Essay 5 - Unit 2.2-2.3 - March 16

Today we covered the De Stijl movement and saw how it pushed the practices of cubism to a pure geometric art. While highly influential on design and architecture, the movement was most hated for it's rejection of classical and historical ideas. While the movement died with van Doesburg in 1931, its ideas lived on. We also looked at the Bauhaus and the many innovators who helped shape it's curriculum, setting modern design trends that have lasted to this day. We examined the work of Jan Tschichold and how after proliferating the understanding of modernist design, turned away from it later in life. Finally, we examined the prominent Dutch designers and saw how printing tools became instruments of creativity.

Key Points

-Theo van Doesburg as De Stijl's guiding force.

-The application of De Stijl in Mondrian's work.

- Asymmetrical equilibrium.

-Birth of geometrical typefaces.

-Architectural influences - Schroeder House.

-Bauhaus begun primarily by fine artists.

-"To solve design problems created by Industrialization"

-Architectural Influences of Walter Gropius

-Modern page design created by Herbert Bayer.

-Moholy Nagy and Photoplastics.

-The Universal Alphabet.

-The preliminary course, influences on modern art schools.

-The 14 books of the Bauhaus.

-The "New Typography".

-Sabon's compatibility with Sans Serifs.

-Dutch Modernism and integration of typography with photography.

-Creative use of printing presses.

-Dutch Modernism + German Plakastil = New face of commercial design.

Having long been a fan of both modern design and modern architecture, I found it fascinating to see what movements and individuals pioneered these ideas and helped push them into the mainstream. The longevity of modern design as self-evident, as I can see it all around me today. Understanding the influences De Stijl had on modern design gives me a new appreciation for the historical basis behind my own design preferences. Like Tschichold, I agree that there must be an even balance between the extremes, although I do tend to lean more towards the modernist side myself. It bemuses me how in his lifetime, Tschichold moved from one extreme to the other, leaving a legacy that provided unification for both.