Task 2 - Modern - Ray and Charles Eames

Ray and Charles Eames are famous for their contribution in design. We are still using their innovative and new approach that they took in different areas of design. One of the development that the Eames did in their period of work was the new approach of bending wood for furniture.

Leg splints manufacture from Bent Plywood for the U.S Navy by Charles and Ray Eames

One leap forward in material was the experimentation in wood bending. In 1942 the Eames designed and developed  splints for injured soldiers of the U.S Navy which was a piece of bent wood to hold injured legs and amputees of soldiers injured during battle. An estimate of 150,000 units were made.

A year before America suffered the famous Pearl Harbour attack, This attack on the American naval base made America to enter in the World War II. In response the Americans developed and designed a nuclear bomb to attack Japan. An attack which costed the lives of  70,000 lives from a population of 350,000 in Hiroshima and other 70,000 people died from effects of the bomb within 5 years. 40 % of Nagasaki was destroyed by the bomb and leaving approximately 70,000 people dead from a population of 270,00.

The destruction left by the nuclear bomb in Japan

In America historians say that eventually The Great Depression was ended by World War II. The end of The great depression was marked by the rise in GDP and decrease of unemployment as shown by statistics. The decrease in unemployment was the result of sending American young men to fight the war and the rise in production of military related equipment and object increased jobs and sales. But in my opinion the standard of living was still not the best as a result of the ongoing war.

War plane factory in production during World War II

An invention which was introduced in the 1940's was the computer. This invention was one of the new inventions that actually was going to improve the work of a designer. Today apart from the use of computer in everyday life from work to social network, In the work of a designer today the use of computer is a key element in the design process. Computer today is an important tool as for example working drawings are produced with computer aided design softwares which for example much more simple to revise the drawing in contrasting to the previous years when drawings were produced by hand.

First computer

Modern Computer

 Although today in design we use computer for our work, The use of hand drawing are still in use as the first hand sketching illustrates the first glimpse of the project. the computer that was invented in 1948 were the primitive, but by far it was one of the invention which revolutionised the world.

Hand Drawing Produced by the Eames

Computer Generated Drawing produced by Architect Renzo Piano

An architect which in my opinion produce work similar to the work of the Eames when it comes to architecture is Renzo Piano. Some of his work contain characteristics which compliments the characteristics of work produced by Eames. Some of the work produced by Renzo piano such as the new wing of the Art Institute of Chicago. The use of geometrical shapes are commonly found in both architect's work. The use of vertical stilts are even a similar characteristics found in their work. The use of vertical lines is was even commonly used in the work of Art deco and the use of vertical stilts which support the building for more interior space was introduced in the International Style by architects such as Walter Gropius. The designer who was the founder and director of Bauhaus before it was closed down in Germany by the Nazi. Gropius later joined the International Style Movement.

Building Designed by Ray and Charles Eames

Bauhaus building by Walter Gropius

The Art Institute in Chicago Designed by Renzo Piano

Reference:

What Ended the Great Depression? : The Freeman : Foundation for Economic Education. 2014. What Ended the Great Depression? : The Freeman : Foundation for Economic Education. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.fee.org/the_freeman/detail/what-ended-the-great-depression#axzz2pkssXz6y. [Accessed 07 January 2014].

The Great Depression Was Ended by the End of World War II, Not the Start of It - Forbes. 2014. The Great Depression Was Ended by the End of World War II, Not the Start of It - Forbes. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterferrara/2013/11/30/the-great-depression-was-ended-by-the-end-of-world-war-ii-not-the-start-of-it/. [Accessed 07 January 2014].

Architecture Review - Renzo Piano Embraces Chicago - NYTimes.com. 2014.Architecture Review - Renzo Piano Embraces Chicago - NYTimes.com. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/arts/design/14muse.html?_r=0. [Accessed 07 January 

2014].

walter gropius theory and international style. 2014. walter gropius theory and international style. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.slideshare.net/4kks/walter-gropius-theory-and-international-style. [Accessed 07 January 2014].

Eames. 2013. Eames House. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.eameshouse250.org/timeline.html. [Accessed 30 November 13].