Chapter 18 Appendix 1(3)

--------------- Appendix 1(3) --------------- I have briefly listed and analyzed the reasons behind the success of Italian design. Here I also try to outline the development process of Italian design from scratch for more than a hundred years. Roughly and generally divided into five periods are just for getting started and asking for directions. Careful exploration In fact, there are countless wonderful creative principles and attitudes, all of which are valuable references and inspirations, and everyone absolutely needs to get close to them. (1) From unity to modernity Politically divided, long-term ruled by foreigners, the city-state's industry and commerce are in extreme decline, and industrialization has been delayed... Before Italy was unified in 1871, it was a mess.

In the early days of national reunification, 60% of the people in the country were still farmers, and only small-scale handicraft workshops provided basic living needs: the creation of textiles, ceramics, glass and furniture and household items all retained the fine handicraft tradition, and this persistence even spanned the 20th century. It has always been a contemporary feature of Italian design. With the rapid development of the industrial revolution in neighboring European countries and the continuous improvement of the quality of people's livelihood, the Italian government realized that it must accelerate the pace of infrastructure construction in order to reverse the country's weakness while competing with other countries.State investment participated in the operation of electric power, automobile industry, railway and shipbuilding industry, and the popularization of industrial machinery also directly served the traditional handicraft industry, stimulating the production speed and scale of production.

During this period of rapid economic development, manufacturers began to find that they could use design to develop products for the new domestic middle-class market, and they could also establish their reputation and image in the international market. From the "Milan National Exhibition" held in Milan in 1881 "By the "Turin International Exhibition" in 1902, from national to international, from displaying the traditional decorative styles of Baroque and Rococo to displaying its own Art Nouveau (Art Nouveau), modern Italian design has entered its infancy. (2) Modern Traditions in the Flames of War

The popularization of electrification and the development of the iron and steel industry have rapidly affected the design and production of all means of transportation, from trains, ships, automobiles, bicycles, motorcycles to airplanes, which represent both real and symbolic "speed" of progress.Other household items and office equipment, such as coffee makers, typewriters, and metal furniture, benefited directly from technological developments in the steel industry in both the mode of production and the quality of the finish. Several important manufacturers that occupy a classic position in the history of Italian design development were founded during this period, including the automobile manufacturer FlAT founded in Turin by a group of former armored officers in 1899, and the automobile manufacturer LANCIA founded in 1905 by Camillo Olivetti. The typewriter company OLIVETTI founded in 1908 and the high-end car manufacturer ALFAROMEO founded in 1990.

Whether it is Camillo Olivetti, the leader of OLIVETTI, or Giovanni Agnelli, the president of FIAT, they all obviously drew a lot of inspiration and experience from the product design, modeling techniques and production models in the United States. The all-black MI model typewriter produced by OLIVETTI in 1911 with simple shape and no decoration is considered to be a product similar to the "T" model of the American Ford car factory, while the Zero economical and practical typewriter developed and launched by FIAT for the middle-class market in 1915 The car is also the finished product of the company's president's conception after returning from studying in the United States.As for the Aprilia sedan launched by LANCIA in 1933, designed by the famous car designer Pinin Farina, it was obviously a petite and noble version of the streamlined design that was popular in the United States at that time.

In terms of furniture and lighting design, in response to the international modernist architectural design theory, Italy has its own rationalism called "Rationalism".Design works inspired by steel pipe structures abound, from Piero Bottoni's steel pipe armchair Liva that looks like an industrial harp to Luciani Baldessari's Luminator steel column floor lamp that looks like an abstract sculpture, all of which echo the rationalism of the new industrial age.Coupled with the influence of the futurist art movement in the art world, the avant-garde expression that emphasizes modern dynamics is directly reflected in the design language.

GioPionti, who is highly respected and regarded as the standard-bearer of Italian architectural design, not only participated in the design and production of a large number of buildings, furniture lighting and living utensils during this period, but also founded the famous DOMUS magazine in 1928, admiring the fresh and concise design language style, Encourage design practitioners to develop design techniques that not only inherit tradition but also combine contemporary design with Italian characteristics.The magazine attracted attention as soon as it was published, and quickly developed into a professional journal with a leading trend.

Of course, the beginning of the 20th century was also an era of frequent wars. During the two wars, Italy’s domestic political situation was turbulent. Especially since the fascist regime headed by Mussolini came to power in 1922, it showed extreme nationalism and totalitarianism. At the same time, in order to make the national economy subject to the needs of foreign expansion and aggression, a closed-door policy was adopted to reduce foreign trade and limit foreign investment, directly destroying the stable development of the Italian design industry.Mussolini advocated the architectural style of rationalism at the beginning of his administration. Architect Giuseppe Terragni’s Fascist Party Building (Casa del Fascio) in Como is a wonderful masterpiece of rationalism and functionalism. There is a basic conflict between democratic ideas and fascist concepts in the country, and the ruling fascists also turned to monumental neoclassicism.

(3) The Miracle of Rebirth The Second World War brought devastation to Italy, almost everything was reduced to ashes in the flames of war.Whether the Italians, who have always loved life, can stand up quickly after the war is the focus of attention all over the world. The post-war reconstruction began immediately, which first brought about the prosperity of the construction and furniture industries. "Let everyone have a home" was the goal of the architects and designers with ideals and aspirations.After solving the basic living conditions and equipment supply, a middle-class yearning for a better new life and consumption taste gradually formed.The modern furniture works of American modern furniture designers such as Charles Eames, George Nelson, Harry Bartoia and others have encouraged Italian counterparts to innovate in design materials and shapes.Plywood, metal and plastic began to be widely used. In addition to GioPonti, FieroFornasetti and others who wandered in classical interest and surreal imagination, CarloMollino, an architect from Turin, designed a table with soft body lines with sexy and erotic taste. chair; Osvaldo Borsani designed a multi-functional sofa combination P40 that can be adjusted into a bed for the manufacturer Tecno; Invite architects and artists to design high-end novelty glassware for its glass workshop Venini; there is also Mirella, a sci-fi portable sewing machine designed by MarcoZanuso; plus the helicopter design engineer who caused a crazy craze in the world through the movie "Roman Holiday" Corradinod, Ascanio’s Vespa sheep designed for Piaggio motorcycle factory; even the bright and colorful print advertisements of Olivetti typewriters… all constitute the design of Italy in this era of economic miracle, the so-called “Italian lines” It began to appear in the international design consumer market.