Wk. 9 - Industrial Design & Art Deco

Summary

Industrial Design

Industrial Design focuses on the interaction between humans and products or environments, aiming to solve design, usability, and production challenges. This field prioritizes commercial goals, such as boosting sales, over purely aesthetic objectives. During the economic depression, industrial design gained popularity due to its focus on practical, mass-producible, and affordable products. The 1930s were defined by streamlined forms, influenced by technological advancements and aerodynamics. Zeppelins, first used during WWI, were adapted for civilian transport, inspiring sleek, futuristic designs. The era also saw technological milestones, such as Amelia Earhart's record-setting flights, which shaped industrial design trends.

Key figures in industrial design include Raymond Loewy, a French immigrant who revolutionized consumer products with sleek, functional forms. His notable works include the S-1 locomotive, Electrolux vacuum cleaner, and Studebaker Starlight. Another influential designer, Gilbert Rohde, introduced modernism to Herman Miller in the 1930s, creating streamlined, functional furniture such as chrome chairs and industrial-style clocks. Russel Wright, known for his informal residential design, centered his work around the dining table and extended his concepts outward to landscaping. His famous "American Modern" dinnerware became a staple of the era.

S-1 Locomotive - Raymond Loewy

"American Modern" Dinnerware - Russel Wright

In 1935, Carnegie Institute (now Carnegie Mellon University) launched the first industrial design program, promoting collaboration between interior designers, industrial designers, and architects. The program bridged the gap between Art Deco ornamentation and modernist simplicity, blending artistic expression with functional design.

Art Deco

Art Deco, emerging in the 1920s, represented a clash between functionalists, who valued simplicity and mass production, and decorators, who prioritized craftsmanship and luxury. Originating in France, Art Deco spread to the U.S. and Europe by WWII, characterized by its decorative and fashion-oriented nature rather than functionalism. Its defining features included geometric patterns, zigzags, chevrons, large mirrors, and stepped furniture profiles, reminiscent of skyscraper architecture. It also drew influence from Art Nouveau and African tribal art.

The style featured rich materials such as ebony, zebrawood, ivory inlays, tortoiseshell, leather, and polished metals. Prominent figures include Tamara de Lempicka, a Polish painter renowned for her glamorous Art Deco portraits, and Michel Roux-Spitz, a French architect known for highly decorative, fashion-driven office buildings in Paris. Jean Dunand, another notable designer, crafted lacquered furniture with geometric and cubist influences, while Maurice Dufrene favored handcrafted, austere designs.

Tamara de Lempicka

Michel Roux-Spitz - Office Buildings Paris

Jean Dunand

Maurice Dufrene

In the U.S., Paul Frankl popularized Art Deco through skyscraper-inspired furniture profiles and introduced plywood, rattan, and bamboo into his designs. Joseph Urban, an Austrian immigrant, applied bold colors and dramatic lines to set designs and interiors. Donald Deskey, famous for designing the interiors of Radio City Music Hall in New York, employed luxurious materials like glass, aluminum, and chrome.

Paul Frankl

Joseph Urban

Radio City Music Hall in New York - Donald Deskey

Art Deco also transformed public and residential spaces, with the Chrysler Building and Rockefeller Center exemplifying its architectural influence. The style also made its way into kitchens and bathrooms, introducing electric appliances, built-in tubs, and vibrant colors. Lighting design evolved with the shift from oil and gas to electric fixtures, with Art Deco lamps featuring indirect and tubular lighting, enhancing the style's modern, futuristic aesthetic.

Modern Applications

Industrial Design

Art Deco

One Step Further: William Van Alen

William Van Alen (1883-1954) was an American architect renowned for designing the Chrysler Building in New York City, a landmark of Art Deco architecture. He studied at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and later the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he refined his skills in classical design and ornamentation. His training in Paris influenced his use of elaborate detailing and decorative elements, which became defining features of his later work.

The Chrysler Building, completed in 1930, briefly held the title of the tallest building in the world at 1,046 feet before being surpassed by the Empire State Building. Its Art Deco design is characterized by a striking stainless-steel spire, which was secretly added to outpace competitors in the race for height. The building's crown features seven terraced arches, creating a sunburst motif, while the facade includes automotive-inspired details such as hubcaps, fender motifs, and eagles resembling car hood ornaments, symbolizing Chrysler's automotive legacy.

Despite the building's architectural triumph, Van Alen's career faced challenges. He clashed with Walter P. Chrysler over unpaid commissions, leading to a legal dispute. Although he won the case, the Great Depression and the lawsuit's controversy hindered his career. As a result, Val Alen never achieved another project of similar significance.

Although his career declined, Van Alen's visionary design of the Chrysler Building cemented his place in architectural history. The building's sleek, modern aesthetic combined with its ornate, decorative flourishes makes it a quintessential example of Art Deco style, and it remains one of the most recognizable skyscrapers in the world.