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.