The Industrialization of Design - by Carroll Gantz (Paperback)

About the Book

Industrial design is a fundamental component of the traditional consumer experience. Almost every commercially produced product encountered in our day-to-day lives, from toasters to toothbrushes, has been designed with our taste preferences, our desires and our lifestyles in mind. This book traces the history of industrial design over three centuries, beginning with the eighteenth-century industrial revolution. It identifies the major figures, organizations, styles and evolutionary events of the profession, looking particularly at the refinement of industrial design by nineteenth-century European artists and the congruence of American design and industry during and immediately after the Great Depression.

Book Synopsis

Industrial design is a fundamental component of the consumer experience. Almost every commercial product encountered in our day-to-day lives, from toasters to toothbrushes, has been designed with our taste, our desires and our lifestyles in mind. This book traces the history of industrial design, beginning with the eighteenth-century. It identifies the major figures, organizations, styles and events of the profession, looking particularly at the refinement of industrial design by twentieth-century European artists and the congruence of American design and industry during and immediately after the Great Depression.

Review Quotes

"recommended"-Choice; "fascinating"-Reference & Research Book News; "impressive...fascinating...Gantz has assembled an amazing collection of moments in a timeline tat explains and defines modern industrial design...a well-written history...Destined to be a text for schools and a must have for design libraries everywhere...one great book to read and own"-Innovation.

About the Author

Carroll Gantz is a professional industrial designer who holds several dozen patents. A long-time Black & Decker design director, and a Carnegie Mellon University professor, he is a past president of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). He lives on Seabrook Island in South Carolina.