GalleryCard SchoolArts March 2009
What other designs echo their use in their
shape, look, or feel? For example think about
how fast-food chains have unique and uni-
form rooftops or how large corporations are
often encased in modern skyscrapers. In addi-
tion to structure design, how else can a build-
When you first look at a building, how do you
ing reflect its business?
Things to consider:
opment manager at the Cooper-Hewitt, National
tant, and Kim Robledo-Diga, professional devel-
By Allison Valchuis, education programs assis-
Design Museum.
World’s Fair. Designed by William Lescaze, the
In the case of the structure shown here, the
contents of the building resemble the exterior.
Swiss-born modernist architect, and J. Gordon
know what might be inside? Most residential
buildings have small, protected entrances
entrances. Architectural details like this give
This drawing illustrates the construction of
the Aviation Pavilion at the 1939 New York
and some public buildings have wide, open
us a hint at the purpose of a building.
Hugh Ferriss (American, 1889–1962), Aviation Carr Associates, this hangar-like building
Building by William Lescaze and J. Gordon Carr was designed to echo the shape of an airplane
Associates for the 1939 New York World’s Fair, because airplanes were exhibited inside.
1937. Architect: William Lescaze and J. Gordon
Carr Associates, Architects. Black chalk on white
wove paper, 14½ x 24½” ( 37 x 62.8 cm). Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian
Institution. Gift of Mrs. Hugh Ferriss, 1964-5-7.
Photo: Matt Flynn.
GalleryCard SchoolArts March 2009
What type of information is vital to you when needed to harness one’s own energy is not yet
you are on the go? What objects do you take available, Krohn’s vision may act as a catalyst
with you? Maybe a cell phone, a laptop, a to research this technology.
watch, or a compass? This prototype for a
futuristic wrist computer was created in 1988 Things to consider:
by Lisa Krohn and combines the functions of How can you enhance the products you use
several existing objects into one new compact every day to become more functional? By
item (much like the cell phones of today), but making them smaller? Changing how they
with the notable difference that it is wearable. are carried? By combining one with another
The design for the wrist computer makes it product? Pick an object or product you use
possible to make telephone calls, tell time, and every day, and think of three different ways to
detect location via communication with a sat- increase its functionality.
ellite and a built-in compass.
Wrist Computer Regional Information and functions was unheard of at the time and
Communication Port (concept model). Designed was never fully realized. However, designs
by Lisa Krohn (American, b. 1963), United States, like this may have influenced the designers
1988. Plastic, resin, metal, rubber, glass. Cooper- of today’s cell phones and PDA units. What
Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian makes this object uniquely different from
Institution. Gift of Lisa Krohn, 1991-64-1. Photo: today’s devices, however, is that it is designed
Matt Flynn. to utilize the energy generated by the user’s
body and the sun. Although the technology
opment manager at the Cooper-Hewitt, National
Design Museum.
By Allison Valchuis, education programs assis-
ing beyond available technologies. An object tant, and Kim Robledo-Diga, professional devel-
of this size that was capable of all of these
Krohn designed this wrist computer think-
GalleryCard SchoolArts March 2009
June 16, 1928. Mimeograph print, brush and blue the futuristic style and the idea of building
watercolor on paper, 11 x 8½” ( 28 x 21. 6 cm). Coo- upward.
per-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian This design was never put into production;
Institution. Museum purchase from Smithsonian however, Fuller created many other commer-
Collections Acquisition Program Fund, 1991-53-1. cial and residential structures with similar
Photo: Matt Flynn. ideals and aesthetics. One of Fuller’s best-
known designs is the geodesic dome, which
inspired the iconic Spaceship Earth structure
at Walt Disney World’s Epcot theme park in
Orlando, Florida.
R. Buckminster Fuller (American 1895–1983), tific and economical solutions, he, like other
Design for the Ten-Deck House. United States, designers of the time, was enamored by
Fuller spent most of his career concerned
about whether or not the human race could
sustain itself on the earth. In 1928, Fuller Things to consider:
addressed this challenge when he developed Design your own concept for future affordable
the concept for the Ten-Deck House. housing. What will affordable housing of the
The drawing shows a design for a tower- next century look like? What features would
like single-family home that resembles a you add to the next generation of standard
rocket about to take off. To cut down on costs, family housing? What materials and energy
the structure was designed to be made of alu- sources would you use?
minum and supported by cables. The homes
were to be factory assembled and transported
by blimp to their final destinations.
Although Fuller was a believer in scien-
The need for affordable, sustainable housing
is not a new issue. Architect R. Buckminster
By Allison Valchuis, education programs assistant, and Kim Robledo-Diga, professional development manager at the Cooper-Hewitt, National
Design Museum.
GalleryCard SchoolArts March 2009
Henry Dreyfuss, one of America’s most influ- hybrids from many different designers, and to
ential industrial designers, attempted to com- this day, no one has created a design that has
bine two popular modes of transportation—the been available to the public.
airplane and the automobile—in one experi-
mental vehicle. Designed for the busy person Things to consider:
on the go, the Convair Autoplane was intended Designers learn just as much from their
to allow the user to go from the air to the unrealized attempts as they do from their
ground uninterrupted. After the vehicle landed successes. What can you learn from making
in airplane mode, the car disconnected from several prototypes of one design?
the plane and the user could drive the vehicle
to his or her next destination.
The Convair Autoplane, 1947. Designed by sumption, Dreyfuss went on to design other
Henry Dreyfuss (American, 1904–1972). Henry types of vehicles and modes of transportation
Dreyfuss Collection, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design that were likely influenced by the lessons he
Museum, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of Doris and learned through designing this concept for a
Henry Dreyfuss, 1972. flying car. This design was one of the first in
a long line of prototypes of automobile-plane
To create this prototype, Dreyfuss had to tant, and Kim Robledo-Diga, professional devel-
design a car that weighed less and had more
opment manager at the Cooper-Hewitt, National
Design Museum.
By Allison Valchuis, education programs assis-
power than typical road-only cars. Although
this craft was never produced for public con-
