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  Postmodernism (1980s) This week we learned about Postmodernism. Postmodernism is a movement that reacted against the strict rules and simplicity of Modernism. After many years of heavy focus on function, minimalism, and logic, designers began to feel that Modernism had become too limiting. Postmodernism introduced a more expressive approach to design. Instead of rejecting the past, designers started to reuse and reinterpret historical styles in new ways. This period was also influenced by major cultural and economic changes. After the oil embargo and recession of the 1970s, the 1980s brought a shift toward consumer culture. Design became more about personal expression and less about universal rules. New technologies like personal computers and media platforms also began to influence how people lived and interacted with spaces. One of the most important ideas from this period is the rejection of the “less is more" philosophy. Designers like Robert Venturi argued that less is a bo...

After Modernism: The 60's and 70's: This week we learned about design after modernism and how it began to shift away from the strict rules of earlier modern design. After years of focusing on function and minimalism, designers started experimenting with new ideas. This period felt more playful and expressive, and it reflected cultural changes happening at the time, including pop culture, new technology, and changing lifestyles. Instead of rejecting decoration completely, designers began to reintroduce color, pattern, and personality into their work. Materials like plastic, fiberglass, and foam became more common, allowing for more creative furniture designs. Designers were no longer strictly focused on function but instead explored how design could be expressive. Furniture became more sculptural and less traditional in shape and even fun.  Favorite Examples Bubble Chair: uses transparent material to create a floating effect. It feels futuristic and playful at the same time, wh...

  Commercial Interiors & Women in Interior Design This week we talked about the role of women in interior design and commercial interiors. Commercial interiors were designed for work and public use. This includes offices, baks, corporate buildings, etc. The need for these spaces grows as cities and businesses expand throughout the years. Interior spaces like this need a lot of efficiency for productivity and communication. Women have always played a big role in interior design, but they often struggled to be recognized professionally. Over time, many female designers helped shape the industry and bring new ideas about design. One of the most important things I learned was about how space is organized in commercial interiors. Taylorism was an early system that focused on productivity and workflow. This led to the development of open-plan offices. Later, burolandschaft created more organic and collaborative offices. From the women in design lecture i learned how important figures...

This week we talked about modernism in america and how it further developed after WWII. Originally, modernism started in Europe, and it spread to the united states because a lot of architects fled during the war. This created a shift from theoretical design to more practical design. America focused more on new materials and functional everyday life. One of the most interesting parts of this period is how they used modern ideas to fit american culture. They focused on using open floor plans and connecting to nature, which led to pretty minimalist and simple designs that felt comfortable to live in. New materials and technology developed and created more room for experimentation. Popular materials included glass, steel, and concrete. Some major designers of this period were Frank Lloyd Wright, who designed fallingwater. Fallingwater is a great example of modern architecture that connects to nature. He believed strongly in organic architecture, where buildings should work with the environ...

  This week we talked about the art deco movement, along with the rise of the interior decorator. This period started because of tension between 2 groups, the functionalists and the decorators. Functionalists tend to focus on simplicity and mass production. They wanted to create designs made for everyday living. Decorators, on the other hand, focused on aesthetics. They wanted the design to be very luxurious and ornate. Out of this tension, art deco was born. Art deco leaned more towards decoration and style rather than strictly function. The movement began in france and spread to other parts of Europe. Art deco is known for being very bold and glamorous. It used geometric patterns like chevrons and stepped forms that were inspired by skyscrapers. Designers also used high-end materials such as ivory, ebony, chrome, glass, and lacquer. Unlike modernism, which tried to remove decoration, art deco embraced it. It was a central part of the design period and made it feel exciting during...

  Heroic Modernism This week we studied heroic modernism. This was a really interesting period because new technology played a big role, along with functionalism principles. After World War I, many people believed it was time to switch up design and architecture and try something new. They started to reject old historical design styles and began focusing on new materials like steel and glass. They believed that the purpose of a building should determine its form. New innovations during this time looked to machines and technology for inspiration. Skyscrapers, automobiles, trains, and photography helped influence how designers thought about space and structure. Several architects are considered important to the Modernism era, such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Walter Gropius, Mies van der Rohe, and Le Corbusier. Each of them had different design styles but focused on function, form, and materials! Favorite Examples:  Barcelona Pavilion: open space, clean lines, and luxury materials lik...