Design in the 60s and 70s

The face of product design over the decades, and the return of the stylist

1930s:
Architects and artists begin to take influence in the manufacturing scene, creating objects suitable for, and expressive of, their times. On a lower level, stylists work in various industries for the purpose of achieving aesthetic results without aspiring to innovation on a conceptual level.

1940s:
Scarcity of materials and emergence of new technology infuse the world with new possibilities and solutions, inspiring architects and artists to utopian dreams of a better time after the war. Stylists still abound, but insight into new technologies displaces them in favour of technologically more informed, industrial artists – the designer as we know it is born.

1950s:
The onset of a middleclass society with strong consumerism breeds awareness of public focus in research and design, de facto turning the tables on the “great innovators”, and making them more attuned to listening to the public. Consumer-oriented development takes shape.

1960s:
Rising individualism fuels diversity in contemporary styles. Anti-conservative sentiment lends itself to the introduction of exotic aspects, both authentic and utopian. The consumer object begins to reflect its owner’s creeds and ideologies.

1970s:
Hangover sets in from the freewheeling effects of the hippie movement, and the oil crisis compounds a feeling of gloom and doom, which expresses itself in overly assertive forms.

1980s:
Idealism subsides as a driving force in society, giving way to a culture of fluff and indiscriminate consumerism, at times slanted towards environmentalism.

1990s:
The advent of computer technology allows for streamlined r&d processes and new shapes, inspired by the realities of using 3D modelling software. Neo-conservatism, at times culminating in retro approaches, and a new mannerism enter the world of product design toward the end of the 90s.

2000+:
Mannerism abounds in the world of shape. Incremental improvements in electronics and digital technology spawn new kinds of products, whose semantics are increasingly styling-heavy.



Homework: Reflect on the notion that product design is a sounding board of public sentiment, and the overall psychology of society. Find a few current products in a store or online, and consider in your workbook what their semantics are telling us about our society, and the way people think today.