ID321 FURNITURE DESIGN 2
20TH CENTURY - MODERN PERIOD
M10 1980s to 1990s: Post-Modernism and Eclecticism
Historical Background
> Mid-1980: the economies of America and most Western
European countries were booming once again. Large
amounts of disposable income were in circulation and
attractive interest rates increased the availability of credit.
> Traditional heavy industries had nearly all been replaced
by cleaner, high-tech manufacturing and the service sector,
while the major financial markets became globally
interrelated through the rapid development of advanced
communications.
> Late 1980s: The apparent triumph of capitalism, as
transmitted by the increasingly influential medium of tv,
penetrated the Eastern Bloc to dramatic effect and
contributed to the reunification of Germany and the
democratic rebirth of Poland, Romania and Czechoslovakia,
seeming marking the end of the Cold War.
> The contract furniture market became much more
competitive, while demand for domestic furnishings also
increased substantially.
>The buoyancy of the contract furniture market in the 1980s
was a direct result of the spectacular growth of businesses,
esp. those involved in marketing and finance. These firms
realized that through the decoration of their public and
office spaces they could create a corporate identity for
themselves and that the advanced furniture systems in w/c
they invested would also improve the efficiency of their
operations.
Most, avant-garde designers during the 1980s were not
interested in searching for definitive design solutions that
required a huge investment and the long-term commitment
of a manufacturer. Instead, they created furniture that they
could produce themselves or have manufactured in limited
quantities by specialized workshops using simple, labor-
intensive techniques thereby allowing the designer more
scope for flexibility.
> Post-modernism
- Its origins were primarily architectural but by the early
1980s it was influencing the decorative arts at an
international level.
- Post-modern furniture was never intended to possess the
built-in obsolescence associated w/ Pop designs.
- It was a reaction against the industrially inspired style of
High-Tech and the other supremely functional furniture
forms of the 1970s.
- Post-modern designers attempted to divorce industry from
design and drew inspiration from architecture and fine art
rather than functionalism and consumerism. In addition, it
drew inspiration from either futuristic themes or past
decorative styles.
-Surrealism and kitsch were also primary influences
-Throughout the 1980s and continuing into the 1990s, the
growing public interest in design products was fuelled by the
emergence of numerous-interiors and lifestyle magazines.
Avant-garde furniture design was increasingly in demand,
for it symbolized the spirit of the times and expressed
individualism.
-The rational use of plastics in the furniture industry may yet
prove ecologically justifiable should the necessary incentives
be provided for systems of effective recycling.
- One-off furniture refers to short ‘batch' runs of exclusive
furniture.
- Memphis – a commercial design group organized by Ettore
Sottsass in 1980; It was dedicated to challenging conventional
aesthetics w/colorful, eccentric, generally startling designs for
furniture and other objects. The name was drawn from a Bob
Dylan record of 1966,“Stuck inside of Mobile with the
Memphis Blues Again”; w/c the members of Memphis played
repeatedly at a group meeting.
-Craft Revival .- the artisan-traditions of furniture-making
rather in the manner of the l9th century Arts and Crafts
Movement. 1980’s Craft Revival turned to more figurative
forms of design, in accordance w/ the general trend of post-
modern ideology. It places function low on its list of priorities
Significant Furniture Pieces 1ST SHT
> ALESSANDRO MENDINI (b. 1931) Italian furniture
designer,
1. Ondoso table (1980) The amorphous top that was
inspired by the exaggerated free- forms of furniture from
the 1950s and, in particular, kitsch. The table intentionally
mocks the pretentions of ‘good design’ plastic,
laminated, wood, chrome -plated, metal Size:32 x
116.5 x 96 cm. (12.6 x 45.9 x 37.8 in
2. Kandissi sofa (1980) Existing biedermier sofa with
applied painted wood cut outs inspired by the shapes-and
colors in Wassily Kandinsky’s art. painted board,
leatherette, upholstery Size: 122 x 192.5 x 75 cm.
(48 x 75.8 x 29.5 in
1. 2.
>GAETANO PESCE (b. 1939) Italian furniture designer.
1. Sansone table (1980) The design alludes to Samson’s
love for the treacherous Delilah and his subsequent
vengeance: bringing down the columns of the Philistines’
temple. Pesce sees this Old Testament story as a parable
for the need to free ourselves from social, political and
economic doctrines. Mat’l. cast resin/ Molded polyester
resin with lacquer coating
Size: 30 1/8 x 76 5/8 x 47 1/4 in. (76.5 x 194.6 x 120 cm)
Manufactured by Bracciodiferro, Italy.
2. Sunset in New York sofa (1980) Fabric,
Foam, Plywood, Polyester 47.24 in.Hx88.58 in.Wx41.34 in.D
3. Delilah chair (1980) Refers to the Delilah of the Old 1. 2draw do not draw 3
Testament.Companion piece to the Sansone table.
Epoxy-coated resin finish on moulded rigid polyurethane
foam. 20.5 w x 20 d x 29.25 h

1 2 3

4 5 6

>PHLIPPE STARCK (b.1949) French architect and furniture

designer.
1, Dr. Glob chair (1988) steel backrest and polypropylene
plastic seat Size: 19"W x 18.75"D x 28.75"H
Seat Height: 18"H
2. Costes chair (1982) Starck’s best known chair design
originally designed for the Café Costes in Paris.The chair
was designed w/ 3 legs so that the waiters at the café
would trip up only half as much as is usual.
Black painted tubular steel frame. Bent plywood shell with
black lacquer or mahogany veneer finish. Black leather
fixed cushion with polyurethane foam padding. W47 D58
H80 HS47 cm
3. W.W. stool (c1991) a fantasy office environment for
German film director Wim Wenders One element of this
environment, the WW Stool. The filigrain(filigree-
delicate/fanciful) design is more a sculpture that it can be
used as a stool. It may serve as support for users who
prefer to stand rather than an item of furniture intended to
be purely functional. Material: varnished sand-cast
aluminum.
38 1/2 x 21 x 32 1/2 in. (97.8 x 53.3 x 82.6 cm).
Manufactured by Vitra, France. Underside of one leg with
molded "STARCK" facsimile signature.
4. Louis 20 chair (1992) For recycling purposes the chair has
been constructed in two sections w/c are joined w/ screws
rather than glue so that the mat'ls remain unsullied (not
spoiled) by additives. Blown polypropylene and polished
aluminum
Dimensions 33 3/16 x 18 1/2 x 21 1/2" (84.3 x 47 x 54.6
cm), seat h. 18 3/8" (46.7 cm)
5. Lord Yo (1994) Stackable armchair with aluminum frame.
Polypropylene shell suitable for outdoor and indoor use.
Dimension: H.W. 64 D. 66 H. 94,5; seat H. 45
>SHIRO KURAMATA (1934 - 91) Japanese sculptor and
furniture designer.
1.How High the Moon. (1986/87) How High the Moon"
offers a philosophical meditation on the form of the
chair. Kuramata cleverly toys wi th one of the most
iconic forms of W estern furniture, but one that is
almost unknown in traditional Japanese design. The
steel mesh, with no interior frame or support,
provides the outline of a chair without any of its
traditional structure. W hile its shap e is that of a
conventional upholstered armchair, its
dematerialized, almost transparent appearance
suggests a tension between form and function. This
effect is intensified by the reflective quality of the
steel mesh. "How High the Moon" appears almost
fragile, calling into question its ability to support the
weight of the human body and, by extension,
challenging the definition of the chair as functional
furniture. Medium: Nickel-plated steel mesh
Dimensions: H.28-1/4, W .37-3/8, D.32 in. (71.8 x
94.9
2. Miss Blanche chair (1989) A visuually delicate chair w/ its
fall of red paper roses suggesting, perhaps the frailty of love.
Kuramata combines unusual forms and mat’ls in a masterly
fashion to produce minimalistic designs that run counter to
pre- conceived notions of what furniture can look like or be
made from. Transparent resin blocks peppered with flowers
form the seat and arms
1. 2.

6. Dr. No (1996) Materials: Seat is made from smooth bath-

dyed polypropylene. Legs are anodized aluminum.
Dimensions: Overall: 32" h x 20.25" w x18.33" Seat height:
18.35" Arm height: 26
 ND
2 SHT found object's
>DANNY LANE (b. 1955) British sculptor and furniture
designer. Creates unique, one-off furniture based on his .>FRED BAIER (b.1949) British furniture designer.
intuition. He is 1. Roll Top Drop Leaf Transforming Robot Desk (1989) Also
uninterested in comfort and . utility, preferring expression called Dual Quad desk An example of Craft Revival, creating
over functionalism. furniture w/ a high degree of craftsmanship, yet designates
1. Chaise Longhi(1988) function the lowest priority. With Japanese, sci-fl kitsch
2. Oisin table (1989) reference
3. Atlas table (1988) Coffee table in 20 mm-thick curved Material birch wood, then stained and lacquered
glass with hand sculptured legs, composed of 19 single 20
mm-thick glass elements glued one on the other. Load Drop leaf open Drop leaf up
capacity on Top: 150 kg H 40 cm, L 148 cm, W 70 cm. draw do not draw
4. Solomon chair and table (1988) Stacked Glass, steel rods
DIM. 48.Hx23 Wx16 .D
5. Etruscan chair 1992

1 2

5
>TOM DIXON (b. 1959 British furniture designer.
1. Bird Chaise lounge (1990) rocking chair somewhat like a
3 bird with its tail in the air - that allows the sitter to balance on
their center of gravity or simply rock back and forth. very
comfortable and a great conversation piece, the bird has an
upholstered wooden structure with a removable external
cover available in a choice of fabrics or leathers H 89 x W
166 x D 50 cm
2. S chair (1988) Chair with dark lacquered metal frame
covered in woven marsh straw.
4
1. 2.
>ANDRE DUREUIL (b. 1951)
British furniture designer.
1. Spine chair (1988) Hand-
forged by a blacksmith in the
Dordogne region of
France.Produces furniture
only in small quantities due.
To labor-intensive production
methods Steel, waxed.
Height: 86 cm, Width: 70.5
cm, Depth: 93 cm

>RON ARAD (b. 1951) British furniture designer.

http://www.ronarad.co.uk/studio-pieces/
1. Big Easy Volume Series (1988-89) Intended to be read as
a freehand line drawing
-Volume 1 steel Size:51 x 36 x 54 in. (129.5 x 91 .4 x
137.2 cm. mirror-polished, stainless steel
2 Volume 2 for 2 sofa , 1989 Size:102 x 195 x 84
cm. (40.2 x 76.8 x 33.1 in.)
3. Rover chair (1981) Unlike Marcel Duchamp’s ‘ready made'
works of art, Arad's early salvaged and recycled Rover car-
seats transform rather than destroy the material function of
PLATE: use 2 sheets, NOTE Sht number
Copy furniture and label-name of furniture, designer, date
manufactured, materials & finish. NO COLOR
For designs belonging to a series, copy the whole series
unless labeled as “do not draw”. Distribute drawings
proportionately to paper size
DUE

1 draw 2 do not draw 3