Plastic dreams: synthetic visions in designOver the past 150 years, the role of plastics within the field of design has been fundamental to the development of the manmade environment. Synthetic polymers have quite literally molded the modern world, transforming utopian dreams into three-dimensional realities. Indeed, the impact of plastics has been felt in every area of human life, from healthcare and food distribution to communications, transportation and financial transactions. Plastic Dreams: Synthetic Visions in Designtells the fascinating story of these truly wondrous materials, charting their evolution from the mid-nineteenth century to the present, across a huge range of landmark product types, from Wells Coates' iconic AD 65 radio to Konstantin Grcic's MYTO stacking chair, and from Bakelite in the 1920s to today's latest techno-polymers. A fully illustrated reference resource, this volume raises our aesthetic perception of plastics and celebrates their nobility as materials. An introductory essay traces the fascinating history of plastics and assesses their decisive role in industrial design, while an extensive glossary of materials and processes will help the plastics neophyte distinguish their Jaxonite and Xylonite from their polyethylene and ABS. As a final design flourish, Plastic Dreamscomes with a specially designed orange plastic slipcase by Edson Matsuo of Melissa. |
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Common terms and phrases
acrylic acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene abs aesthetic Artemide Bakelite bottle bowls Breger Celluloid cellulose chair chemical cm deep cm diameter cm high cm wide colours create designs in plastic developed dinnerware durable early electric elegant ergonomically Ettore Sottsass exploited fibre form-giving functional furniture design futuristic German Gino Colombini glass-reinforced polyester Gustavsberg heat highly industrial design inexpensive injection moulding injection-moulded innovative Italian design Italy Measurements Joe Colombo Karim Rashid Kartell Kuramata laminates launched lighting designs lightweight Marco Zanuso mass production melamine Melissa metal Milan Model Modern Plastics Noviglio objects patented plastic material pmma polycarbonate polyethylene polymethyl methacrylate polymethyl methacrylate pmma polypropylene polystyrene polyurethane potential product design Properties publicity photograph qualities range recyclable resin resistance Richard Sapper Ross Lovegrove rubber sculptural seat shells stacking structural stylish Swedish synthetic materials synthetic polymers table light telephone thermoplastic thermoset plastics toys Trade Names translucent transparent urea-formaldehyde usa Measurements Verner Panton
Bibliographic information
| Title | Plastic dreams: synthetic visions in design |
| Authors | Charlotte Fiell, Peter Fiell |
| Contributor | Peter Fiell |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | Fiell Pub., 2010 |
| ISBN | 1906863083, 9781906863081 |
| Length | 288 pages |
| Subjects | › › Art / Design / General Design / History & Criticism Design / Product Industrial design Plastics Technology & Engineering / Industrial Design / General Technology & Engineering / Material Science |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |