By returning to the etymological roots of iconicity and showcasing objects which are distinctive, memorable, internationally recognised and the subject of significant media attention, this text addresses what we mean by ‘iconic' and how that aids our understanding of design and of iconicity.
50 compact chapters examine designs ranging from everyday goods to high-end ‘designer' objects and explores how iconicity was established and how it contributes to our understanding of iconic design, by considering production, consumption and legacy alongside similar or contemporaneous objects.
The book is divided into five parts, each addressing a thematic locus, arranged in a sequence from the public to the personal. This structure demonstrates that icons are not only a public phenomenon but infiltrate our intimate self-identity, in the form of objects which we carry with us and contribute to our sense of self.
With significantly longer object entries than standard texts, this is essential reading for students and scholars of design history, design criticism, design studies and material culture studies, museum studies, art and architectural history, architecture and design practice.
Grace Lees-Maffei is Reader in Design History in the School of Creative Arts at the University of Hertfordshire, UK and is co-editor of The Design History Reader (Berg, 2010) and Made in Italy (Bloomsbury Academic, 2013).
General Introduction
PART ONE: HOT IN THE CITY
Part Introduction
1. Eiffel Tower, France (Gustave Eiffel, 1889)
2. Ford Model T, USA (Henry Ford, 1908)
3. London Underground Map, UK (1931)
4. Tuk Tuk, Italy/India (Corradino D’Ascanio, 1948-)
5. Sydney Opera House, Australia (Jørn Utzon, 1957-73)
6. McDonald’s Golden Arches, USA (Jim Schindler, 1962)
7. Mobility Scooter, USA (Allen R. Thieme, 1968)
8. Concorde, France/UK (Pierre Satre/Sir Archibald Russell, Aerospatiale/BAe, 1969)
9. The London Eye, UK (Marks Barfield Architects, 1999):
10. The Palm Islands, Dubai, UAE (Nakheel Properties, 2001-)
PART TWO: PAGE TURNERS AND SCREEN SIRENS
Part Introduction
11. Isotype, Austria (Marie Reidemeister, Otto Neurath, Gerd Arntz, 1925-1934)
12. Metropolis, Germany (Fritz Lang, 1927)
13. Penguin Books, UK (Allen Lane, 1935 and Jan Tschichold, 1947-9)
14. Helvetica, Switzerland (Max Miedinger and Eduard Hoffman, 1957)
15. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band cover, UK (Peter Blake and Jann Haworth, 1967)
16. Bennetton Advertising Campaigns, Italy (Oliviero Toscani, 1986-)
17. World Wide Web, Switzerland (Sir Tim Berners-Lee, 1989)
18. Ray Gun, USA (David Carson, 1992-2000)
19. Ebay.com, USA (Pierre Omidyar, 1997)
20. Facebook, USA (Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes, 2003)
PART THREE: GENIUS AT WORK
Part Introduction
21. Paper clip, USA (Samuel B. Fay, 1867)
22. Wooton Desk, USA (William S. Wooton, 1870)
23. Incandescent Light Bulb, USA (Thomas Edison, 1880)
24. Streamlined Pencil Sharpener, USA (Raymond Loewy, 1933)
25. Bic Cristal pen, France (Décolletage Plastique design team, Société PPA, 1949-50)
26. Polyprop Chair, UK (Robin Day, 1963)
27. Valentine Typewriter, Italy (Ettore Sottsass Jnr for Olivetti, 1969)
28. Rubik’s Cube, Hungary (Erno Rubik, 1974)
29. Post-It Note, USA, 1980 (Art Fry, 3M)
30. iMac G3, USA (Jonathan Ive for Apple Inc., 1998-2003)
PART FOUR: HOME RULES
Part Introduction
31. Jasperware, UK (Josiah Wedgwood, 1775)
32. Heinz Brand (Henry J. Heinz & L. Clarence Noble, 1869)
33. ‘Strawberry Thief’ furnishing fabric, UK (William Morris, 1883)
34. Frankfurt Kitchen, Germany (Grete Schütte-Lihotzky, 1926)
35. Model B3 ‘Wassily’ Chair, Germany (Marcel Breuer, 1925-6)
36. Princess Telephone, USA (Henry Dreyfuss for Bell Telephone, 1959)
37. LEGO, Denmark (Ole Kirk Christiansen, 1958)
38. Barbie, USA (Mattel, 1959)
39. Juicy Salif, Italy (Philippe Starck, 1990)
40. Dyson DC01 vacuum cleaner, UK (James Dyson, 1993)
PART FIVE: PERSONAL EFFECTS
Part Introduction
41. Chopsticks, Ancient China (n.d.)
42. Zori and Flip-flop Sandal, Japan/World (n.d.)
43. Levis Jeans, USA (Jacob Davis and Levis Strauss & Co., 1873)
44. Brownie Camera, USA (Eastman Kodak, 1888)
45. Swiss Army knife, Switzerland (Karl Elsener, Victorinox, 1891)
46. Chanel Suit, France (Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, n.d., f. 1909)
47. Coca-Cola Bottle, USA (Earl R. Dean, 1915)
48. Hello Kitty, Japan (Yuko Shimizu for Sanrio, 1974)
49. Sony Walkman, Japan (Nobutoshi Kihara, 1978)
50. Wind-Up Radio, UK/South Africa (Trevor Baylis, 1992)
Notes
Bibliography
Index
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