Contemporary: Architecture and Interiors of the 1950s

by Lesley Jackson

This book is the first to explore fully the so-called 'contemporary' style that dominated architecture and design from the late 1940s to the end of the 1950s. It was an era of optimism and confidence, where new ideas in architecture and design flourished alongside the emergent consumer culture. Emanating mainly from the USA, the 'contemporary' style was fresh and liberating, manifesting itself in the picture window and the open plan, in new forms of furniture from Scandinavia and stylish light fittings from Italy, and most tellingly in the contemporary kitchen with its fitted units and mod-con appliances. This book examines the fresh and liberated design ideas of this buoyant era with an acute eye and open mind.

Genres: Architecture, Design, Art

240 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1994

Reviews

[False · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting book on architecture (and style) of the 1950's (and early sixties). Beautifully published by Phaidon. The photographs show modern houses all over the world. Some of the more interesting, by Scandinavian designers, are still in Los Angeles. There is a primary airport in Washington D.C. that still seems modern due to it's lack of attention to pedestrian needs and more to form.