000			01669nam a2200217Ia 4500
008			230203s9999 xx 000 0 und d
020			_a9780300234220
082			_aDSGN _bOBN
245		0	_aSerious Play: Design in Midcentury America
260			_a. _bYale Architectural Press _c2018
300			_a264: ill. _c25.15 x 2.54 x 28.45 cm _rHB
504			_aThis spirited volume shows how postwar designers embraced whimsy and eclecticism in their work, exploring playfulness as an essential construct of modernity. Following World War II, Americans began accumulating more and more goods, spurring a transformation in the field of interior decoration. Storage walls became ubiquitous, often serving as a home’s centerpiece. Designers such as Alexander Girard encouraged homeowners to populate their new shelving units with folk art, as well as unconventional and modern objects, to produce innovative and unexpected juxtapositions within modern architectural settings. Playfulness can be seen in the colorful, child-sized furniture by Charles and Ray Eames, who also produced toys. And in the postwar corporate world, the concept of play is manifested in the influential advertising work of Paul Rand. Set against the backdrop of a society that was experiencing rapid change and high anxiety, Serious Play takes a revelatory look at how many of the country’s leading designers connected with their audience through wit and imagination.
650			_aArchitecture
650			_aDesign
650			_aDesign Theory
650			_aGraphic design
650			_aProduct design
700			_a Alfred, Darrin _eEditor
700			_aObniski, Monica _eEditor
942			_cBKS
999			_c326 _d326