Week 9 BLOG - Art Deco and Industrial Design

 Week 9 - Art Deco and Industrial Design 

Art Deco began in the 1920’s when there was tension between the functionalists and decorators. Functionalists valued function, simplicity, mass production, designing for the common person and social good. Decorators valued labor intensive craftsmanship, elite market, not concerned with social theory. The essence of Art Deco Design featured chevron shapes, zig- zags, folding screen - African tribal art, stepped profile of furniture suggest the architecture of skyscrapers, large mirrors, and prominent lighting fixtures call attention to modern materials. The furniture Design used rich materials such as ebony, zebrawood with inlays of ivory, tortoiseshell, leather, polished metals, mirrors, and glass. 

There were many prominent architects, designers, and artists from this period. Some of them were Tamara de Lempicka, Michel Roux-Spitz, Jean Dunand, Maurice Dufrene, Jean Michel Frank, Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann, Eileen Gray, Sonia Delauney, Gunnar Asplund, Kaare Klint, Paul Frankl, Joseph Urban, and Donald Deskey. 

Favorite Pieces from Art Deco:

Lacquered sideboard with stone top from Jean Dunand (1877-1942)

Oak and Doehide Armchair by Michel Frank

Elephant Chair by Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann

Bamboo Chest by Paul Frankl

Table Lamps by Donald Deskey

Cabinet by Donald Deskey

Industrial Design took off in the late 1800’s into the 1900’s. Industrial designers study how humans interact with devices and environments solving problems of design, usage and production, and they consider strategic business objectives in order to generate a memorable and positive experience for users. There was less emphasis on aesthetic goals, and more emphasis on commercial goals of increased sales. It uses a blend of Art Deco ornamentation with slick forms of streamlining. The Carnegie Institute was pivotal during this time period because in 1935 it offered the first Industrial Design Program. This allowed a more artistic oriented study and promoted interior designers, industrial designers, and architects to work together. 

Raymond Loewy, Gilbert Rohde, and Russell Wright are the major designers from this period. Raymond Loewy (1893- 1986) was a French immigrant and Industrial Designer. His technological background in mechanics and engineering, though self-taught, allowed him to create impressive and eye-catching furniture designs. Gilbert Rohde (1894-1944) was a furniture designer and Industrial designer who introduced Modernism to Herman Miller in the 1930’s. He is known for creating the industrial chest and well as many other pieces of furniture. Russel Wright (1904-1976) was also an Industrial Designer who enjoyed using the table as the center of residential design. His designs were visible from the center outwards- to the exterior- to the landscaping. 

Favorite Pieces from the Industrial Design period:

Industrial Style bed from Raymond Loewy

Industrial Style chair from Raymond Loewy

Industrial Style cabinet from Gilbert Rohde

Current Applications:

Art Deco Bathroom Now

Art Deco Kitchen and Present-Day cabinets

Modern Day Art Deco lighting inspo

One Step Further:

Paul Frankl is an Art Deco architect designer and furniture maker from this presentation. He was born in 1886 and lived until 1958. He was an Austrian immigrant and got his education in Berlin Polytechnic. Paul Frankl’s methods in creating furniture extensively used the profile of a skyscraper. He also introduced the use of “plywood” instead of solid wood in his designs, as well as the use of rattan and bamboo in furniture design.