Put together by design historians and writers Bernd Polster, Claudia Neumann, Markus Schuler and Frederick Leven, all of whom are German, The A-Z of Modern Design functions as a simple, readable encyclopedia of twentieth and twenty-first century product design. The book focuses decidedly on Western Europe, America and Japan. There are entries for seminal designers Charles and Ray Eames and influential manufacturers Bang & Olufsen and Citroën, but nothing from emerging regions like Southeast Asia or Africa. Page through this tome at random and here's what you might come across.
Radical Tubular Steel Design
Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe are generally acknowledged as the innovators of tubular steel furniture design. But Irish furniture designer and architect Eileen Gray was making innovative use of the industrial material before them. Her furniture designs from the 1920s are stunning. Clean lines emphasize the materials, and a tension hovers discreetly around pieces such as “Rivoli” bar, 1928.
Danish Craftsmanship
Originally a chair factory, Fredericia expanded during the second half of the twentieth century and earned a reputation for their beautifully crafted wood furniture. In the 1980s, innovative designer Ninna Ditzel created playful new pieces such as the lipstick-red and steel “Icon” easy chair, which recalls Eero Saarinen’s “Womb” chair from 1948. Because of the commercial success of Ditzel’s work, Fredericia continues to hire young, creative designers, but their mainstays are still well-made chairs.
Paesaggi Italiani
Massimo Morozzi’s output has varied from pasta cooking pots to a concept car for Nissan. His modular storage system Paesaggi Italiani has been extremely successful because of its adaptability and beauty. It comes in seventy-five different colors: clear cherry Plexiglass, a deep, clear blue, and ultra-reflective chrome are a few shown in The A-Z of Modern Design’s illustrations.
Bicycle, Bicycle, Bicycle
If there is one lesson to be learned from looking at the automobile entries in the book, it is that cars are not as stylish as they used to be. Citroën, Mercedes, Porshe: they just don't look that cool anymore. There are not many examples of bike designs, but the Danish Biomega shows up with their hi-tech, twenty-first century models. The frame of “BioLove” is bamboo. And “Copenhagen” has no chain: it moves thanks to a shaft instead.
There are many, many more designers and manufacturers covered in The A-Z of Modern Design, and each one includes four, five, six or more clear, descriptive photographs. Heavily illustrated, lively and instructive: what more could one want from a guide to design?
The A-Z of Modern Design was published by Merrell Publishers, Ltd. in 2006. ISBN: 978-1858943305
