We begin a new series of articles dedicated to significant personalities in the field of design and architecture that are not specially well known. This first article is dedicated to two of the women who worked at the modern furniture firm Herman Miller, Tomoko Miho and Barbara Loveland. In the work of spreading their legacy, archivist Amy Auscherman and Hall of femmes's … [Read more...]
Nostalgia, cinema and architecture in the shopping mall
The shopping mall stand as a 20th century icon. Because of this, film and tv have portrayed them multiple times. In Stranger Things' third season, shopping life in an ordinary town known as Hawkins has been radically transformed by the novel and radiant shopping centre. One of the scenes in the show involves one of the protagonists' mother talking to the sheriff at the local … [Read more...]
Five modern outdoor chairs that have become a classic
Ergonomics, lightness, vibrant colours. Combining industrial materials such as steel or vinyl with natural elements such as wicker or rattan characterise these five outstanding mid-century outdoor chairs perfect for the garden or the pool. Diamond Chair by Harry Bertoia, 1952 Harry Bertoia's Diamond chair is a mid-century classic. Modern steel combines with organic forms to … [Read more...]
Architecture and the automobile, between utopia and dystopia
This article explores the relationship between architecture and the automobile based on the literature and urban theory of the second half of the 20th century. In April 1957, Jack Kerouac spent 20 days writing relentlessly about a trio of travelers hitchhiking across the United States aboard Cadillacs, Chevys and trucks. Inspired by his own travels, Kerouac wrote On the Road … [Read more...]
Revisions of the modern kitchen. Italian radical design and German good design
In the last blog article, we examined the emergence of the modern kitchen. In the seventies and eighties, two cultural events contributed to the current understanding of the cooking space. We address them in the following post: kitchen as possibility and the kitchen for cooking. During the first half of the 20th century, the fundamental concepts of modern domestic space … [Read more...]
Designing the modern kitchen. The transformation of the kitchen in the 20th century
The kitchen is one of the most complex spaces in the house. Heart and machine of the house, it has been the testing space of modernity and a reflection of consumer society, in the form of appliances, utensils, colours and shapes. It has also been a mirror of the daily habits and cultural patterns. This article travels along two important moments in the history of the modern … [Read more...]
The Museum, Heritage and territorial identity II. The Museum of Modern Art
Between Spain and Kuwait. The influence of Modernity The idea of a museum of modern art in 20th-century Spain, and the possibility of an equally modern architecture to house it, was a project that was advanced and frustrated, time after time, until the arrival of the current democratic period. The institution of the Museum of Modern Art in Spain dates back to 1894, as shown … [Read more...]
The Museum, Heritage and territorial identity I. Kuwait National Museum
Between Spain and Kuwait. The influence of Modernity Kuwait's independence from Great Britain in 1961 meant imagining a new idea of State, one of a modern country. This was reflected in Kuwait's new architecture and urbanism, as well as in the construction of an official memory of its land and society. An important element conceived for this purpose was the Kuwait National … [Read more...]
Architecture Atlas. The greenhouse: architecture and desire
A greenhouse is one of the most striking elements in a garden. During the 19th century they became very fashionable: wealthy households were keen to incorporate one of them into their architecture. Maybe this is because greenhouses represent more than anything else the idea of architecture as a space of desire. They are also an architecture inevitably linked to European … [Read more...]
Life as architectural performance
Architecture atlas. The Eames: choreographing domestic life The designer couple Ray y Charles Eames lived in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, in a small, sunny home made of steel and glass and surrounded by trees. The iconic example of Modern domestic architecture, today considered a landmark of Los Angeles, began in the early 1940s. At that time, the couple of designers had … [Read more...]