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Seb- INTRODUCTION
1920′s America was the time of the Great Depression. Jobs were at an all-time low and stocks had lost 90% of their value. Customer demand was non-existent and the future of companies and businesses was looking bleak.
Manufacturers needed new ways to increase consumerism and so formed an alliance with a new profession, known as the designer. Designers made everyday objects look like stylish and modern works of art.
People wanted modern appliances in their homes as they represented progress and gave them an optimistic view of the future. Style became equally as important as function and advertisers now had lots to talk about, promoting desirable lifestyles from new designs and giving the consumer the impression that by buying these products they were participating in economic progress.
The great depression was still ongoing, but the economic innovations brought in by designers had made products affordable for everyone. By using stamping and moulding they had the opportunity to use cheap but efficient materials, such as chrome, aluminium, vinyl and plywood. Industrial products began to “receive a Machine Age makeover.” (Steven Heller & Louise Fili – Streamline.)
Lamps, hairdryers and staplers were now characterised by curvaceous shapes that shouted speed and progress; everything was being designed with the future in mind. The Streamline movement inevitably had a huge influence on the American architecture of this time, giving birth to vast curvaceous buildings that presented little to no right angles.
The access to colour printers gave graphic designers new ways to change their tired, ‘old fashioned’ looking advertisements, increasing visibility and giving product packaging a greater function by communicating through imagery and giving off an aura of excitement. Geometric patterns and shapes, borrowed from antiquity such as ‘ziggurats and lightning bolts’, were streamlined into icons.
Consumers were embracing the modern day living and styling of their homes daily with products they may not have needed, but that served as an emotional pick up from the Great Depression.
By the late 1930s, Streamline design had become so popular that it had developed its own modernistic style in Graphic Design. Colour palettes were simple yet eye catching, using yellows, reds and oranges against grey tones. Typography took on sans serif letterforms over central axis, with poster designs having a ‘framed’ style.
Streamlined Graphic Design then began to develop into futuristic mannerisms and became overused, losing its distinctive stamp on the marketing world. It was eventually made redundant after the breakout of World War II in the early 1940s. Alluring graphics became unnecessary in the wartime economy and modernistic promotions ceased to be produced for the duration of the war.
This book explores the characteristics of Streamline design at its best, the powerful effect that it had on America during the depression and how it still has an effect on modern design today.
Tammy- MATERIALS AND ELEMENTS
The streamlining of transport in the 1920‘s made the shipping of materials to the USA more efficient and affordable, allowing American designers to use a range of materials that they wouldn’t usually have had access to. Aluminium, chromium, plywood and vinyl were being used by designers to make appliances that were considered futuristic novelties. Everyone wanted to be a part of the exciting new future that these products symbolized.
One of the most popular materials used in this period was Chromium, also known as Chrome. Chrome is a hard and brittle, silver metal that is used to manufacture stainless steel by hardening it and preventing rust and corrosion. Stainless steel was another popular choice of the streamliner designers as steel was used in creating aerospace structures and large sleek buildings during the Art Deco period; structures such as the William Van Alen’s Chrysler Building, which is still standing today. The most common material used in streamline designs is aluminium, a light, silver metal that is vital to the aerospace industry due to its durability and lightness. Products made from aluminium were extremely popular in the 1920’s as they were known to have been made from the same durable material as airplanes and therefore were considered trustworthy.
The materials were used in geometric designs similar to those used in Art Deco, designs that were quick and easy to produce.
Plastic materials such as Bakelite, Plexiglas, vinyl and polystyrene were all invented in this period and immediately caught the attention of streamline designers. Bakelite was particularly useful in the electrical and automobile industries because of its extraordinary high resistance to heat and electricity. The plastic could be poured into, or injected into, moulds that created rounded corners, creating the sleek and clean appearance that was sought after by streamline designers.
Nick- LEADING THINKERS AND INFLUENCES
Raymond Loewy, Walter Dorwin Teague, Norman Bel Geddes and Gilbert Rohde, were the leading creators behind the streamline design movement and built the foundations of its dynamics and aesthetics.
Raymond Loewy was a French-born American industrial designer, known as the “father of streamline design”. Loewy is responsible for the establishment of industrial design as a profession and was a huge name in the design industry for more than half a century, due to his influence on the movement. Loewy was an artist, a business man and an inventor. His began his carrier as a designer by simplifying household appliances, consequently making them safer, easier to use and more aesthetically pleasing.
His true passion lied in the design of trains, which is evident is his book, Locomotive, in which he comments on a series of steam engine trains from various parts of the world.
“My youth was charmed by the glamour of the Locomotive. I am still under its spell and in this volume I would rather write about the beauty of the magnificent creature to whom I owe some of my most cherished souvenirs.” – Raymond Loewy
Loewy’s design of the streamlined, art deco styled, S1 locomotive train, at 42.74m was the longest reciprocating locomotive ever made.
In 1945, alongside five other designers, he established the corporation, Loewy Associates, which was soon to become the largest industrial design firm in the world.
In 1950, an article in the cosmopolitan magazine stated:
“Loewy has probably affected the daily life of more americans than any other man of his time”.
Walter Dorwin Teague was an industrial designer, architect, illustrator, graphic designer, writer, and entrepreneur. While Raymond Loewy was known as the “father of Streamline design”, Dorwin was referred to as the ‘Dean of Industrial Design”.
His profession within industrial Design began alongside Norman Bel Geddes, Raymond Loewy and Henry Dreyfuss, who, together, founded the ‘The society of industrial design’ in 1914. His work was well known for its traditional concepts despite later evolving to more modernistic values. Throughout America he was recognised as a critical figure in the spread of mid-century modernism and streamline design. One of his most well known designs was the ‘Tiny Baby Brownie’ camera he created for Kodak. Using plastic he managed to warp and mould the camera into a sleek, minimal and stylish shape.
Norman Bel Geddes’ work mainly focused on aerodynamics and vehicles. Over the years he produced a number of futuristic concepts concerning the designs of trains, ocean liners, airplanes and cars. His ‘teardrop-shaped automobile’ was a prime example of streamline design. The unique characteristics of the car not only served as a bold manifestation of streamline design but also provided excellent visibility, thanks to its enlarged curves, rounded windshield and arched windows. The vehicle was without doubt a masterpiece of its time. Geddes had great confidence in the streamline movement, his slogan was ‘I can see the future’.
Gilbert Rohde was an industrial designer and marketing adviser for important companies like the Heywood-Wakefield Company, the Widdicomb Company, and the Troy Sunshade Company, the most influential businesses of their time. Rohde was considered to be more of an engineer than an artist, using a thought process as a means to produce his work instead of visuals and pre fabricated ideas. When fusing tradition with innovation he created entirely original designs. He experimented with different materials and styles to create a wide variety of chair designs, which resulted in huge interest and popularity.
– Etty STREAMLINED TRANSPORTATION AND PRODUCTS
The Streamline movement was born after aerodynamic studies proved that, by adopting a teardrop shape, means of transportation were able to reduce resistance from water and wind, enabling them to move more effortlessly.
The first ever streamlined train to ride the tracks was called the Burlington Zephyr, also known as the silver streak. Built in 1934, it travelled from Denver to Chicago in less than 14 hours, making it twice as fast as other, regular trains. The exterior of the locomotive was smoothened down by covering up any protrusions with stainless steel, creating less resistance to water and wind.
It didn’t take long for the idea to be repeated and, within ten years, the style had travelled to England, Germany, France, Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark, Canada, Japan and China. The streamline idea then went on to radically change the shape of cars. The Hupmobile, designed by Raymond Loewy in 1932, featured curved bumpers, wheel covers, built in lights and slanted windows and doors complete with rounded corners, all of which were extremely advanced features for their time.
Loewy was not able to convince his management of the success that the car would attain and had to fund the making of the vehicle himself, spending over twenty thousand dollars. His gamble payed off, as the Hupmobile won first prize at all of the car shows in which it was entered.
The streamline movement was becoming a symbol of progression and started to influence industrial designers making household products. The notion was that these new streamlined appliances would make housework easier and less time consuming, as well as giving people a chance to fight the depression through the act of consuming.
As the movement took off, designers started to streamline everything and anything they could get their hands on, from irons to staplers to underwear.
Vintage streamlined products can be found in the Museum of Design in Plastics, at the Arts University in Bournemouth.
Photograph by Etty Flynn
This Morphy Richards electric iron is a perfect example of how the design of a household product can be inspired by the architecture of a train.
The teardrop shape of the metal is identical to that of a locomotive. It’s understandable to think of how a consumer would have believed that this would have made housework swift and enjoyable.
Photograph by Etty Flynn
These Salter kitchen scales were made towards the end of the streamline movement, in 1950, but still ooze an aura of excitement for progression; The plastic container sat on top of the scales is a literal interpretation of the famous teardrop, but in this case the shape is logical, making it easier to pour the content being measured into the next container. The scales wouldn’t express optimism so effectively without their phosphorescent yellow body, complete with slanted edges, resembling those of a train’s engine.
-Tammy STREAMLINED ARCHITECTURE
Streamline design also influenced architects, who were inspired by a movement that focused on speed and luxury. Common characteristics of Streamline product design and modern Streamline buildings were rounded edges and cornered windows, as seen in aerospace designs in order to increase speed. Glass brick walls and chrome fixtures are also found in numerous Streamlined buildings, which adds to a sleek and clean look. Subdued colours, such as light earth tones or beiges, were commonly used, as well as dark colours, to contrast with the bright metals or lighter base. Notable examples include The Daily Express Building, in Manchester, that was built in 1939 and designed by the modernist architect Owen Williams. This modern looking building has rounded edges and a lot of glass in its fabric, which adds to its Streamline design. Its black colour scheme works well with the silver and earthy blues used and its smooth exterior wall surface is another characteristic of Streamline architecture. The Coca-Cola building, built in Los Angeles in 1939 and designed by Robert V. Derrah, also adopted the modern Streamline style and incorporated rounded edges in its predominately white facade. The small black strip at the bottom of this building also contrasts with the white and red strip above it.
Daily Express Building, Manchester. 1939
Pan-Pacific Auditorium, Los Angeles, 1956
-Ben VACUUM
The Streamline ‘Moderne’ style has evolved through time from various art movements that all took place at the beginning of the 20th century. Before the birth of streamlining there was the De Stijl art movement, operative from 1917 until 1928, which was then followed by the school of Bauhaus, that took place between 1920 and 1930. Futurism, active in the early years before World War I, was highly influential on the streamline movement. Futurists believed in pushing art into a direction of total abstraction; using large, confident shapes and loud colours to express their enthusiasm and optimism for the future.
Similar ideas were used in Art Deco, the same shapes were used to make smart geometric patterns.
Streamline ‘Moderne’ is thought to be a later development of Art Deco. The two movements shared the same time period and had similar architectural languages. Streamlined architecture is an Art Deco building with soft and sensual curves.
Industrial streamline designers wanted to differentiate themselves from Art Deco as they considered it to be an “effete and falsely modern art movement” (Wikipedia). Streamline ‘Moderne’ started the consumer trend and consequently invented mass production, which was then adopted by the Pop artists.
Christopher Nevinson’s Futurist painting,The Arrival, 1913.
– Nevil HOW STREAMLINE ‘MODERN’ HAS INFLUENCED TODAY’S DESIGN
As mentioned previously, the Streamline movement has contributed enormously to modern design. Aerodynamics, modernism and efficiency still take priority in the foundations of contemporary design and the teardrop, or bullet shape, has now become a common feature within transport and household appliances.
The apple iphone 5s could even be an example of modern day streamlining. The curved architecture of the IPhone delighting the aluminium framework is a direct reference to the teardrop and popular material of the 30’s aluminium. Fashion and brand outfit of the product makes the design persuasive, provocative and futuristic; again reflecting the synthesis and ethos of streamline whilst meeting industrial aims to get people buying.
Today’s trains still adopt the shape that characterized the Streamlined trains of the 1920’s; Vanja Valencak’s Maglev train, for example, which runs on electromagnets allowing us to travel at more than 300 miles per hour, is almost a caricature of one of Raymond Loewy’s Streamlined locomotives. Whilst Loewy tried to hide the engines and inner workings of his trains with bullet shaped exteriors, the Maglev doesn’t even have an engine, emitting zero pollution. The concepts used in the design of the train have even been applied to space travel, an idea that was regularly mentioned in Sci-Fi literature during the height of the Streamline movement. It is as if the designers of today take inspiration, not only from the 1920‘s Streamliners’ work, but also from their futuristic dreams.
Figure 1: EOL Maglev train – Vanja Valencak
Sebastinella –
Streamline 
