Postmodernism

The Memphis Movement was a design trend that began in not Memphis, Tennessee but in Milan. The name Memphis came from the Bob Dylan song, "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again". The Memphis Group focused on the use of strong geometric patterns, saturated colors, and mixed materials such as laminate. It was incredibly creative and went against the modern mantra that "less is more". 

Ettore Sottsass was one of the most influential designers during this design movement and the founder of the Memphis Group. On the left is the Carlton Room Divider. It was made of wood and plastic laminate in 1981 and is now currently on display at the The Met in New York. While there is a use of vivid use of colors and an avant-garde like structure, the underlying system is actually quite practical with the use of geometric patterns to create the overall look.

Andrea Branzi was another Italian architect that was a part of the Memphis Group. Branzi liked to make creations that mixed craftsmanship along with nature and technology. This can be seen in the image on the left of a chair that he created in 1985. The upper part of the chair resembles that of tree bark and the bottom is a much more streamlined shape. The two together create a very visually interesting piece of furniture. 

Nathalie du Pasquier is another founder of the Memphis Group. She worked on a variety of arts, that include furniture, jewelry and painting. Painting has been her main focus, and one of her works can be seen in the image on the left. Her work followed the same trends of geometric patterns and stark use of saturated colors. During her time with the Memphis Group she mostly designed textiles and furniture.

The Memphis Movement was a child of the 1980's and has mostly stayed in that time period. Currently though designs with Memphis-like foundations have been seen into mainstream design today.

The pieces seen on the left are designed by Kartell, an Italian plastics manufacturer. Like most Memphis designs, you can see a use of stark and saturated colors along with strong forms. Not all eight pieces are currently being manufactured, however the CEO of Kartell plans to do so eventually. 

This piece of furniture is called the Panda Cabinet. It was designed by Paola Navone for Giulio Cappellini (another designer). At the 2015 Salone del Mobile fair, Cappellini introduced a series of furniture designed by Navone that focused on boldly colored laminates. 

Super Great Videos That You Should Watch

The Memphis Group Re-Examined | https://youtu.be/dEBEm9fQJiY

Alessi and Postmodernism | https://youtu.be/ZIOQzrNgyx0

Peer Reviews 

Alex | I thought it was interesting that Alex discussed the use of design from the Memphis Movement in fashion. She showed examples from American Apparel and it was really cool to see the connection to this design movement.

Courtney | I liked that Courtney focused on Michael Graves and discussed his importance to accessibility in design. It was interesting to be able to see his ideas applied into a specific project, such as the Wounded Warriors residence. 

Modernism in America II

As many of us traveled to Michigan earlier this semester, I thought it would be interesting to recap modernism in American through the scope of the company Herman Miller. Herman Miller opened in West Michigan in the early 1900's. By mid-century, Herman Miller became one of the most well-known companies to produce modern furniture.

The first image above is an IBM ad that appeared in the New Yorker magazine in 1957 that featured an upholstered Eames wire chair and a Herman Miller desk. In the second image, a dining room is seen furnished with upholstered Eames wire frame chairs. There was a push during this time for affordable homes to be able to attain good design. Lastly, the third image shows an action office set up from "The Design Process at Herman Miller" at the Walker Art Center in 1975.

In the first image, you can see an Action Office System. The general concept of the Action Office has stayed the same over the years, just with changes to the materials and actual structure of the products. The second image is a current Nelson Swag Leg Desk with Eames Wire Side Chair. As with the Action Office, these two products have held true to their original concept. You can see this when compared to the IBM ad above. Lastly, this image of a dining and living room image shows a variety of different Herman Miller furniture in a current application. It includes pieces such as the Eames Molded Plastic Chairs, Walnut stool, and the Eames Sofa Compact.

Super Great Videos that You Should Watch

Herman Miller - Who We Are | http://www.hermanmiller.com/about-us/who-is-herman-miller.html
Herman Miller - Our Story | http://www.hermanmiller.com/about-us/who-is-herman-miller/our-story.html

Peer Reviews

Modernism in America

Last December I had the opportunity to visit The Miller House designed by Eero Saarinen in Columbus, Indiana. It was a breath-taking experience and touring the home truly felt like I was stepping back in time. Being able to first hand experience a design from this time period was incredibly interesting. The Miller House was commissioned by J. Irwin Miller and his wife Xenia Simons Miller in 1953. The Miller House was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2000 and is now owned by the Indianapolis Museum of Art. 

There are many distinguishing elements of the Miller House, but I am going to focus on the general floor plan, the kitchen, and the living room. 

The interior of the home includes four distinct non-public areas that branch off from a central space in the middle. The four branches include rooms for parents, children, guests and servants and an area for kitchen and laundry. The geometry of the house's plan is very functional and flows flawlessly. Although the house is almost 7,000 square feet, the layout allows it to feel close and homey while also creating a clear definition of spaces in the home. 

The Miller's were known for entertaining and their living area exemplified that. The most interesting part of the living space was the "conversation pit". The pit was set about four feet into the ground and included a cushioned seat with a break for stairs. The pit allowed for more intimate conversations to happen in the space. The living area also included a piano and a fireplace that can be seen in the background of the photo. This area has a distinct warm color palette.



The kitchen is a very bright and open. The use of white clearly brightens the space and the blue brings it back down a bit. It has a casual dining table as well. What struck me most was the rectangular storage cabinet that sits above the main island. The shape is very trendy today seen mostly in office furniture, perhaps on a desking system.  


Seen below are some images of current day applications. In the first image you can see an example of a Herman Miller desking system with a storage option similar as seen in the kitchen of the Miller House. I have also included an image of a current day conversation pit. These were most commonly seen during the 20th century, but when done right they can truly make a space.

Super Great Videos that You Should Watch

The Miller House - Overview | https://youtu.be/Oxkla7tWBDk
Modernism - Design in a Nutshell | https://youtu.be/vDCEtnXlA4Y

Peer Reviews

Kate | Kate did an awesome job of telling us about Rudolph Schindler. I love minimalist design, so I really enjoyed being able to learn more about Schindler's designs. 

Haley Becker | I liked that Haley did an overview of many of the prominent architects and designers during this time. It really allowed me to understand the design trends that were going on during this time. 

History of Interior Design

In the past century, interior design has gone through many changes and as seen many influential designers. For this week's blog, I am going to focus on Isle Crawford. Crawford is a British interior designer. Like many designers, her career as an interior designer did not get created on a straight path. Crawford has a history degree, but worked for the Architects Journal for many years upon her time in college, and then for fashion designer, Donna Karen.

Crawford works to infuse design with what she calls emotional values and is also very aware of how quality affects life on an everyday basis. "When I look at making spaces, I don't just look at the visual. I'm much more interested in the sensory thing, in thinking about it from the human context, the primal perspective, the thing that touches you." Isle started her own studio in 2003, called StudioIsle. I have showcased 4 of her designs below.

Airline Lounge, Haneda Airport, Tokoyo 2014 

The goal was to create a lounge concept that promotes wellbeing and a sense of privacy for a traveler in public space. Natural materials were used together with careful attention to lighting and the use of plants to create a textured and warm atmosphere.

Aesop, Copenhagen, 2016

StudioIsle strived to celebrate the rituals associated with well being and translates Aesop's brand values into a physical retail space. Clean lines, neutral colors, and natural materials all create an experience for the customer while in this shop. The design helps to create a homey environment in a public space. 

Duddell's Arts Club, Hong Kong, 2013

This club includes a restaurant, bar, event space and terrace over two stories. The key to its success was for each area to adapt to different speeds, volumes, and functions depending on the needs of its guests and the time of the day. 

Maison & Objet Designer's Studio, Paris, 2016 

Designer's Studio is a networking space in Hall 8 for Maison & Objet's fair in 2016. They wanted this space to be a place to relax, recharge, recap, re-connect, regroup, refresh and collapse. The natural lighting and light materials create this lightweight atmosphere, along with the high ceilings and open spaces. 

Super Great Videos that You Should Watch

StudioIsle: Ikea | http://www.studioilse.com/ikea-1
StudioIsle: Cathay Pacific | http://www.studioilse.com/cathay-pacific-haneda-airport

Peer Reviews

Becca | I really enjoyed Becca's blog this week discussing Dorothy Draper. She did an awesome job of discussing her importance to interior design. I also really liked the quotes that she added. 

Kate | Kate also discussed Dorothy Draper in her blog. It was interested to be able to learn even more about her and I can see now why she had such a large impact on interior design. The link that Kate included to a website that showed more of her work was also really helpful.

Art Deco

For this week's blog, I thought it would be interesting to look at Art Deco in Chicago. Chicago went through a lot of development during the 1920's and 30's and as a result the city became home of a lot of Art Deco architecture and design. Art Deco buildings are often characterized by vertical lines, building setbacks, the use of terra cotta, bright colors, and abstract geometric ornamentation. 

Chicago Board of Trade Building

The Chicago Board of Trade commissioned Holabird & Root to design the current building in 1925. The use of a steel frame structural system allowed for completely vertical construction and the exterior is designed with many setbacks at various heights. The interior includes many polished surfaces with a very large and prominent lobby. When it opened, it houses the world's largest light fixture. 

The Merchandise Mart

The Merch Mart was completed in 1930. The steel framed structure is clad in limestone, terra cotta and bronze. Rows of chevrons and diagonal towers at each corner of the building and lots of ornamentation are a couple of many features that make the Merch Mart part of the Art Deco period. The recessed vertical windows help to draw the eye up and away from the buildings enormous horizontal mass. 

The Pittsfield Building 

The Pittsfield Building was completed in 1927 and was Chicago's tallest building at the time of its completion. Designed by the same firm that designed the Merch Mart, the building encompass art deco design with grand ornamentation, the use of metal, and exterior setbacks. The interior is covered in marble and expensive metals, as seen in the image on the left. 

Current Applications

 

Above are a few examples of modern design that incorporates art deco inspiration. In each picture you can see the use of patterns, metals, and luxurious materials. The geomettic patterns used in the wall surface on the left and middle picture and on the ceiling of the right picture is also distinctive of the art deco period. 

Super Great Videos That You Should Watch

Chicago Board of Trade Building | https://youtu.be/1nTSqX1mlvU
Chicago Art Deco Highlights | https://youtu.be/bzQLhclm-JQ

Peer Reviews

Savannah | I liked that Savannah focused on the use of materials in her blog this week. It was interesting to learn a little more about the different types of commonly used materials and why they are so distinctive of this design period. 

Becca | I enjoyed being able to learn more about Jean Michel Frank in Becca's blog. It was really cool to see his different designs and the variety of furniture that he created. 

Emergence of Modernism

Art Nouveau, the Prairie Style and other styles seen during the 19th century all led up to the modern movement. At the beginning of the 20th century, Germany and France were the homes of Walter Gropius, Mies van der Rohe, and Le Corbusier, all who contributed greatly to the start of modernism. As with other previous design movements, the term "modernism" can be used to describe many other art forms - not just design. 

Walter Gropius 

Gropius contributed greatly to the start of modernism through his office furniture designs. The materials he used, the methods of fabrication, design, and function were all different than anything that had been seen before. He used very honest materials - such as metal tubing and plywood - and applied very rectilinear designs to his creations. To the left is a view of a staircase in the Bauhaus where you can see these ideals being utilized in the space. It is simple, but powerful at the same time. Gropius formed the Bauhaus and created a new educational program that merged many fine and applied arts together. 

Mies van der Rohe

Like Gropius, van der Rohe also appreciated simplicity in design. The commission of the Barcelona Pavilion, part of which can be seen on the left, put van der Rohe on the map very quickly. Unlike other designers of this time period, he enjoyed using luxurious materials in his his designs. The Barcelone Pavilion used a lot of expensive wood and marble. Van der Rohe is also widely known for the Barcelona Chair.

Le Corbusier

Le Corbusier is an icon of modernism, his name is known by many for his unique ideas and designs. On the left is an image of the Ronchamp, a Catholic chapel and one of the most important buildings of the 20th century. Le Corbusier is also known for urban design. He desired to improve the cities in which he lived. He made use of modern materials and used mass production as a method of construction. 

Current Applications

 

Above are two residential designs that are inspired by Le Corbusier. 

Super Great Videos that You Should Watch

Le Corbusier | https://youtu.be/4A07NnUu6x0
Van der Rohe | https://youtu.be/Z8VdhVJQm9U

Peer Reviews

Lisa | I really enjoyed that Lisa focused solely on Bauhaus for her blog. It was really interesting to be able to learn more about the design and why it is so important to this period. 
Kiera | Kiera did a really good job of overviewing this design period. It was helpful to be able to read her blog in order to tie all of the information that we have learned so far together.

Protomodernism

Unlike previous design movements, such as Arts and Crafts or Art Nouveau, modernism does not seem to be created to blatantly go against the previous design style before its time. It seems to reject all design styles before it instead. It makes it especially interesting to learn about why these trends came about and what different motives prompted designers of this time to create the work that they did. In my Art Nouveau blog I discussed how applied arts became more important and respected in the academic world and it was during the period of protomoderism where the arts really came together. I believe that protomoderism was a time for artists to experiement with new ways of thinking. Because of this, 

Charles Mackintosh Designs

 

It was interesting to read about Charles Mackintosh because his works can be categorized under many design movements including Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and Prairie Style. Not everything in history is "black and white" and it is important to learn about and study the overlap that can be found in the past. Mackintosh's work originally stood out to me after seeing his watercolor graphic design work for the Glasgow Institute. I really enjoy the color combination and elongated feel of the design. 

Above, I have included three different Makintosh designs. On the left is an image from Mackintosh's Hill House which located in Scotland. In the middle you can see a Mackintosh graphic design. Many of his designs resemble this one, including very delicate details and color soft color palette. On the left you can see a window detail on the Glascow School of Art building which Mackintosh designed. 

Current Applications

 

Above are examples of current applications of protomodernism design. The clean lines, small details, and use of white can be seen in both images and are characteristics of this design movement. 

Super Great Videos That You Should Watch

Charles Rennie Makintosh: Overview | https://youtu.be/LNrV6vbu4os
Modernism: Design in a Nutshell | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDCEtnXlA4Y

Peer Reviews 

Sara | Sara did a really good job of discussing two important figures in the protomodernism period. It was really interesting to be able to learn more about Wagner and Rietveld.
Erin Kelly | I liked the current application of a Frank Lloyd Wright design that Erin shared on her blog. It was easy to see that it was Wright inspired, without being too overwhelming.