Design Theory

Arts & Crafts (William Morris):

• Fitness for purpose
• Form follows function
• Honesty in design
• Aimed to be affordable
• Return to designer - craftman as a reaction against industrialism
• UK origins
• High quality products that could be handed down through generations
• Reaction to loss of traditional skills

Design style:

• Simplicity
• Natural forms and natural materials
• Flower patterns
• Showing joints/grain
• Bespoke

Art & Crafts figure - William Morris:

• Socialist
• Poet/writer/designer/innovator
• Famous for wallpapers
• Against the machine ages
• Examples of his work include the Red House

Example: The Red House

Art Nouveau (Charles Rennie Mackintosh):

• Languid lines
• Formulation of new aesthetic values for a new urban lifestyle
• French origins
• Embraced new technology of the time
• Form expressed through products function

Design style:

• Curvy 'whiplash' lines
• Stylised flowers
• Natural forms
• Languid feminine form
• Based on leaves/flowers/exotic insects/peacock feathers

Art Nouveau figure - Charles Rennie Mackintosh:

• Scottish architect and designer
• Studied at the Glasgow School of Art

Example: Glasgow School of Art

Bauhaus Modernist (Marianna Brandt):

• Functionalism
• Reducing to the most essential elements omiting decorative thrills
• Abolition of censorship
• Arts & Crafts views on form and function
• German origins

Design style:

• The machine aesthetic using modern materials
• Simple design
• Geometric forms and clean lines
• Economic use of materials
• Products for the machine age
• Everday objects for everyday people

Bauhaus Modernist figure - Marianna Brandt:

• German sculpturer/painter/photographer/designer
• Studied at Bauhaus school
• Peaked during the 1920s

Example: Wassily chair

Art Deco (Eileen Gray):

• 1925-1939
• Originated in France
• Opulent/expensive looking
• Reaction to post-war austerity
• Growth of mass production
• Mass production/machine made
• New materials/modern materials used for the first time
• Use of affordable materials

Design style:

• Colourful
• Sunbursts
• Inlays in wood
• Zig zags
• Geometric shapes
• Symmetry and repeating patterns
• Ancient Egypt/Aztec influences

Art Deco figure - Eileen Gray:

• 1878-1976
• Famous for Bibendum chair/Dragon chair

Example: Empire State building

Post Modernism (Philippe Starck):

• 1975 to present day
• All over the world it has a specific name
• "Less is a bore"
• Designs are quirky/individual/have character
• Designs have personality
• Reaction against functionality of modernism
• Controlled chaos

Design style:

• Distorted shapes
• Curvy/linear forms
• Assymetrical construction
• Expensive
• Range of materials used and used in creative ways
• Bright/colourful
• Taking ideas from the past

Post Modernism figure - Philippe Starck:

• Career started in the 1980s
• Worked for Alessi design company
• Playful designs
• Experimental design
• Created Juicy Salif

Example: Juicy Salif

Streamlining (Raymond Lowey):

• 1935 - 1955
• Started in the USA
• Consumerism and style
• New prosperity and wider consumer choice
• Celebrating speed and efficiency

Design style:

• Aerodynamic shapes
• Teardrop shape
• Futuristic inspiration
• Mass production
• New machinery used

Streamlining figure - Raymond Lowey:

• Worked on designs from 1910 - 1980
• Streamlined trains for the Pennsylvania railroad

Example: Volkswagen Beatle

Memphis (Ettore Scotsass):

• 1981 - 1988
• Originated in Italy
• Reaction to functional modernism
• Form over function
• Sometimes called 'New International Style'
• Made consumers think about design
• Didn't appeal to consumers with tradational/conservative taste

Design style:

• Silly & Eccentric
• Bold/vibrant
• Influenced by Indian/Aztec art
• 'Retro design' (Carlton bookcase has Aztec shapes)
• Distorted shapes
• Promotes use of plastic
• Avoids 'natural' materials

Memphis figure - Ettore Scotsass:

• Worked 1980 - 1990 on Memphis
• Designed before and after but in different styles
• Worked on furniture mainly
• Designed Carlton bookcase

Example: Carlton bookcase

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