Contemporary: Architecture and Interiors of the 1950s [Hardcover]

Lesley Jackson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1994

This book provides a full definition and examination of the so-called Contemporary style that dominated architecture and design from the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s. It was an era of optimism and confidence, where the new ideas in architecture and design flourished alongside - and were nurtured by - the emergent consumer culture. The Contemporary style was fresh and liberating, manifesting itself in the picture window and the open plan; in vibrant fabric design and printed wall coverings; in new forms of furniture from Scandinavia and stylish light fittings from Italy; and most tellingly in the Contemporary kitchen with its fitted units and mod con appliances. Far more than a collection of Fifties nostalgia, this book provides an entertaining and revealing survey of trends in taste and interior design at the time of economic regeneration that affected not only people's homes, but their communities and their public buildings.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In the years after World War II, the theory-laden modern movement blossomed into popular "contemporary" design. Le Corbusier and Levitt, Brussels and L.A. reinforced concrete and Formica--all became part of a trend towards sleek, functional, pared-down design. This excellent book could have been a compendium of '50s architectural and interior memorabilia, and therefore a success with nostalgia buffs (who will also love it), but it is far more than that. Lesley Jackson has written an intelligent, entertaining book on the intersection of life and design in the postwar era. Chapters include "The Birth of the 'Contemporary' Style"; "The House"; "The Interior"; "Decoration and Fittings"; "Furniture and Furnishings"; and "Society Goes 'Contemporary.'" Its scope is broad, beginning with a beguiling, campy advertising photo showing a housewife at cocktail time, poised in her powder-blue cocktail dress, and her husband, who is reaching into a sleek, chrome-and-Formica credenza, perhaps the home of their record player. The book ends with Brasília, the capital city built between 1956 and 1960 that brought Brazil to the verge of economic collapse. In between are colorful looks at the houses and furniture of Ray and Charles Eames; the early European proponents of modernism; Frank Lloyd Wright's seminal Fallingwater; the various uses of concrete, stone, brick, and other materials for texture and color; the melding of interior and exterior space; the fun colors of prototypical Marimekko fabrics; the early idealism of designing for "the masses"; and the now almost quaint social optimism from which the pervasive culture of materialism emerged. --Peggy Moorman --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Phaidon Inc Ltd (September 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714831840
• ISBN-13: 978-0714831848
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 10.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,693,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great general guide to what was 'Contemporary', January 11, 2001

By 

"velour" (Tiburon, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Contemporary (Paperback)

This book is a great general guide to what was 'contemporary' - including architecture of the home, public building and office. In addition, it delves into interior design - including glass, wall treatments, flooring and furniture. The prospective reader should be made aware right off that this book is written from the British perspective - one will see British English spellings of words, and names of British companies. However, the vast majority of the book deals with American developments, which is more pertinant to the US reader. I call this book a great 'general' introduction because it digs about 75% of the way into each subject. But how many other books can cover so many subjects as well? None that I've been able to find so far. The book is richly illustrated, including some photos which span the entire page. The text is interesting and easy to understand. After reading each chapter of the book, you are left with a good basic undertanding of what you've just read. The pictures themselves are generally period photos, which really help the reader see what 'contemporary' was to the eyes of the folks living at that time. If you are contemplating purchasing a 'contemporary house', or perhaps decorating in the 'contemporary' style, this book will give you some good ideas. Overall, a very enjoyable book - it would make a good present, and look great sitting on your coffee table!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Eichlerholic" wild about Contemporary homes, July 26, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Contemporary: Architecture and Interiors of the 1950s (Hardcover)

I call myself an "Eichlerholic"... I am obsessed with the tract homes of the late Bay Area builder Joe Eichler. After reading Lesley Jacksons magnificent book, I now know the larger school of architecture that the Eichlers are a part of. The pictures are extensive, the text complete, the homes magnificent... the treatment of this era in architecture will leave you drooling to find one of these homes and walk through them. Eichlers themselves aren't mentioned in the book, yet some of the architects that worked with Eichler, namely Jones & Emmons, and Anshen & Allen, are. Along with homes, Jacksons book also covers smaller details, from refrigerators to wallpaper.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An invaluable reference on Contemporary Architecture, November 25, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Contemporary: Architecture and Interiors of the 1950s (Hardcover)

I read this book in college and am just about to purchase it for my own library because it is a fabulous glimpse into the shift into a more contemporary style of architecture. Of most interest to me was the sections on Mies van der Rohe and Frank Lloyd Wright (and these are the parts I remember most clearly). The pictures and illustrations are impecable and the comments included with these are of great use. This book also includes sections on furniture and fabric choices to name a few. It is well written, full of great information, and a useful reference. If you have the slightest bit of interest in this era of architecture, it must be included in your library.