The Bold and
the Botched
When it comes to pushing tradition aside
to experiment with design, few masters
have landed in revelatory new turf
without some fundamental screw-ups.
From the re-worked to the lost causes,
these noble but problematic attempts at
innovation are united only in whatcan be learned from their processes.
By BROOKE MAZUREK
Illustrations by PETER OUMANSKIFIRST CHAIR
by Michele De Lucchi for Memphis (1983)Memphis, the radical Italian design
collective, was all about ditching
modernist austerity for a mishmash of
shapes and colors. Instead of armrests,
there were balls of lacquered wood.
Instead of a backrest, a circular metal
disk. People went bananas for De Lucchi’s
bold form, color and spirit at the chair’s
premiere, at the 1983 Salone del Mobile.
What’s the problem?The chair
required something of its users:
re-learning how to sit. “People would
circle it like it was an insect. ‘What is
this?’ ” recalls Lorry Parks Dudley, the
national distributor for Memphis in 1983
and founder of the Modern Archive.
“We would show them how to sit with a
bit of a slouch, the ends of their
elbows resting on top of the balls.” At
roughly $600, the chair proved too
expensive for mass production.
But it did inspire a sense of freedom
among designers.
What’s it worth? A staple in
design museums, the chairs typically
start at $1,150.ASTON MARTIN LAGONDA
by William Towns (1976)With the British marque on the brink of bankruptcy, rolling out a super-luxury car
seemed like the only way to save it. Everything about this $150,000 vehicle was bold, but
mostly, technology was the big tease, with three-position seat memory, the industry’s
first digital dashboard and controls that were initially touch- and heat-sensitive.
What’s the problem? Talk about an across-the-board bust. Not only was the sedan
panned for its looks, it was also plagued with electrical problems. The LED digital
dashboard was nearly impossible to see in daylight. The seat memory had a mind of its
own. And those heat-sensitive controls? Not practical for cars parked in the sun (think
windshield-wiper activation). Production ended by 1989 with fewer than 650 produced.
What’s it worth? The best can bring $150,000; one with gremlins, $25,000.ARMADILLO BOOT
by Alexander McQueen (2009)Handmade in Italy, the 11.8-inch-high boot
required four zips to secure it on the
foot. The 21 pairs, which were never
intended for commercial sale, combined
claw-like menace with the beauty of a
ballerina en pointe. When asked
about the boot, the designer stated,
“The world needs fantasy, not reality. We
have enough reality today.”
What’s the problem? They were nearly
impossible to walk in. Models terrified of
face-planting on the runway were
assured that falling would simply be part
of the spectacle if it happened.
“It’s difficult to create an entirely new shoe
form, but McQueen has done it here,”
Victoria and Albert Museum senior
curator Claire Wilcox has said. Traces of
the Armadillo can be found in
Christian Louboutin’s Ballerina Heels and
the towering Noritaka Tatehana design
Lady Gaga wore for 2011’s “Marry
the Night” video.
What’s it worth? When three pairs
were auctioned by Christie’s in 2015,
Gaga’s then fiancé, Taylor Kinney, shelled
out $295,000 for all of them.A modernist weekend
home built over a waterfall
in the mountains of
Pennsylvania, Fallingwater
was defined by three
floors cantilevered from
a central stone—an idea
inspired by pine branches.
“The cantilevers were
not merely structural
explorations, but in service
of a larger idea about the
creation of an open plan,
a seamless relationship
between the interior and
exterior and subsequently
between architecture
and nature,” says Nader
Tehrani, dean of CooperUnion’s Irwin S. Chanin
School of Architecture.
What’s the problem?
After its completion in
1937, humidity and sun
exposure led to mold and
cracks. Yet the greatest
challenges consistently
revolved around the
cantilevers. By 2001,
the landmark was on the
verge of collapse, with
the topmost beam bearing
down on the floor below.
Wright’s unprecedented
masterpiece led to
breakthroughs that would
influence far more complex
structures in the future.“Even more is learned
about this building after
the extensive analysis of
[engineer] Robert Silman,
whose restoration work
is a mastery of forensic
revelation,” adds Tehrani.
Since the home was
entrusted to the Western
Pennsylvania Conservancy
in the early 1960s,
more than 5 million visitors
have toured it.
What’s it worth?
Priceless. But when
adjusted for inflation, the
total $155,000 cost of
the house is equivalent to
$2.78 million in 2019.FALLINGWATER
by Frank Lloyd Wright (1937)142 OCTOBER 2019
ASTONMARTIN LAGONDATehrani, dean of Cooper structures in the future. $2.78 million in 2019.windshield wiper activation).Production ended b
What’s it worth? The best can bring $ 150 ,Hain
c“TW
imaga’s then fiancé, Taylor Kinney, shell
out$295, 000 for all of them.The Bold and
the Botched
When it comes to pushing tradition aside
to experiment with design, few masters
have landed in revelatory new turf
without some fundamental screw-ups.
From the re-worked to the lost causes,
these noble but problematic attempts at
innovation are united only in whatcan be learned from their processes.
By BROOKE MAZUREK
Illustrations by PETER OUMANSKIFIRSTCHAIR
byMicheleDeLucchiforMemphis(1983)Memphis,theradicalItaliandesign
collective,wasallaboutditching
modernistausterityfora mishmashof
shapesandcolors.Insteadofarmrests,
therewereballsoflacqueredwood.
Insteadofa backrest,a circularmetal
disk.PeoplewentbananasforDeLucchi’s
boldform,colorandspiritatthechair’s
premiere,atthe 1983 SalonedelMobile.
What’stheproblem?Thechair
requiredsomethingofitsusers:
re-learninghowtosit.“Peoplewould
circleit likeit wasaninsect.‘Whatis
this?’” recallsLorryParksDudley,the
national distributor for Memphis in 1983
and founder of the Modern Archive.
“We would show them how to sit with a
bit of a slouch, the ends of their
elbows resting on top of the balls.” At
roughly $600, the chair proved too
expensive for mass production.
But it did inspire a sense of freedom
among designers.
What’s it worth? A staple in
design museums, the chairs typically
start at $1,150.ASTONMARTINLAGONDA
byWilliamTowns(1976)With the British marque on the brink of bankruptcy, rolling out a super-luxury car
seemed like the only way to save it. Everything about this $150,000 vehicle was bold, but
mostly, technology was the big tease, with three-position seat memory, the industry’s
first digital dashboard and controls that were initially touch- and heat-sensitive.
What’s the problem? Talk about an across-the-board bust. Not only was the sedan
panned for its looks, it was also plagued with electrical problems. The LED digital
dashboardwasnearlyimpossibletoseein daylight.The seat memory had a mind of its
own.Andthoseheat-sensitivecontrols?Notpractical for cars parked in the sun (think
windshield-wiperactivation)Productionendedby1989 with fewer than 650 produced.
,000; one with gremlins, $25,000.ARMADILLO BOOT
byAlexanderMcQueen(2009)andmade in Italy, the 11.8-inch-high boot
required four zips to secure it on the
foot. The 21 pairs, which were never
ntended for commercial sale, combined
claw-like menace with the beauty of a
ballerina en pointe. When asked
about the boot, the designer stated,
Theworld needs fantasy, not reality. We
have enough reality today.”
What’s the problem? They were nearly
mpossible to walk in. Models terrified of
face-planting on the runway were
assured that falling would simply be part
of the spectacle if it happened.
“It’s difficult to create an entirely new shoe
form, but McQueen has done it here,”
Victoria and Albert Museum senior
curator Claire Wilcox has said. Traces of
the Armadillo can be found in
Christian Louboutin’s Ballerina Heels and
the towering Noritaka Tatehana design
Lady Gaga wore for 2011’s “Marry
the Night” video.
What’sit worth?Whenthreepairs
wereauctionedbyChristie’sin 2015,
Ga ’ h fi é T l Ki hlledA modernist weekend
home built over a waterfall
in the mountains of
Pennsylvania, Fallingwater
was defined by three
floors cantilevered from
a central stone—an idea
inspired by pine branches.
“The cantilevers were
not merely structural
explorations, but in service
of a larger idea about the
creation of an open plan,
a seamless relationship
between the interior and
exterior and subsequently
betweenarchitecture
andnature,”saysNaderUnion’s Irwin S. Chanin
School of Architecture.
What’s the problem?
After its completion in
1937, humidity and sun
exposure led to mold and
cracks. Yet the greatest
challenges consistently
revolved around the
cantilevers. By 2001,
the landmark was on the
verge of collapse, with
the topmost beam bearing
down on the floor below.
Wright’s unprecedented
masterpiece led to
breakthroughsthatwould
influencefarmorecomplex“Even more is learned
about this building after
the extensive analysis of
[engineer] Robert Silman,
whose restoration work
is a mastery of forensic
revelation,” adds Tehrani.
Since the home was
entrusted to the Western
Pennsylvania Conservancy
in the early 1960s,
more than 5 million visitors
have toured it.
What’s it worth?
Priceless. But when
adjusted for inflation, the
total$155,000costof
thehouseis equivalenttoFALLINGWATER
by Frank Lloyd Wright (1937)142 OCTOBER 2019
ASTONMARTIN LAGONDATehrani, deanof Cooper structures inthefuture. $2.78 million in 2019.windshield wiperactivation).Productionended b
What’s it worth? The best canbring $ 150 ,Hain
c“TW
imaga’sthenfiancé,TaylorKinney,shell
out$295, 000 for allofthem.