2/19/10: Symposium 4 of 8, Craftsmanship & Mass Production

Do Danish designers employ futurism in their design for solving everyday problems?

Granted, Danish designers tend to look to the past in order to gain inspiration for new designs. Nevertheless, I don't think that any designer truly wishes to create static designs. Instead, they are looking forward in an attempt to prove what has been done before. Some are more interested in aesthetic improvements, others are more concerned with functionality. But this propulsion to progress is quite universal, especially in the last few decades when the tempo of life has literally sped up.

Vernor Panton (1926-1998) is an excellent example of a Danish designer who looked to the future as inspiration for his creations. The majority of his most popular and influential designs came out of the 1960's and 1970's. This period in time was not only marked by a progressive, liberating, and creative spirit that welcomed change and a break from conventionality, but also the era of the space exploration as well as a fascination with plastics and other synthetic materials. Panton's designs reflect this fascination with the future, with bring colors, loud shapes and exciting possibilities.

VP Globe, Verner Panton
http://www.danishwayofliving.com/verpan/Graphics/1VP_Globe_Stor.jpg

One of Panton's most striking designs is the Living Tower, a sculpture and seating combined. Constructed out of a wood frame covered in foam, the Living Tower is a reconsideration of space and social interaction as well as an experiment with materials. Ergonomically designed, the Living Tower contains multiple seating configurations, all of which are comfortable. But it also pushes the definition of a chair, a couch, a sculpture but being all and none at the same time, expecially considering that it some ways, the piece consists more of empty space than material. But in a home, it allows for comfortable living. It is functional, it is artistic, and it is forward thinking.

Living Tower, Verner Panton
http://static2.bonluxant.com/cmsense/data/uploads/thumb/thumb_verner_panton_living_tower_s74.jpg

Most of Panton's designs can be similarly considered, such as his Panton Chair which consists of one simple piece of casted plastic with a free hanging seat. Both the materiality and the design reflect a futuristic approach which still being conscious of functionality. Panton's lamps scream space age with their globular shapes and use of plastic and metal. And his Barboy side table is not only modern in its sleek design but also supremely functional and innovative. All of these examples illustrate a designer who was always concerned with functionality and improving daily life but also one whose aesthetic was firmly planted in the future.

Barboy, Verner Panton
http://www.aram.co.uk/acatalog/barboy.JPG