House in 80's style. Retro wallpaper
The style of the seventies of the 20th century is bright and rich, sometimes rebellious and daring. It has elegance and sensuality, bright kitsch and delicate charm. Due to its complexity and color overload, this design quickly went out of fashion. In such an environment, it is difficult for a person to relax and remain calm. When decorating your home in a retro style, the main thing is to avoid vulgarity and correctly place accents.
Now designers are again turning to the style of the seventies, because it gives the house authenticity and a unique flavor. Similar trends can be seen in architecture and fashionable clothing. Retro interior modern apartments- this is not mindless copying, but rethought harmonious compositions. It is not flashy, but more calm, and at the same time easily recognizable.
Designers use current techniques from past decades in a new interpretation. The modern retro interior is an eclectic mix of old and new elements. As a result, the space looks interesting and unique. Many ideas originating from the 1970s have successfully migrated to the present day and, based on them, designers create original projects.
In this article, we will introduce you to the hallmarks of 70s style, famous design items from that era. You might also want to decorate your home in this theme and use some of the designers’ advice.
Features of the 70s style in the interior
For many, the 1970s are a nostalgic time of childhood and youth. Due to controversial and provocative innovations, this period was called the “decade of bad taste.” The 1970s saw many natural disasters and wars, awareness environmental problems, accelerating the pace of life. The style was influenced by the hippie subculture, the Disco musical direction, punk rock, the advent of color television, the first E-mail, and floppy disks.
Compared to the rebellious sixties, this style was lighter and more playful, softening their revolutionary spirit. The soul demanded more pure bright colors, simple forms, and comfort.
An important achievement of these crazy times is the transition from standardization to personalization of the interior. People sought self-knowledge and self-expression.
Despite the outward romanticism and frivolity, functionality and practicality always remained in the first place. But at the same time, in any space there was room for interesting detail that attract the eye - paintings, photographs, figurines, vases.
The hippie style is being replaced by a shiny disco with fluorescent colors, mirror balls, and built-in lighting. Discos were a favorite pastime for young people, so designers drew inspiration from them. The disco style interior creates a festive and cheerful mood. Most often, this design is used to decorate bars, clubs, cafes, but the right approach It also looks impressive in private houses and apartments.
One of the varieties of design of the seventies is the high-tech style, which appeared in England at the same time. The basis of this direction was industrial design with its characteristic straight lines, an abundance of glass, metal, plastic elements, high functionality and manufacturability. The furniture used here is light, regular in shape, with smooth glossy facades. Car, airplane, or dental chairs were often found in the setting. Later this style became very popular and became a separate design direction.
The amazing and rich era of the 70-80s is a source of inspiration for designers and decorators. The reasons for the popularity of retro trends are similar sentiments in society, the return of pop culture and the cyclical nature of fashion.
Designer pieces of furniture and interesting inventions of the 70s and 80s
Thanks to the rejection of established stereotypes in the 70s, famous interior items appeared that remain relevant today.
The famous chair model is F 598, designed by French designer Pierre Paulin in 1973. The chair was also called M chair due to the similarity of its shape to the letter “M”.
A bright accessory from 1971 - the Panthella floor lamp white. This is a joint development of Danish designer Verner Panton and Louis Poulsen Lighting. According to the designers, the lampshade should be made of metal, but at that time there was no technical possibility to implement such a development and the lampshade was made of acrylic.
Another development of Verner Panton is the unusual Amoebe chair. The bright colors and unusual shapes of the furniture reflect the design trend of the early seventies - bold and inspiring. The shape of the chair follows the curve of the human body in a sitting position and ends with a canopy over the head. Interestingly, the design was inspired by amoebas, microscopic organisms that constantly change shape.
Cardboard furniture appears for the first time. A striking example− Wiggle Side Chair designed by Frank Owen Gehry, created in 1972. Cardboard has become a cheap alternative to plastic and heavy traditional structures. In the 60s there were attempts to use the material in furniture production, but designers could not find the best way compact single-layer cardboard. They tried to strengthen the structure by folding it, inserting tabs, and slits, but they did not get the desired result.
Frank Gehry found a solution; he glued together multidirectional layers of corrugated cardboard and shaped them with a knife. Using this technology, Gehry produced a series of furniture called Easy Edges or “Simple Edges.” The products were environmentally friendly, durable and had noise-absorbing properties.
The biomorphism style continues to develop, the founder of which is considered to be Eero Saarinen. This direction is characterized by smooth, streamlined shapes borrowed from nature, curved lines, asymmetry, and high-tech materials.
A prominent representative of biomorphism and design art is the Australian Marc Newson. The designer's first popular work was the Lockheed Lounge chair. unusual shape, which became famous all over the world after the release of Madonna’s “Rain” video. This is a structure made of durable fiberglass plastic on three legs trimmed with rubber. The surface of the chair is covered with thin aluminum plates, fastened together along the perimeter. This is one of the most expensive chairs in the world, its cost is estimated at 1.2-2.4 million dollars.
A striking symbol of the liberated decade was the surreal scarlet sofa in the shape of lips. The lipstick-colored Bocca sofa was made by Studio 65 designers, taking the idea from Salvador Dali. They took the shape of the lips of film actress Marilyn Monroe as a sample. Back in 1937, Dali came up with the sofa lips, inspired by the facial features of the famous actress Mae West. Later, in 1974, the artist returned to this idea and made a red leather sofa together with the Spanish designer and architect Oscar Tusquets Blanca. This sofa became the centerpiece of the world's most original portrait in the Mae West room of the Figueres museum.
The designers of the Italian association Memphis Design Group became the furniture fashion trendsetters of the 80s. The main idea was to abandon restrained lines and create fundamentally new objects. The eccentric look of the brand’s items perfectly demonstrates the “Me Decade”.
Innovative inventions affected not only the furniture sector.
In 1971, the first compact calculators from Bomwar appeared, which fit in a pocket. At the same time, engineering and programmable calculators went on sale. In 1985, Casio released a calculator with a graphical display.
In the 70s, computer technology and equipment with buttons developed. Washing machines, televisions, spacecraft, radios - all devices are now controlled using buttons.
In 1983, Motorola released the first mobile phone DynaTAC 8000X. This device weighed about a kilogram, it took 10 hours to charge, and the device lasted 35 minutes in talk mode.
In 1985 Italian brand Alessi introduced a whistling kettle that produces a musical sound instead of an unpleasant whistle. Attractive design in the spirit of Art Deco and Pop Art made this teapot a real bestseller.
During this period, the famous mechanical puzzle appeared - the Rubik's cube. It was invented by architecture teacher Erno Rubik in 1974 to train spatial thinking and visually demonstrate the mathematical theory of groups. The Rubik's Cube has become a best-selling toy, and competitions are held to solve the puzzle on speed.
So, what is the retro style of the 70s?
Emphasis on color
In retro style there are no restrictions on the choice of color. The main palette consists of olive, orange, blue, yellow, orange, brown, green shades. The colors of orange and tangerine have overtaken even the classic red and black in popularity. This rich shade immediately enlivens and transforms the space. For a modern version Orange color can be used to decorate one wall or upholstery upholstered furniture.
Colors become more muted compared to the 60s and borrow from nature. Warm natural tones of wood and earth, the color of pumpkin, avocado, golden ears, shades with names like “tiger lily”, “sunflower”, “Swiss chocolate”, “sky blue” are common.
Bohemian shades borrowed from the fashion industry are becoming popular: purple, red, violet, turquoise. To balance bright colors Neutral white was used. Popular color combinations: black and white, blue and bright green, white and yellow, purple and pink, yellow with orange or green, pink and light green.
Rainbow colors became a recognizable symbol of the 70s. It can be found in the form of a print on curtains, posters, and walls.
Color is introduced into the interior through furniture upholstery, curtains, home textiles, carpets, as well as through details: lamp shades, flower pots, retro accessories.
A bright figure of this time was the British designer and decorator David Hicks, who introduced the fashion for geometric patterns, “explosive” color combinations and eclecticism. Hicks' signature style can be seen in the interiors of Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange.
In modern apartments, you should not decorate walls and furniture in flashy shades. Designers recommend using unusual color combinations and bright details. “Acid” shades look impressive against the background of gray-blue, black-white-gray, calm brown, milky. A universal way to add bright colors to your decor is wall decor. These can be graphic posters, paintings, panels, photographs, paintings, stained glass windows.
Furniture and appliances
The younger generation sought freedom and self-expression through exclusive design. There have been many innovations in the interiors of this decade.
Characteristic of the 70s era collapsible structures, symmetry, compactness, mobility, streamlined shapes of furniture. Popular designs are made of plastic and polypropylene, which began to appear in the 1960s. These materials can be easily molded and turned into original furniture of non-standard shape. Kitchen tables and bar-style chairs are becoming fashionable: on one support with a round base made of plastic or metal.
In typical American living rooms of that time you can find modular sofas, ottomans, wicker hanging chairs and hammocks. Sofas and armchairs are characterized by rounded, smooth shapes that set the dynamics of the space. Large sofas of angular, semicircular, and wavy shapes were often found. The interior was complemented coffee tables teardrop-shaped firm with glass tabletops.
Cushions for upholstered furniture were upholstered in fabrics with geometric patterns in checks, stripes, and circles. Such furniture stood out effectively against the background of decoration and attracted the eye.
Cabinet furniture was made in simple shapes. A mandatory attribute was high cone-shaped legs made of metal or wood, located at an angle. Later, larger polished walls with glass and mirror inserts on the doors appear. In the 80s, almost every home had a sideboard for storing services. Some models were equipped with a small bar and shelves for storing various small items.
IN modern version You can fill a sideboard or display case with either a porcelain set or new original dishes. In the latter case, an interesting eclectic effect is created: the classic, familiar form is combined with modern content.
Another typical piece of furniture from the eighties is a dressing table, which was located in the bedroom or hallway. IN modern furniture In general, this function is performed by the dressing table.
For the bedroom, the traditional set was a double bed, a chest of drawers, bedside tables, dressing table, wardrobe.
Thanks to the development of new technologies, modern household appliances are appearing in kitchens, which were no longer considered a luxury. Plates are often replaced with built-in ones hobs with oven or double oven.
The typology of living space is also changing. The interiors of the new apartments and public spaces were elongated horizontally. Pop culture with its fun parties influenced the organization of space. In the living rooms there are bar cabinets, coffee tables, sideboards, ottomans and poufs for guests. For lounge areas and living rooms, furniture in the close-to-the-floor style is especially popular, that is, low, literally “close to the floor,” floor cushions for sitting.
Materials and finishing
Basic materials of the 70s: wood, plywood, chipboard, metal, polymers, glass, mirror, nickel-plated profiles, vinyl, leather. The upholstery of sofas, armchairs and headboards is typical with soft materials with a pleasant texture: velvet, plush, velor, chenille, leatherette.
The popularization of the hippie movement resulted in the use of natural materials: wood finish, wicker furniture for the interior of the house, terraces, a large number of indoor plants and trees in pots.
Used for wall decoration natural wallpaper, foil wallpaper, wooden or linoleum floors. The flooring can be made from light laminate"under the tree". In the 80s, walls were decorated with airbrushing with space-themed drawings or extraordinary graphics.
Texture
A recognizable feature of furniture from the 70s is glossy and polished surfaces. Chests of drawers, tables, cabinets, racks, armchairs, and sideboards were decorated in this style. The varnished surfaces were brought to a shine and constantly maintained in a presentable form.
In modern retro-style interiors, the combination of new and old elements looks impressive. Artificially aged textures of wood, ceramics, metal, and leather are relevant. Vintage interior items add special flavor and charm to the space.
Textile
The decade is characterized by an abundance of textiles: curtains, bedspreads, sofa cushions, textile panels on the wall. Every living room had a soft carpet. Moreover, carpets were placed not only on the floor, but also on the walls. Used for upholstered furniture artificial fur, plush, velvet, faux leather.
For modern interiors in a retro style, a floor carpet will be an interesting addition to a bedroom, living room or kitchen. These can be small or large rugs, plain or pastel shades with an ethnic pattern. Rugs from natural materials: fibers of jute, sisal, hemp.
Also, the decor will be successfully complemented by thick curtains, drapes, tapestries, and bedspreads.
Retro lighting
The most common materials for making lamps are chromed metal and plastic. Lava lamps and arc-shaped floor lamps in the reading area are popular. Almost every living room had lamps on a massive metal stand with a voluminous lampshade.
Don’t be afraid to combine lamps of different styles and shapes. These can be chandeliers, floor lamps, sconces, lampshades with hanging fringe, cords and tassels. Such devices gently diffuse light and add warmth and comfort to the interior.
Of course, it was in the 70s that metal lamps, sconces and floor lamps with hinges and flexible pipes became widespread, which are undoubtedly relevant again.
Decor
You can convey the mood of the era with the help of stylish little things. A recognizable feature of retro style is geometric prints on wallpaper, upholstery, and interior textiles. In this case, the pattern is often repeated on different elements of the decor. Floral designs, plant motifs, and paisley patterns are also common. Paintings, posters, and sculptures are used to decorate houses.
In kitchens one could often find ceramic dishes, textiles, small household appliances with images of mushrooms, fruits and vegetables.
Another characteristic attribute of the seventies are accessories in the shape of an owl: watches, soft toys, decorative pillows, figurines, piggy banks.
Due to the downturn in the economy, DIY accessories (translated from English as “do it yourself”) began to appear. Handmade items add unique character and color to the interior. These can be panels, pillows for the sofa, hand-painted tables or chests of drawers. Wall decorations and flowerpots made using the macrame technique are popular.
Old radios, music players, ring phones, sewing machines, porcelain or crystal dishes will create a nostalgic mood.
During the 80s the main decorative elements mirrors and glass with sandblasted patterns protrude. The walls were often decorated with black and white photographs in wide mats: family portraits, landscapes, industrial photographs.
Makeup mirrors have become popular, creating an alluring backstage atmosphere.
Seventies style in a modern home
When embodying the controversial style of the seventies in the interior, it is difficult to maintain a balance between eclecticism and bad taste. To create a harmonious environment, it is enough not to overload the space with furniture structures and accessories, but use several characteristic features style and typical items.
The design of the 70s is chosen by those who admire the furniture of that time or want to add color and originality to the interior. Some houses still have examples of retro furniture and they are quite easy to get at flea and antique markets. Found objects can be restored or taken another route: decorated new furniture antique Original furniture designs give the atmosphere a cheerful mood and a pleasant nostalgic atmosphere.
To the delight of connoisseurs of retro design, Italian and European factories produce entire collections and individual lines in the spirit of the 70s.
Modern retro-style furniture is made from environmentally friendly, high-quality materials: natural solid wood, veneer, and high-quality textiles. The series includes objects of strict straight shapes with glossy facades, varnished on both sides.
Thanks to the abundance of furniture collections and accessories in online and off-line stores, today we have no restrictions in choice, as there were decades ago. This makes it possible to implement in retro design original ideas, get away from banality and add novelty. Following the general principles of style, you can create in your home unique interior and a cozy atmosphere.
Our article uses models of modern furniture in the style of the 70-80s from the factory:
All furniture can be ordered from us in the Amber Furniture showroom.
Nostalgia is trending. Fashion designers They are mastering the retro style, diving into family albums, looking for fragments and fragments of old life at flea markets. Let us also remember the details that made up the Soviet interior of the 1980s!
Drawing: Polina Vasilyeva
Album
This does not mean the “district young lady’s album” in which guests were forced to write poetry and draw pictures. We're talking about a photo album: certainly with a plush cover, green or crimson, with thick cardboard pages. The corners of the photographs were inserted into the slots. “Here we are in Alupka. And this is at the dacha. And this is Ninochka going to first grade for the first time. And we were filming in a studio.” Sometimes I came across photographs from my grandmother’s funeral, but these post-mortems did not bother anyone.
Library
In those times of total shortage, the book was not only a source of knowledge! The color-matched spines of subscription editions of the classics greatly decorated the Hungarian “wall.” A volume of a detective novel received in exchange for waste paper is a rich gift. Besides, books were a serious investment. A volume of the Strugatskys sold on a rainy day could feed a family for a week!
Homemade preparations
Many people had dachas, but most often there were no storage rooms in city apartments. Jars with preserved gifts of nature were stored as best they could - and under kitchen tables, and on window sills, and balcony door. This greatly diversified the interior, and the stocking with a bow on the closet in the bedroom added a tantalizing note to the overall atmosphere. Citizens prepared for winter calmly watched the Police Day concert on TV.
Tree
“How he equipped his room - a picture! His carpet and furniture are all brand new too! And everything is like wood, like wood... Girls are good at woodworking,” said one of the characters in the film “Old New Year.” By the way, if anyone is interested in authentic interiors of the 80s, then the film is worth watching. The La Russe style was liked by Soviet bohemia: wooden benches and spoons in kitchens, wood-look wallpaper, Palekh, Gorodets and Khokhloma painting. It turned out a bit colorful, but how artistic! And the girls running “on the pieces of wood” could sew red polka dot curtains - this is real chic.
Carpet
An absolutely necessary item in the geopolitical climate of the 80s. Provided heat and sound insulation of apartments. Carpets with short pile and geometric patterns were in fashion. Flowers, deer and the scene of a bride being kidnapped were considered outdated subjects, more suitable for village and country houses. Even modern youth, spoiled by warm floors, retain reverence for the carpet - they call it “His Worstness” and willingly take pictures against the background.
Chandelier
In the bedroom, a lampshade is acceptable, in the kitchen - a lampshade made of frosted glass, but in the “hall” there is only a chandelier, and so that it cascades, cascades! That’s what it was called – “Cascade”. Her pendants were fake crystal, but the price wasn’t too bad. Of course, after standing in line at the Vlasta store (Moscow), you could also get a Czech one. But dust accumulated equally on both fake crystal and Bohemian crystal, and the “pendants” had to be washed one at a time in warm water with the addition of ammonia.
Magnetic recording of sound and video
In 1984, the first Soviet video cassette recorder “Electronics VM-12” began to be produced. It did not have a remote control, it often jammed the film and cost one and a half thousand Soviet rubles, but the Japanese ones generally cost the price of a car (and, of course, were not sold in the USSR), so there was no choice. VHS cassettes were also not obtained without difficulty. People loved action films with Bruce Lee and Schwarzenegger, horror films “Friday the 13th” and “Poltergeist”. “Emmanuelle” was a separate line, speaking in Volodarsky’s nasal voice - however, like all movie characters of that era.
But if a VCR was not available to every family, then a cassette recorder was a completely ordinary part of everyday life. “Electronics”, “Spring”, “Desna”, “Tom”, “Elegy”... Sharp double-cassette players occupied an honorable stationary place on the “wall”, and domestic ones were bought as gifts for children, and they were allowed to be taken out of the house.
Repair
Brown-green paint on the walls of the kitchen and bathroom. Where did you get this one from? But it was also in short supply, because at eye level the paint ended and whitewash began. The ceiling was also whitewashed - the craftsmen somehow adapted a vacuum cleaner. There were boards on the floor, and the owners threw thick linoleum on top.
Sideboard
Definitely polished, on thin legs, with glazed top part. Place settings, glasses, crystal vases, porcelain animals and photographs of beloved relatives were placed behind the glass. Of course, there was not enough space for all this in the sideboard, so soon they were left with the most inert citizens, and the rest acquired “walls”.
Wall
This item is unlikely to leave post-Soviet apartments soon. Spaciousness was valued in the “walls” - clothes, shoes, household appliances, dishes, and books were stored in them. But beauty was more important. Imported ones were considered beautiful. The Yugoslav “Spectrum” with inlays, the Romanian “Mirage” coated with cherry varnish, and the solid “Bastei” in oak were imported from the GDR. The mirrored bars sparkled, and even domestic liquor and vodka products looked very decent in them. And if someone brought a bottle of blue curacao or green chartreuse from abroad... You can’t take your eyes off it!
Trellis
Mirror on a low cabinet with two additional mirror doors. A very convenient thing, it allowed beauties to view themselves from any angle. Bottles of perfume and bottles of perfume were placed in front of the mirror - if there was something to show off. Due to the design of the cabinet, it was uncomfortable to sit in front of it, so women applied makeup while standing.
Porcelain and crystal
Salad bowls as heavy as shells for a tank cannon - for Olivier with scarce green peas and mayonnaise, for a simple vinaigrette, for an exquisite mimosa. Chocolate candies were poured into deep boats. In the flat ones they placed the herring and onion in half rings on top. Special barrels were used for caviar. For the cake - a flat dish and a spatula with a twisted handle. Shot glasses for vodka, glasses for wine, they are also for “Soviet” champagne. In wealthy houses, even ashtrays were crystal. The White Morins looked wild in their sparks and arrows. Housewives coveted the “Madonna” service with mother-of-pearl tints made in the GDR, but Soviet porcelain was also very good, although not so playful in terms of the plot.
Photo wallpaper
It would seem wonderful and inexpensive way refresh the interior of similar Khrushchev buildings. But why was the choice so poor! Everyone says that they remember only birch trees. But was it really that bad? Before going to bed, you look without stopping: a path covered in sunbeams leads you through a bright grove, from there you can hear the voices and laughter of friends...
We took the carpets to the trash heap, gave away the crystal to good hands, did European-quality renovations and high-tech in our grandmother’s apartments, and our childhood was lost in the birch grove painted on the wallpaper. Can't return.
Alisa Orlova
Federal Agency for Education of the Russian Federation
Russian state professional –
Pedagogical University.
Branch in Kemerovo.
Test No. 2 in the discipline: History and theory of design.
Theme: Memphis 80s design style.
Completed:
Checked:
Kemerovo 2006.
1. Introduction 2
2. Ettore Sottsass 3
3. Andre Branzi 5
4. Michele De Luca 7
5. Memphis 10
6. Conclusion 16
7. Literature 17
INTRODUCTION
No matter how much time passes; days, years or centuries, the desire for beauty in a person will never die. Man at all times, from ancient times to the present day, has strived to decorate himself and everything around him. This is where such a direction as design arose, which affected all areas human activity. Many discoveries have been made and many beautiful things have been created. The history of design is full of great names. But today I want to look at the time period that fell on modern history– 80s of the XX century.
The 80s became a period of new discoveries and revision of views on the cultural life of society. But this time was especially remembered for the spirit of rebellion that reigned everywhere. Everything old and traditional was rejected. It was replaced by an unconventional, “frivolous” attitude towards the world. In interior design, such a direction as “Anti-design” has appeared; “boring” functional objects were replaced with bright colorful things that were pleasing to the eye and, sometimes, did not even carry any functional load. Dark colors gave way to light and pastel colors; rooms furnished with heavy furniture were replaced by light airy space with minimum quantity objects (such as high-tech style). However, among all this splendor, a style with the mysterious name “Memphis” swept through in a separate, unique and unforgettable wave. It is this style and its creators that my test is devoted to. Indeed, without a concept about this style, our knowledge of the history and theory of design will be very incomplete.
Ettore Sottsass
The colorful history of the Memphis style began with a man named Ettore Sottsass.
Ettore Sottsass was born in Innsbruck (Austria) in 1917 in the family of the architect Sottsass Sr. He then studied architecture at the Turin Polytechnic, receiving his degree in 1939. However, in the period from 1939 to 1946 he was cut off from his professional environment by war and captivity. He managed to resume his career in Milan in 1947. After returning to work, Ettore’s areas of interest were architectural and industrial design, ceramics, jewelry, and graphic design. By the end of the 50s, he was already the author of many projects in these areas.
Sottsass is actively searching for new methods of shaping. At the same time, he refuses both the style of “classical” design and the schemes of functionalism, trying to develop his own design style, his own ideology.
In 1962, Sottsass published an article entitled “Design” in Domus magazine. The main idea of this article was that design as such deals not with the function and rationality of a thing, but with the environment, with the cultural atmosphere in which the object is immersed. The thing is perceived more like a magical object, but not as a tool for performing any function. Hence the “meditative design”, spontaneity, the author’s gesture – Ettore’s design style.
Thanks to his innovative ideas, by the early 60s Sottsass was gaining widespread popularity among alternative design. But at the same time, Sottassass is gaining a reputation as a “serious” industrial designer - in particular, with his projects for the Olivetti company (electronic computing system "Elea-9003", electric typewriters "Praxis -48" and "Tekne-3") .
At the same time, he does not abandon his search in an alternative direction. So, based on them, Ettore creates a series of monumental ceramics and furniture for the companies Poltronova, Menhir, Ziggurat and Stupa.
A similar combination, it would seem. incompatible things was a distinctive feature of the designer. Sottsass's duality became the main source of myths about him. An incredible combination of rebellion and professionalism, passion for mysticism and hyper-functionality of projects. At the end of the 60s, he became a kind of guru for the rebellious design youth.
His duality is a source of creative freedom; numerous intertwined threads of relationships stretch between the polar signs of an industrial design professional and a leader of an alternative design culture. In 1969, Sottsass designed the Valentina portable typewriter for Olivetti.
Thanks to his vision, a technically complex product was placed on a par with simple household items: a bag, clothes, a trinket. The machine was made of bright red cheap plastic in combination with active yellow bobbins, thus turning from a tool of labor into a tool for creativity. Even a technical industrial facility has been infiltrated with pop culture style. However, at the same time, in his conceptual alternative projects, Ettore begins to use the principle of “neutral” design, natural for industrial facilities where function is primary.
In 1972, Sottsass designed the futuristic "Container Housing" - a combined system of multifunctional modules made of plastic. And for Olivetti he creates office equipment systems. A unified office environment is designed, including furniture, equipment, office supplies and even architectural details of the layout.
It seemed that he had achieved everything one could dream of: fame, recognition, money. However, Sottsass did not intend to stop there. Ettore went further, founding his own design movement - the Memphis style.
ANDRE BRANZI
Ettore Sottsass undoubtedly became the founder of the Memphis movement. However, his work would hardly have been so fruitful without his associates - Michele de Luca and Andre Branzi.
Andre Branzi is an Italian architect and designer, one of the leading design theorists. He was born and educated in Florence and currently lives and works in Milan. At the time of his meeting with Sottsass, Andre was no longer a novice in his field. Since 1967 he has worked in the fields of industrial and research design, architecture, urban planning, education and cultural support. Branzi's field of activity includes architectural projects, industrial and experimental design, urban planning, journalism in the field of design theory, critical literature.
Like Ettore, he became one of the founders of the "Archizoom" association, an ideology of "radical movement" and "new design". In the 1960s - 70s. gg. he creates a number of conceptual projects within the Archizoom group under the motto “to live is easy.” It is to this period of his life that Andre attributes his, in his opinion, most significant project “no-stop city” (1970), developed by members of the group “Archizoom”. This project was a utopian concept of the city, presented as a huge organism created more rules of the Internet than according to the principle of a classical city. According to the designer himself, this project “was very important for me and my generation, for many artists who came later.”
In addition, Branzi participated in the creation of the school of radical architecture and design "Global Tools" (1973), the goal of which was the development and research of non-industrial methods of production, the promotion of individual creativity (which largely echoes the ideas of William Morris). In 1973, he and his colleagues created an experimental design - the CDM bureau, which was engaged in the creation of the so-called primary design.
In 1973, Andre opened his studio in Milan, and in the early 1980s he exhibited with his studio Alchimia, which was organized as a gallery of experimental works not intended for industrial production. And in 1977, together with Michele de Luca, he founded famous exhibition"Il Disegno italiano degli anni 50". In 1981, Andrea Branzi took part in the founding of the Memphis group, which was initially created as a branch of the Alchemy studio. However, unlike Alchemy, Memphis was focused on mass production.
At the same time, he collaborated with leading manufacturers of furniture and accessories in Italy and abroad (Artemide, Cassina, Vitra,
Zanotta), the most recent of which was Alessi. Andre’s credo became the words: “Design should be everything.” Branzi's creative approach is characterized by an openness to research and experimentation. When creating his designs, he pays special attention to materials, as well as the symbolic meaning of objects.
Branzi took part in the editions of the Milan Triennale and the Venice Biennale and held solo exhibitions in various international museums, including the Museums of Decorative Arts in Montreal and Paris, at the Scharpoord Centrum Knokke and at the Fondation pour l’architecture in Brussels.
Collaborated with the magazines "Interni", "Domus", "Casabella". From 1983 to 1987, he was editor of Modo magazine.
Today Andre Branzi heads the Domus Academy and is a professor of industrial design at the Politecnico di Milano. Exhibitions of his work are held both in Italy and abroad.
MICHELE DE LUQUI
The story would not be complete if I did not mention one more participant in this creative union - Michele de Luca.
Michele de Luca is a famous Italian designer and architect, a prominent representative of the eighties generation.
Michele De Luca was born in Ferrara. He was educated at the University of Florence. On this moment lives and works in Milan. Belongs to that generation. Designers whose professional career is closely connected with the emergence of “new design”.
Modern retro - a second wind
Today, retro wallpaper for walls is full of rich colors, fashionable tones and interesting prints. But the most important thing is the quality of the materials from which they are made. In the old days, most canvases were made of paper, and very quickly lost their appearance. Now, on the contrary, excellent options have appeared on a non-woven base, with vinyl coating, the colors of which do not fade over time, and the ornament has become more expressive and modern. Therefore, we can openly declare that today's retro is a combination of old ideas with the latest technologies currently in production.
Antique wallpaper for walls is increasingly used in creating classic interiors, since they are the ones who can most advantageously emphasize the features of the furnishings and furniture details.
“SDVK-Wallpaper” – inspiration of new ideas
The online store "SDVK-Wallpaper" presents various collections of antique wallpaper from famous manufacturers, photos of which can be seen in the catalog in a special section. Here you will see collections that we ourselves would not refuse to use in our interior.
In addition to the variety of products offered, the site adheres to a reasonable pricing policy, so the cost of our goods will pleasantly surprise you.
Post-industrial society. The term “post-industrial society” was born in the USA at the turn of the 50s and 60s. it was used in his lectures by the American sociologist Daniel Bell. Since the late 60s, the theory of post-industrial society began to develop, the distinctive features of which are the mass distribution of creative, intellectual work, a qualitatively increased volume and importance scientific knowledge and information, the development of means of communication, the predominance in the structure of the economy of the service sector, science, education, and culture. Post-industrial society is beginning to be viewed as a qualitatively new stage in the development of not only the West, but also all of humanity. The authors of the theory of post-industrial society note that in the coming century, the development of a new social structure based on telecommunications will become crucial for economic and social life, for the methods of knowledge production, as well as for the nature of human labor activity.
The formation of post-industrial society is associated with the unfolding revolution in the organization and processing of information and knowledge, in which the computer plays a central role. The computer is a symbol and at the same time a material carrier of the technological revolution. It is the computer that radically transforms society in the second half of the 20th century. Thus, the key role in the new society is given to information and electronic means, providing technical base for its use and distribution. In this regard, the term “information society” has become widespread, duplicating the concept of “post-industrial society”, and used to designate a civilization whose development and existence is based on a special substance called “information”, which has the property of interacting with both the spiritual and and with the material world of man and, thereby, determining both the sociocultural life of man and his material existence.
From modernity ("modern movement") to postmodernity. Pop culture, critical of the purism of the “modern movement,” and various radical design trends of the 60s, widely supported by the media, became increasingly widespread. At the same time, in Germany the federal “Good Form” award continued to be awarded to modernist works, thereby continuing to support the aesthetic values of industrial society. Thanks to so many aesthetic trends in art and design, the consumer’s taste has expanded, a versatility of perception has been formed, a pluralism of aesthetic views has been formed: stylistic trends have been added to the previously existing only direction of “good design”. In society of the late 70s - 80s. a complex sociological structure was formed, which was almost impossible to clearly divide into middle, lower and upper classes. Taste and style in different segments of the population were also multifaceted.
This pluralism of aesthetic views and opinions became a social phenomenon of the 70s, which ultimately led to the emergence of a new artistic style, oppositional to the “modern movement”, called “postmodern”. Postmodernity destroyed the postulate “form follows function” and ceased to categorically divide design into “bad” and “good”, into “ good shape" and "kitsch", into "high culture" and "ordinary".
The beginning of postmodernity. Postmodernism has its roots in pop culture and radical design movements. The very concept of “postmodern” in architectural theory began to be used in the early 70s. In 1966, Robert Venturi’s book “Complexity and Contradictions in Architecture” was published in the United States, where he formulated the theses of anti-functionalism, and it began to be called the “bible of postmodernism.” However, in a broader sense, this concept began to be used after the publication of Charles Jenks's book "The Language of Postmodern Architecture" (1980).
In artistic formation, postmodernism turned in contrast to the monochrome, rational forms and dogmas of the “modern movement”, to decorativeness and colorfulness, kitsch and chic, individuality and figurative semantics of elements, and often irony, to quoting historical styles. Postmodern architects and artists used quotes not only from past styles - classicism, art deco, constructivism, but also from surrealism, kitsch, and computer graphics. Jenks explains the “retro” trends and the use of historical quotations by the deep disappointment in the architecture of the “modern movement” that occurred in the 70s. in the professional and broad public consciousness, the emerging trend of “nostalgia for the past.” The “Golden Age” was increasingly seen in the past as the antipode of modernity.
Postmodern as an international style. In the 70-80s. ideas about postmodernity were far from unambiguous. There was a debate about whether postmodernism is a new independent style direction in design, or whether it is a return to the “modern movement” and its development at a new stage. In Italy, for example, representatives of postmodernism were the Milanese groups "Alchemy" (mid-70s) and "Memphis" (early 80s). Their works trace historical forms, popular cultural lines, and eclectic motifs. At the same time, Memphis preferred the name “New International Style” to the concept of “postmodern”. Despite the existing discrepancies in the term “postmodern,” an international style clearly emerged in architecture and design.
Postmodernism created a new understanding of design as consumer-oriented design. Without postmodernism at the end of the 20th century, the subsequent search for vibrant and meaningful design with new meaning and environmental morality would not have been possible.
The monumentality of “architecture as art” was replaced by businesslike neutrality. Load-bearing steel structures placed outside the outer fence form a semblance of scaffolding, in which communications and networks of engineering equipment pass. The metaphorical nature of the attributes of technology here leads to the demystification of the social function: the arts center is presented as a kind of complex device that ensures everyday communication and information consumption. Behind this, one can see a reflection of the sardonic metaphors of pop art and the absurd machine. The charge of negation transforms architecture into anti-architecture.
"High-tech" in design. Along with high-tech architecture, the design of the living environment has been gaining ground since the late 70s. His main method here is the use of industrial equipment. A residential interior is often viewed as an ensemble of things made for other purposes. Experiments in this direction have economic implications: on the one hand, in the face of growing financial difficulties, people of average income are looking for ways to build homes using the “do-it-yourself” method, sometimes turning to unexpected means; on the other hand, this need is artificially stimulated by advertising by industrial firms seeking to find new markets for their products.
"High-tech" promotes the introduction into housing of furniture made from standard metal elements produced for racks in factory warehouses or locker rooms in "change houses". Bus, airplane and even dental chairs began to be introduced into home furnishings, and laboratory glass was used as household utensils. The latest industrial materials and prefabricated elements were introduced into high-tech object design. In the shaping of furniture and other design objects, technical details from the military or scientific fields of electronic technical equipment. Classic examples of “high-tech” in product design are the Nomos office furniture system by Norman Foster (1987) and the container cabinet by Mateo Thun (1985).