A “Reel” Inspiring Design

 
Last year, as I was searching for architecture and design events, I came across information about the Architecture and Design Film Festival in Tribeca. I thought to myself that this would something really exciting to attend, but the festival was taking place in October and, with a full course load of design classes during the semester, I wouldn’t be able to get from Chicago to New York for the event. In a stroke of luck, however, Festival director and founder, Kyle Bergman would be bringing the festival to Chicago for the first time in May 2011. I penciled it in right away and when the time came I would immerse myself in film like I had never before.

The Architecture and Design Film Festival was hosted on May 5-9 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, SAIC, in collaboration with the Wit Hotel just across the way. The festival played films in a program series, which were offered several times during the weekend to accommodate attendees. I myself splurged on five programs (they were reasonably priced at $7 per program, with each totaling three to four short films)!

I saw a film on Vincent Scully, one of the greatest art and architecture historians. The film documented his time at Yale from a young boy, to becoming a student at the college, to finally becoming a professor there. (I assume that there was something about the university that made him not want to leave.) I also saw a really good documentary on renowned architectural photographer Julius Shulman, which depicted the story of how he captured the Modernist movement through his images. Structures by Richard Neutra, Frank Gehry, and the most commonly recognized visual of his snapshots of Case Study House 22, designed by architect Pierre Koenig, were all featured in the film.  

As a student I am always excited when I come across names in the world of architecture and design that I’ve never heard of. I saw a film that told the story of textile designer Lucienne Day and furniture designer Robin Day, and how they transformed the ideals of British design during the post World War II era. Robin’s design of a polypropylene chair that could weather all conditions, among other designs suitable for both residential and commercial consumption, essentially did for British manufacturer Hille what the Eames collective did for Herman Miller. Lucienne Day, who was less famous, still was able to gain notoriety in America by winning a number of design competitions with her textile designs that channeled inspirations from her childhood.

Topping off my weekend was being able to take home a Steelcase Cobi Collection task chair that I won during a raffle. I’ve never won a raffle before, so I guess it was meant to be!

All of this furniture talk has gotten me that much more excited about NeoCon World Trade Fair 2011, which is right around the corner on June 13-15 at the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. I will be a Citizen Blogger for DesignerPages again this year, as well as working at the Casual for Contract booth with the Casual Market in the Design Center, which will be displaying select outdoor furnishings for commercial use. If you’re on twitter, follow me now @KLdeTriomphe, and (if you’ll be attending the show and tweeting) include the #NeoCon11 hashtag in your posts to be featured in the live feeds throughout the Mart.

– La Keisha N. Leek, Contract magazine guest student blogger