Interior Design History : October 2014

Art Deco and Industrial Design Discussion

This week I looked into Allison and Katie's blogs. I enjoyed reading Allison's blog and how she talked about the comfortableness in furniture for the human body within Art Deco design. Katie delved into Eileen Gray and her furniture pieces, describing the specific characteristics.

Check out their blogs here:

Allison--> http://history2as.blogspot.com/2014/10/art-deco.html
Katie-->http://history2krk.blogspot.com/

Industrial design and Art Deco

Thanks to the moves in industrial design and technologies starting in the 1920's around the time of WWI, yet another new design style had emerged. Art Deco is known for it's fashion inspired look and luxurious feel. The 1925 World Fair in Paris exhibited the new styles, showcasing through interior design. Originating in France, the Art Deco style moved on to other countries, including the US, at the beginning of WWII.

Design style characteristics

Deriving from a sense of fashion, this design style was not concerned with functionality or new technologies. It was highly decorative and influenced from the prior styles of Art Nouveau. Popular characteristics include interiors with large mirrors, prominent light fixtures, metals, black lacquer, and glass. Rich materials were used, such as leather, ivory inlaid wood, ebony, tortoise, and more. Patterns often seen included zig zag, chevron , and skyscraper mimicked patterns.

Many famous architects and furniture designers of this time include: Michel Roux-Spitz, Jean Dunand, Maurice Dufrine, Jean Michel Frank, and Eileen Gray.

Several famous and large buildings in the US demonstrate complete Art Deco design concepts.

Rockefeller

Radio City

Chrysler Building

Modern day applications

Notice colors, materials, large mirrors, black lacquer.

Modernism Discussion

This week I looked into Megan and Alex's blogs. I enjoyed looking at the images Megan included of modern day applications within interiors influenced by the De Stijl movement. Alex's blog mentioned Frank Lloyd Wright and his ties to nature within his designs. She had a great image of one of his works, in which the building was infused with the surrounding environment.

Check out their blogs here:

Megan--> http://history2mcy.blogspot.com/2014/09/modernism.html
Alex--> http://history2aar.blogspot.com/

Looking at the Emergence into Modernism

Modernist architecture is attributed to the modernist movements that sprung about at the turn of the 20th century. New architectural styles emerged, as well as many architects and designers that are renown today. The new technologies in industry and materials, as well as a want for growth in new developments led to the style movements created within.

Frank Lloyd Wright

One of the greatest pioneers of the modernist movement is in thanks to Frank Lloyd Wright. He sparked his own architectural practice in 1893 in IL. His designs were based on "organic" architecture, non-historic precedence and original design. He developed a square grid system in which to organize privacy within a home. This grid system is still used today in many ways.

Several of his most famous first structures are here in IL and include, the Robie House, the Rookery, and the Unity Temple.

The De Stijl movement

This design movement also started at the turn of the century, originating in the Netherlands. Meaning "The Style," this design focused on a utopian ideal of harmony and order. Clean horizontal and vertical lines created simple visual compositions. The use of black and white is most prevalent, with the primary colors as sole pops of color. Most noted is architect Gerrit Rietveld and his Schroder House built in 1924. The interior shows clear lines and use of black and white with primary pops of color. The interior also had movable walls for flexibility within the spaces.

International Style

These emerging design styles often became coined into one term, international style. Radical design movements of simplifying form and removing ornament drove this style. The 1932 MoMA exhibition held in NYC is considered the most influential exhibition in the history of architecture thus far. New building materials such as glass, steel, and concrete were mainly used. Honest construction, transparency of buildings, and mass-production techniques were all considered in these new structures. Notable architects include: Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies VanDerRohe, Walter Gropius, and Le Corbusier.