Coming Full Circle

Community : Stewardship : Innovation : Authenticity

While architects warmed up to the idea of interior designers rising high in their own profession, there were many challenges to modernism that were to be faced. The main challenge, as it always was, was that people were used to designing things the way they had always done it. This marked a time where innovations would prevail. Among these were the many movements and ideas of Post Modernism. The Hi Tech Movement introduced steel scaffolding, office furniture, and factory flooring, all which were translated into a domestic living space. Many of the new ideas of post modernism practiced the use of various techniques and materials; such being broken slabs of concrete, cast concrete figures, waste wiring, bricks, and the use of rusty material.

With so many ways to incorporate design, much of society wanted a certain authenticity within their spaces. As many women pursued the interior design career paths, there needed to be more conveniences within the home. This caused a lot of architects and designers all over to focus on a major area that would show a great deal of importance to the role of post modernism. Charles Jencks, who was responsible for distributing this idea among a wide range of cultures, had a way of manipulating the styles of the past into his furniture designs. Authenticity would be brought to both America and Britain by the way of traditional designs that went beyond the limits of the modern movement.

For the Memphis Group of designers, inspiration came from mass culture. Furniture included bright patterns using plastic laminate and the overall design was meant for the mass consumer. Their style went on to have a huge influence in America, Japan, as well as Europe. This idea of designing for the masses gave off a feeling of community and a whole. Now everyone could have spaces that were appropriate with the era that was afoot. The post modern era was and still continues to be a time where new styles and ideas are generating and forcing people to think about reusing and conserving if not for ourselves then for the whole community.

As we take in all that was happening in the modern era, we have to consider the reactions to that. The history with its historic preservation and post modernism, the technology which we know is associated with the Hi Tech movement and deconstructionism, and lastly locality with its roots in regionalism and corbu revival. We can use all of these reactions to look back into the past and realize that the social agenda of the world has changed. With so many environmental problems arising these days, stewardship and the idea of being sustainable is something that many designers are considering as serious. Conservation, reusing, restoring, and repurposing are all ways in which designers and architects have turned to. If the idea is to see and be seen, then we also have to note that what was built in the past should be preserved and restored for future generations.

Reflection
Architects and designers alike have come a long way from Stonehenge to white boxes that unfold and the Vanna Venturi house. Along the way there have been innovations of new materials and new techniques that were pursued at all times. With materiality becoming more and readily available as times began to change, more and more people were becoming accustomed to the mass production of many items. Little did they know that they would lose touch with the authenticity of design. Entering the post modern era, it was now the time to look back and rethink that idea. While this process was going on, the fact that we were using so many materials at such a fast rate without thinking that it could ever affect us in a bad way began to take its toll on the environment. This is where stewardship kicks in and the bright light comes on. We have to learn to conserve and be sustainable so that we can continue to design and create for the future and for grow as opposed to our downfall and eventual demise.