Scandinavian design
Characteristics:
1. No Wall To Wall Carpets
Carpet has
never been a popular thing in Scandinavian style. Instead, wood flooring
is often used throughout homes and is sometimes softened with rugs or
sheepskins.
2. Light, Muted Colours
Because the
winters are so long and dark, Scandinavian interiors are typically painted
white to help keep spaces bright. When colours are used they’re kept soft and
understated to keep the entire space feeling cohesive, uniform, and bright.
3. Wood
Whether it’s
on the floor, on the walls, used to make cupboards or toys, Scandinavian design
includes a lot of wood. But not just any wood will do. In keeping with their
light theme, the woods used in Scandinavian design are usually light woods,
like beech, ash, and pine.
4. Clean Lines
There isn’t
a lot of ornate or excessive detailing found in Scandinavian design. Modern,
clean lined, solid pieces are much more common, and are a defining feature of
the Scandinavian design style.
5. Decluttered Spaces
Traditionally,
many Scandinavian homes were very small and didn’t allow for excessive amounts
of stuff. While homes are being built larger now and there’s more room for
things, the idea of keeping a space free of clutter and mess has remained an
important aspect of Scandinavian design.
6. Simple Accents
Related to
keeping a space clutter free is the idea of owning less to begin with. Decor is
kept to a minimum in Scandinavian design. Bare walls and empty spaces are not
shied away from.
7. Maximize Natural Light
Because it’s
dark so much of the year in Scandinavian countries, natural light is an
important thing to try and maximize. If any window treatments are used at all,
sheer or translucent ones are favoured to let in as much light as possible.
Cultural Significance
Scandinavian
design is a design movement characterized by simplicity,
minimalism and functionality that emerged in the 1950s in the five Nordic
countries of Finland, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Denmark.
... Scandinavian design often makes use of form-pressed wood, plastics
or pressed steel
Northern
Europe: Denmark, Sweden, Norway. Design from there is described by many as
being fairly minimalist, with clean simple lines. Highly functional, the style
is effective without needing heavy elements; only what is needed is used.
The subtle decorative qualities stemming from the early-20th century art
movements and the simple lines deriving from the inter-war art movements gave
this style its elegance
Example of Scandinavian product
design:
Poul Henningsen’s distinctive lamp designs were well thought out. He
looked for solutions to spread the light of a bulb as widely as possible
without the glare being visible. It’s a good example of Scandinavian design:
the beauty of the elegant smooth lines doesn’t prevent the lamp from performing
its function exactly as it was designed to do.
Materials
and techniques:
In this
movement there was an evident ideology to humanize interiors with natural
materials such as wood, leather and hemp, Natural tones such as using light
colours help with this idea of humanizing the interior spaces.
Secondary Source
Fire place typically found in the
corner
Mix of traditional and modern
elements
Minimal decoration
Simple light colour palette
Cool white tone
Contrast between walls and interior
décor
Serene Interior
Primary source
Location:
Safi, Malta
Year: 2012
Minimalist
house located in Safi
Interpreted
from modernist forms
Opening up
into internal courtyards and light-filled living spaces.
Raw
concrete, perforated steel, white walls and warm plywood
Organic design 1930-60 (1990-)
Characteristics
Mild, smooth
lines and sometimes sculptural forms
Holistic
design (sense of relaxation)
Organic
forms, with use of both organic and natural materials for moulding
Inspired
from natural forms
Projects
meet, social, physical and spiritual needs
The belief
that a building should appear to grow easily from its site
Choosing one
dominant form for a building and integrating that form throughout
Using
natural colors: “Go into the woods and field for color schemes”
Revealing
the nature of materials
Opening up
spaces
Providing a
place for natural foliage.
Cultural/ Social significance
This style
is so influencing to us that we still produce it today.
As a design
principle, organic design is not restricted to a specific style. It can be
found in traditional but also in high-tech or minimalist styles.
Creates a
sense of emotional expression
Today,
futuristic buildings by architects like Frank O. Gehry, Zaha Hadid or Peter
Cook (Kunsthaus Graz) increasingly showcase organic design elements
Today:
Now we realize
that our culture in Design and Art today is seriously involved with city life
and the human condition, negotiating the mechanical structures we built in the
space of our cities and in our mental concepts. We are still building our
environments with boxes and overlooking the possibilities to be more sensitive
to our organic nature and our need for inspiration
Materials used:
Primary sources:
Plate
Pavilion at The Malta Design Week
Irina
Miodragovic Vella (University of Malta), Steve DeMicoli (DeMicoli &
Associates, dfab.studio) and Toni Kontik (ETH Zurich) combined design forces to create a one-of-a kind,
awe-inducing pavilion for the 2014 Malta Design Week. The wide, parabolic vault
is made out of 413 plywood panels connected through an interlocking system.
Due to its connected nature, each panel supports and is
supported by its neighbouring panels. Because of that, no fixings or other
falsework were needed during construction. As a result, the same forces
that would bring the structure down are used to keep it up.
Under the style of organic design but its structure is made
out of geometric forms, and transforming to a whole organic shape is truly
amazing.
Creating a sense of flow and movement
Using natural materials.
The pavilion is a contemporary reinterpretation of a
historical masonry structure. The material is distributed along the flow of
forces, with the spaces in between panels becoming a location for the
modulation of light and wind. It becomes an instance of historic architecture
becoming embraced by modern technologies, where a design’s functionality goes
beyond its initial requirements.
Secondary source:
Organic style meets Ergonomic
furniture.
They avoid cookie-cutter solutions and seek out personalized
responses to every challenge they face. And fabrication techniques to create
structures that prevent wastefulness during construction
The finished project shows the pavilion creates a
differentiated space that provides privacy and comfort on a bustling show floor
while simultaneously promoting the power of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) as
an interior design material.
BarriosEscudero created the pavilion by modulating
standard-sized pieces of MDF using an industrial-grade, 5-axis CNC router.
Characteristics
Functionality
is important, as form follows function
Uncluttered
and sleek lines with both organic and geometric forms
Minimal
ornamentation
An
exploration of different traditional as well as non-traditional materials
Juxtaposition
of different, and sometimes contrasting materials
Colours and materials
Plastic,
Metal, Glass, Vinyl, Plywood, Plexiglas and Lucite.
Colours:
Natural Bold, Graphic use of black and white
The Cultural significance of the
style in relation to both past and present:
This was a
style that started in America and was highly influenced by the Bauhaus which
started in Germany and the International style which grew from the Bauhaus
itself but was established in America. Although being developed as a movement
under post war times this brought opportunities with many Bauhaus and
International style designers that emigrated from Germany to America. The
demand, need and want changes after word war along with new technologies and
economies, cities were expanding in the USA and there was a demand for modern
furnishings. Example Eichler homes built in California by Josef Eichler. This
lead to creating new possible texture, colours and even new forms that was only
possible due to previous styles and events.
Foreign Designers
George
Nelson
Edward
Wormley
Eero
Saarinen
Harry
Bertoia
Arne
Jacobsen
Charles
Eames and his wife Ray Eames
Eileen Gray
Isamu Noguchi
Verner
Panton
Jens Risom
Alexander
Girard
Retailers to find this style:
Herman
Miller
Knoll
Vitra
Design
Within Reach or DWR
2Modern
Room and
Board
Crate and
Barrel
Restoration
Hardware
How to Furnish in Mid-Century Modern
Style
As with any period,
do not feel a compulsion to create a replica of those times. You can, if you
feel compelled, but a lot of homeowners just starting out feel intimidated when
tackling a style they love. It can also prove to be very expensive to get
authentic pieces, even though many are still being made or have been revived
due to demand.
Understand
the distinguishing features of the style, and find pieces that echo that.
Iconic pieces from this era have been adapted and copied endlessly, and chances
are that you might be able to find pieces that fit your lifestyle needs and
budget, even if you don't want to spend a fortune on furniture.
Buying
vintage furniture is one way to do it, and even if you decide to buy new,
generally one large piece can set the tone nicely.
Build around
it. It does not have to be a set, but avoid too many patterns and stay within a
colour range, especially for wood.
Secondary sources:
Eichler-inspired home in California
Enter
through simple planes of stacked stone and white stucco below street level to
reveal the roomy, open spaces that are progressively revealed as one flows
through the Modern Atrium House
The large, green, landscaped yard and Japanese garden-inspired atrium are
visible through two large walls of glass. Rectangular in plan, the residence
encompasses 1,953 square feet (181 square metres) and contains three bedrooms
and an office. The centre of the dwelling is topped with gabled roofs supported
by wooden beams. Throughout the home, the team used walnut millwork to offset white
walls, and grey porcelain tiles to draw connections to concrete floor slabs. The continuity of materials and space
enhances the sense of flow. Floor-to-ceiling
glass enables natural light to fill the interior and provides a strong
connection to the outdoors.
American studio MW Works has knocked down walls and added
glazing in a 1960s Seattle home, to create a more open layout and
strengthen the connection between inside and out.
The mid-century modern Laurelhurst Residence was originally
designed in 1961 by the late Seattle architect Ibsen Nelsen.
Materials used:
Wood, concrete, stone and glass
Quote by MW Works
"The layout of the home was very well considered, but
the character and flow between spaces wasn't a good fit for the daily patterns
of the new owners, the design task was to renovate the home while respecting
its soul and extending its lifespan."
The idea behind this
style is to connect interiors with outdoors in every aspect, both location and
natural materials used.
Through limited structural modifications, the team was able
to open up the kitchen, providing seamless transitions to the dining and living
rooms, as well as the backyard.
Primary:
Valletta, Mid Century modern inspired
interior
This is a
completely renovated flat situated on the first floor of a post-war building
with high ceilings and mid-century modern inspired furnishings. The whole space
consists of a huge open plan kitchen / living / dining, one queen size bedroom
and a bathroom with rain shower.
The dining
area features an extendable 8 person wooden table with Charles and Ray Eames
dining chairs.
Hamrun Town House
Emerging
between the 1920’s-30 this style was a symbol for modern architecture and
design. After World War 2 this style was very important in terms of urban
growth, this lead to creating and making the upmost of spaces within the city.
Prominent materials:
Glass
Steel
Reinforced
concrete
Other word for International style:
Modern
movement
Advantages this style brought:
Design that
looked into the future
Transparent
society
Different
design Volume not mass
Based on
balance not symmetry
Movement
that was based on strict rules
Contrast to
previous movements
Developing
new techniques and materials
Disadvantages:
People were
hard on accepting it
Style
brought urban growth (anti-civil areas were becoming populated)
Use of less
in material, design, colour and products
It was an
industrializing period
Obsolete
design (use of minimalistic features)
Designers under the name of
international style:
Le Corbusier
Mies van der
Roche
Walter
Gropius
Otto Haesler
Marcel
Breuer
Ray and
Charles Eames
Malta:
Richard England (Manikata Church)
Salvu Ellul
(Villino Ellul late 1920’s)
Gustavo
Vincenti
Silvio
Mercieca
Alberto
Laferla
Other
designers to mention: Joseph Spiteri, Richard England, Carmelo Falzon, Renato
Laferla.
Example in Malta of International
style:
Manikata
church
(Similar to Guggenheim,
Frank Lloyd Wright)
(Guggenheim,
Frank Lloyd Wright)
Ex-White
Rocks complex
(A similar
design to the massive Le Corbusier cité radieuse marseille)
Le Corbusier
cité radieuse marseille
Characteristics of the International
style:
Straight
lines creating and illusion of motion
Firm plane
surfaces with light tones
Making the
most of interior spaces (open plans)
Beam like
structures
Flat roof
garages
Building
symmetry
No ornament
The Cultural significance of the
style in relation to both past and present:
This style
(born 1920’s) was evolved directly from the Bauhaus, the prime examples of this
style are shown between the 1930-50’s to see what is the real significance of
the style. This style lead to the opening of Circa, a school that practiced
design principles under the mentioned style. In Europe, this style was well
known for residential design, as for in the United states it was less commonly
used for houses. Tody we can see
skyscrapers that use the same materials and techniques and form as the
International style.
Prominent materials:
Glass
Glass Had
evolved a lot throughout history but in the peak of the International style Sir Alastair Pilkington
introduced a float glass production which 90% of glass is still being produced
using this method. Through
history we saw a lot of movements the production of this later discovered
method was only possible due to the Industrial revolution period where one saw
allots of advanced mechanism at the time
Steel (they used steel for frame
construction as a building method)
This
material was still being used in the same manner as done with previous
buildings, they gave it more importance with the visibility of the material.
Reinforced concrete (concrete in which metal bars or
wire is embedded to increase its tensile strength.)
Comparing Primary and secondary:
Le Corbusier
cité radieuse Marseille and Ex-
White Rocks (was one of the last British construction projects in Malta.)
building have a lot in common in terms of architecture, this style was well
known for the use of glass in the façade and horizontal lines that create
motion. Both structures show this representation that directs you to the
International style.
Le Corbusier
had designed this building specifically for one reason, to make the maximum of
the given space to host as much citizens as possible. Le Corbusier believed the
tower block was the solution for rehousing the masses that had been displaced during
the second world war, and that high-rise building could be used to create
spacious ‘city homes’
Although
both the white rocks and the cite radieuse are have that similarity in
aesthetical form, the Manikata church and Guggenheim museum have a very different
approach towards this style, there are still a interpretation of glass in the
façades and horizontal lines that create motion but instead of a block like
form in the Manikata and Guggenheim structures we can evidently see smooth
continues surfaces that create an illusion of smooth and place façade.
The
Manikata’s design was so highly regarded that it featured twice in the
prestigious Architectural Review soon after completion.
Villino
Ellul designed by architect Salvu Ellul in Ta’ Xbiex, dates to the late 1920s is
a pioneering example. Architects such as Gustavo Vincenti, Silvio Mercieca and
Alberto Laferla were some of the more prominent exponents in this movement,
shifting from art deco to modernism.
Bibliography:
