History of Futurism: Pop Futurism - Urban Design, Streamline Design, and the World’s Fair
The 1930s saw the emergence of streamline influence in architecture and vehicle design. This could largely be attributed to the growing industry and interest in flight transport. Local diners, train stations, museums, and big businesses like Coca-Cola, erected buildings inspired with aerodynamic design in mind. These designs were featured in magazines as representing modern aesthetics. Personal automobiles debuted at the Chicago World’s Fair of 1933-1934, which reflected these elements as well. Pullman, Budd, Chrysler, and General Motors premiered new vehicles with this futurist design. Budd also introduced their stainless steel Zephyr train resembling the Zeppelin airship design. The designs of Normal Bel Geddes took these further and his influence at the 1939 New York World’s Fair predicted the future of motor highways.[2] The Second World War briefly shifted the focus of consumer goods and early visions of space to militaristic scientific progress with an emphasis on missiles and transportation. The research and development being done during the war years accelerated the progress that later made space travel possible. The streamline design of the 1930s would shift in the 1950s to feed off the space race fervor incorporating elements of rocket design.
[1] Joseph Corn and Brian Horrigan, Yesterday’s Tomorrows: Past Visions of the American Future, (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996) 93-96.
[2] Ibid, 76-77. Industrial designers Norman Bel Geddes and Raymond Loewy are largely credited with the early examples of streamline design of which the aesthetic later evolved into.
