polyester mesh seat and back