2.3 Technology and Cultural Changes Flashcards
Socio-Economics
How the society and the economy interact to create particular circumstances.
To understand this enables a designer to recognize the opportunities that exist and to avoid offending people.
How did Bauhaus develop for furniture for mass production?
They were influenced by large-scale wartime adoption of metal tubing as a replacement for wood. The tubing was robust and reliable. The Wassily chair paved the way for industrial furniture-making techniques.
Who is Marcel Breuer and what was his style of design?
Simple design was easy to manufacture. The use of tubular steel in furniture design. Representation of how the inherent strength of elasticity in tubular steel can improve on traditional furniture manufacturing materials and techniques, and facilitate mass production through the utilisation of industrial machinery and modern materials.
Utility product
Targeted shortages of footwear, clothing and other shortages. Designs were strong, simple and ‘fit for purpose’. Developed for newly married couples and people made homeless due to bombing raids.
Describe “Contemporary times”
Fashion and demand for mass-produced furniture and decorative design. Rejection of the drabness of utility items.
What was the COID and what did it do?
The council of industrial design, set up in 1944 was set up to improve the standards of design through training, assessment and information. To improve the countries competitiveness in a post-utility environment. It held the ‘Britain can make it exhibition’ in 1946 and the ‘Festival of Britain’ in 1951 before being succeeded in 1972 by the Design Council.
The development of polymers
Facilitated the incorporation of a range of colours and shapes. An example of this is Robin Day’s PP chair (1963). This increased the variety of products available.
The invention of the Transistor
1940s, lead to a growing demand for mini radios and record players.
Micro-Electrics
Miniature electronic systems facilitated by the development of the integrated circuit board.
Transistors 1960’s, to 1980’s and now
500 -> 1,000,000 -> 10,000,000
Impact of miniature hard drive
high capacity, storage device
Moore’s Law
The number of transistors per square inch on integrated circuits had doubled every year since the integrated circuit was invented, making them more efficient.
Glulam
Several pieces of timber glued together to create composite components for the use in bridges, buildings and other structures
Good strength to weight ratio compared to steel
Ease of forming with low energy cost
Sustainable
Kevlar
Strong and light, 8 times greater than steel wire. Tough and strong due to the density and chemical bonds.
Used in bullet proof vests and aircraft
Pmc
A crafts material that consists of micro particles gold silver and other metals bound together into clay
When they are sintered, the clay dissappears. This is done at 700c and will shrink by 10%
