Modernism in America - Part 2

Delia Tacheny
INT 332 - History of Interiors II

Mid-Century Modernism

While the early 1900s feel historical and distant, the 1950s and 60s feel more familiar, and a lot of the architecture remains in the neighborhoods we drive by every day. As Modernism continued to evolve, the 1950s and 60s mark a period of design known as mid-century modernism. 

Mid-Century modern architecture was defined by flat roofs, angular details, and asymmetrical profiles, as well as expansive walls of glass, clean lines, and wide-open floor plans. This period was the first to use bi-level structures, and there is an attempt to meld the indoors and outdoors. The style was especially popular on the West Coast. Interiors were often warm and earthy, with trending colors such as pink, gray, turquoise, black, and yellow. When it came to furniture, easily manufactured materials such as plastics, resins, metal composites, laminates, and fiber glass became popularly used.  

Joseph Eichler (1900-1974) was a real-estate developer in California who was inspired by Wright and sought to develop a mid-century modern home for the average American. He developed tract housing subdivisions and built over 11,000 homes. He used post and beam construction, open floor plans, glass walls, and concrete floors -- low slope A-frames to no slope roofs. 

Furniture takes a prominent role during this period, which is why we are going to focus on two (three) main furniture designers of the time: Eero Saarinen and Charles + Ray Eames. 

Eero Saarinen was discussed last week for his background and architectural work; this week we are focusing on his career as a furniture designer. Eero had a very sculptural approach to furniture design, known for using sweeping curves and an abundance of glass. He often used fiberglass and aluminum and typically the colors red, orange, yellow, and white. Many of his pieces have neo-futuristic characteristics, and one of his most well-known pieces is the Tulip Chair. Eero produced furniture with Knoll -- a top manufacturer at the time, established in New York in 1938. To this day, Knoll produces office systems, furniture, textiles, and commercial accessories. 

The next most prominent furniture designing couple are Charles and Ray Eames -- him an architect and industrial designer, her an artist and film maker. Together they had great influence on the average American family, passionate about producing quality products for the masses. They were experimental in their design and development of furniture, often molding and bending plywood and other materials such as plastics, fiberglass, and aluminum frames. They also began to consider ergonomic factors of design, reflected in their pieces. Charles and Ray worked with the other top manufacturer at the time -- Herman Miller. Originally established in 1905 as "Star Furniture Company" in Zeeland, MI, it was renamed in 1960 and since then has been designing office furniture and equipment, and modern home furnishings. 

One Step Further - Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988)

Isamu Noguchi was another influential modernist during the mid-20th century, but he was also purely an influential international creative. Noguchi, born in LA was part American (mother) and part Japanese (father). For most of his childhood he lived in Japan but returned to the US for high school, and then briefly studied at Columbia University (NYC) enrolled as pre-med. However, he fell in love with sculpture in an evening class and dropped out of school to pursue sculptural work. 

Throughout his career, Noguchi was a sculptural artist, designer, and landscape architect, and traveled extensively primarily between the US, Japan, and Mexico, and Europe. "Noguchi’s work was not well-known in the United States until 1940, when he completed a large-scale sculpture symbolizing the freedom of the press, which was commissioned in 1938 for the Associated Press Building in Rockefeller Center, New York City." Furniture-wise, the Noguchi table is one is most well-known pieces and is still popular today. 

Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the backlash against Japanese Americans in the US, Noguchi also became motivated to become a political activist. 

Biography - The Noguchi Museum