2.2 History of Design Flashcards
What are the 13 Design Styles and Movements
Industrial revolution, Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveou, Art Deco, Modernism, De Styl, Bauhaus, Streamlining, Utility Products, Functionalism, Scandinavian Modern, Post Modernism, Contemporary
Why did the industrial revolution happen and what 4 things did it rely on
Great Britain was the first country to attempt to industrialise its economy. This strategy required an increased reliance upon:
Machinery (Belts, pulleys, etc )
Unskilled labour
High output and good turnover
Division of labour
Due to the demand of Victorian decorative style the mass production of products was more challenging and conflicting
Why did the Arts and Crafts Movement happen and who “lead the charge”
The Arts and Crafts Movement developed in Britain, as a reaction against growing industrialisation and its impact on design, traditional skills and the lives of ordinary people.
The designer, writer and activist, William Morris, was both a prophet and driving force for the movement. He devoted his life to the vision of an earthly paradise - by attempting to reform society through art and design.
What were some of William Morris’s goals
Morris’ goals were addressed in different ways:
Setting up guilds & workshops in contrast to factories
Employing local or regional materials and techniques
Advocating the use of handmade crafts and re-evaluating machine making
Seeking inspiration from nature and simple forms
Undertaking honest and noble labour
Looking to the past e.g. Medieval times
Being truthful to materials
Products should be “fit for purpose”
Producing products for ordinary people – domestic and functional products
What was the Art Nouveau movement, what 4 points does it follow and why did it end
Art Nouveau (New Art) was a European movement that was also visually inspired by natural forms and structures but unlike the Arts and Crafts movement, it was unrestrained by social and moral codes of practice.
Decorative and highly stylistic
Dynamic lines and forms often in a “whiplash” style
Crafted and mass-produced outcomes
Traditional and modern materials
The first world war and an increasing focus on a modern man-made world pit an end to this overly elaborate style from the Belle epoque(The beautiful era).
Why was the Arts and Crafts movement criticised
The arts and crafts movement was duly criticised for looking backwards rather than forwards, at a time for great social and technological change, and for producing products that were too “simple” for the tastes of the elite and too expensive for the ordinary person
What is Art Deco and why did it start
This seemingly modern but ‘decorative’ style sought to be sleek, elegant and even luxurious, as a reaction against the austerity suffered by France following WW1. It supplanted the Art Nouveau movement (having a somewhat increased emphasis on function over form) and drew its inspiration from Ancient Egypt and Cubist paintings, amongst other historical and cultural sources.
What 7 points does Art Deco follow
Black, silver and gold or bold colours
Exotic, scarce or expensive materials e.g. animal skins and horn, tropical timber and precious metals
Lively, repeated shapes and forms e.g. ziggurats(Stepped pyramids), chevrons (Layered arrowheads) and zig zags
Geometric ornaments e.g. squares, triangles and sweeping curves
Stylized motifs such as sunbursts and shells
Elongated and highly stylised human or animal forms
Work skilfully crafted by hand using more traditional techniques, or products that use modern materials such as steel and glass and seem more suited to mass production
Why did Art Deco end
The great depression of the 1930’s and later the outbreak of WW2, effectively drew a line under the expensive and sophisticated “fashions” of art deco
What is Modernism and why did it start
Modernism is a term which is used to define a range of movements that saw designers employing principles or rules to guide outcomes. Modernist designers had a utopian desire to create a better world, following the devastation of WWI, believing in design and technology as the key means to achieve social improvement.
What 6 points does Modernism follow
Industrial machine aesthetic
Modern materials and methods of manufacture
Rejection of stylistic features, decorative features or surface embellishments
Simplicity, minimalism and functionalism
Rejection of organic and stylised natural forms
Modular and open plan designs
What is De Styl and what 3 points does it follow
‘The Style’ was a Dutch art movement that sought to create the ideal fusion of form and function. Likeminded artists and designers employed reductionist techniques to create abstracted pieces of work.
Basic rectilinear forms and predominantly horizontal and vertical lines
Primary colours and black and white
Interplay of forms, space, colour and light
What was the Bauhaus
The Bauhaus was a German ‘school/building/idea’ (founded by Walter Gropius) where students were encouraged to experiment and construct two and three-dimensional compositions from basic geometrical units in simple, yet expressive, ways – these were later translated into objects made in the craft workshops.
The teachings and work of the bauhaus were highly influential but relatively few of the designs were commercial successes at the time.
What are the 5 points that the Bauhaus follows
The aesthetic appearance of a product is dictated by the way it works - form follows function
Simple forms that avoided ornamentation
Natural appearance of materials - Truth to materials
Influenced by the Arts & Crafts movement, communism and expressionist art
Products for the masses, hence employing machines and modern manufacturing techniques wherever possible
What is Streamlining and why did it decline
‘Streamlining’ was a style developed from Art Deco and loosely based on the scientific principles of aerodynamics. Transportation, buildings and even household products were subsequently styled ‘in motion’.
Smooth, slippery surfaces had numerous functional benefits, but the style was more often used to capture an audience’s attention and increase sales. The style gained momentum in the USA, but the British public were quite wary of a style that sought to encourage consumerism.
What are the 4 points that Streamlining follows
An industrial aesthetic with simplified contours and no obvious historical or cultural referencing
Flowing curves, shiny surfaces and teardrop forms
Modern materials - extensively metals and glass that could be cost effectively mass produced into curved forms
Limited surface decoration - lines used to emphasise movement
What are Utility Products and why did they decline
In Britain, between 1941-52, ‘Utility’ clothing, footwear and furniture were devised to make the best use of limited resources.
The scheme achieved its intention but when the war ended and as restrictions eased, people wanted new and decorative designs (people had even carved patterns into the plain furniture bought while the scheme was still running)
What are the 4 points that Utility Products follow
Items were designed to be durable and have a fitness for purpose
Items had to be economical and meet government austerity regulations
Inspired by the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement but employing industrialisation to achieve affordability
Established designs and existing manufacturing methods
What is Functionalism and what are the 3 points it follows
The Modernist principles of functionalism took centre-stage, whilst designers also sought to use new materials (e.g. formed plywood and thermoplastics) in novel ways.
Clear and purposeful
Mass production and affordability
Design was prompted by governments and through councils e.g. Council of Industrial Design set up in Britain in 1944
What is Scandinavian Modern and the 5 points it follows
A number of architects and designers of Scandinavian heritage, sought to achieve a more ‘humanised’ form of Modernism.
Organic
Connection to nature through materials, textures or forms
User centred
Harmony, unity and balance
Minimal and simplified
What is Post Modernism and the 5 points it follows
Postmodernism brought a radical freedom to design through gestures that were often funny, sometimes confrontational and occasionally absurd. Designers and architects rejected the principles of Modernism and prioritised surface over depth, style over structure and embraced the ‘low’ and the ‘kitsch’.
Radical
Humorous
Subversive
Bold
Imitations (e.g. pastiches) or combinations (eclecticism) of styles
What is the general flow of design periods
Functionalism tends to come to the fore during economic downturns, while in periods of economic prosperity, styling can flourish.
