Week 11: Modernism in America II

Revamped Eichler Enclave in Diamond Heights, San Fransisco
originally built in 1961.

Mid-Century modernism involved a lot of mixtures using sleek lines and organic shapes and while it really embraced the future with a lot of very futuristic looks, it didn't ditch the past totally but instead,  used new materials to reimagine and evolve some of the pieces. There was a lot of experimentation and diversity in design.

The booming economy in America after the war caused an increase in homeownership and so mid-century, modernism sought to created design and architecture that was beautifully constructed, functional, efficient and attainable.

Marshmallow Sofa by George Nelson

New materials like bent plywood, fiberglass, foam, resin, aluminum, steel, and plastic

laminates became available and their malleable nature, as well as a huge improvement in technology, made experimentation possible, leading to the creation of very creative and interesting pieces of furniture which in turn made their designers become icons. American-based modernists enjoyed the use and mass production of industrial materials and it's efficiency.

This era paid a lot of attention to human needs and ergonomic issues like human movement. It designed furniture like lounge chairs considering human movement and posture within furniture. It also caused the emergence of multipurpose and interchangeable furniture. It also resulted in the creation of the coffee table which came as a result of watching TV which had recently started being in color. At the time, Knoll and Herman Miller were the two major furniture companies at the time.

Interior of Herman Miller Showrrom in Los Angeles, 1951
redesigned by Charles and Ray Eames.

Some of the popular color schemes in the era were nature-inspired colors such as olive green, burnt umber, pumpkin, and mustard yellow as well as trendy colors such as pink, gray, turquoise, black and yellow.

As for mid-century architecture, there was a lot of minimalist aesthetic and interaction with nature (emphasis on the outdoors). It was also characterized by flat roofs, angular details, and asymmetrical profiles, open floor plans that gave room for a good flow and circulation and great spans of glass walls. 

Current Applications

Womb Chair and Tulip Side Table by Eero Saarinen
in the St. Francis Cancer Center at Millenium, Greenville, SC.

Mies-inspired Glass House built on a Tenenessee River cliff in 2013
by William Starke Shell in Knoxville, TN.

One Step Further...

Executive Armless Chair with Plastic Back

Gateway Arch at St. Louis, MO

Eero Saarinen(1910-1961) was a Finish-American architect and designer. He was born to famous parents and with his dad being an Architect and Art Director and his mom being a textile artist, he was surrounded by design his whole life. He started helping his dad design furniture and fixtures as a teenager. He met Charles Eames at the Cranbrook Academy of Art where his dad worked and they became very good friends, exploring new materials and processes creatively. Architecturally, he had a neo-futuristic internationalism style and was known for using sweeping curves and a lot of glass.

Womb Ottoman

Tulip Chairs and Tables

He designed a lot of the most recognizable Knoll pieces, including the Tulip chairs and tables, the Womb chair and the 70 series seating collection. He took a sculptural approach to furniture design and often did many full-scale iterations to find the perfect curves and proportions. He used a lot of modern materials in his furniture and colors like red, orange, yellow and white.

He didn't commit totally to one style but he used his clients needs to determine the styles of his projects. He believed " The purpose of architecture is to shelter and enhance man’s life on earth and to fulfill his belief in the nobility of his existence”.