Design of the 20th Century

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By 1875, this collective became known as Morris and Company, and by the 1880s the attitude and techniques they practiced had inspired a whole new generation of designers, and the Arts and Crafts movement was born. Left: Shepard Fairey - Obama Posters - Progress / Center: Shepard Fairey - Vote / Right: Shepard Fairey - Hope. Captions, via Creative Commons Originally designed by Antonio Bonet, Juan Kurchan, and Jorge Ferrari-Hardoy in Buenos Aires in 1938, it was Knoll Associates who acquired US production rights of the stretched fabric chair and made it famous worldwide when it was featured in their eponymous catalogue from 1947 to 1951. It’s so popular that it has a range of imitators and is also known as the Hardoy Chair, Safari Chair, and Wing Chair. Keep that in mind when searching Invaluable for it. A series of museum-worthy designs have transformed homes, offices, and living areas into desirable spaces whose interest and excitement extends beyond the drabness of functionality. Innovations in engineering, design, and materials all contributing to the seated revolution. The name came from a disparaging remark by art critic Louis Vauxcelles, who described Braque’s 1908 work Houses at L’Estaque as being "composed of cubes". But it was Picasso's Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, painted the previous year, that set the wheels in motion, depicting five female nudes as fractured, angular shapes.

Influenced by the constructivist theories of the De Stijl Movement and more plainly, a bicycle frame, Marcel Breur’s Wassily Chair changed the course of furniture design. It’s more sculptural than his B32/Cesca and the deconstructed club chair looked like an abstract piece of art compared to other chairs in the 1920s, making it seem as futuristic then as it still does today. For additional style kudos, it also appeared in Frasier Crane’s eclectic apartment. The car inspired by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler became the most popular car in the world with the highest sales all time. Hitler wanted a cheap and simple car for mass production to be suitable for his new road network. In 1933, he assigned the project to Ferdinand Porsche, who took until 1938 to finish the design. the Volkswagen Beetle is considered the most manufactured car of all time, with 21,529,464 units produced. Volkswagen Beetle 1966 model. (Source: Wikipedia) A tan leather and chromed Butterfly chair after a design by Antonio Bonet, Juan Kurchan and Jorge Hardoy. Sold for R6,000 via Strauss & Co (June 2022). As Braque and Picasso continued to explore how abstract shapes could be used to define familiar objects, the period from 1910-1912 is often referred to as Analytical Cubism. A distinctive palette of tan, brown, grey, cream, green and blue prevailed, and common subjects included musical instruments, bottles, newspapers, and the human body.

The Greyhound Scenicruiser was introduced to Americans as a representation of the American dream. The highway bus was manufactured by General Motors for the Greyhound Corporation and designed by the godfather of industrial design, Raymond Loewy. Between 1954 and 1956, around 1,001 units were manufactured. The bus used to carry forty-three passengers and included air-conditioning, panoramic view windows, a restroom, and air suspension ride. Restored Greyhound Scenicruiser. (Source: greyhoundcoach.com)

to look to nature to find out what streamlining is.” From then on, it was known as the Beetle. Throughout the following years, Volkswagen Beetle continued to develop in both form and function, yet the style of the original car can still be seen in the in the new versions. Greyhound Scenicruiser (1954) Ocr tesseract 4.1.1 Ocr_detected_lang en Ocr_detected_lang_conf 1.0000 Ocr_detected_script Latin Ocr_module_version 0.0.5 Ocr_parameters -l eng Old_pallet IA18112 Openlibrary_edition Art and design are both influenced by the politics, rise of technology, and the atmosphere of various periods. The produced pieces, poster works, or even the innovations of typography are all linked to the thoughts and challenges the various societies face. The economical, social, political, and cultural factors need to be understood as guides which help designers produce pieces which communicate with its public. Understanding aspects of the history of design assists us not only in the analyzing of both the historical and contemporary context but as an inspiration for future designers as well. The reference to the past and some of its revolutionary ideas gives depth to the piece. At times, the past may be on purposely challenged by new and progressive thoughts that are in constant demand.

From the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, to the Le Corbusier Grand Confort and the Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair, the evolution of the coveted chair – a chair that goes beyond mere function – has gathered significant pace over the past century.