The articles written by Alfred Barr and Philip Johnson (132-134), Nancy Babbitt (137-139) and Henry Dreyfuss (162-168) showcased their crucial contributions to modern industrial design. Discussing within the pre-Second World War context, Barr and Johnson (132-134), in their exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) named “Machine Art,” highlighted the aesthetic qualities of functional industrial products, while Babbitt (137-139) discussed her interview with Belle Kogan, who envisioned innovations in plastic design. Dreyfuss (162-168), writing after the Second World War, focused on the importance of ergonomics – of which he was a proponent, in industrial design through a discussion of two line drawings his office has created and used in their research – Joe and Josephine.
The aesthetics of modern industrial design has since been influenced by the works of Barr and Johnson (132-134) and Babbitt (137-139). The emphasis on sensuous beauty, function and relation to complexity has enabled Barr and Johnson (132-134) to emphasize on making functional industrial products more aesthetically appealing. Babbitt (137-139) presented, through her interview with Kogan, the importance of color and form of plastic, an industrial product now widely deemed as indispensable, in capturing the appeal of consumers – in this case, those who have feminine tastes.
Dreyfuss (162-168) pushed the bar on modern industrial design higher by introducing the importance of human movements and measurements in manufacturing industrial products – ergonomics, in short. The research and development efforts spearheaded by Dreyfuss (162-168) has led modern industrial design to become more sensible towards “user convenience, comfort, and preferences.” It is in such manner that modern industrial design has since began to emphasize on human movements and measurements, leading to everyday-life developments that has made, for instance, drinking glasses easier to hold, computer desks more accommodating to the posture of users, and vacuum cleaners more manageable to control, among many others.
Works Cited
Babbitt, Nancy. "As a Woman Sees Design: An Interview With Belle Kogan." The Industrial Design Reader. Ed. Carma Gorman. New York City, NY: Allworth Press, 2003. 137-139. Print.
Barr, Alfred, and Philip Johnson. "Machine Art." The Industrial Design Reader. Ed. Carma Gorman. New York City, NY: Allworth Press, 2003. 132-134. Print.
Dreyfuss, Henry. "Joe and Josephine." The Industrial Design Reader. Ed. Carma Gorman. New York City, NY: Allworth Press, 2003. 162-168. Print.
