Bucket List Peer Review

I thought Tiziri's post was very informative. She gave a lot of great information on Dubai and it's background, which really enhanced what she said about the buildings. She also included a lot of great images.


I also liked Holli's post, which was also on Dubai. She included lots of great background info on the Burj Al Arab building, which just highlighted how impressive of a structure it is.

Bucket List

The presentations this week highlighted architectural structures around the world and the various styles they displayed. It was very interesting to learn about different countries and their accomplishments in design. One of the most interesting buildings was Burj Al Arab in Dubai. This building was constructed in 1999 and is the only 7 star hotel in the world. Dubai's recent expansion and total reconstruction of the city has resulted in some astonishing buildings and Burj Al Arab is a prime example.

The Copenhagen Opera House in Denmark was another impressive building. It was built in 2004 in Copenhagen and features a 24 carat gold leaf ceiling, as well as materials like limestone and marble.

I was also impressed by the buildings in Mexico, particularly the Museo Soumaya in Mexico City. This building was completed in 1994 and really showcases the unique designs seen in that city.

Mid-Century Modernism Peer Review

Riann's post included a lot of great examples of the furniture that came from this period. I also liked the video on Eero Saarinen, which had a lot of interesting photos of his work.

Scott also included a great video on the Eames Lounge Chair that shows its complex manufacturing process. I also thought he did a great job explaining the key characteristics of the Mid-Century Modernism style.

Mid-Century Modernism

Mid-Century Modernism became prevalent from 1950-1960, particularly on the West Coast. It featured warm, earthy tones mixed with trendy colors like turquoise. The use of materials like plastic, resin, metal composites, laminates, and fiberglass allowed unique and creative designs to be created.

One famous designer from this period was Joseph Eichler, a real estate developer from California. He was inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright and developed tract housing subdivisions for average American families. His designs featured post and beam construction, open floor plans, glass walls, concrete floors, and low slope, no slope, or A-frame roofs.

The furniture of this time was developed by designers like Eero Saarinen, Charles & Ray Eames, George Nelson, and Isamu Noguchi. Eero Saarinen was a Finnish-American architect and industrial designer who worked with Knoll to create pieces like the Tulip Chair. He also worked with Charles & Ray Eames, a married couple responsible for many of the most iconic furniture of this time.

Current Examples

Also, check out this video on the development of the Mid-Century Modernism style:

Herman Miller Peer Review

Paige did a really good job on her post of including some key events in Herman Miller's history. I also liked that she included the bee story as this was fun and showed the company's commitment to sustainability and finding natural solutions to deal with problems.

I enjoyed Rachael's post as well. I liked that she included the description of Herman Miller's current offices and their commitment to their employees rather than just focusing on the history of the company.

Herman Miller

Herman Miller was founded in 1906 under its original name, the Michigan Star Furniture Company, working in residential furniture. They hired DJ De Pree, who eventually became president and bought the company. He renamed it Herman Miller in honor of his father-in-law who gave him the money to buy the company. The company remained in residential design until the Great Depression when it began to struggle.

They contacted modernist Gilbert Rhode to helped reform the look of the company. They unveiled their first line of modern furniture in 1933 at the Century of Progress Exhibit. The company later hired George Nelson who created many pieces as well as their famous logo. Two of the most famous designers who worked with Herman Miller were Ray and Charles Eames, an eccentric couple who created avant garde work. Charles Eames even worked with the military to create a portable, lightweight, strong leg splint using bent wood technology.

Other designers that have worked with Herman Miller include Alexander Girard, a fabric designer, Robert Propst, the researcher who developed the action office system, and Bill Stumpf, who is responsible for the famous Aeron chair. Herman Miller continues to grow and develop innovative pieces in the world of design and currently owns companies like Geicer, Nemschoff, Maharem, and Design Within Reach.

Current Examples:

Also, check out this video about Herman Miller:

Art Deco Peer Review

I though Holli did a great job explaining some of the major characteristics of the Art Deco period. She also included an interesting video that showed a lot of great pictures of Art Deco spaces.


Katie also included a great video on Art Deco buildings and art. She also used some great images for her own examples of original and current Art Deco furniture.

Art Deco

The Art Deco style began in the 1920s as a response to the tension between functionalism and technology vs. modernism. This style broke away from these two sides of design to create a movement that was highly decorative and fashion oriented. The style featured chevron and zigzag shapes, folding screens, mirrors, prominent light fixtures, and skyscraper inspired furniture. The materials used were rich and luxurious, including ebony, zebrawood, ivory, tortoise shell, leather, polished metals, and glass.

One prominent figure of the Art Deco movement was Jean Dunand, a furniture designer who introduced the more geometric forms that became popular during this period. Jean Michael Frank was another influential designer who became known for minimalist interiors and his use of luxury materials like shagreen, mica, and straw marquetry.

Eileen Gray was also very influential in the Art Deco period. Her career began in lacquer before WWI, but moved to designing screens and furniture after the end of the war. Her furniture was known for being highly original, ingenious, and displaying cubist characteristics.

Current Examples

Also, check out this video on the history of Art Deco:



Emerging Modernism Peer Review

I enjoyed the images that Hailey A used for her post. She included a lot of images that really showed what the early works of Modernism looked like and the impact of Mies van der Rohe's work.


I also felt that Happy did a great job on her blog post. She included a video about Marcel Beuer that was very informative and had some great images.

Modernism: International Style

The Emergence of Modernism began at the turn of the 20th century and lasTed through the 1950s. Pioneer architects and designers like Frank Lloyd Wright, Walter Gropius, Ludwig Mies Van De Rohe, and Le Corbusier led this movement that changed the face of design.

One of the major styles that arose as part of the Modernist Movement was the International Style in the 1920s and 1930s. This style was based on three princpIiples: expression of volume rather than mass, emphasis on balance rather than preconceived symmetry, and the expulsion of applied ornament. 

These principles helped the International Style develop its signature characteristics, including radical simplification of form, rejection of ornamentation, and transparency of buildings. They also focused on construction, embraced industrialized mass-production techniques, and used materials like concrete, steel, and glass.


Modern Examples

Frank Lloyd Wright Peer Review

I enjoyed Emma's post on Frank Lloyd Wright and her summary of his work. I thought she did a great job of highlighting the importance of his influence and the impact that he had.


I also liked Haley H.'s post. She gave a great history of Wright's career and her images of modern examples gave a very clear demonstration of how his designs are still being used today.

Frank Lloyd Wright

Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the early, and most influential, contributors to Modernism. He worked to develop and "American" style rather than just emulating the styles of other countries, as we had done previously. During his career, he designed over 1,000 structures and completed 532 works. The majority of his work was residential, but he did complete a few commercial projects as well.

The style that Wright is most well-known for is the Prairie Style. This style emulated the vast, flat landscapes in the prairies of the Midwest. Some of these Prairie homes include the Robie House, the Martin House, and the Dana-Thomas House. These homes featured the characteristic hipped roof, strong horizontal profile, and features that integrated the exterior with its surroundings.

Wright's designs went beyond the actual structure of the building. He was known for including the designs for the lighting fixtures, furniture, and stained glass windows. These designs focused on the family and worked to create environments that were functional for their purpose.

Current Examples:

Also, check out this video on Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater:



Protomodernism Peer Review

I really enjoyed the images that Angie used in her Protomodernism post. I thought she chose great pictures to illustrate this style and you could clearly tell that they were Protomodernist.


I also thought Ashley's post included a lot of great information. I thought her inclusion of Gustav Klimt's work was a great choice as it showed the impact that this period had on the art world in addition to architecture and design.

Protomodernism

The Protomodernism movement developed in the 1890s in countries like Germany and Austria. It was founded in Munich. The Deutscher Wekbund movement was created in protest of the artistic establishment and shared many similarities with the Arts and Crafts movement. However, unlike the Arts and Crafts movement, the Deutcher Werkbund movement supported the use of machine and mass production.

The Vienne Secession movement resulted from world wide advances in art, history, psychology, and philosophy. This style took an interest in culture and design, bringing style to basic household objects. Those who followed this style withdrew from traditional academic and historical architecture and design.

One of the most prominent figures from the Protomodernist movement was Josef Hoffman. He was an architect and designer who participated in the Vienna Secession and was known for his work in furniture, textiles, glass, and metal. He created many well known furniture pieces like the Morris Chair, the Armloffel Chair, and the Club Chair. He also designed the Palais Stoclet in Brussels, which established a new approach to residential design. This home included designs for the structure as well as the interiors and furniture.

Current Examples:

Art Nouveau Peer Review

I thought Amanda M. did a great job summarizing the Art Nouveau period. She also used really good pictures to demonstrate how this design style looks.

I also like Amanda V.'s post. She had some really beautiful pictures and I thought her modern examples of Art Nouveau were especially good at showing how this style can be incorporated into today's designs.

Art Nouveau

The Art Nouveau style developed during the end of the 19th century, lasting from 1890-1910. It featured nature-inspired designs that incorporated elements like birds, vines, flowers, and insects. Belgium and France lead the movement, with the name Art Nouveau actually being derived from a shop in France. The style embodied a very modern feel as it used materials like iron and glass, was created with modern industrial techniques, and used electric lighting.

The work of Victor Horta, a Belgian architect, designer, and teacher, made him the most influential designer of the period. He was known for his unique iron railings and hardware, stenciled walls and ceilings, and mosaic tile patterns on the walls, ceilings, and floors.

Henry Van de Velde was another famous designer from this period who actually began his career as a painter. He designed his own home including the furniture, table silver, and cookware. The furniture he designed served as more than just decorative as he managed to make them both sculptural and ergonomic.

Current Examples

Also, check out this video on some of the works of Victor Horta:

Arts and Crafts Movement Peer Review

I really enjoyed Alicia's post about the Art Nouveau style. Art Nouveau is one of my favorite styles, so I really like seeing the photos she found and reading about its history.


Allysia's post offered a really great summary of the Arts and Crafts period. She highlighted the main aspects of this movement and used photos that provided good examples of this look.

Arts and Crafts Movement

The Arts and Crafts Movement began in 1860 as a response to the Victorian Period. Victorian design had featured mass-produced, cheaply made products, leading to dissatisfaction as people realized the need for quality designs. The focus of the Arts and Crafts movement was simple, well-made furniture and architecture that was functional, as opposed to the uncomfortable, cluttered, and dysfunctional Victorian style.



One of the most prominent figures of this time was William Morris. Morris is credited as being the founder of  the Arts and Crafts Movement after being influenced by the writings of Ruskin. He inspired the formation of craft guilds and established his own company, Morris, Marshall, & Faulkner. Their work focused on church decoration, stained glass, textiles, and furniture. The company is perhaps best known for the Morris Chair, designed by Philip Webb. It featured a solid wood frame with a simple, honest construction, loose cushions for the seat and back, and could be reclined. The style was vastly popular has been widely copied, even today.

The later period of the Arts and Crafts Movement saw the rise of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, a Scottish architect and designer. He started in the Arts and Crafts base, but grew more towards the Art Nouveau style. He was known for his unusual furniture and details, as well as exaggerated proportions. These styles helped usher in the Art Nouveau style that would follow Arts and Crafts.

Current Examples:

American Period Peer Review

The video that Emma posted was a really interesting look into the work of the Shaker women and how they maintained their community. It provided a lot of good information on their responsibilities and roles.

I really liked the photos that Shannon included in her post, especially in her modern examples. She provided a lot of photos, and I think they really showed the quintessential characteristics of the American period design.

American Period

The American period of design incorporated a lot of changes in design. There was a renewed interest in Ancient Rome and Greece, which brought about the Neoclassical style called Federal. Buildings from the Federal style, such as Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, featured pillars, domes, lyre motifs. These references to the strength and longevity seen in Greece and Rome that our new country hoped to find.

Another style seen during the American period was Shaker. The Shakers were a branch of the Quaker group and greatly valued political and religious freedom, as well as hard work and discipline. Part of these beliefs led them to create duplicates of most things in order to keep separation between men and women. They also created clean and simple furniture and homes that displaced superb craftsmanship.

Perhaps the most well known style from the American period is the Victorian style. Named after Queen Victoria, this style focused on the elaborate, romantic, and emotional aspects of design that were prevalent in England from 1837-1901 and was greatly influenced by the Gothic and Romanesque periods. Interiors featured dark, heavily carved wood, heavy drapery, and stained glass. Homes were often brightly colored on the outside and included many smaller rooms inside. There was a very distinct separation of classes, with homes creating a back area for servants and front area for visitors, as well at two staircases to keep them separate.

Current Examples

A modern Victorian style living room

A kitchen featuring Shaker style cabinets

Modern chairs that have show a clear Victorian influence

Check out this video on the architecture and design of Monticello: