The World of Tomorrow

To better understand where the idea of streamlining had started, one has to understand the concept of consumerism. That which states that expanding consumption of goods is advantageous to the economy. Thus designers have to come up with new ideas and designs in which they instigate the need for consumption in people. So by looking at events which lead up to such design, such as the Great Depression of 1929 the federal government wanted designers to increase consumerism in which they had to accommodate the consumers yet their presentation would be innovative for them to motivate them to buy the “new” product. Thus the process of “styling” initiated in which the Americans came up with the ideal styling of the period … that of the famous Streamlining.

The style of streamlining was being applied to any thing imaginable such as baby carriages, pencil sharpeners, orange juicers, cars, trains and much more.

 

Sterling Streamline Iron Designed                     Robert Heller, Airflow Table Fan Designed 

   c. 1930-40, Eric Brill Collection                                 c.1937, Eric Brill Collection      

Alessi Juicer.

     A 32 Ford looks faster than model T due to its dynamic shape.

The idealised water-drop form was able to minimize wind resistance which actually made any mode of transport faster not just in its looks. Streamlining is the result of aerodynamic research in aeroplane and automobile manufacturing since the First World War. Since the 1930s, streamlining has been used in the styling of various products and later in the 1950s was being used by all the industrialisation nations.

Even to this day we see modifications and improvements of the streamlining design in which designers are making use of it to enhance the idea of speed through visual communication. And even to this day it is mostly being used for transportation vehicles rather than in any ordinary objects, although sleek and dynamic designs appear to be more comfortable as well as pleasing to the eye.

From bullet trains in Japan … to the Maybach Exelero which is actually designed following the original 1950s design.

Farlex. The Online Dictionary: Consumerism. [online] Available at: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/consumerism [Accessed on 8th November 2013]

Hauffer T. 1998.design a concise history. London. Laurence King Publishing.

Wilsonart Contract. May 2011. Streamline Design. [online] Available at: http://www.wilsonartcontract.com/streamline-design/ [Accessed on 8th November 2013]

Elle Décor. 2013. To Alessi with Love. [online] Available at: http://www.elledecor.com/shopping/to-alessi-with-love#slide-4  [Accessed on 8th November 2013]

The H.A.M.B. September 2010. Streamlining 1930s. [online] Available at: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=514957  [Accessed on 8th November 2013]

Coupe-desire. November 2013. Maybach Exelero. [online] Available at: http://www.coupe-desire.com/news/33/Goodyear_RFID  [Accessed on 8th November 2013]