Scandtastic! From Aalto to Wirkkala
Excerpt from the book 'Scandinavian Design' by Charlotte and Peter Fiell
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It is Scandinavian designers' promotion of Organic Design, however, that has had the greatest influence on the evolution of Modernism over the last 50 years. Through its preoccupation with the machine aesthetic, the Modern Movement could never gain a real and substantial foothold in Scandinavia, although their designers shared many of its fundamental goals, including the creation of well-designed democratic objects for everyday use. The pure stripped-down Functionalism of Bauhaus design lacked the humanism that was (and still is) such a vital characteristic of Scandinavian design. It is, therefore, understandable that it was Scandinavian designers who first offered the world a more accessible and less doctrinal form of Modernism, with softened forms and natural materials. By balancing the demands of the machine with human needs, Scandinavian designers did not reject the past but learnt from it, and in their pursuit of beautiful form and practical simplicity instilled in modern design what can only be expressed as a soul. The underlying humanism and essentialism of Scandinavian design continue to embody the fundamental Nordic belief in social democratic liberalism and are based on the central tenet that good design is the birthright of all citizens, regardless of wealth, gender, age or physical ability. Above all else, it is the idea that "More Beautiful Everyday Objects" can enhance life that perpetuates the internationally recognized phenomenon of Scandinavian design. With the increasing complexities and acceleration of modern life, Scandinavian design continues to offer a haven of timelesssimplicity that provides both physical comfort and emotional calm, while at the same time proffering an ethical approach to design that will become more and more pertinent as we face the increasingly worrying environmental and social challenges of the future. Spurred on by the pursuit of a social ideal, Scandinavian designers have consistently provided satisfying design solutions that fulfil both practical and aesthetic requirements, and which are tangible realizations of the five countries' shared utopian dream.
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
It is Scandinavian designers' promotion of Organic Design, however, that has had the greatest influence on the evolution of Modernism over the last 50 years. Through its preoccupation with the machine aesthetic, the Modern Movement could never gain a real and substantial foothold in Scandinavia, although their designers shared many of its fundamental goals, including the creation of well-designed democratic objects for everyday use. The pure stripped-down Functionalism of Bauhaus design lacked the humanism that was (and still is) such a vital characteristic of Scandinavian design. It is, therefore, understandable that it was Scandinavian designers who first offered the world a more accessible and less doctrinal form of Modernism, with softened forms and natural materials. By balancing the demands of the machine with human needs, Scandinavian designers did not reject the past but learnt from it, and in their pursuit of beautiful form and practical simplicity instilled in modern design what can only be expressed as a soul. The underlying humanism and essentialism of Scandinavian design continue to embody the fundamental Nordic belief in social democratic liberalism and are based on the central tenet that good design is the birthright of all citizens, regardless of wealth, gender, age or physical ability. Above all else, it is the idea that "More Beautiful Everyday Objects" can enhance life that perpetuates the internationally recognized phenomenon of Scandinavian design. With the increasing complexities and acceleration of modern life, Scandinavian design continues to offer a haven of timelesssimplicity that provides both physical comfort and emotional calm, while at the same time proffering an ethical approach to design that will become more and more pertinent as we face the increasingly worrying environmental and social challenges of the future. Spurred on by the pursuit of a social ideal, Scandinavian designers have consistently provided satisfying design solutions that fulfil both practical and aesthetic requirements, and which are tangible realizations of the five countries' shared utopian dream.
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
Scandinavian Design
Flexicover, 19.6 x 25.2 cm (7.7 x 9.9 in.), 704 pages
$ 39.99
$ 39.99
Scandtastic! From Aalto to Wirkkala, more than 200 outstanding Sandinavian designers of the past century
Søren Sass, silver and teak tea service for A. Michelsen, 1954-1955