Industrial Design: Reflection of a Century - 19th To 21st Century (Hardcover)

~ Jocelyn de Noblet (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Sweeping from the 1851 Crystal Palace exhibition in London to today's computer-aided design, this big, jazzy album explores the role of designed objects in our daily lives. Its 600 plates (about half in color) and 30 historical and analytical essays document a major exhibition in Paris. The eclectic, scholarly essays by a diverse group of academics, professionals and artists deal with the convergence of European and American design traditions, the survival of the craft idea, art deco's nostalgic appeal, the streamlining craze following WW I, the use of new materials, the symbolic significance of household appliances and the "biodesign" of cameras, cars and razors in shapes adapted to the human body. The text is punctuated with in-depth analyses of the Remington typewriter, the Singer sewing machine, the Barbie doll, the Walkman and other familiar products. De Noblet, director of the Centre de Recherche sur la Culture Technique in Paris, has created a fertile repository for browsing and serious study.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Published to coincide with the Paris exhibition "Industrial Design, Mirror of the Century," this compilation of essays are as diverse as the products industrial design has formed. Essay topics include the history of industrial design, its evolution as a profession, design education at the Bauhaus and the Ulm School, ecology and design, and computers as a tool for industrial design. Some of the more illuminating essays are Jacques Guillerme's "Design in the First Machine Age," Mike Jones's "Biodesign," Martyne Perrot's "The Domestication of Objects," and Raymond Guidot's "New Materials in the Industrial Age." These essays, lavishly illustrated and interspersed with vignettes focusing on "design classics," provide a kaleidoscopic vision rather than a clear picture. The resulting impression is of a profession in continuous flux, adapting to the complex demands of consumers, corporations, aesthetic theory, and fashion. Highly recommended for all libraries.
- Douglas G. Campbell, George Fox Coll., Newberg, Ore.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Flammarion (January 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 2080135392
• ISBN-13: 978-2080135391
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 10.5 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,801,888 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sophisticated review of ID history, August 20, 1998

By	Miki Mehandjiysky "Miki" (Belmont Shore, California) - See all my reviews

As an industrial designer, I highly recommend this book, not only because it gives a broad look at history of Industrial Design, but also because it uses very sophisticated and rich in expression language. I have read this book in French, but the English version is equally well written and is one of the few excellent sources of research information about ID available nowadays.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST-HAVE..!!, March 7, 1998

By A Customer

Since I'm an Industrial Designer, I always looked for such a complete source.It's a must have for the designers, for the architects, and for anyone who's interested in.. The chapters, the layout, the graphics&pics are the best that I've ever seen. It's one of the most impressive book of my library.