Unit 5

"The Chair", Hans Wegner

On cover of Interiors magazine in 1949, Used in Nixon/Kennedy debates

Designers create small towns, emphasis upon pedestrians and town centers, walkable neighborhoods containing a range of housing and job types

What is New Urbanism?

Recreates a lost building. Uses physical evidence and secondary sources.

What is Reconstruction?

Buildings and interiors connected with region's character

What is Regionalism?

Maintains historic features while making interiors usable. Tries to retain features IF possible- not as strict as preservation. Updates systems and building codes

What is Rehabilitation?

Larger home concept intended to fill gap between modest suburban tract housing and upscale gated homes, used a variety of materials and mixed and matched details of historic periods from a catalog.

What is a McMansion?

2 stories w/ attached garage, partially submerged basement w/ finished rooms and windows-- essentially a ranch on top of a garage.

What is a raised ranch?

3 or more levels, main entrance is usually on center level. Living areas separated from private areas by steps.

What is a split level?

Only the facade of the building is retained- rest is destroyed.

What is facadism?

Air conditioning

What is introduced that allows for glass box buildings?

International style combined with past elements

What is new Formalism?

Returns a building to a specific time- removes later additions or changes. Requires physical and documentary evidence. Achieves true period design.

What is restoration?

Drywall (rather than plaster)

What new type of room divider comes about during GM period?

Known for his pieces completely covered in Shagreen

What was Andre Groult known for ?

Russian ballet (Stravinsky ballet), Jazz age, cubism & African art, orient (lacquer), Planes and ocean liners, King Tut, Art Nouveau, De Stijl, and Bauhaus

What was Art Deco influenced by?

Master of lacquer work

What was Jean Dunand known for?

Heating and ventilation system

What was innovative about Glaspalies?

Quickly built large tract developments of mass-produced homes. Rapid construction. Ranch, raised ranch, split level

What was suburban modern?

Eames Lounge Chair, OSM

Most complex of designs

Bibendum, Eileen Gray (IS)

Named after Michelin Man.

Arts & Architecture magazine promoted residential prototypes that can be built quickly and economically, used prefab materials

What were Case Study Houses?

Paris

Where does Art Deco originate?

Perriand and Jenneret

Who did Le Corbusier collaborate with on furniture designs?

Finnish Textile Designer who founded Marimekko. Marimekko is Known for nontraditional, contemporary and colorful designs. Made fashionable in US by Jackie Kennedy. Producing fabrics for Cate and Barrel since mid-60's.

Who was Armi Ratia?

Swedish designer who did detailed anatomical studies of seated human figure. Best known for very comfortable furniture using bent laminated frames.

Who was Bruno Mathsson?

Participated in De Stijl, International, and Art Moderne. Known for Lacquer work

Who was Eileen Gray?

Leading female Danish furniture designer. Innovative

Who was Grete Jalk?

Inspired by Chinese, Shaker, and Windsor chairs. Modernized traditional forms.

Who was Hans Wegner?

Peacock chair, Hans Wegner (SM)

Inspired by Windsor chair

Villa Mairea, Alvar Aalto (SM)

Modern Functionalism

Importance of History and past elements in modern framework

What is Modern Historicism?

1. Volume rather than mass 2. Regularity from standard elements rather than axial symmetry 3. Emphasis on proportions and materials rather than arbitrary applied decoration

3 principles outlined in the book "International Style since 1922"

1. National Romanticism 2. Scandinavian Neoclassicism 3. Modern Functionalism

3 types of Scandinavian Modern Architecture

Flat roof, rounded corners, glass block, bands of windows, repeating line, minimal ornament

American Art Deco architecture characteristics

Completely integrated luxurious interiors, low sofas, chairs, and tables, finest craftsmanship since Louis XVI

Art Deco Interior Characteristics

Renewed importance of designers individuality, Interior design becomes more important during this period, Underlying classicism: Superb craftsmanship, expensive materials, lavish decoration

Art Deco Interiors

Stylized flowers, leaves, water fountains, birds, animals, sunrays, star bursts

Art Deco motifs

Charles Eames

Born in STL, Innovative designer using molded plywood, fiberglass, and materials developed during WWII

First Danish chair with a seat and back made of double curved plywood. Produced quickly and seat and back could be removed and packaged separately- easily shipped.

Characteristics of AX chair

Suspended ceilings allow for greater freedom in space planning, open plans, sparsely furnished with modern furniture

Characteristics of Commercial Geometric Modern Interiors

Continuation of Bauhaus and International style, geometric, rectilinear grids, symmetry, aluminum & plastics, standardization and prefabrication are essential, glass curtain walls, "less is more"

Characteristics of Geometric Modern Architecture

Follow Bauhaus & International style principles, clean, simple, reject decoration, functional, airy & Light

Characteristics of Geometric Modern Interiors

1. Geometric Forms 2. Volume instead of mass 3. Smooth white or glass walls 4. Minimal color and no applied ornament

Characteristics of International Style

Minimalist, devoid of regional characteristics, stresses functionalism, rejects nonessential decoration

Characteristics of International Style Commercial Architecture

Volume is important, high ceilings and adjoining spaces have diff ceiling heights, rooms are light and airy w/ large windows, spaciousness, minimal furnishings, little texture,pattern, and color. Few decorative objects.

Characteristics of International Style Interior

Irregular surfaces, parabolic arches, spherical forms, oblique angles, natural colors, smooth & curving, no ornament

Characteristics of Organic and Sculptural Modern

Humanness in designs, forms derived from nature; building related to its site, open plan, continuity between indoor and outdoors, uncluttered, clean lines

Characteristics of Organic and Sculptural Modern Residential Interiors

Edgar Brandt

Designer known for his formal metal and wrought iron furniture pieces during Art Deco period

Commercial grade textiles- GM

Emergence of scotchguard

Main Railway Terminus Interiors, SM

Great concern for pleasant sensory experiences through spatial changes, color, light, and texture

George Nelson

Head of design at herman miller. Created storage systems using a pole.

Harry Bertoia

Head of metal workshop at Cranbrook Academy of Arts- worked with Eames & Knoll, each wire had to be hand welded- EXPENSIVE

Periodicals, department stores, exhibitions held at MOMA and Merchandise Mart

How are modern ideas spread?

No conventional living room, no dining room, no bedrooms

How did Schindler house depart from existing residential architecture?

Light steel frame w/ standard factory windows, all parts of structure were shop fabricated and assembled on site, Early example of gunite (Sprayed on concrete)

How was Lovell house built?

Dogfish and stingray skin washed and brined, dried and then put into a press and scraped to show concentric circles, dyed and polished.

How was Shagreen made?

Knocked down- shipped in large cartons and assembled on site with simple tools.(IKEA begins in 1953)

How was much of Scandinavian furniture shipped?

Warren Platner

In Eero Saarinen's firm, created sculptural wire furniture, used a wire cage structure

Herman Miller

Introduced Office furniture in 1940- along with Knoll became leaders in commercial design.

Layers of wood veneer - grain running in same direction, are glued together and then placed in press where heat and pressure set the glue. Can only be bent in direction of wood grain. Very strong and stable.

Laminated Wood

Ladies Room, Eliel Saarinen (American AD)

Low furniture, horizontal emphasis

Alvar Aalto

Main Scandinavian Modern designer. Designed cantilevered beech wood chairs using laminated wood.

Series 7 Chair, Jacobsen

One of the most popular chairs of the late 20th and early 21st century

Inspired by sculptural forms and abstracted living organisms, rejects geometry and hard edges.

Organics and Sculptural modern concepts

Sheets or "Plies" of wood are glued together and laid at 90 degree angle to the grain of the next ply. Allows for flexibility in two or more directions

Plywood

Chaise Longue, Le Corbusier, Jeanneret, Perriand (IS)

Pony hide

Wood, simple, but beautifully detailed, contours that fit human body and possess warm, timeless quality

SM Furniture characteristics

Eero Saarinen

Son of Eliel, Designed STL Arch and TWA terminal at JFK, Collaborated with Charles Eames in designing chairs using molded plywood

Draws on Folk traditions, unspoiled by modern life and industry.

What is National Romanticism architecture?

Name derived from "Beton Brut" meaning raw concrete (Le Corbusier), Abstract, rough and blocky

What is New Brutalism?

Storage Units by Charles & Ray Eames for Herman Miller, GM

Standardized interchangeable parts

Salle a Manger, Perriand (IS)

Table attached to wall

Reaction against modernism, maintained a connection with the past.

What is New Classicism?

Rejection of ornament or applied decoration Preference for abstraction and geometric forms

Two main concepts of Modernism

Pierre Chareau Desk, Art Deco

Used diagonal lines

Prefabricated parts so construction is simple, inexpensive, & fast, Creates large unhindered interior space- no columns or arches.

What are the advantages of the geodesic dome?

Birch and Beech

What are two main woods of Scandinavian design?

Taking shape of a living form

What does Biomorphic mean?

Reuse for a different purpose. Period details are retained if possible

What is Adaptive use?

Seeks to protect and maintain historic structures and sites. Repairs and maintenance required to keep structure functioning, updating for current codes.

What is Historic Preservation?

Established Furniture Dept. at Royal Academy of Art in Copenhagen. Considered father of Danish Modern furniture. Extensively studied human proportions to improve comfort of forms.

Who was Kaare Klint?

Integrated house into landscape, white box shapes that emphasizes minimalism (International Style)

Who was Richard Neutra?

Emile- Jacques Ruhlmann

Who was the leader of the French Art Moderne movement?

Le Corbusier

Who was the most influential designer of the International Style?

Johnson and Hitchcock

Who wrote "The International Style since 1922"?

Enhances company image, increases productivity, creating pleasant working environments

Why does commercial interior design become important during the 1950's?

Florence Knoll

Worked with many of the Bauhaus leaders. She felt that architects should contribute to designing furniture. She pushed the idea that interior designers could design interior systems and space planning as well as the choosing colors, textiles, and paint. Moves decorators to profession of interior designers.