UNDERGRADUATE DISSERTATION : Commodities or Essentials

COMMODITIES OR ESSENTIALS Are architects capable of designing ‘From the spoon to the city’1 considering how they currently design commodities rather than essentials?

If so should more efforts be concentrated on essential products, particularly for disabled members of society who would benefit from being given extra design consideration?

1 Historic Italian modernist manifesto, Erneto N.Rogers, 1952 <http://inspire.ovs.it/quotes-design-dal-cucchiaio-alla-citta/?lang=en>[accessed 03 January 15]

Elizabeth Fay Holroyd 2014/15 Student Number: 120545962 Stage: 3 Course Code: ARC 3060

1

Content I.

Abstract

II.

Chapter One : Architects and Product Design

III.

Chapter Two : Architects and Disabled Design

IV.

Chapter Three : Architects Designing Commodities or Essentials

V.

Conclusion

VI.

Bibliography

VII.

Appendix

VIII.

Image Credits

3

I. Abstract

5

Are architects capable of designing ‘From the spoon to the city’1 considering how they currently design commodities rather than essentials? If so should more efforts be concentrated on essential products, particularly for disabled members of society who would benefit from being given extra design consideration?

Abstract During my time studying architecture at Newcastle University I have noticed the high level of involvement architects have in the realm of product design. This high level of involvement has lead to architects designing commodities when they previously designed essentials. These essentials are now been designed elsewhere. An important example of essential products being designed elsewhere can be seen with disabled product design. Architects design for disabilities by complying with Building Regulations, however they appear to have limited involvement designing essential products to aid disabled members of society.

In this dissertation I will look at architects involvement in product design, architects role in designing for the disabled.

As well as whether architects should design essentials over commodities, in particular essentials that would benefit disabled members of society. All of which will aid the discussion of whether or not architects can design “From the spoon the city”2 .

1 Historic Italian modernist manifesto, Ernesto N. Rogers in 1952 <http://inspire.ovs.it/quotes-design-dal-cucchiaio-alla-citta/?lang=en> [accessed 03 January 15] 2 Historic Italian modernist manifesto, Ernesto N. Rogers in 1952 <http://inspire.ovs.it/quotes-design-dal-cucchiaio-alla-citta/?lang=en> [accessed 03 January 15]

7

II. Chapter One: Architects and Product Design

9

FIG.1 Image of Opaque Globe Pendant Lamp, Bauhaus

FIG.4 Image of The Barcelona Pavillion, Mies Van Der Rohe

FIG.2 Image of Calvet Chair, Antoni Gaudi

FIG.3 Image of The Barcelona Chair, Mies Van Der Rohe

Chapter One

11

FIG.6 Image of Hill House Ladder Back Chair, Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1902)

FIG.7 Image of Sitzmaschine Chair, Josef Hoffmann (1905)

FIG.8 Image of Transat Armchair, Eileen Grey (1924)

FIG.9 Image of “Tac” Tea Set, Walter Gropious (date unknown)

FIG.10 Image of Savoy Vase, Alvar Aalto (1936)

FIG.11 Image of Armchair for the Postsparkasse, Otto Wagner (1904-06)

FIG.5 Image of Red and Blue Chair, Gerrit Rieveld (1918)

13

FIG.12 Image of La Conica Coffee Maker, Aldo Rossi

FIG.15 Image of the Whistling Kettle, Michael Graves

FIG.13 Image of La Cuppla Coffee Maker, Aldo Rossi

FIG.14 Sketch, Aldo Rossi

15

FIG.16 Image of Denver Public Library, Michael Graves

17

FIG.17 Table Showing Drastic Increase in the Price of Coffee Per kg in 1978.

19

FIG.18 Image of ‘Pito’ Kettle, Frank O’Gerhy

FIG.19 Image of the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Frank O’Gerhy

21

FIG.20 ‘Niche’ Bowls, Zaha Hadid FIG.21 (Top Left), Zaha Hadid’s Architectural sketches FIG.22 (Bottom Right), Zaha Hadid’s Architectural sketches

23

25

III. Chapter Two: Architects and Disabled Design

27

FIG.24 801 Sanitary Range

FIG.23 Image of the 477 Range

FIG.25 801 Sanitary Range, Low Level Sink

Chapter Two

FIG.26 Image of the Fishguard Primary School Disabled Access

29

FIG.27 Image of Eat In Kitchen, Half Height Cabinets

FIG.28 Image of Eat in Kitchen, Matt Laminate to Provide a Single Visual Effect.

31

FIG.29 Image of the Maison a Bordeaux, France

33

FIG.30 Image of the Hazelwood Primary School

FIG.31 Image of the Interactive Wall Inside the Hazelwood Primary School

35

IV. Chapter Three: Architects Designing Commodities Over Essentials

37

FIG.32 Image of Poorly Designed Disabled Products

FIG.32 Mies Van Der Roheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tugendhat House, Brno, Czech Republic

Chapter Three

39

V. Conclusion

41

Conclusion

43

VI. Bibliography

45

Bibliography Books and Journals Alderson, Simon and others, The Design Book, (2013 Phaidon Press Limited) Botton, Alain de, The Architecture of Happiness (New York: a Division of Radom House, Inc, 2008) Boys, Jos, Doing Disability Differently (London: Routledge) Fischer, Joachim, Accessible Architecture: Age and Disability-Friendly Planning and Building (Berlin: DOM, 2009) GA Documents Extra 03, “Zaha M. Hadid”, edited: Yokio Futagawa (A.D.A. EDITA Tokyo, June 1995) Gehry, Frank, Frank Gehry: Buildings and Projects (New York: Rizzoli, 1985) Graves, Michael, Michael Graves: Building and Projects, 1966-1981 (New York: Rizzoli) Hadid, Zaha, The Complete Zaha Hadid (Farnborough: Thames & Hudson Ltd, 2013) Heiss, Oliver, Barrier-free Design: Principles,Planning, Examples (Basel: Edition Detail/Birkauser, 2010) Holmes-Siedle, James, Barrier-free Design: Architectural Design (Oxford,England: Butterworth Architecture, 1996) Imrine, Robert, Barrier-free Design-Great Britain: Universal Design (London: Spon Press, ) Meuser, Philipp, Accessible Architecture: Construction and Design Manual (berlin:DOM 2012) Rossi, Aldo and Scully, Vincent Joseph, A scientific autobiography (Mit Press, 1981) Schwartzman, Madeline, See Yourself Sensing: Redefining Human Perception (London: Black Dog, 2011) Spa, Alessi, Alessi The Design Factory (London: Academy Editions, 1998) Sweet, Fay, Alessi: Art and Poetry (London: Thames and Hudson, 1998) Thorpe, Stephen, Wheelchair Housing Design Guide (Watford: BRE, 2006)

Web Links • www.achica.com <http://www.achica.com/achicaliving/2013/06/the-art-of-alessi/>[accessed 14 October14] • www.alessi.com <http://www.alessi.com/en/company/history>[accessed 14 October 14] <http://www.alessi.com/en/products/designers/aldo-rossi>[accessed 7 September 14] http://www.alessi.com/en/company/scuola-alessi<[accessed 14 October 14] • m.architectural-review.com <http://m.architectural-review.com/8669074.article>[accessed 24 November 14] • www.britannica.com <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/242348/Michael-Graves>[accessed 11 November 14] • http://channel.louisiana.dk/ <http://channel.louisiana.dk/video/bjarke-ingels-advice-young>[accessed 05 January 14] • www.edinbrugharchitecture.co.uk <http://www.edinburgharchitecture.co.uk/gm-ad-architects>[accessed 04 November 14] • www.galsgowarchitecture.co.uk <http://www.glasgowarchitecture.co.uk/hazelwood-school>[accessed 06 November 14] • www.glasgow.gov.uk <http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=11975&p=0> [accessed 03 November 14] • www.gov.uk <https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disability-facts-and-figures/disability-facts-and-figures> [accessed 17 September 14] <https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/321594/disability-prevalence.pdf>[accessed 18 September 14] • <http://www.hazelwood.glasgow.sch.uk/> [accessed 29 September 14] • www.hewi.com <http://www.hewi.com/en/company/references/case-studies/ronald-mc-donald> [accessed 17 November 14 <http://www.hewi.com/en/company/history/> [accessed 05 October 14] • www.inspire.ovs.it <http://inspire.ovs.it/quotes-design-dal-cucchiaio-alla-citta/?lang=en[accessed 03 January 15] www.knoll.com <http://www.knoll.com/product/barcelona-chair> [accessed 17 November 14] • www.lacma.org <http://www.lacma.org/art/exhibition/spoon-city-objects-architects-lacmas-collection>[accessed 06 September 14] • www.michaelgraves.com

47

49

VII. Appendix

51

Appendix 1.

• • • • • • • • • • • 2.

Websites of companies that still produce architects product designshttp://www.knoll.com/shop/by-designer/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe http://www.alessi.com/en http://www.ecart-international.fr/ http://www.classicon.com/all-designer.html http://www.vitra.com/en-gb/living/product/designer/jean-prouv http://cassina.com/en/designer/le-corbusier http://www.tecnoline.de/ http://www.artek.fi/find?search=aalto http://www.gebruederthonetvienna.com/en/designers/ http://bdbarcelona.com/en/catalogue/16 http://www.alessi.com/en/company/history Websites used to collect data for calculations in the table below-

Table on age structure, total percentage column <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demography_of_the_United_Kingdom>[accessed on 24 December 14] DDA, General Demographics, 1, 2, & 3 <https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disability-facts-and-figures/disability-facts-and-figures >[accessed on 24 December 14]

53

VIII. Image Credits

55

Image Credits Tittle Page Image, David Chipperfields, Dinner Set, Alessi<http://www.die-neue-sammlung.de/press/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ Chipperfield.jpg>{accessed 08 January 15] Chapter One Cover Image Alessi, Tea and Coffee Piazza Service<http://www.imamuseum.org/collections/artwork/tea-coffee-piazzaservice-alessi-spa-graves-michael>[accessed 07 January 15] Chapter Two Cover Image Wheelchair and Doorway<http://www.designboom.com/architecture/accessible-architecture-constructionand-design-manual-by-philipp-meuser/>[accessed 07 January 15] Chapter Three Cover Image Mies Van Der Rohe, Czech Republic House<http://www.greatbuildings.com/cgi-bin/gbi.cgi/ Tugendhat_House.html/cid_1187730989_Tugendhat333.html>[accessed 10 January 15] Conclusion Cover Image Disabled Stair Lift<http://jonathansson.com/stair-lifts>[accessed 04 January 15] FIG.1 Antoni Gaudi, Calvet Chair<http://www.pinterest.com/pin/318840848591628616/>[accessed 20 December] FIG.2 Bauhaus, Pendant Lamp<http://www.lovinhome.com/Tecnolumen-HL99-Bauhaus-Pendant-Lamp-Opal-Globe-d-20cm>[accessed 20 December 14] FIG.3 Mies Van Der Rohe, Barcelona Chair<http://www.chairblog.eu/category/chair-designer/ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe/page/2/ >[accessed 20 December 14] FIG.4 Mies Van Der Rohe, Barcelona Pavilion< http://www.slideshare.net/ijasvindersingh/miles-van-der-rohe[accessed 20 December 14] FIG.5 Gerrit Rieveld, Red+Blue Chair<http://imgkid.com/gerrit-rietveld-red-and-blue-chair.shtml>[accessed 20 December 14] FIG.6 Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Hill House Ladder Back Chair<http://www.archiexpo.com/prod/cassina/design-chairs-art-nouveaucharles-rennie-mackintosh-9515-451821.html>[accessed 22 December 14] FIG.7 Josef Hoffman, Sitzmaschine Chair<http://mebelu-vesture.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/jozefs-hofmans.html>[accessed22 December 14] FIG.8 Eileen Grey, Transat Armchair<http://www.markanto.de/blog/tag/design-frankreich>[accessed 22 December 14] FIG.9 Walter Gropious, ‘Tac’ Tea Set< http://www.dailyicon.net/category/icons/page/9/>{accessed 22 December 14] FIG.10 Alvar Aalto, Savoy Vase<http://janmichl.com/eng.aalto.html>[accessed 22 December 14] FIG.11 Otto Wagner, Postsparkasse Chair<http://www.ottowagner.com/furnature-and-interiors/>[accessed 22 December] FIG.12 Aldo Rossi, La Conica Coffee Maker<http://www.panik-design.com/acatalog/Alessi_Officina__La_Conica_Espresso_Coffee_Maker__3_cup_.html >[accessed 23 December 14] FIG.13 Aldo Rossi, La Cuppla Coffee Maker< http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/cds-r/item/alessi-276/?sid=borderless_recommend_item_en >[accessed 20 December 14] FIG.14 Aldo Rossi, Sketch< http://www.stylepark.com/en/news/in-the-design-world-we-all-like-each-other/307452 >[accessed 22 December 14] FIG.15 Michael Graves, Whistling Kettle<http://vimeo.com/99916884>[accessed 22 December 14] FIG.16 Michael Graves, Denver Public Library< http://architizer.com/blog/michael-graves-interview/>[accessed 18 December 14] FIG.17 Table Showing Coffee Price Change<http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/y5117e/y5117e03.htm>[accessed 16 November 14] FIG.18 Frank Gehry, ‘Pito’ Kettle<http://www.pinterest.com/pin/322288917055154532/>[accessed 20 December 14] FIG.19 Frank Gehry, Walt Disney Concert Hall<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Walt_Disney_Concert_Hall %2C_LA%2C_CA%2C_jjron_22.03.2012.jpg >[accessed 20 December 14] FIG.20 Zaha Hadid, Niche Bowls< http://www.panik-design.com/acatalog/Alessi_Officina_-_Zaha_Hadid___Niche__Centrepiece.html>[accessed 26 November 14] FIG.21 Zaha Hadid, Sketch<http://www.e-architect.co.uk/paris/pierre-vives-montpellier>[accessed 26 November 14] FIG.22 Zaha Hadid, Sketch< http://www.arthitectural.com/zaha-hadid-architects-rosenthal-center-for-contemporary-art/sketch-1a/ >[accessed 26 November 14] FIG. 23, 24, 25 HEWI Sanitary Range<http://www.hewi.com/en/sanitary/range-477-801/>[accessed 02 January 14] FIG.26 Fishgaurd Primary School< http://www.ribaproductselector.com/fishguard-primary-school-balustrade-and-handrails/casestudy/3785/2185/selfserve.aspx >[accessed 02 January 14] FIG.27 Eat in Kitchen, Fischer, Joachim, Accessible Architecture: Age and Disability-Friendly Planning and Building (Berlin: DOM, 2009) FIG.28 Eat in Kitchen, Fischer, Joachim, Accessible Architecture: Age and Disability-Friendly Planning and Building (Berlin: DOM, 2009) FIG 29. Maison a Bordeaux, France< https://adaptedhomeandbusiness.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/ maisonabourdeaux.jpeg>[accessed 22 December 14] FIG.30 Hazelwood School, Glasgow< http://static.urbarama.com/photos/original/11188.jpg >[accessed 04 January 15] FIG.31 Hazelwood School, Glasgow< http://architizer.com/projects/hazelwood-school/ >[accessed 04 January 15] http://static.urbarama.com/photos/original/11188.jpg FIG.32<http://metacole.com/2007/03/07/user-tested-designs/>[accessed 17 December 14} FIG.33 Mies Van Der Rohe, Czech Republic House<http://www.greatbuildings.com/cgi-bin/gbi.cgi/Tugendhat_House.html/ cid_1187730989_Tugendhat333.html>[accessed 10 January 15]

57