![]() ![]() Gradually, starburst shapes joined the interpretations of a model of an atom-possibly as a representation of an atomic reaction. Other examples of iconic atomic decor include George Nelson’s Ball Wall Clock, introduced in 1949, and the Eames Hang-It-All, which came out in 1953. While the modern chandeliers have been around since at least 1939, their resemblance to the Soviet satellite launched in 1957 resulted in their enduring nickname. What we recognize today as Sputnik-style light fixtures are probably the best-known example of atomic age design. “It was something that was really scary for people, but seeing the symbol of the atom was a way for people to start to feel more comfortable with the nuclear world.” “At that time, there was a lot of focus on the atom because of what was happening with the nuclear arms race-especially the atomic bomb,” Alessandra explains. “Stylistic devices of streamline design-like aeronautical shapes of a torpedo, airplane, or train-also became synonymous with this notion of futuristic design during the atomic era,” she explains, noting that atomic age design is considered part of the midcentury-modern movement.Īs was the case during the introduction of electricity, the unprecedented might of nuclear energy simultaneously instilled fear and hope in Americans, and atomic age design spoke to that duality. In addition to flat-roof, asymmetrical, curvilinear residential and commercial buildings, designers and manufacturers created indoors spaces-and products to fill them-with similar shapes: everything from lounge chairs and table fans, to garbage pails and juicers.Īfter World War II, atomic age design picked up where Streamline Moderne left off, according to Alessandra Wood, PhD, design historian and author of Designed to Sell: The Evolution of Modern Merchandising and Display, which focuses on American department stores from the 1930s through the 1960s. Unlike some of the period’s more opulent and ornate flourishes, Streamline Moderne design, as its name suggests, was all about the stripped-down, efficient functionality of the ongoing Machine Age, also drawing inspiration from the Bauhaus and International Style coming out of Europe.Ĭentered on emerging technologies and the seemingly limitless possibilities of human innovation, Streamline Moderne style overly referenced the aerodynamic shapes of modes of transportation like airplanes, automobiles, ships, and streamliner trains. ![]() By the 1930s, a style within the Art Deco movement known as Streamline Moderne was gaining momentum.
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