Postwar Reconstruction in Scandinavia & the UK Postwar Reconstruction in Italy & Japan Biomorphic Styling and Modern sculpture Abstract Expressionism, Pop and Op Art 1960’s design and anti-design, Postmodernism, High Tech design and Deconstructivism Product Semantics, Biodesign and Green Design Wk
8 - Revision
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The rest of this semester will be taken up with a *very* brief whizz through postmodernist design. You'll be going into a lot more depth about recent and contemporary design next year, so think of these next couple of weeks as just a sampler. If your interest is aroused by the snippets here, you can always pop forward to my online resources for the 2nd Year unit. katsclass.com/10787 1960's design and anti-design Over the past few weeks, we've been looking at a range of 60's designs from different regions. You may have noticed that by about this time, designs were beginning to appear that were fun, silly concept pieces. The influence of Pop Art was making itself felt in design, and the result was an explosion in diversity of furniture, architecture and household goods. Anti-design was a reaction to the genericism of Modernism. It was a rebellion against the basic Modernist design idea that there is such a thing as a perfect form (preferably based upon it's function). ideamagazine.net/en/cont/cst0701.htm Postmodernism There's a whole lecture about this in another module. Oh, in fact that module IS Postmodernism. But don't stress too much about the theory at this stage. After all, you're only First Years and I probably shouldn't be too demanding ;) katsclass.com/10787/wk02.htm Memphis Design - Ettore Sottsass Perhaps consumerism has reached it's pinnacle when designers can make things that are deliberately disposable without being inexpensive, recycleable or in any other way intended to exist beyond their own fad. Seen by some as a cult of deliberate ugliness, and by others as groundbreaking in their challenge to the status quo, the Memphis Milano Design Group definitely have had an impact on design that is quite astounding considering the brief life of the company. "I
don't understand why enduring design is better than disappearing design...'
Ettore Sottsass. designmuseum.org/designerex/ettore-sottsass.htm Robert Venturi (1925-still living) - Studied with Eero Saarinen in Philadelphia. Wrote "Complexity and Contradiction in Modern Architecture" in 1966. pritzkerprize.com/venturi.htm
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Tutorial @ 1pm: Keith M will be doing his tutorial on the Melbourne Fringe Furniture Exhibition, where he just won a prize!
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Alessi In the 1970's, Alberto Alessi took over his family's failing and rather conservative kitchenware business. He took a lot of risks and encouraged experimentation. Today, he revels in the company's 'fiascoes' - designs that didn't quite work, as they're evidence of the company's sincere dedication to innovation and creativity.
starck.com/industrial/1990hot_bertaa.html
alessi.com/?lang=en io.tudelft.nl/public/vdm/fca/alessi/index.htm Google Image Search for Alessi
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High Tech Design
Bang & Olufsen Danish high-tech applicances for the discriminating consumer. io.tudelft.nl/public/vdm/fca/bang/index.htm
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Deconstructivism From the literary philosophy of "Deconstruction" comes the architectural and design school of "Deconstructivism". Inspired by Russian Constructivism, Deconstructivists believe in challenging the basic assumptions of Modernist design (for example, that rooms should be rectangular in shape, or at least that walls should be straight). There is also the influence of Italian Futurist architects such as Antonio Sant'Elia, particularly the striving for dynamic forms.
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