Streamlining.

Streamlining is considered to be the American Art Deco. It reflected the magic of speed.  The characteristics of streamlining consist of: Contoured lines, Slick torpedo curves and smooth horizontal surfaces. The aim of this movement was to decrease air resistance. They mainly focused on hydrodynamics and aero-dynamics and also on tear drop shaped designs. Streamlining symbolized the age of progress, change and modernity. Another aim of this movement was to make the American economy feel stronger and to make it embrace the machine age. It also symbolized the age of advertising. People saw the products on posters or billboards before they saw them in real life. The aesthetical elements became important in products being produced at that time and there was a need for product differentiation.

Tear drop shape. 

Raymond Loewy is considered to be the greatest pioneer of industrial design. His Coldspot refrigerator which was produced in 1934 was the first of his designs to be noticed due to its looks rather than its functionality, or performance. The streamline design and effect was given too many household products not taking any notice of function. The streamlined design helped to ease away the depression and refresh the economy. Loewy remodelled the Greyhound buses in 1946 making them streamlined which meant that transportation looked more appealing and more modern. The streamlined design also improved the performance and efficiency of the vehicles. He merged form and function and paid attention to the aesthetical qualities of the product. Loewy became very important for the corporate identity works like coca cola and shell. Lowey glamorised the industrial design change and the status of industrial design as a whole became more stylish and graceful. Raymond Loewy is also famously known for his design of the Pennsylvania Railroads S1 steam locomotive. The train had a streamlined art deco styled shell and had the shape of a bullet. This shape made the train travel at higher speeds.

Coldspot Refrigerator.

Greyhound Bus

S1 steam locomotive. 

Norman Bel Geddes worked as a draughtsman and later moved on to become a set designer. He designed lush film sets for products such as Cecil Be de Mille and DW Griffith. He was influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright and he believed in the importance of the tear drop shape and designed futuristic cars for Graham Paige automobiles and he also designed radios for Philco and RCA. Geddes standardised kitchen equipments and products which included the famous Oriole stove which was produced in 1931-1936.

Designers are still developing streamlined objects, especially in the car business. Car designers are designing faster cars and are studying the technology of streamlining to help the performance of the car and also the aesthetic elements.

Older beetle Model.

2015 Beetle Model.

References:

Design is fine. History is mine.. 2013. Raymond Loewy. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.design-is-fine.org/post/73428343874/raymond-loewy-refrigerator-coldspot-1935-usa. [Accessed 23 January 15].

Daily News. 2014. Driven: 2014 Volkswagen Beetle TDI. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/latest-reviews/diesel-burning-fun-loving-driving-2014-volkswagen-beetle-tdi-article-1.1866493. [Accessed 23 January 15].

ibnlive. 2013. 1938 to present: Evolution of the VW Beetle. [ONLINE] Available at:http://ibnlive.in.com/photogallery/3800-14.html. [Accessed 23 January 15].

diesel punks. 2010. Sunday Streamline #14: The Big Engine. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.dieselpunks.org/profiles/blogs/sunday-streamline-14-the-big. [Accessed 23 January 15].

antiquestoves. 2014. Stepside-Right Oriole Retro Gas or Propane Antique Cook Stove - GKR1635: gry. [ONLINE] Available at: http://antiquestoves.net/dir/retro-propane-gsa-cook-stove-sold/971-stepside-right-oriole-retro-gas-or-propane-antique-cook-stove-gkr1635-gry. [Accessed 23 January 15].

tvtropes. 2014. The Aesthetics of Technology. [ONLINE] Available at:http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheAestheticsOfTechnology. [Accessed 23 January 15].