Organic Style

Organic design has come to mean any curvilinearity or even bio morphism; a form or pattern that resembles a living organism in shape or appearance. It was developed by Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan who one was his master said 'it is really the essence of every problem that it contains and suggests the solution'. Wright wanted that Sullivan’s concept, form follows function becomes one and the same thing. By this he meant that architecture should have its own meaning but still be compared to its background – having a relationship.

The architecture should show harmony with nature with its use of materials, its form, its surroundings and colour. However in New York Organic design was different to what Lloyd wanted, its aim was to highlight furniture that were of organic nature, in other words the material and design. Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen moulded plywood chairs that were organic that it shape had curvilinearity of natural forms. Organic design helped the development of plastics and in the 80s computer controlled wood cutting and shaping also increasing the use of moulding with aluminium due to its drop in raw material price. 

Another designer Alvar Aalto was one of the greatest supporters of organic design. He introduced the improvement of the soft flowing curves of his revolutionary moulded plywood and laminated wood seat furniture. He believed that wood was ‘the form-inspiring deeply human material though rejected not using industrial materials like tubular metal. 

Here’s the difference of Wrights organic design in furniture to Eames and Saarinen’s designs like I mentioned before;

As you can see through Wright's furniture design the organic design is totally different to what Eames and Saarinen did as shown in the pictures below. He did use natural material such as wood but in his furniture curvilinear lines were not shown as in Eames and Saarinens designs. I prefer Eames and Sarrinen's designs more than Wright's due to the fact that they look more organic and "flowy" not just through the material like Wright's designed. But their use of materials in their designs looks less organic such as the tubular metal.

The chair on the right was a design made by both Eames and Saarinen. The one on the right is another chair which was made from Saarinen himself, as you can see the collaboration with Eames shows it influences on the womb chair - the one of the right.

This dining unit was designed by Saarinen himself it's called the Tulip. You can see the use of beautiful organic shapes which the tulip itself has and the smooth curviness on every edge.

 La chaise, a design made by Ray and Charles Eames, I love the flow, the smoothness and the form of this chair. It looks really organic and comfortable at the same time.

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vitra design museum. 2013. la chaise . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.design-museum.de/en/collection/100-masterpieces/detailseiten/la-chaise-eames.html. [Accessed 04 December 13].

about.com. 2012. side chair by frank lloyd wright. [ONLINE] Available at: http://architecture.about.com/od/franklloydwright/ig/House-Beautiful/Frank-Lloyd-Wright-Side-Chair-.htm. [Accessed 04 December 13].

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