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Design+ Industrial design leads to understanding of users

and ergonomics of the design, which were impacted by Ford to sell it for a price that many middle-class Americans
more streamlined and geometric elements as a result could afford while still achieving an amazing reduction in
of the mechanization of the production process, were production costs. From here, everything else is history.
also influenced by product and industrial designers, Last but not least, the way buildings were put
who started to play a significant role since then. As a together changed and must be mentioned because
result, design schools and standards started to emerge, significantly impacted by the IR: Following its period,
establishing design principles and iconic pieces that are the socioeconomic developments in place deeply affected
still fundamental to this day. For instance, the Eames even architectural production. Architectural design saw
Lounge Chair, which is shown in Figure 2 its an innovative the rise of a selection of materials to be used or not, as
application of molded plywood and leather has made it an well as the way spaces were organized: this generated
iconic piece of mid-century modern design.
concerns about depleting resources and environmental
Because users value its appearance, feel, and degradation. In the 19 century, we specifically witnessed
th
functionality, the Eames Lounge Chair is still in high a rise in the use of new materials and construction
demand today. In a different field, the Ford Model T methods to answer the need for new building types. One
(Figure 3) is another symbol that signifies the accessibility of the most representative buildings is the Crystal Palace
of automobiles to the general public. It was the first car (Figure 4) due to its structure shaped by technology, the
made with assembly line technology, which allowed Henry application of cast iron and glass together as a building
material for the 1 time, and the interior space free from
st
all types of weight.
Hence, architects began to be more sustainable and
environmentally conscious: the application of energy-
saving technologies, the integration of natural lighting,
and the importance of green areas are nowadays still
crucial. Indeed, the IR had a significant impact on how
buildings were constructed, which is why it deserves
to be mentioned. In particular, the rise of the selection
of materials to be used and the arrangement of spaces
in architectural design raised concerns about resource
depletion and environmental degradation. As a result,
architects started to become more ecologically aware and
adopt the sustainability mindset since then.
Still today, it is important (and even challenging) for
Figure 1. Galeffi advertisement postcard 5 architects to find the best ways to apply energy-saving

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Figure 2. The Eames Lounge Chair. Infographic created by the author

Volume 1 Issue 1 (2024) 3 doi: 10.36922/dp.3929