Moderne

Moderne

The name Moderne was given to a style of Art Deco which was occuring in Europe during the 1920s through to the 1930s. As Moderne was getting popular in Europe, it was also being developed in America. Moderne designers were influenced by the Wiener Werkstatte and adopted strong geometric forms in their work, and used mostly aluminum and chromium to create smooth and shiny surface finishes. 

One can see the onfluence of strong geometric lines along with the use of metal and large glass surfaces.

Donald Deskey is an American furniture and interior designer which is often said that his work characterized moderne style. This movement had a superficial esthetic but it was also a decorative style that made use of the machine esthetic to cover the working objects of the inside of the product.

This is another example of a moderne style object. It can be recognized from the very rigid shape and the use of metal and glass/ mirror.

In architectur Moderne was mostly applied on non residential building such as skyscrapers and theaters, displaying "the promise of a machine-made future." On the other hand, as the Depression developed, less and less Moderne buildings were constructed. Instead, they transformed the style into consumer products and interiors. Few homes were constructed with the Moderne style, but those that were, had often been decorated with traditional floorplans and decor within. 

Moderne was always related to the new things, from the materials to talent to technology. Two of these materials were; Bakalite and Phenolic resins.

Bakalite;

"Bakelite, or polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride, is an early plastic. It is a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, formed from an elimination reaction of phenol with formaldehyde."

Phenolic;

"Phenolic is an adjective and a substantive (noun) that may apply to : Phenol (or carbolic acid), a colorless crystalline solid and aromatic compound. Phenols, a class of chemical compounds that include phenol. Phenolicpaper, a type of cardboard used for printed circuit boards."

Brick buildings were being covered with plaster "skins" or concrete to create a smooth metal like finish and to give it a more of a machine esthetic. When the ocean linber was a physical manifestation of everything that was new, it wasn't a casualty that the buildings were looking like ships. At that time many designers were working for very wealthy clients on private commissions and the moderne style was symbolizing the American Dream. Many of the creative characteristics of the moderne style were rehabilitated through post modernism.

Streamline Moderne Art Deco Tubular Chrome Chair

Airline 009 by Corey Grosser

These are two chairs that were designed in two different periods of time. I believe that these chairs have similar characteristics although they are not the same shape. I see a lot of resemblance in the posture angle and in the frame of the chairs.

References

Bhaskaran, L. (2005). Designs of the times. Mies: RotoVision.

Bakelite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2015. Bakelite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakelite. [Accessed 25 January 2015].

Phenolic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2015. Phenolic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenolic. [Accessed 25 January 2015].

Log In - The New York Times. 2015. Log In - The New York Times. [ONLINE] Available at: http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/05/now-showing-plastic-fantastic/. [Accessed 25 January 2015].

Hollywood Regency / Art Moderne Mirrored Vanity Desk, Circa 1930 at 1stdibs. 2015. Hollywood Regency / Art Moderne Mirrored Vanity Desk, Circa 1930 at 1stdibs. [ONLINE] Available at:https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/tables/vanities/hollywood-regency-art-moderne-mirrored-vanity-desk-circa-1930/id-f_257690/. [Accessed 25 January 2015].

Pair of Streamline Moderne Art Deco Tubular Chrome Chairs at 1stdibs. 2015. Pair of Streamline Moderne Art Deco Tubular Chrome Chairs at 1stdibs. [ONLINE] Available at:https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/seating/lounge-chairs/pair-of-streamline-moderne-art-deco-tubular-chrome-chairs/id-f_422425/. [Accessed 25 January 2015].

Walt Disney: Airline 009 | Vignelli Center for Design Studies. 2015. Walt Disney: Airline 009 | Vignelli Center for Design Studies. [ONLINE] Available at: http://vignellicenter.rit.edu/timecapsule/airline-009-by-cory-grosser-for-walt-disney-signature/. [Accessed 25 January 2015].