The most revolutionary idea in the book was probably the Storagewall. The function of the room, specially of the living room, was the biggest concern of the authors that used the modernism as a tool to find the answers to the new needs of the contemporary house owners. ‘Tomorrow’s House’ was not an usual book about interiors, its heart was the new rooms’ uses basing on the needs of their inhabitants. The book was gathered all the authors’ ideas and believes about the middle contemporary architecture language and interior decorating ideas. In 1945, Nelson and his Forum colleague Henry Wright wrote ‘ Tomorrow’s house’. He was reporting about the new household design, the new needs of the mid-century modern American families and the way the consumerism was changing the house concept itself and the use of the inner spaces. Those years outlined the first phase of his career as a writer.īack to the US, Nelson worked mainly as journalist for architecture magazines like ‘Architectural Forum’. The interviews, published in the US between the ‘35 and ‘36, showed his peculiar, admiring and often sarcastic point of view on the European architecture, the Bauhaus revolution and its protagonists. The following years Nelson traveled throughout Europe writing about architecture and interviewing the leading designers and architects of the time like Le Corbusier, Mies Van de Roe, Walter Gropius and Gio Ponti. In 1929 he ran for, and won, the contest ‘Rome Prize’ the prize consisted of two years at the American Academy in Rome with all the expenses covered, the ideal solution to the lack of work during those years. This was when, without any further question on my part, I decided I had to be an architect.”Īfter the graduation in 1928 -one year before the economic crash that canceled every construction plan around the country making the architects useless- Nelson started the academic career to get bored of it already one year later. I fell in love instantly with the whole business of creating designs for cemetery gateways. He was so amazed of what he had just seen that he decided with no hesitation that he would become an architect: “They were the most exquisitely beautiful and exciting things I had ever seen in my life. There, a student presentation of tempera and watercolor renderings called ‘ A Cemetery Gateway’ was taking place. In 1924, Nelson joined Yale University without having a clear idea of what to study, but one day, finding shelter in the university from a sudden storm, he found himself in the faculty of architecture. It is no surprise then if he became a curious traveller with no concern in making money. When discussing his own origins, he used to say: “There was none around who said ‘Go out and get rich’, so I followed their instructions and never did”. Nelson was born in 1908 in an highly educated family. He was an eclectic -architect, urban designer, interior designer, graphic designer- more interested in writing about architecture and travel than in the construction business. George Nelson dominated the Mid-Century Modern design and architecture scene since its early years.Īlthough he is considered to be amongst the most influential designers of the twentieth Century, he never was a ‘traditional’ designer.ĭespite this, Nelson and his office invented some of the most iconic furniture and home appliances of the Mid-Century Modern time like the Storagewall, the multimedia presentation, the open plan office system or the Bubble lamp, the Ball clock, the Marshmallow sofa and the Coconut Chair. (George Nelson’s portrait by Josie Portillo)
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