Iconic Designs
50 Stories about 50 Things
Published on 14. August 2014
Book
Paperback/Softback
240 pages
978-0-85785-351-6 (ISBN)
Description
By returning to the etymological roots of iconicity and showcasing objects which are distinctive, memorable, internationally recognised and the subject of significant media attention, this text addresses what we mean by `iconic' and how that aids our understanding of design and of iconicity.
50 compact chapters examine designs ranging from everyday goods to high-end `designer' objects and explores how iconicity was established and how it contributes to our understanding of iconic design, by considering production, consumption and legacy alongside similar or contemporaneous objects.
The book is divided into five parts, each addressing a thematic locus, arranged in a sequence from the public to the personal. This structure demonstrates that icons are not only a public phenomenon but infiltrate our intimate self-identity, in the form of objects which we carry with us and contribute to our sense of self.
With significantly longer object entries than standard texts, this is essential reading for students and scholars of design history, design criticism, design studies and material culture studies, museum studies, art and architectural history, architecture and design practice.
50 compact chapters examine designs ranging from everyday goods to high-end `designer' objects and explores how iconicity was established and how it contributes to our understanding of iconic design, by considering production, consumption and legacy alongside similar or contemporaneous objects.
The book is divided into five parts, each addressing a thematic locus, arranged in a sequence from the public to the personal. This structure demonstrates that icons are not only a public phenomenon but infiltrate our intimate self-identity, in the form of objects which we carry with us and contribute to our sense of self.
With significantly longer object entries than standard texts, this is essential reading for students and scholars of design history, design criticism, design studies and material culture studies, museum studies, art and architectural history, architecture and design practice.
Reviews / Votes
This survey of iconic designs predominantly from the mid-19th century to the present is mainly focused on objects from the US and Europe. The designs represent a wide range of creative achievement, including architecture, engineering, industrial design, graphic design, and fashion ... Iconic Designs opens with a thought-provoking essay regarding the term iconic and how it should be applied to manufactured commodities ... by providing insights into iconic designs, this book informs readers' understanding of design beyond the examples provided, and the bibliography offers opportunities to delve more deeply into the discussion of design excellence. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels. -- C. B. Cannon, Brand Library and Art Center * CHOICE *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Hardback (stationery)
Illustrations
50 colour illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 246 mm
Width: 189 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-85785-351-6 (9780857853516)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Grace Lees-Maffei is Reader in Design History in the School of Creative Arts at the University of Hertfordshire, UK and is co-editor of The Design History Reader (Bloomsbury 2010) and Made in Italy (Bloomsbury 2013). She is also the editor of Writing Design (Bloomsbury 2011) and Design at Home (2013).
Content
General Introduction
PART ONE: HOT IN THE CITY
Part Introduction
1. Eiffel Tower, France (Gustave Eiffel, 1889)
2. Ford Model T, USA (Henry Ford, 1908)
3. London Underground Map, UK (1931)
4. Tuk Tuk, Italy/India (Corradino D'Ascanio, 1948-)
5. Sydney Opera House, Australia (Jorn Utzon, 1957-73)
6. McDonald's Golden Arches, USA (Jim Schindler, 1962)
7. Mobility Scooter, USA (Allen R. Thieme, 1968)
8. Concorde, France/UK (Pierre Satre/Sir Archibald Russell, Aerospatiale/BAe, 1969)
9. The London Eye, UK (Marks Barfield Architects, 1999):
10. The Palm Islands, Dubai, UAE (Nakheel Properties, 2001-)
PART TWO: PAGE TURNERS AND SCREEN SIRENS
Part Introduction
11. Isotype, Austria (Marie Reidemeister, Otto Neurath, Gerd Arntz, 1925-1934)
12. Metropolis, Germany (Fritz Lang, 1927)
13. Penguin Books, UK (Allen Lane, 1935 and Jan Tschichold, 1947-9)
14. Helvetica, Switzerland (Max Miedinger and Eduard Hoffman, 1957)
15. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band cover, UK (Peter Blake and Jann Haworth, 1967)
16. Bennetton Advertising Campaigns, Italy (Oliviero Toscani, 1986-)
17. World Wide Web, Switzerland (Sir Tim Berners-Lee, 1989)
18. Ray Gun, USA (David Carson, 1992-2000)
19. Ebay.com, USA (Pierre Omidyar, 1997)
20. Facebook, USA (Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes, 2003)
PART THREE: GENIUS AT WORK
Part Introduction
21. Paper clip, USA (Samuel B. Fay, 1867)
22. Wooton Desk, USA (William S. Wooton, 1870)
23. Incandescent Light Bulb, USA (Thomas Edison, 1880)
24. Streamlined Pencil Sharpener, USA (Raymond Loewy, 1933)
25. Bic Cristal pen, France (Decolletage Plastique design team, Societe PPA, 1949-50)
26. Polyprop Chair, UK (Robin Day, 1963)
27. Valentine Typewriter, Italy (Ettore Sottsass Jnr for Olivetti, 1969)
28. Rubik's Cube, Hungary (Erno Rubik, 1974)
29. Post-It Note, USA, 1980 (Art Fry, 3M)
30. iMac G3, USA (Jonathan Ive for Apple Inc., 1998-2003)
PART FOUR: HOME RULES
Part Introduction
31. Jasperware, UK (Josiah Wedgwood, 1775)
32. Heinz Brand (Henry J. Heinz & L. Clarence Noble, 1869)
33. `Strawberry Thief' furnishing fabric, UK (William Morris, 1883)
34. Frankfurt Kitchen, Germany (Grete Schuette-Lihotzky, 1926)
35. Model B3 `Wassily' Chair, Germany (Marcel Breuer, 1925-6)
36. Princess Telephone, USA (Henry Dreyfuss for Bell Telephone, 1959)
37. LEGO, Denmark (Ole Kirk Christiansen, 1958)
38. Barbie, USA (Mattel, 1959)
39. Juicy Salif, Italy (Philippe Starck, 1990)
40. Dyson DC01 vacuum cleaner, UK (James Dyson, 1993)
PART FIVE: PERSONAL EFFECTS
Part Introduction
41. Chopsticks, Ancient China (n.d.)
42. Zori and Flip-flop Sandal, Japan/World (n.d.)
43. Levis Jeans, USA (Jacob Davis and Levis Strauss & Co., 1873)
44. Brownie Camera, USA (Eastman Kodak, 1888)
45. Swiss Army knife, Switzerland (Karl Elsener, Victorinox, 1891)
46. Chanel Suit, France (Gabrielle `Coco' Chanel, n.d., f. 1909)
47. Coca-Cola Bottle, USA (Earl R. Dean, 1915)
48. Hello Kitty, Japan (Yuko Shimizu for Sanrio, 1974)
49. Sony Walkman, Japan (Nobutoshi Kihara, 1978)
50. Wind-Up Radio, UK/South Africa (Trevor Baylis, 1992)
Notes
Bibliography
Index
PART ONE: HOT IN THE CITY
Part Introduction
1. Eiffel Tower, France (Gustave Eiffel, 1889)
2. Ford Model T, USA (Henry Ford, 1908)
3. London Underground Map, UK (1931)
4. Tuk Tuk, Italy/India (Corradino D'Ascanio, 1948-)
5. Sydney Opera House, Australia (Jorn Utzon, 1957-73)
6. McDonald's Golden Arches, USA (Jim Schindler, 1962)
7. Mobility Scooter, USA (Allen R. Thieme, 1968)
8. Concorde, France/UK (Pierre Satre/Sir Archibald Russell, Aerospatiale/BAe, 1969)
9. The London Eye, UK (Marks Barfield Architects, 1999):
10. The Palm Islands, Dubai, UAE (Nakheel Properties, 2001-)
PART TWO: PAGE TURNERS AND SCREEN SIRENS
Part Introduction
11. Isotype, Austria (Marie Reidemeister, Otto Neurath, Gerd Arntz, 1925-1934)
12. Metropolis, Germany (Fritz Lang, 1927)
13. Penguin Books, UK (Allen Lane, 1935 and Jan Tschichold, 1947-9)
14. Helvetica, Switzerland (Max Miedinger and Eduard Hoffman, 1957)
15. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band cover, UK (Peter Blake and Jann Haworth, 1967)
16. Bennetton Advertising Campaigns, Italy (Oliviero Toscani, 1986-)
17. World Wide Web, Switzerland (Sir Tim Berners-Lee, 1989)
18. Ray Gun, USA (David Carson, 1992-2000)
19. Ebay.com, USA (Pierre Omidyar, 1997)
20. Facebook, USA (Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes, 2003)
PART THREE: GENIUS AT WORK
Part Introduction
21. Paper clip, USA (Samuel B. Fay, 1867)
22. Wooton Desk, USA (William S. Wooton, 1870)
23. Incandescent Light Bulb, USA (Thomas Edison, 1880)
24. Streamlined Pencil Sharpener, USA (Raymond Loewy, 1933)
25. Bic Cristal pen, France (Decolletage Plastique design team, Societe PPA, 1949-50)
26. Polyprop Chair, UK (Robin Day, 1963)
27. Valentine Typewriter, Italy (Ettore Sottsass Jnr for Olivetti, 1969)
28. Rubik's Cube, Hungary (Erno Rubik, 1974)
29. Post-It Note, USA, 1980 (Art Fry, 3M)
30. iMac G3, USA (Jonathan Ive for Apple Inc., 1998-2003)
PART FOUR: HOME RULES
Part Introduction
31. Jasperware, UK (Josiah Wedgwood, 1775)
32. Heinz Brand (Henry J. Heinz & L. Clarence Noble, 1869)
33. `Strawberry Thief' furnishing fabric, UK (William Morris, 1883)
34. Frankfurt Kitchen, Germany (Grete Schuette-Lihotzky, 1926)
35. Model B3 `Wassily' Chair, Germany (Marcel Breuer, 1925-6)
36. Princess Telephone, USA (Henry Dreyfuss for Bell Telephone, 1959)
37. LEGO, Denmark (Ole Kirk Christiansen, 1958)
38. Barbie, USA (Mattel, 1959)
39. Juicy Salif, Italy (Philippe Starck, 1990)
40. Dyson DC01 vacuum cleaner, UK (James Dyson, 1993)
PART FIVE: PERSONAL EFFECTS
Part Introduction
41. Chopsticks, Ancient China (n.d.)
42. Zori and Flip-flop Sandal, Japan/World (n.d.)
43. Levis Jeans, USA (Jacob Davis and Levis Strauss & Co., 1873)
44. Brownie Camera, USA (Eastman Kodak, 1888)
45. Swiss Army knife, Switzerland (Karl Elsener, Victorinox, 1891)
46. Chanel Suit, France (Gabrielle `Coco' Chanel, n.d., f. 1909)
47. Coca-Cola Bottle, USA (Earl R. Dean, 1915)
48. Hello Kitty, Japan (Yuko Shimizu for Sanrio, 1974)
49. Sony Walkman, Japan (Nobutoshi Kihara, 1978)
50. Wind-Up Radio, UK/South Africa (Trevor Baylis, 1992)
Notes
Bibliography
Index