![]() ![]() When the Soviet Union’s Sputnik satellite circled the globe in October 1957, the possibilities of life beyond the Earth captivated the Western imagination. The race was on, and former German rocketry and aerospace engineer Wernher von Braun was a celebrity. People wanted to look ahead, not behind.īy the mid-50s, however, the cold war was in full swing, and space fever hit. Their radios, televisions and their childrens’ comic books brought them adventure stories, some of which were set in space and the future. The atomic explosions over Hiroshima and Nagasaki showed just what a final trump card technological power could be.Īfter the end of the second World War, a weary public was more than ready to settle down to a quiet family life in the growing suburbs. In the 1940s, incredible and terrible advances had been made in aviation, rocketry and nuclear power. Interestingly, it was not all about escapism, even if it started out that way. He provides excellent historical context for the incredible public appetite for anything referencing rocketry, astronauts and outer space – and how the design world both led and responded to this need. In “Where’s My Space Age”, Sean Topham chronicles the story of space themed design, from its postwar beginnings to its periodic resurfacing today. The World Shapes Design…Design Shapes The World The future, it seems, was not all it was cracked up to be. People gave up on their dreams of having machines do everything for us, and started working longer hours than ever. In 1973 the oil crisis hit, bringing rampant inflation and economic austerity, and the party was over. Then everything came to a screeching halt. Technology was progressing faster than ever before, and changing us with it. New materials (especially plastics) and new construction methods meant that new products were shaping themselves to us and not the other way around.Īrchitects were playing with modular rooms, buildings and cities, and looking for ways to make everything effortless. What really grabs you is how imaginative everything was. If you wanted to, you could turn somersaults in a lot of these spaces. Minimalists will note that these idealised interiors didn’t have a lot of stuff cluttering up the view. Interior design photos from the period show models in sculpted environments, many of which are more pods than rooms. They look so playful and optimistic, like toys for grown ups. When you look at the space-themed objects from the 50s, 60s and 70s with their rounded shapes and saturated colours, you can’t help but smile. Recommended Reading: “Where’s My Space Age? – The Rise and Fall of Futuristic Design” by Sean Tophamīubbles, amoebic blobs, and chrome.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |