2.2 Design theory

design influences

- cultural and social influences from the time

- major technological developments from the time

- key aspects associated with the movement/designer

- Influences on design today

arts and crafts movement

Opposed modern mass production and embraced natural forms and hand made production over machines, William Morris, CFA Voysey and Richard Norman Shaw were a major force.

key features of arts and crafts

- appreciation of the beauty of materials, such as grain patterns

- hand produced with craft skills taken from medieval Europe

art deco

Descended from Art Nouveau, this movement of the 1920s and 1930s sought to upgrade industrial design in competition with "fine art" and to work new materials into decorative patterns that could be either machined or handcrafted. Characterized by streamlined, elongated, and symmetrical design.

key features of art deco

- sunburst motifs

- ziggurat (stepped pyramids) seen usually in architecture

- simple geometric forms

modernism

evolved from art deco, symbolised by Bauhaus and DE Stijl design schools formed after WW1 the damage to infrastructure in Europe and the need to build gave the opportunity for change

bauhaus

design school founded in Germany in 1919, aiming to stay true to materials and relinquish ornamentation, focusing on the aesthetics of the manufacturing process

key features of bauhaus

- form follows function

- embracing the machine age

- geometrically pure forms

- everyday products for everyday people

form follows function

The aesthetic appearance of a product is dictated by the way it works

memphis design

A late-twentieth-century design group who challenged modernist design views

key features of Memphis design

- bold and colourful playful designs

- simplistic juxtapositions of geometric forms

- form over function

- anthropomorphism and zoomorphism (human and animal like features)

streamlining

through the development of art deco, flowing curves and smooth exteriors became more popular and seen as a sign of modernity

post modernism

a counter rebellion against the simplicity of form and purely functional nature of modernism during the 1970s and 80s

philippe starck

Playful and thought provoking design, experimented with modern materials and manufacture ( Juicy salif)

james dyson

introduced 'bag less' cleaning to homes to create the DC01 vacuum cleaner that allows for disassembly for maintenance

margaret calvert

graphic designer who developed the transport font and the standard images on UK road signs with Jock Kinneir

dieter rams

10 principles of good design, developed ornamental wooden casings to functional minimal designs in white and grey which relied heavily on material developments

10 principles of good design

* Innovative

* Useful (utility)

* Aesthetic

* Understandable (ease of use)

* Unobtrusive

* Honest

* Long-lasting

* Thorough / detailed

* Environmentally friendly

* As little design as possible

charles and ray eames

modern designers who created designs of moulded furniture in plywood or polymers

marianne brandt

Bauhaus designer, who became the head of metalwork department. She designed geometrically pure kitchenware products