Wednesday 15 January 2014

Context that Changed Design - Entry #30



From all the designers that I mentioned in my previous writings, Peter Behrens and Raymond Loewy were the ones that mostly impressed me, so today I’m going to write more about their remarkable work :



Peter Behrens and Raymond Loewy

 

 

The German designer Peter Behrens (1868-1940) and the French-born American industrial designer Raymond Loewy (1893-1986) were two of the most influential designers of the 20th century. 

 

From 1890, after finishing his studies, Behrens became influenced by the Jugendstil Movement and during that time, working in Munich as a painter and graphic designer, the Jugendstil style was revealed in his colourful woodcuts, illustrations and book-bindings.  In the years that followed, Behrens became one of the members of the Munich Secession, set up the United Workshops with other designers, worked on the journal Pan, gave master classes in Nuremberg and was the director of Kunstwerbeschule. 

 


Behrens’ first furniture items were designed and displayed in 1898 and between 1899 and 1903, he designed his first building in Darmstadt – the Behrens House – a “complete-art-work”.  Even the furniture and its glassware were designed for it! 




 

Wikipedia, (2013), Peter Behrens’ House [ONLINE].


 [Accessed 15 January 14]





AEG was aware that “Industrial Art” was important because in 1907 it appointed Behrens as its artistic director.  It was the first time that a company employed a designer to give advice on all aspects of design.  Behrens designed the workers’ dwellings and factories, electrical products and created a corporate identity for AEG. 


J2X Arch Forum, (2013), Kiến trúc sư Peter Behrens [ONLINE].
 [Accessed 15 January 14]

 


          a world history of art, (2013), 1173. Peter Behrens (arch.), Karl Bernhard (eng.) [ONLINE].
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To make AEG’s production methods more efficient, Behrens included components which were identical in his various electrical products’ designs. 

 

File:Behrens-watch.jpg
Wikipedia, (2013), Industrial clock designed by Behrens for AEG in 1909 [ONLINE].
 [Accessed 15 January 14]




Quintessentia, (2010), Antique AEG German Electric Fan - circa 1908 [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.quintessentia.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/a/n/antique_aeg_peter_
behrens_electric_table_fan_19245.jpg
[Accessed 15 January 14]

 

In October 1907, inspired by the British Arts and Crafts Movement, Behrens founded the Deutscher Werkbund with a few other well-known designers.  They were the pioneers of the Modern Movement and, realizing that standardization was necessary in order to industrially-manufacture high quality products as handcrafted ones, they adopted a sensible approach to design.  


11870.com, (2009), Deutscher Werkbund Yearbook 1913 [ONLINE].
 [Accessed 15 January 14]

 

That same year Behrens set up an office in Berlin and worked close to Walter Gropius (1907-1910), Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1908-1911) and Le Corbusier (1910-1911) – three great designers associated with Bauhaus and the International Style. 



 
Wikipedia, (2013), Peter Behrens around 1913 in his office in Berlin [ONLINE].


Behrens spent the remaining years of his life working on numerous architecture and industrial design projects and designing several items for well-known businessmen.  His designs were simple, down-to-earth, sensible and extremely influential to Modernism’s development. 

 


 



Raymond Loewy’s output was abundant and he revolutionized the industry by creating all sorts of products – almost everything we see around us – from cigarette packets to refrigerators …… to cars and spacecrafts.  I consider him a genius. 

 

When Loewy was fifteen he won the famous James Gordon Bennett Cup, after he designed, built and flew a toy model aeroplane.  Consequently, he studied engineering and obtained his degree in 1918.  In 1919 he went to live in America.  After working as a window dresser and a fashion illustrator, in 1929 he set up his own industrial design office. 

 

The sleek protective cover that he designed for Sigmund Gestetner’s mimeograph machine using modelling clay (a technique that he used later on to design motor vehicles), and the “less box-like” shape of his car (unlike the existing motorcars) was sort of an introduction of what Loewy was going to be renowned for – the “streamlined” forms. 

 

Loewy’s design philosophy, “Most advance, yet acceptable”, made him very successful. 

 

In 1934 Loewy streamlined a refrigerator “Coldspot” for Sears.  This was the first household appliance that was sold for its looks, rather than its functionality. 



 Riell [project:Home] , (2013), RAYMOND LOEWY [ONLINE]. Available at: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FOJE16Rxiq4/UnjMVwaMhkI/AAAAAAAAdQw/iKBV5WZgkxI/s1600/0000799.jpg
[Accessed 15 January 14]



Between 1935 and 1947 Loewy was entrusted with several big projects, including the replanning of large department stores, designing aerodynamic locomotives, remodelling coaches for Greyhound and designing his “Champion” car (preceding his “Avanti”) for Studebaker.

 


admin , (2009), The Iconic greyhound bus: [ONLINE].

 

admin , (2009), The Iconic greyhound bus: [ONLINE].



admin , (2009), In 1937 Loewy began working with the Pennsylvania Railroad, his most famous designs being their passenger locomotives. Loewy is shown below with the S1 locomotive. The S1 is an essential piece of mid-century Americana, and the perfect example of the “streamlining” design style, of which Loewy was a principal pioneer. The swept front of the train was known as the “shark nose”. [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.crowbarstudios.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/raymond-loewy-and-train-crowbar-studios.jpg [Accessed 15 January 14]



admin , (2009), The Studebaker Champion [ONLINE].

admin , (2009), From 1936 on, Loewy and associates worked with Studebaker Motors, eventually designing the 1963 Avanti, the original streamlined sketches for the Avanti are shown below. This Car was introduced in a time when people began concerning themselves with gas prices, with a small, light sports feel, the Avanti had amazing gas milage for it’s time. A used one these days, in good condition, would cost you about $15,000. [ONLINE]. Available at: http://www.crowbarstudios.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/raymond-loewy-avanti-sketch-8-crowbar-studios.jpg [Accessed 15 January 14]


[image]
MordEth, (2008), Courtesy Library of Congress [ONLINE].
 [Accessed 15 January 14]




Loewy was also famous for his corporate identity work, including the logos for Shell and BP and the repackaging of Lucky Strike Cigarettes. 


admin , (2009), Logos by Loewy Associates: [ONLINE].











admin , (2009), Logos by Loewy Associates: [ONLINE].


[Accessed 15 January 14]

White Motor Truck at WOCC
 [Accessed 15 January 14]


Raymond Loewy - Loewy Coca-Cola Designs
pinterest, (2012), Raymond Loewy - Loewy Coca-Cola Designs [ONLINE].
 [Accessed 15 January 14]














In the years that followed, together with his associates, he was engaged in several architectural projects and during the 1960s and 1970s he was a consultant to the American Government. 



 

Air Force One for John F Kennedy
    Loewy was in charge of its re-designing

SuperRadNow, (2012), Air Force One [ONLINE].


[Accessed 15 January 14]




 


Nasa Skylab (1969-1970)



Loewy was in charge of re-designing its interiors



Travisimo, (2011), Skylab concept... [ONLINE].


 [Accessed 15 January 14]









The works of Peter Behrens, who was one of the pioneers of the Modern Movement, and Raymond Loewy, who was the greatest pioneer of Streamlining, brought about changes in attitude towards design and culture and great changes to society. 

 




  Other References:









admin . 2009. Design Icon: Raymond Loewy. [ONLINE]


[Accessed 15 January 14]




Book: Fiell, C.F and P.F, 1999. Design of the 20th Century. 2nd ed. Germany: Taschen




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