Streamlining:
Smooth,
sleek and elegant are a few technical words that one could describe
Streamlining, this era was all about designing forms that would tend to oppose
motion. This helped increase velocity in all terms (water, air and earth) such
as automobile’s, boats and the beginning of airplanes. This kind of design had
been discovered back in the 1930’s, the true identity of this kind of style was
the use of curving smooth forms in collaboration with horizontal lines.
Characteristics
to identify Streamline design:
Use of
chrome
Smooth edges
Corner
windows
Smooth
plaster finishing
Horizontal
long lines
Teardrop
shape
Futuristic
design
Light tones
of colour
At this
moment in time there was a need for product differentiation, aesthetical
elements became important. We also need to keep in mind that at the beginning
of this era a few years had passed from the First World War this could have
influenced design and its need and purpose. Streamline clashes with the Art
Deco movement, since art deco started in the 1920’s and streamline started just
10 years after, once could notice some resemblance in terms of Characteristics
in design. Streamlining had a long period of time it was developed in the
1930’s and continued as far as the 1950’s. The profession of industrial design
had emerged and used streamlining modern to serve as American corporate
capitalism. The first streamlined design car was designed in 1934 under the
Chrysler’s brand the Chrysler’s ‘Airflow’. Apart from the attractive and
appealing style of design it was key in terms of design to produce a car that
physically works well with the resistance of opposing air force.
Apart from
focusing design only at automotive and aeroplanes, electrical components were
progressive, For example the Electrolux Vacuum cleaner, this example shows all
the characteristics within this movement, use of chrome, horizontal lines etc.
We rarely
see that streamlining goes about their design in a form following function
manner, it was a time of futuristic design and innovative curved shapes.
Critics had their own opinion on this style, they describe it as the style that
is nothing near fulfilling and not being able to design within the principle of
the respective materials. By that being said this style still adopts well to
the new materials in time, there were new plastics in the market such as vinyl,
polystyrene, Plexiglas and Bakelite and new found materials. These materials
could have been injected into mould that would easily create the identifying
smooth and sleek look to the innovative design at the time.
Bakelite
material
Kem Weber was
a streamline designer that created furniture pieces, Weber a German designer
that was well known for working with the Modernist designer Bruno Paul, Weber
was sent to America to design in the Panama- Pacific exposition, This was
around the time that the First world war broke and due to this unfortunate
event it had forced Weber to stay put in America. This lead to great and
innovative designs we know to date for example the Lounge chair that basically
typifies the nature of Streamline design.
The primary
idea behind this style and movement was to create aerodynamics to cars and
planes, human creativity in design came beyond that and they quickly started
creating decorative styles that would be identified as modernity and
progressive design. This gave a huge impact on the industrial design industry
due to its aesthetically beauty and want for differentiation. We are still
involved in this style to date Streamlining was a substance that increased the
rate of chemical production with the use of newly found materials at the time.
By that being said this movement was an iconic one that had purely typified
that humans and design itself will change and this brings creativity and could
also serve for a specific function.
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