Post Modernism/Contemporary Design

Post modernism was a design style that replaced the international style. Jet travel allowed the style and design easier to spread to different countries and as a result design work has become an international profession.

Contemporary design was more hi-tech and new technology was one of the main basis of design.
Main materials that were used were steel, concrete and glass.

I really enjoyed learning about the contemporary architects because during the California trip I took with the school, we were able to visit a few of the buildings that were designed by them. We were able to visit the J. Paul Getty Center and got a tour of the architecture by Richard Meier and were told how he created the building with multiples of three by three squares. The design was very well thought out and was a beautiful museum to visit.

You can see from the image above the squares of the grid system he used all throughout the museum.

Another architect was Frank Gehry and when we were in Los Angeles we were able to walk through the Walt Disney Concert Hall that he designed. 

This building was absolutely crazy to visit. The architecture was beautiful and intriguing. 

I loved visiting this building and I think it's cool that we got some background information on the architect.

Current applications of contemporary design:

Reviews:

I reviewed Megan Y and Paige S's blogs and I when reviewing Paige's blog I really liked how she included the different contemporary styles and characteristics. I also really liked the buildings she showed and how they displayed the style. When reviewing Megan's I like how she focused on green design and showed buildings that are LEED certified.

Extra Source:

Rise of The Interior Decorator

The rise of the interior decorator started with the 1925 World's Fair in Paris. Contributors for this fair fell into two categories which were functionalists and decorators. The ensembliers are the ones who create and ensemble by adding objects and creating a space that is more aestheically pleasing. The functionalists however, were more involved with theories. 

Elsie De Wolf was a big influence in the rise of the decorator. She used french furniture to restore Victorian interiors into lighter and brighter spaces. She also was involved with helping interior design become seperate from architecture.

The photos below are of the Greenbrier Hotel. I really enjoyed learning about this space. The video that we watched in class was really interesting and gave us a walk through of the hotel.

I love these photos because you can really see the distinct decorative elements used to define the space.

Current Applications: 

Responses:

I viewed Paige's and Alex's blog posts and I really like how Paige talked about the chairs and showed how they connect to chairs today. I also enjoyed Alex's blog and how she talked about Elsie De Wolf, Dorothy Draper and Billy Baldwin. I also really liked the quote by Elsie De Wolf that she had in the beginning.

Extra Resource:

Modernism in America

Some of the designers and architects we learned about who were involved in the modernism movement in America were Frank Lloyd Wright, Irving Gill, Rudolph Schindler, Richard Neurta, and a few others. I think what I was interested in the most was the designs by Frank Lloyd Wright. 

He was a big influence to modernism in America and I really enjoyed learning about his architectural style. I think out of the houses and buildings we talked about, my favorite is Fallingwater. I love how the house is built over a waterfall and has a very intriguing style. 

When we were learning about this house in class I actually knew i had seen this house several times before but I didnt know it was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright so I thought that was very interesting. But you can see the very linear style and the use of concrete and glass that went into this building.

Current Applications of modern interiors today:

Extra Resource:

I really liked this video because the people go through a lot of Frank Lloyd Wrights buildings and they talk about his legacy and his ambitions. 

Art Deco

Art Deco is a design style that first appeared in France and is strongly influenced by Art Nouveau period. With the Art Deco style you will see a lot of very rich colors and a lot of geometric shapes including zigzags and Chevron shapes. The furniture style was also very rich with the materials that were used. Some materials included ebony, leather, polished materials, metals, and glass. The Art Deco style represented luxury and glamour.

Eileen Gray- Transat Chair

Art Deco style was also very symmetrical and you can really see that being incorporated in the photo above. 

Current Applications:

Extra Sources:

I found this video and I thought it was very interesting because it compares the styles between Art Nouveau and Art Deco.

Emergence of Modernism

The Modernist movement was a new direction of design that included the International style. This style is a major architectural style during this movement. There were three principles that were identified for this style which included: the expression of volume rather than mass, the emphasis on balance rather than preconceived symmetry, and the expulsion of applied ornament.

In Europe the modern movement in architecture had been called functionalism or modernism. It was concerned with the coming together of a new architectural form and social reform, creating a more open and transparant society.

The common characteristics of this movement include: a radical simplification of a form, a rejection of ornament, and an adoption of glass, steel, and concrete as preferred materials. Also the acceptance of industrialized mass-production techniques contributed to the international style's design philosophy.

Examples showing the modernist movement architecture:

Examples showing modernist movement furniture:

Current Applications:

Reviews:
I reviewed katies blog and I really liked how she talked about the different architects and gave background on them and how they tie into this time period. I also read Sammy's blog and I think she did a really good job of showing how this movement came to be. I also really liked her current application pictures and how the style is used a lot today.

Extra Source:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2nJiAiD6AY

I found the video above and it's pretty short but I think its really cool showing the people and buildings and different aspects that were involved in the international style.

Arts and Crafts

The Arts and Crafts movement started in the 1850's and resulted in the establishment of many associations and craft communities. This movement was a rebellion against the age of mass production and returned to traditional craft methods. They definitely believed in simplicity of design and romantic decoration.

One aim of the movement was to put a man back into the design and manufacturing process. Craft skills and good honest design was central to the manufacturing process. Craft skills were required to manufacture. Products were manufactured by one skilled person or a small group instead of mass produced on a production line.

 

These are examples of the furniture during this movement. You can see the very simple design and shape that was common in this time. 

Above is a picture of wallpaper by John Henry Dearle and a lot of the wallpaper in this movement was very detailed, usually hand painted with floral design as well as colorful. 

Below are a few current applications that we might see today:

Below is a video that I thought was really interesting and helpful when learning about the Arts and Crafts Movement where a woman talks about the decorative arts and furniture design:

Responses:

I viewed Nicole's blog and I really liked how she went into a lot of details about the furniture and how the design style was very clean and simple. She also explained how a lot of the furniture of this movement was very bulky and you could see the craftsmanship put into the design which is the main characteristic.

I also viewed Rose's blog and I like how she talked about the linear aspect of the designs. You can see in her photos that it really was a main characteristic of the Arts and Crafts movement.

English Period- Early Renaissance

During the English Period the Early Renaissance consisted of a few different design styles which are the Tudor, Elizabethan, and the Jacobean. This period was considered the age of oak because there were a lot of huge oak forests in england which allowed for timbered roofs. Tudor style used timber framed construction. With the Tudor style there is some symmetry whereas Elizabethan style was very symmetrical. Elizabethan decoration tends to be very lavish in design and is a period of great wealth. This period also had italian influence because Inigo Jones introduced Italian Renaissance architecture to England.

Tudor Style Architecture

Elizabethan Style Architecture

The Jacobean Style was a continuation of the Elizabethan Style but there was more of a unified application of formal design. The interiors included plaster ceilings and paneling. These interiors were more masculine and had oriental rugs and embroidered silk and the fireplace was the main focal point.

Jacobean Style Architecture

Jacobean Interior

I really love this photo because it shows so much detail and you can see how your attention goes to the fireplace and how that was really the focal point with this style and design. 

Current Applications:

Modern Tudor Style Architecture

Modern Jacobean Interior

Extra Resource:

I chose this video as a resource because I thought it was actually really cool how Jacobean style furniture that we might see nowadays isnt just Jacobean but it has different details from other styles as well.

Responses: 

I read over Natalie and blogs. I really loved Natalies video because I love the vidoes that do virtual tours. I think its really cool that she found a video that walks throught the building that she talked about in her blog. I also think she did a really nice job of relating her current applications. I also read Rachaels blog and I thought it was really cool how she talked about the Chippendale chair and then showed a picture of an interior with that chair being used today and also did that with the Queen Anne chair. I think that was a really interesting way of showing how those chairs are still being used but also how the design styles have changed.

French - Baroque Period

The baroque is a very atistic period which started around 1600. The word baroque refers to a “rough of imperfect pearl” which I think is very interesting. Modern usage of the word typically is used to describe works of art, craft, or design. Baroque architecture had an emphasis on bold massing and volume and void. An example of Baroque architecture is the Cathedral of Morelia Michoacan in Mexico.

Cathedral of Morelia in Mexico

In interiors, Baroque had grand monumental staircases. These staircases carried messages of power and conquest. They made a huge initial impact of any visitor with their impressive architectural design and decoration.  A famous example was the staircase of the Ambassadors at Versailles. The design of this staircase inspired many others across Europe.

Modern Applications:

YouTube Clip:

I thought this video was very informative and a good resource.

Responses:

I read over Justine and Samantha's blog. I really enjoyed reading Justine's because she talked about the same period I did but she covered different areas. I really liked her information and pictures of Palais of Versailles. I think the photo she found of the garden reall depicts what she was talking about and it was really cool. I also really enjoyed reading Samantha's blog because she covered the Rococo period and it was cool to read over something different. I really liked how she talked about the style of the wardrobes and her picture was really neat. I also really liked her current applications because the rooms were very elaborate and decorative and they were really cool to compare.