Introduction to Modern Design

About this book

Introduction to Modern Design is a visual survey of design from the middle of the eighteenth century to today, encompassing some 300 colour illustrations of representative objects and supporting images from Josiah Wedgwood's Pegasus Vase to Google's self-driving car. It zeroes in on the birth of modern design in the early nineteenth century and chronicles the way its definition has changed over the decades since then. The text is supported by twenty readings from significant texts by designers and critics, offering students an opportunity to learn about design from those who created and commented on it and to gain firsthand experience with primary sources. While the focus is on the objects themselves--industrial design, furniture, textiles, graphics, electronics, and automobiles in the larger view of architecture and interiors--students will also learn about the impact of design in relation to industrialization, technology, environmental responsibility, diversity, consumerism, individual needs and the expression of social values. Clearly written and free of jargon, Introduction to Modern Design provides a succinct history of, and fascinating insights into, the world of design.