rather than larger scale complex environments like buildings or
ships.
Whether you realize it or not, Industrial Design is all around you,
supporting and shaping your everyday life. You are likely to
recognize numerous examples cited throughout this book,
perhaps from your childhood, your office, or even sitting next to
you as you read this. The mobile phone you are fidgeting with,
the clock on your wall, the coffee maker brewing in your kitchen,
and the chair you are sitting on. Everything you see, touch, and
are surrounded by was designed by someone, and thus
influenced by Industrial Design.
Throughout the 20th century, along with balancing the needs of
the user and manufacturer, differences in politics and culture
were evident in the design of objects. A rising consumer culture
in the post-WWII period meant that manufactured goods doubled
as a cultural proxy, intertwining national pride and economic
reinvention. Along with regional differences, numerous
philosophical and stylistic periods created distinct and
recognizable eras within Industrial Design, including the
Bauhaus school, Art Deco, Modernism, and Postmodernism.
Design for Business
On a more individual level, there are many famous Industrial
Designers who have had an outsized influence on the history of
the discipline. Raymond Loewy, a French-born American, is
often referred to as the “Father of Industrial Design.”^3 Loewy is
widely considered to have revolutionized the field by pioneering
the role of designer as consultant, working for a wide variety of
industries and mediums.
(^3) ‘Raymond Loewy’. 2015. The Official Site of Raymond Loewy. Accessed January 22.
http://www.raymondloewy.com/.