• • • • • • • •

8 DESIGN IN PLASTIC

fROM DURA8lE TO DISPOSABLE

To dwdl on plastiC'S nllllltab, li,y IS 10 forge, that it possesK.I hn1e cultural \'atu~ ,mtll II lakts definllt shape . Plaslic's ,'ery prtscn« can 5((nl ",'tN'Mlming. A ,'IS" Ill' moWing plant ,evtals SlOr;1gt b"'5 owrllo",ng ,,,,II millions of colored ,(sin a.m To watch IMm cascadIng inlO the hopper of an .utomatlC moldIng m:ochi ....

DIs ,ht nood-ol·goods metaphor of twCm~h-«nlury dIJCuSSlons of produ.;uon

JIId OOR$umplion Bul n01 unul plasllc ~'K"5lrom • specific mold don it ~ .ddinllt form enabll", 1110 ","usfy fuocno" .. 1 drnwlds. to oon'~ cultural.nun· .. 10 iNCr.acI "'lIh lIS mVlronmmt In ..... )"!i both lnlmdtd and unlOfe!ittn. Each

pIoKac.1 e .... 'll's 'rom a dotgn proass m,""",ng SOCIal Ilffils and deslru, <OWJmJ< C(ltUil'll,n15. ItchnJCaI l,rru13llOllS. and m: .. ""ung sua,cgl(S. all coordi­a:td .. ,th 5<lmc ~gr« of .""""".,.5.'> Any aucmpt 10 ooble pW.Ii<. ..• Impa::t on ,hal

lallpltx proces:l rnU§! nnu", IJllp~ and "'~>lI'''', NO! c'..,n • d ... ~r or ~r rnpooslblc for a produds final form can di>li!\gui.sh Its • .chmcally ""<to­

.-y.kmmts from IheMe Ih~1 s.li~ytmolion.1 or <><PK.ssl\·~ needs The prabkm IS

OJ In. mo~ dlfficuli wah plasllc, whICh lacks imnnslC form or le~tutt A p\""lic

-."'" 01 wood 0, SlOt\< is no mo,. a,bil,ary than an abj~t "'hose un;'1u. form

~. h'sIHt<h K$lhwc of amlin,l lly. E<>ch cot\"q!i mulliple mc;min~. both

and inl.ng<blc: .... ·.n If pufPOfllll& only 10 bot u5trul 1.I:oj-lwmcinh-anlury d~ em"" Irnlkd co j~ plaslic by SIf\C1 either..,.­

On the on< hand, "~,..," manulacrur.lS irnlll!td lr.KhIlOR;lI ma1c­

....... th ... ·cr mon: conVUlClng <=lit ... hopong to gain 1»' ~ducll1i pn::>CCSSIng C051S

....... 1 ~hc""llns """T consu""'" who .s.mandtd c~arl)' .. ~IC- ... """nd- o

-,

1_ T......"...""""" .. _.

,"~<:AI .co"'" _ot-V"",s..,..,

, • •

mp ~:~:~::;:::,~:,;:,"::::::::;:; :':::::':;:,:::~~:::~;:;~:~;~ p\>S!I{ forms SU!:8"sted [UIUn: t~chnolo&lc~l cn\1l'Of11T>( rtI

earher dcfin«i by ""Uulo,d collars and Ilakdue radIOS sur-wed

almost schtrotd _hfuc In 1"'0 I In an "",de on I SKit of ,radn,oo (figure 1'0)';1.110 dtrno!l5lral( [iI< I .

ProgrrS$'yt Arclu,«!u"" In 191(/

a wonde lfully dCIll,led

1Ie>o." cfll,ng ~arns. WOJm~.ttn p;l~hng.

can~d btn, hes " 11h cushions whose vln;,l upholstery'slmubl.d 1 •• tIIt, opposite "de (I ,sun: 7 _ 2) applared asp..ce d./i""d by "",nn,

t ..... mldly 0'1""1< eu,,~ <pn.)~ from poIrurr,iwIe room '" ~ IlIml (nl,,1td 1't...iIC;os F'bsue: a sp;>et tk5cnbnl:as ,ho

totally synthetic en\1,onmw," in the hlS(01)' of con,'.ru,;,;,"'~",>' ',m"'"~' 00'8" conlTO\'t"'r~f~ly "tlllalmg ,..., ~ vtrJU$ I>

, , •

1- 2 R (>,<00 __ on. _ ...... ,_ .. 0<>.0

LOS !:nOll ~ ~ '1'WIC ~\ "",,'

... , .... " .... """"co~ ...... CWIl....., '''''' ...

lilt-that fIad eng~d machine-age oOservcl'S from John RU5kln and ThOrsltin

\'<b!m 10 t.. Co<bus;"r and franklin 11,,11 W"h PWlICS ul"'nsion . tht I55Ue be­_lII lho:ory tornpelhng bul In rnhly a mOOl poIm M""uf..,lur"., would tmlke .mel rustomtlS buy whatt,-er Ihey """med

TD"'K"" aboul imllaliv. plastic v"'~us pl2sli<:·:os·plasuc was 10 ignore a '"lSt ex. dDtiaI lIIlIIdlt Ftw rompkltly pWlIC (1WUunmerus UIsted. and ~'O:n Lt,~ JIIett5 clluJrmure rntrgtd '1SW.liy iNO P'<XI1.1SCUOUS aml)'S Q( ob:Jt<:rs MOA: '0 tbe polm. <iou..nds <>f humbk plaSI ie ploduets escaped eilher catrgory. A green po lytlhyl.ne

from I'" 1%Os • • 1S slIpplt'lextum:! surbcx b'oken on 0"" ~ by -.w. ~ I"""SCS of s:r yltlCd dolSleS. "~cas ""'I"" ,m,,~t"'e nor rxp~" .. Q(.

..,.. >t:II1lt11C. 10 was !'mply Ilseif--c .... p. chN,ful.looI<ing. easy 10 clt"", easy 10 d~rd wlll-n On¢ mtd of il A Bnmh dtsign critic attending ~ trade fall' ,..",rded

... ~ mok"ng mach,...,; til full operation tlJ "m.aste'P'«<S Q( ItchnlOll,n_

...... y." bul Ill- "'3S dtsrrg)..-d 10 6nd Ihem SptVI1ng OUI"t'" TWlItSI rubbISh ~ .. , ~'«.! by m.tn : ev,d.nce of -apl"'l hng abuse by Ind,,,,rim"'.tt manuf<lC\un:rs

-.01 .... .., _Joke -, Such "rubbish" altract.d ron,empl from cntlCll who aspi .. d 10_ o

-• •

CQ~~nl ar.,hr'K: bUl excmpllf,rd mMIY go<.><h pouring from ,'" pl>*1< ~~ .... of ,h. 19Wsand 1960s (Plal' IJ)

row I"'<>pl< ",fI«o,od Oil P("OllC'. pr~ .... n« o",ong ,h ... uff of ever)'dlIy h10 VnIy lhe ,-,.,ons 01 publJ<:,sn • .,1d Ill' n(ghunar" of CTIlK'S oojc<:"htd a prol,k_ • rurnng IOCross l ,,"Ide ~nnn of producu U~f\ll. con,"(ni(nl. '''''XpcTISn-.e, >lid

"'common;os 10 Ix "WlSlbk, pas"",, objrttsaul3Ctro !>OI1C( only when they btWrt or r .. lcd-;on e>Tnl whew ~J ,,!"'Ullon <b11U.&«l plaStiC'S I'tp!.uauor, b,. could no, rn..:rsc the '''P''nso~ 1!'tOO. Although some In.'aclS did cVQk. rnodorn.,.. "''''', wlU,,,,,d styll"",,. ll)· '-rubbish," 100 . " onymous and cphcmcrnl ,o do ....... than add 10 a '-ague ronS(:1OU;ne5$"r an r.-er grt~l.r flow of pl.15llC New prudOlQo

and awh"llIons apptard all10$1 doily. few luract.d JJI01't than PlS>lng III:Ibot

""'"1 "'tIT so quICkly IIC«plrd II >ttmed 'hey had al"OI)" UlSlrd To <tall. onw. oIlhtsr umonuons nskJ ano/i<:!.OUy compres..ng Urn. and cmlllng an Impra.. 01 O'o"triy rapid chang< BUI I~<h a rectJDSll\lwon also ",-eals JUst how ' ''lil ly Ibr m"trlal ,o"tul't of r\'cr;'ci;ly He d;,] dung« 0.1 ,md-umu.y . Expans, ," Irtnds _

no less !'tal b<ca ..... bUS}' p"oplt remamed obh" ious Or their d""eadants 0C<qlIaI

t .... rc'lult! &§ naturaltkmenu of the mate",,1 world

PlASTICVILll . U , S , A ,

~bny older plastics gJintd new uSC!; after tn. war Ilakt.hte ron"n~d to be Ulo(d ..

molded lundles for sklllcts tnd "ons but . 150 "Pl',,"red in a .., nt! of one.poecr

eompreSSlon·mQ/dcd Id"'lSlen cablntt5 tntrodueo:<l b)' Adm",.1 fror" 1946 to 1910

n.. largt9 stood ...... rl), th~ lttt taU and "'t1~ forty-one pounds "",Mut .. Im·lnth plC1ure lUbe and <peilker' As II ""ppenro, moId,"S technology a>ulcI lIOI

k«p up "~Ih dfflland rOO' IoIr~r lV ..,ts. bul other prc» .. r plastICS enJOrnl . 51'*"

smam of new 'pphca"oni_ ROOm .nd Haas SCr.>p«I by at " .. is md On SolIn of J>kXIgIoIS to veter.>nS who "",m Imo bustness ..,lling "poorly fabmAlted Sff!l""l and g.mcra.cks" In • few )'ta,s, how .. 'tr, as soon IlS dleml5t5 had mast ertd . 11OII­

fadllli red pilfllfnt for xrylc. tilt company was SUppl)llli': ",,,-loads of tnOidIIC powder 10 On",n for IUto tllUtgln It.,..". "'hose baroque shaPfS tranS<.ndtd dill

hmlts of glass u~ J.::k.ln I ... rmoformtd xl)'ltc SIgns provnl ....... mOrt $UCC5'

lui "'hen Rohm and Haas \o:JI11(d to 1'tLu: " ... mmt quahty standards !Ol' .,.,­

shuttng, F"st irutalkd b)' o~ compan~s It .."vice st.1I0ns. ac r)'hc ~gns qu",,,,,"

conqutrcd the neoa jungle cf the AmcnClm nIght. A5 early as 1955 an Of(1ut«!

d~Tlbed • 'und5col'" of len:ring" engulfing ·whok 5«Uons of our enVlIt)TIIIIfII'

In "dehgtllful faru2S>tS of hghl, fono and roIor-'

MOLT e'IIderu m domestic SIWl1IOR!i .... poI)"I'UI)i chlonde. which pnx~ cbf. drm on rlI,"y dol'S, htld ",'<ler in the" LJlnat.ble ,,-..:I,"S pools, and kel" \loIIJ bro1her orrutds Cotton dupe. from l.akmg. Dollsclltaply molded from "nyl ~ tools (polY'inyl ~hloTldt I""dcd "'I th plas,ici.crs) offered the ad"""" ge,'" f"'I>

• ;:~'I:~~dc~~l~~~'~ ·~rld :~~; ~::'~~~';~\:I~)~= ~0;;~;~7nn~~:~ ~',lI"",! .. " ), "". ,,'On'''I', PUt:lei, and ~nJO)~J ~ b,id cMee, ... m •• I<riJl for ~nt!' II !\ancd p"rrrwl(nt """plana as I Tt$llient Ooor ,"'~Tlng and noto";"t)'

", 'bl't~I""bl!:- subsntute lor ~ lutlltr \ .... nyl prr.n'td uhKJuuOIUasdomp-doth .,t>obtel)' ma.ri..aI~lor can (Ill turq"""", LJI pInk, in Ii"'~gtne mil, for h"'rtg­

,..,m fumllur.c (LJI N.u~yde Im"lIions of the Ttll thillg), and for lilt SUt5 of

$bIIl:.tr ChaIrs dlblt",d ~round the chrome·bonded d,ncue table 01 ""'ny 19~

W lun •• \lIr5t dL,,~n .. ,,'th lhelr meLlmme·lamirll"ed tops mad, ' he Forml"" COrro ... ·

... ,'l'ucCfilfuI that 11 enjo)'td ., ..... n,"",blt posIllon offeanng '''''I lIS tr.>de tum<

." btromt I'MTIC - By 1951 produeuon of ,he populn tab~~so"d<oloTtd,

..,bk.s",,1ed LJI synthetiC huoes, or Ikcked ""h gold-ron to moTt ttun. hund.w

-.,.s.tnd • month.' FormICa, M, ... n •. and other brands of mebm'nt'phenoilC i.Jm'·

IIILt' In p':lIlems " mulatmg IIghl woods surfaced cbssroom oksks in IhouSilnds of

ot'" bob)··bocm schools, This innQvation frustrJ ttd use of the Jackkmft 10 r«cord ~nt angst but orr.Ttd (001 respu. ,,"h a crl>l' .. h."""-~II~",,, lU Ih. <l<h<lqucnl

ordtrtd to 'put ~"Our head down on your ook AI home and at school. chlldrm

.,.) tilt" paTtI\ll; ... from ~,I-roIornI melamlll' dIShes that ... ~Tt d~h,,'~­

.. .,d pf;K1.>nl1y unbrtalcable The propntUry Booruon ..... '" It ... (Pbte 1+),

...t..:h re ... wal Coot ... m" Rt".,HS'. 101' mllns In 1951. plm'fil 50 SOCC<'ssful th.t

;mblltr enJO)"Cd ' he first ,ul..,cunty of hIS c .. retr IS he kt.pt two of thrtt Iloont on

pUnI$ busy molding plastic dish6.'

~ ...... r SU<~ of,~oIderplastlCS paltd nt~t to the marl<ct :I.S>oiIult.of tlltr­

....,ustlCS JX'1)'SI)'I't"'" and poIy.:'h)"It"" With. nt .... lugh-Impa::t lormuloltion

...tung ~n ITlIplm~""'ru O\'tr the bnult Slull of brokn 'oys. pol}~)'n:nt appeared

.<'Illeue razor·blade dl5pt'nsen. he. "y Cryst.lon balhroonllUmblers. w:oll Ilks.

!l.l:t1on-cuppcd storoge t r~y. for Ih, dash l><>ard, lawn spnnkkr., iet buckelS, and

u;h Ittms . s ,' .. astt b.t,kt.IS and laundry' b.ts~tS for "'hkh polyelh)' lene soon Ix­_ ,lit prelrrred ma,(o;t\ As molders become more coofiden, "'~Ih poIyst)TC""

IIId rnartUfarnl",TS more con"nccd of LIS durablloty. It Ippeared III trn1Sparent 'IIIpct' dra",y", and other rdngc:r.>tor ports. n.. foster G",m Compon)' of twTTnn-

was so >UCCesSfu! moidlll8 poIyst)TCnc llut II bucked clltmlcal-rompoTTY

_I"i;mon by ol"'"'ng il' I)Wn Sty .. n. monOlntr plant at BalO!! Rouge in 19~4

IIo;pcnm,t inj ""ion molding (""bled FaSler Gra" , to ,narkt.l a line of tr.demark

~ In. changIng "r.>y of nmate st~'ks, iroc::ludlng the hartcqUlll ooigt\S of .'!lId·to-la,. 19~ PoI)">l)'l'tnc beco.mt the preferred nu,cnal lor molded radio

Becwsc. post .... '" radIO tubes "''tre <nUIllcr .nd thelt ht.ai rroort ,alOjly d\5Si.

-.:! monuhcrurcrs could abandon !\low rotnprtSSlOl1 moIdlllg of he~t-1'ts,st.nt or u, ... ,,,,,,,,,Idthyde In fa'", of high·sp«d po!ystyrenc ,nJecllO!! moldmg

~blc of nQwmg .moothly IIlto sh' TPly . ngled mOlds, JX'lystyrenc facllita,ed • o

A No f • , • N . ,

sh'ft from bulbous S!Kamhmngto. naml look p"'",lkhng Iktroo!', .it"agrl.l1l1inL Once ~n plastic m.t~nals and ~ oomnbuttd 10 ~n expr=;,'c .......J a,I! (FtguK 7~J)'

Oesp,(t an inItially poor ITPU'.uon, poI)'Sl).,~"" 'e,,,,,,ntd a m.jor ""'tcna! b

'0)'5 lhroughoul th< 1950s. Somecnne m tho Wt 190405 FM~'-Prtct'S IIuuy Il00,, wnnc1~n 1",1] ''''Y I.mh I12lluhognphtd grooph..,. . ."...,."e<I ,h~ dun"."..,""' ......

and • c"""''' of '''In'uon·mold!:d pol)'Sl)'K"" n.o,ltd to , ... bod~', MOlT IhJn ""Y ochrr betD., a "'p.d ,In/! 10 plaSllC: propdkd lho! company's ""oces.s." PoJ)'S1yt1:1'1t-':' look in ... tn<:><kl ra,lroad,ng whm lhe Uonel ~nd A C. G,lbert companl(S turned

from met.lto plastic ;n search of lower n""uf:OClunngcosu , At about tiu: .. mt lImI.

Amencan boy, abandoned lobor-InteRSi, .. h;t1S.'wood mood-bu,ld ,ng '" fal'()l" III ",ass-p.OOuctd kits by R"'ell .nd '\Ul"lHll wllh InJt<:!ion·moldt<! poIySlyrr ..... J*II ns,ly IwiSlt<! from connecting SjlI\>l'S and glut<! logtlhcr following S!q>-by~tp ....

5IfOCl;ORS, PlastIC can;. shIp'. and ~gllln pU-!IlS. Ii>( .. mlncal< rullSlIC dtu>h' product of mold·"",kmg ratiu:. than mod.I·lNk'ng. Sttmrd 10 laI.:., pndc of pI.:r In Ih. btdroom of ., .. ry PlT-,ttn "",k Combtmnglh¢ 1,,,,lIHIdthng trmds, s.d> nu.nn 8!"Olhtrs of Plubd!:lph ... olkml hobb)1SlS SllajHOV'ht. pol)'Slyrtnr ~ from ,,'hieh '0 asscmbk th<11ousQ. S!ortS. dmtr. ratltwd Sla"on. and wa,e' ~

• , N . , -pI:/6llC"Ilk. U.s.A ,~ a rnotIfl '0""11 scakd 10 O-gauge dt<:'nc '''''RS and popu­

jIIId ,,"h optlONl ...... oIPbstIC ~opk' (-Do no. """pia sub9n"'e.- ,,:amtd Ii>( , ' )I)-rofoam d,ff=<! oooolty from moIdt<! pol)"5t)"KnC:md of&:rt<I unprtctdclllro

.,-Jn1tS lIS' pl .... 1C M..dc by pr=urwng hquod pol)"5t)1'!nc reson '0 obuut .hght·

I ~lIubr room of hJrdcntd bubbles. II wllS U5Cd e'pcnmtn,ali)' dunng the

... fa< r~r15 and hre p ..... ""'''' I"romoIt'" at Dow Chcmal Compan)' hoped Si)'­~m boords slICed from large blocks "'<oluld provIde ,uFerlor bulld!ng lII,ubuoo

()b<r rad)' U5CS ",cluded $u(h 1\o,,~ ltl.s as "snowbolls"' for Christ mas trteS Int o ,r!odI sITalgh'·pmntd bangl ... nd hanger .~ could b. Sluck WIth. dlSlloclly s)11' ..,..,crunch unhh any OIht. 50und ~o"'to", diSco,·"ro Styrofoom Illi' ciu:~p .

.,sily ",,,,,,d bas<: ror wall d"p~., .nd no", .. a.range"''''', 8y the ea.ly 1960$

m ... -as common '" plCTlIC cookrs. n""..,r 1'015. (lo-",ion 00'1<". d'sposablt cuJl!i. and packing nu,truis Ten )'t.rs La .. , "'IICOII1~egg""nollS. m •• t

I:I)'S and faSl·food ' ",)"'l 'hcrmoformro from ~n exlrudtd room sheelmg m",h 1fW, ,,"h 11>011' drnsdy padu:d ~11s. thJn ,i>( crud!: -"""",-balls- of 19~ As for

~in'1pa<1 molded pol)"5t)·"'nc.IcssCOl"1t"" ... rsul ,han r...m brcaus..1css "d~ l1li<. n JIWI",d indl$fll:nsabk for ClbIngs of .udlO cann<:gt'l and casst\,tS-o U,",

.... Jbsorbed S'>;ly mIllion pounds of rtSln m 1969," 1'oIyst)'Ie",," earliest US(S had echofd thost of cellulOSt :Itt,a .. o. phtnol form·

oIdothyd. Pol}"'lhylene. on ,lit OIher h.nd, \I1lh ilS twgll (\ex;b~i'y, immcdia,dy

1!'P" • ..,d diSlmcn,,,,, "It w. s. polym .. 50 un li\« the polymers known a, ,he ume."

I ~rch", at TO dedarcd, that al fi.S! "no on. could en" isage a uS( for it" lIy

J~l. howcv ... wr..n Du Pont and lCllOSI oomrol of pdye'hyl<onc In .n arul,fUSI

J'dg:mmt. il seemtd liu: most p.ornas1nS of the new ploSl':5, Constroction of pl. nlS

lIyeight <Kilt, Arne"""n cMmal oompanleS {among them "Ilied ChcmiCIl. IXI,,·. &otman KodaJ<, Monsanto. and Ph,ll,p' l'etrolcum)soon HI supphers r.:.nngin..,r·

prod .... "on and Wlutg pncn--a "")~U IN.kct for • pla>l1C of whICh an opumlSllC .oIde. ot..st"..,d ,hat II 1I"a'I ".Imost d.fficult 10 mold 3 bod product" Polynh)lenc's

pna f.n qUlCldy from Du Pont'~ ,,,,,,,,I Ion)' ~n'" 3 pour><. 10 1= ,hJn a d"n.-l1OL

I ~I su'l',;singgiven thaI Clhy ...... monome. "'~nl for 1= lhan III." centS, !.ovo' COS!

...... SlJmulated. entry ;nlo, hosI 01 n.w nu..I.:.,15 who:... d",,,,nd!; obsorlxd prodoc­

lIOn ond '" tUln Stlmula,ed spe.ulo"'·' upansioll, At; or. 1I1S,d •• rrcalit<!. "profits

dq>cndtd on a Constant nolA' of n.w appIiCOllons," 8y 1958 polyethylene producers

_It chum",!: out the in dustry's highest annu.allo"oage , 920 milhon pounds .• nd

I11lim ... n",& ils higOOl growth ra,e.)(l percent Polye,hylene had become "the first of lhc mass plaSl""."»

PQIy.,h)·k"" chJngrd tn. w:ay people thought .bow pl.1S1OC. The arcllCt}'p.l1

...,~ .. had pmt<! accqKo""" Ihrough durabolny Poly<1.hylcnc al first offcrt<! •

........... on that Iong . .wod'ng thtme Tuppe .... "rr co",",,,,,.,;dehgh,td houSf"'''"CS alii dt!;,gn enl"" by <"!dub"'ng restt~nl I\tx,bllny ",thow sacnocmg the dut;lbtlllY

cxpccIt<! of Iugb-<lWllny plutICS Bul as SOOICOnt "",",,,,,d ,n 194:). -n.. o

o

A M •

bo:.uty of pia,", anicles " that lhel're ~he.p enough !O r~placr rollh .. than rrpa".-"

Polyethylene soon become an archetypal plaslic of. di(fe",m son as .n<lt.

'"" supply led proouufS W thmk not of durabilIty bU! of disposabillly .

Packaging prom,S<"d to comume a ne\'n-end,ng sHam of piaSlic. Soft ~ poly"h),I • ...., yielded the mnm"", .. "'Iur". bottle, first used in 19-17 as I ~ for Stopelle deodorant The "lllcezc bott le was perfectcd by Ju les Montenitr. a !tad. mscosmclICS dlemlS!. In colbhonlilon wtth ~ngmeers.t the Plax Corporation ....

were developmg a blow moldmg pT~SS f(}r thcnnoplastic resms. By 1950Pla"

makmg. hundred thousand sqoen. bonks a d~y and planmngto tripk iLo~ 1(} mol d Imbrtakable c'mlOmr" for hand 're.m. sUIlI .n 101l0n, shaVIng <~ shampoo. ~nd cologne. Polyelhykne ,,'a, $(l successful thai a de51gner mged f'rn<ca OJ Gambl. to Ust it for Cn",o shortening. Be(~~ lhe blow·molckd f'OlYtthrlrar

bottle was ",'eraJ tunes as expensiv~ as glass, manufacl ure rs initi. lly COltSld''''d I .

con,'enlfne. ,lem. Bu,,, fell rapidly in ptic., .nd chtap blow-moWed lht~

bolties Wert soon used for deteIgem, bleach , milk, ","uces, and cond''''''nI> . .....

'hough promolers lOu' ed squun botlleS and Olhtr pl.~1C conlalners for lhr .

bil" y that made lhem rtusable, by J9~ th~y we", celebralmg dispos.lbHlly as"., imponanl k~y '" ~(m t;numg "olume '- In the words "f One commentator, I'l0>l .... fUlure "oS ')n lhe sorb.ge can ." 10

Poly~thylene "ppe.red In Olhe' highly visible, equally ephemeral COfHumor

gO<X!s, such as cheop lOyS. Young 00)'5 rdough t lhe ",,,r ""th reali~ic loy ooId.rn mj<cnon-molded of dark grun polyelhylrn., or re-<;rtated the days 01 fon Af>acht wilh cowboy:; and Ind"ns mold"d wilh so Imle aUlhenl1dty (ha, a chId ill full er, gal" mlgh( appear as solid purple. Young girls ploycd "dr<S5-up" with Slringlta

loops of pop beads. ~ach molded wah peg and socket 10 pop lnlO flexible CO!1ntCtX11l

,,'th another Ixad on eilher ~ide, Offered al first wah a pearly l:ocquer as n&Ydty

jewelry for adulls, 1M beads SOOn .ppe.rtd ut\ l",inled In gaudy popsi,k colo"and

we", (aken up by chlld",n . Ahhough pop be.ds consumed forty thoU5and ~

of .. sin ea.:h month 1n j 9~, tn.,r ~conomic . nd cultural reson,mce fa<kd IItXlIG

that of lhe hula hoop, on<: oflh~ ooby boom's fiw fad,. Sold for .bou t two dol~ by Wh'm,O, a Cahforma molding compatty thaI lat« marketed I",bees, hub hooptt wtr~ so popular the,' inSpIred "chistlers" and "ja.:kals" to ulfer knock--offs fOf fifty cems, "scrap .nd Junk,badly extruded wilh loo-thm w,lls in dmgy colors .• nd badly asscmbl~d - Twirling hoop. abs.othed .bout fifteen rmlhon pounds of a nelll h.p den'll,' pol,'elhylene (one-lhlrd of tht total OutpUI for 1958), reSIn that OIh.",,..

would ha,'e setyed ""tness (0 lhe folly of m"rproducnon, ,.

ThIs new high,denslly or line.r poly~thylene was a marked impro,..,m~nt 011 tlor

baste tYP" d<:veloped during lhe Second World W .. Polymerization of elh,"'''' bat! rmlained difficult o",ng (0 extrtrne pressures ",qulr~d, up (0 30,000 psi, A!itltrth

for catal,'SlS of low-pr=ure pol}'meriz .. 1lion ended "'lh several near SlmultantOlll

breakthroughs In 1953 and 1954 Dtsu e for an easter process .nd lower productJ<lll

costs mOli'·aled the search, but it also yielded an 'mproved product, An orthnor1

M , hylene molecule """ "bra nched"; that is, 115 long chaIn of atoms ~d

~,s ~f "regular 'hape and lenglh Molecu ktr length made lhe material strong,

!Ill' gular rneshmgof the brarn:hed molecules made II fiextble. The n~w "linear"poly­

;;:I<W' by co mra5t , conSIsted of long unbranched ~ngk·(h",n mol~ul~s packed

lli'tiy together 10 )'ldd. stronger mat"",1 "'tlh grealer dlTI,,:n~\O!\.1 rlglduy and

"ststa= to heal. Although Karl Ziegler ofWe,t Germany, an ""adem,c ""'""lttr,

.,.,ounced the dlS<:overy 01 hnear polyeth,'I~lIe and Ixgan ItcenSlng hi> process, Du

~ , html5ts we .. th~ 6m to mok lhe new material. and others at I>h llhps ~tro­

~[11 altd Standard ad or lndlarta d~1Sed shgltlly dlffertnt proces5t~. Al aboullltt

!If'" "me. restarchers at Du POll!. Philhps. Standard O il, Hercul .. , and MontecalLnl

;:lIWy all laid ci .. m to anOlh" pol)mer ""n "«mger lhan linear polyethyl.ne but

tll'llar to It m d"",ItIon and ,tructure The Italian Giulio Nalla long rtc"wd ~reJI1

u-Ulwnllng polyprop}'lene: in 1963 he and Z>eglershaTed the Nobel l'rlnm chem­

lJ')'. Poll1,ropyleneentereJ cotnmernal producl i<m itt! he United SUt~s In 19~7:

",1983, after a quan" cenlury of hugauon. Phllhps r<ceived a palent wlorn lltt

llruled States .. cogmzed J Palll Hogan and Robert L Batlk!; as its m,·rnto,,;."

Ntarly as hard and glossy as polyS!yren~ but ""hout ilS brmleness, po lyprop}··

Irnt: wa> so light 11 """lOd in 111.," and et13bled manufaClurers to strtlch .lrtady

dor'p supplies of petrochemicals. Nearly 05 lmponant 10 i15 "cceplane., polypr'"

prim< m.ined lhe warm louch .,f Imeat polyethyl.", \VllIle the low" was used lor

ro$I!I<!k bott les. pmk lawn fioml ngo>, dish pans. laundry baskelS, and garoog. cans,

PO])l'ropy!ette was tough mough for m,lk CTales, lockle boxes, lool kilS, toilet "a15.

_II apphance hou,mgs . one-plece CMlrs and table., and luggage . One-shot

IlJ«tion-molded thermoplastics we" approaching 1M durabihty of Bakelil. or of

iibrrglas_WilhoU! the expenst 01 remfOr(:mg fillers. filxr m.ts. preforms, or paper

b.milUlt"", withOUI lhe , lown.ss 01 compression moldmg or ,he gre.ter delay of

fiIuglas h.nd lay'up lechmques POI,"lh,·lene and po!\'Propyl."e succeeded so

..,lIlhal lhmy yea'" later a "eter.n mold er d~scribed them 05 the mJustry's "old

"",kho"" .. " lbny other plil5tkS first appeared m consumer goods dUring the 1950s. Among

wm wa, ASS (. co'polymer of acrylomlr1le. butadiene, and styrend .• n gld , heel .

lag trul1en.llor one·piece refrigerator line,,; and luggage. " Molded nylon . marketed

.,. Du Pont as Z\1el. wpl3ccd metals m g.ars .nd beanngs of small aulOmOlIH and

"",Iianee a,sembli"" and also gamed visible e"'f'O'urt as roller· skale ",·lttels, '" For

"""" Usts nylon """ e"entually repla.:ed by an even strong.r On Pont enginrertng

pioMk. Delrin acelal resin, a form of polymerized formald~hyde. Although 11 cost

........ 1 tImes mOte per pound th.n the brass or zmc tl repl"".d, liS low densuy

brought considerable savmgs. A one -piece in>trument panel lor the 196 1 Plymouth

V.hant, for example, cont.ined only two pounds of Delnn compared w'lh nine

P<ltmds of <me m Ihe 1960 mood, "

At tht opposIte end oIlhe spllhettc speclrum Du Pom unsuccrsslully lmlla led 11S

""gm.l nylon strategy by introducing a new fiber, polyest ... os a tom fornpensi\'e o

, • • • "",ns SUII! B)' allo,",'IIlg ",,~,krs 10 folJo,. ,hi: pm:tdmt of nylon SI<l<Ck"",

mak~ (~lnvaganl danns .b.>u, "rn,r;>ek suus Ih.:Il n~"(r ..... d Prtt.;"".: COffipan)' stt up pol)"tiI.cr fall,t<: lor. f.1I {f(lm wllwh " d,d nOl Tttovt r UI1lll_ m,d·l960s when p .. ma .... n!- prrss pants lx<:.Ime • 1"IC«"'lly of ml(id le,bw, hie. B)' IMn poi)'<:SIt. "'a'I "",n tilabhshcd m OIher uses. As. '"'Sin II IOITJl<1I ,h. ... ",oKmng m01lU: In ... h",11 fibrr&las "''as embedded 10 make boats. surfbaarda <4It maIlS. Ind corrugaltd pallO roofing. Extru<kd as hlgh.,tch M)"lar film. ~ 8"'''' 'M "memory buS!ntSs" IlS Ii~ ",hable magneuc m:ordmg tapo< . I'tplo..;'''CQ&. lul= "' .. ~'o. In 1,)~6 Luch",,·'s R",tauTOnt m New yo, k TnlI,k ... ..l .om.: 01"

popubrd .. h .. m fro.," bo,I-,n-,,,,, ·m.g M)'lar pouches ~led wuh . 'hm~ .. ",11K,;,.., alummum. Mylar film rtaChtdou'.rsp:lCt as ,he lnfla,abk 1'doI>1,..." a hundrd lrel m dm".,." long brlort lhol, ha .. ..".., •. pwp1e hod npuk<nd •• • dtc(M'lln,,, mn.lbc xcrnl on mIt...,. ar-doo, p" .... Is. ohen ,!",lttd or tm~

and as • mttaliKUed )'llm. "'0\"''' among fibers mol't u;tduLOnoJ in 'I'~ gl111cnng from 1M uphol~try of CI."'. airliners. and ",",ng room couches. "' ..... pru,·okW ,he deslnKu,·~ picklngof oored child ,en."

Nt .... plil5t1C5 and .... n.1l100s l>I\ ,n. ok! .ppt~,cd SO frequently w, promotm ..

buslntSS wn ..... ktp! busy pluggong ntW IWIU ,1110 a ..... n· ... "Om formub Not"-' I"KW pl:l$llC ~rd as qOlCkl)· as pubbd,y $lIggrstrd. hovo~ .. r S'O""'~..m "' .. ad'-a1lCC b,U'ng only .f,t< an unccna,n dt, .. lopmtnl ptnod i<lstmg a deadr . mort /I;ot unnl l~ d,d Amenc"n~ begin uploilmg 1M poI)"Urelhant foam *' Klmt's " .. n,me •• pon from Gennany had menllOt",d ~~ an t """lkm m~Ul:lllnS_

lerial In ,MI ytar Mons,,,,,o.nd &.) .. r of Germany orpniud a sub6ldlary. tIw: .... bay Chemical Compan)·, 10 comn>treial",. poIyurelhallt Glowrng pubh.." y for _ "ntXI grt"at syn,hetic" noctd ,ho ,mptrl(l>ngdtm~ ofbltx foam rubbe r. bu,. _ ar10lhcr fj,,, or SiX )"ars befOlt Mobay chemIStS Formula,ed • polfum ....... "­

lha, 5U,,·,,"td IIt.a! .nd humKiny ,,"!toul drsrnl(gr.lllng" E'"n more Ul rtl1l< _

lilt case of Teflon .• pol)·n,,," of lelranuoroclhylel1C acc,dentally d,>C()\"trtd by til Pont chomi5t Roy J Plunkel ' ,n 1938 wht n . C)·linder of gas In a refrigerant P"'fIO )ielckd ..... a"y solid The m;lle". I ... na",rd stable al an unprtcrdenttd Itm~

at )I~·C bu. P""'-N '00 ~'ppery 10 mold. bbncalt. or bond usmg sund.ud to mqU6 E,"tnlually chtml5lS leamrd 10 bond n 10 IMlai as" COIling. and II " ... , ...

., Oak RIdge dunng litc ""U 10 prot~ f<!U.pn1C111 from corms,,·. mal~nab dumI " ... ,,~( ... 'ur~ ..r " ..... "",·2)3. J<Ju, .uli"., fr"'lucmly cl.,med In ,he urly 19:;0. ...

houseWlve~ would soon .nJoy "non·stick" Tenon cookw.re. bul Ihe promise " ... l1li

re.li.ed unli l 1961 Dd.ys in com' l"I(rci:ah.ing pol)"Urtlhane and Tenon "crt "

_) bul not unique." Ontt in a "ink a pla~tlc: llIal g;;rm¢red COO5,de .. bk pubbcllY failed compIddJ

llnefl}' In ,t.. 1950s 1M indlHtry m;adc much of" P"""=" dt>,,\op<d .. ...... Electnc for nislng polyeth)·Ie,,,,,itc.1 reso>l.1>« from 70 to lOO"C by born""" il Wllh radi3\ion_ This 500(0lkd "",diattd polyelhylent d153ppt.red .r,.r • W years-prob.obly ow,ng 10 deve lopment 01 high·densny polyeth}'le' ''''' ~

• • iliff ""h far more al ~a"",,~ Corf.m. 3 ·'MUlhablt· subsmul. fot stt.>c Ie.,ha """,",uccd by Du Pont wHh gr .. 1 r.nf". ,n 1%) ,f,.r 1m )".rs of re.ear,h and

""",lopIl"'nl. 'JOI a cn.mk,ll)· "e" pl ... ",. Co,b", cI"'''sted of a m:11 of po.)l)cstn

IibITS ,mp",grul1ed Wllh porou! polyurt,lune and wrfacro ,,"h. 10Ugh. 5hmy pol)-• .,tt.fta"" s\<Jn It SIIpp<>Srdly had • mdloon porH pt, ""Ullre mch Although Du Ponl

wed a soplu"ucattd camJWgn to mtroduc.: CoNm ., the high tnd of It..

~,ll n"".caughl on ,,"hcoruume ...... ·horonfu .. d" ,,'th chup "nonh<ea,h·

.t«.' '1n)'I-··pla;r.ic shoes··_and who d .. hktd "' fa, III'" 10 conform """ use 10 tht $/uIp< of "ne·, fOOl a5 leathe. does_ Amenc;r.n5 wc'" nOl ime~ .. d in a 5Cuffproof

....,po and ,,",." I •• I""r 5UbS.t "U" so p¢rfect It ne'er had to be polished and "ev.,

.,.on In. P""'" of old leJIM' eon..m lo5I S70 m,llion bel= Du Pont p'" up .1971 and sold the plOtt56 10 Pobnd Such spKI;acuLar f.,lura rtlNtnN rart. _ ptOPk aroeptrd as normal a COIlnnulng u3l15fornu'oon ofth. nmtnal world

.... possible ~- an acultrolmg flo".,- of new plasllC ma'e""Is"

DI,.ITING '10M THE NORM

I'upUw mod ... rhetoric aboul an t",ugmg ""p!a5l1C agt" ox:casionJII)· surfaced dunng

.. lon<ls e,"(n though litc mundo"" =hly rtqUlrtd no announttment • Lc:s.s in·

_Ihan I","nl)' )"a", urhe ..... itcn litc ondustry rtqu.rc<\ self<On5CiouHItfi.nt!'on.

.. publIC")' off~rrd ""'"11t dt.cnpllons of IltW producu ;~ .. tad. of glow;ng u'o·

pom p .. d,cIlOl"_ Ind ustry It.de ... focused publicity efforts on specIfi c probkms­

.II".;:ks by n\'al,r:od~ ","""""ions. or ",pons of faullY ~"'_ poor tnglne~nng. or

t.d dcsipI. Al'bough ,t..,y abandontd I"" glamorous ilMOCllIUon of plastic and de· ... 01 lhe 1930s. 'htr continued to believe ,nd""",,1 dfSlgrt '''"is CTUC",llo lbeu

Not only did desI",.rs mold public confidmcr m plastIC by wlecllng ,''''

..-. p/:I$Iic for ,he n"'l job They liso bore pnnulj· rt"""""b,hly I", goVlng fonn

to ... I\e;tblt new mal.ti.ls-by =ogni"ng. IS I d.signtr OOst,,·td , "Ihal you can't

de . cood d'''gn job I'n plasucl wilhou, <kp:r.rt' ng from Ihe nOnll. "'" Jon. F"k. W:u:xhl, .d"o< of ,'''' prof~ional JOUrnollr.dllSlri41 Dnign. look up ,hIS rtSpOfI.

1 ,n" speciil.- romcw.img ... ;,h ,he 5(\"fllIh N:uion:tl Plastics f.IIPOIIOloon m

,.,. 19)6 Dunng lhe poso ... -a. )"ors . ...-h.lc pbSIlC "'"2< tvol""'g "from. prorrust

_. map baste ma"""b. ,ndusrlj·: ,ndUSl",,1 destgn "'"2S tvol"", ··from • .ak:s

II'\mICk 10. mucal :KIi\1ly of lop management from a designer·, pt"'ptC"l"'e ",t.:: ~k'"8 of • synth'lic ,ruler ... l" _Ihal is. of Ihe 0051c molecul. ilself-could be con·

wdotfd "1 c'e.llH """ drs'.!:" in its broadtic $Onse BUIlt.. d ... gne.had 10 COIM IIterms .. ;,h Ih. changes 'M"OOlghl by lhe chemiSl ...

talon, up llus challtnge 'n an...,." on plastic: and '1uably. Mllarachi wondcml.

1b. can lradltlonal S;l1"faclton and pf$ige be designed mto • bm,ly of untrad,·

..... '.""Is?" Site ;uktd ",ad .... ,,, <:Onlcmpblc In tltgam sel 01 Sterhltg "Ivcr

..... -an wllh handles of mallt·black Zytd nylon . Projt<:ling on untOt".emion. 1

be..oly.lhr jJlvtrw;trc off ... d. sharp Con""" 10 ,lit Ipptal of m,-,,", pLa5lIC objecu,

o

, • • , those ",flO'" Imllal,v, surf"" .. so of len proclOlmed, .~ how much 1 lClok ilk., materials you hk ... nll1 l.ttl<': Ju>!,ficat ion owed .ts logic 10 pla'tlC'S la,,, 'rn\';j Ibr rn.arulplace 01 mal~"al>' "'Llh "J tS' lnel and mtere,ung personal!Uts,"ln de~'

plastic had ",etreated 10 a k,nd of ",ual .. ckclOlh. ",ekmg (ollSOl3l>OI] in.. . '

abihty, " Because ,'arious pl;tSt,cs ',mamed "une.fla," of lltti. O"'ll personaJ,7:::

the), could t\0I compete "mh "the sheen of oIled wood, ,h. malle-11k, min of i"";' and "bony, the cmp polish or lacqu~r. the patm. of leather, lhe fibrous '""tUrt or

paper." The """hc", appe~1 of mihnonal subst.nc ... dql<"nJed on Ihm: IOCI~I texlun' or JqRh den'"ed from growth or manufactuN: (as in Ihe grom of "llOd or

the ...... rp and .... uof of ,.xul,,); the picturesque im:gubtity of .U nalu .. j lbtnp,

OTgam. or morgaruc: and the "frets 0/ IL=, of ~" hlet"'" of Stt,ng them "tltkt( and used. and worn, and rndlow.d ." Pla><ics might !lmuble but could "', .. ,( ......

lale the.se !radlllOnal markers of quali'y. As produc'! of "mns ,ble chem".1 muad •• "

they offered "no such intimacy I'tlh lheir clta""'et, 10 gi" e us an l!\lultive Sth:5t of lh." lxauty "

Writing at about the sanlt tiIM Roland Barthes was composing his medi i .. "", 011

plawc. Mnaracht confronted similar issues, She had Intle if any idea whot l<> do .bout the prob lem. But she did belie\'e mduslrlal design .. s , whose "mlr. mvoNat

tme!T'rttmg thm~ to their users , .... ,ould devise solutions Tilt plObkm ·wilh rudl pltable stuff a. plast,," was lhe lempl.lIon"1O lum il into forms w~ .lready k!lC1W­

This "agreeable passivity" would "",'er yield "real quahlY" For thai she Ikpmdo:d

on designers to tndow plaStic wi,h an "aflirm.t!'"e ch.rnet"," based on "1nn..reftl and untradit ional" altribul<S. TrtJI' qual"y could only be "deslgned mto pl;tS1i<c bra ftri

explOl,"lIon of Ihe things Ih.t make pl;tS1ics umque" For Milarnchi, '" 1M fiftIiI analysis, quah li· ,,'" "as much. mmter of VISIbk dfects as of phySical pcrfOrrnantt."

Throughout ,he 1950s and 1960s deSIgners and architects struggled '0 un"etM

visual and 'he struetu .. l, the image and the object- m other words to devtlop I

cuh urally expressi"e deSIgn "ocabulary for p l,stlc. The search proved '0 be dlffir:ult

and uncertain. It w:os only 100 true. as deSIgner Anhur 1- Pu los ohst:"'w at a cmJ..-·

enee de",.""d to fiberglas. that u was "ph),Slolog;caUy co mfortIng to une who.<pmdl;

hIS day s'ruggitng Wlth lh~ future to t>e .ble !o .. tite a' nigh, Into the past." Few

Americans at mld-<:entury really want~d to he I ike the Jetson, But rot thost wb.o did, fiberglas proved to be the ,d.al matelial "

CU S TOM CARS AND OR G ANIC C HAIRS

Wuh new pol,'m.rs .ppeating faster than anyone could keep l""k. giass_ .. mfcrttd

pol}"" .. ...,mcd an unlikely medIum for a futuristIC d"tg>1 """itenc," It 1;II:i<td

the pUblic image of old materials hk. Bakrlue and new ones like poly~thyk"". E_

for insiders it had no dcar idenllly As If no one knew how to percci,'e In.. Stulf .•

was knm..". by many names rolyest~r indKlued only the basic resin used to bmd (1/

laminate the gl.ss fibcfS. ""ople ref .. red to u as low-pressure lamin.te (to dtSUf\"

, •

~ It from high-prt5>urt Iam",,,es bk< Fonmc.i, or as fihet_re infon:ed plaslLC (a

.,:Igor)· ",eluding Ford's phenolIC auto body ponds filled ""h hemp and ramie)_

,," gl3ss-relnforeed pl...,,,c. or as fibergl.l.s-re,n forced pIaSII': Th~ lauer tern" In_

.,Jl"'r • .,ng an Owens-Cormng trade name for glass fiber, }'lelded the mnfuSlng

~j;: fiberglas as • I'oed st"ndlllg for a combtrultlon of two maten. ls. hen so, no

.. evcr forgot thaI fiberglas in that extended sense functioned nOl as gl.ss but as

~"' When cars and houses weK made from Ll. promoters oxtolled Ihem.s p\as­

",-aod SO tOO dtd 'he I'UbltL perc~,,'e them

T~ compound th. problem or uncertain ide'tli!}" fibergl.l.s lack.d the high-tech

f<",geofnylon , Mylar, ore'.-en poly,,'h}'lcll<. I, was a prinliti\"~ matenal processed

lIraude methods \Vhlle the plas,," mdu$lry enthused about aUlolnated moldmg

","",IrKS proce5>mg IhermoplostlC rest" nah int O identical prooucts at unbehev­

de speeds, fiberglas rem.med labor-mlens,,'t. T1>e simplest method of "'-mkmg Iiftt~. c,'OCa!iwly referred to as "h.nd loy-up: tc(juiml mmimal ~quipmem

ilJrling with a 'ingle -pIece mold of wood. pl;tS1er, or e,'en fIberglas it<"lf. the opera­

tot ladl.red it with 5ticky polyester m;m or "gunk: smOC>thed it> a lhln woven or

.... "'d layer of glass fiber, waued for th e resm to cure or hard<:n, usWllli' a! room

Itlllptrature, . tld ,hen repeated the process o,'er and over until r~aching the d._

omd 'hlckness. Although hand lay-up "',os. " mple process, " " .. s also .>low_

1l<S6}". and lllexact. Molds must h,,'e seemed almost cost-free compar~d 10 nc>­

t'*r-.nce machine_tooled harMn.d -5teel mold, u",d m compression or injec,ion

mldLng ]lut loy -up wOlked well only for one-of-a-kmd or low-,'olum~ prodUC1Ion.

Em! lhen, finished pi"'" had to be trimmed. ground smOC>th, and polished hy

lund Not unl il ,he end of 'he 1950s did hand lai'-up begi~ to YIeld to the mor(

=rffimtztd process of • gun .>praying a ",If-adhesi"e mixture of resm and chopped

!iberglas. " "', .. ral other processes for molding fiberglas and pol;-.. ster reqUl.-.d greate, m­

..... mmt m eq"'pm~nt but tcm. ined cntde and labor-imenslv, The "b.g m<thoo"

.,...lkd th~ cunng of I. rge objeOs hke bealS by usmg. ,·aruum or compressed . ir

10 force. rubber bladder eYenl)' .g.i1lSlthe rna,criallaid-up In a mold. The r"ulung

products ,,'ttc strong .. than tho:se obt.ined by h. nd l.y_up alone because appli~ng

~t><Utc allowtd a hIgher r.1I0 of gl.ss to reSin . nd yield"" a greater degru of

rtinfo,crment . A lhlrd methoo, uSing ma lched . Iuminum or Stttl di", to apply both

... 1 . 00 pressure to • preform or ma! of r.sin and glass !ibe" echoed the technique

ct phtoolic compression moldIng. This " malched-d", methoo" en.bled molders of

",w"'ei}' Sman pans to increa", production volume. Molders often con"ened sec­

cndlland compressIon presses for use wi,h 6bergl." to the rxtent thaI phenolic

">lI<hng already seemed out of dale. so 100 did the analogou> 6berglas procrss Only

<tie ~berglas l<chruque. kno"7l as "/ibment ",nding: was al aU inno",uve, In thIS

pr<>l:(ss" continuous strand of fiberglos coated W\lh polyester resin was mecham ­

Q]ly .nd e,'enly wound onto. precisely shoped form likt. Ihread around" spool.

--.:Ilhto, whe-n proper thICkness "'" reached, Il ",as fused sohd and cured b}' heat o

-Us..d for cyhndnC11 or lapcml .,bj«t!I such ~ large plpt5 lind .. orage lanks. tht pr0ctS5 )vldfd. SI.ong. light. chtnuaolly cesistam ob)tCIlhat could IlOl he du~ C21~d \II met.1 ~yond this smgle h"IH«h "",,,, .. uon. "",rul only for prodUClS. fibcrgJ;as moldmg ~m:I,ntd • sWw mt§l;)" bus,,'>t~ IlliITkrd by gur3!.~ .... nd bbor .• OO 15CnK of cnfl~'p

II II .... lIS~r IIU. llw. m,I".ry ,'t1CTan ... "h nothing mOK ,hon ambm<.ln<!Olllll grI ,mo pbo!..:s. fibcrp..s ~ 11 Sttm ta5)" T,,,,, ynrs at,., \'-1 Day. wnh fibtr&l. radomes for alrpbna; no long'" n«dtd. annll2.J prodUCIoon of polyalcr n:sm hili bllen by lIuu-qU<lneT5 10 \.!I m~11O<I pounds. IT\OSl of it shlPptd 10 Cal,f"",,," I.­m 1947 Modem f'L;aSl1C5 ",ponro -~ 01 wry snulL rompanL<5" on m. -...e.t "­

rnnldmtl fibc'ibs bam and ;urnah IIllr15 Often Ihtlr pn:rrus.s ron5l'iItd of-.. rna .. tlun a P"'\«'l rene<: around .101. ""h a 'tnl §tI up for »orag<" fur ,t.. "­bo,ng 1M eahfornll. sun. ~ 10 olft, lin l<k:alcn"rorun'''l1 for fibt~ wtfboard&. skat.boords, du ... buggKll. and 'POI" ars, rontnhm.d more dll~dy lD the ....... tal. upioll.non by tlUlblmll moidel'liO CU'" It.. rcs>n outdoors. If tnl.hus.asm t;rN

in ,In, wpponw" ell"...,., $0 100 did fa,l"..." F,boorgl.a.s malden gaJ""d. ~l>I_ for beIng "woefully lndfic",m, woefully sloppy, ~nd ".".fully ignorant AI """ or­aIled, ··11 al",,)'S~mcd llullht guywllo was yourd""'SI Incnd al on< of lhe ...., con,'cnllon tnCt\lngi .... 'I)\Ild be ,d ltng socks lwhenl lilt next one camt aIon,' ., 1952 lilt rupon!,b\c fiberglas mol<.krs (INt is, Iht $uCttssful ones) worntd aoo. Iht allurt of easy monty for low·budgn ~r\lr.preneurs_ An SPI policy comm~. abandoned Iht phnst "low pressure" WlI II il,.tT of "gimcr.ckery and cheapnta Hm.m McCann, eduor of Mode .... P!<lj!!" ~nd ch.lf of lilt committe<, argu<d at pubhc ...,lalions camp;dgn 10 con,",~ corpontr customers th.t "reInforced plas!a" h3d become "an induSiry of txpcnSi\'t loobng and profession.l.quipm<nt" ",pIItI of "big seal. production." Nothmg was jO harmful 10 progress os the mytll WI·" guy "1111.n tmply prage or. rumpu'i room and a Ihousand bucks can hope 10"

,mo It and m.;\u a suttUS of il .... TIll: SlmpliC:lIy of hand la)'·up alll'llCttd rnlhUSlNS "-h",,, in'uh~mtm p:;l$Kd"

i!l\~menl bUI iIlCIu>lly remai""d a hobby Nothing iasc"""td them morr lhan"

signing and !.Iuptng dlttr o" .. n SpoTU ~ The Idta of a pla5tic "'IT had tng;>gtd: .. """"far M«lvutlcs menlahly ~tr sinc¢ Ford ",,'Ung 1m ax ITIIO ,h:i, rebound,"g""'"

pa""lln 1941 Thtn: was SOmtlhmg heanrnmg about f<J<d conlnnng an

5O)iJan pbslle ""th ,he hdp of a

~ smacktd of HomlO Alger The:~~':"":.:"'~,:<:'''''<:,.:.'''''';::!'''''':;~''':'.;pI~:~~:':!; m;t\~""k SUtU5 only relnforood by firs! post ... -ar fibergW aUlmnobd., II company. GTlIh:im.P<ligt.lu Iksogptr, \\C,Ib:am B StOUI, """""II SIder for an earllt. ,..nes 01' radlCilltrod)"TIlnUc dtslgns. As soon as he

h upea .... "

o

1""00)"pt ",Ih 3 ''''''pl.IO w,ngod fustlage gmftrd 10 It.. lOp of a sedan Insteod ,.,okkr5 kxustd on cu.lom .pons car bodou and 50Ughi speed, :><:£01."'"011, .nd ""lk:;Iblhty of dtSlgn SonIt bod~ wtre sold 10 br moumM on 5urnbrd cha:WJ. ,;onIt cam<' ","h fibergbs chassls. and "III OIh ........... as kil'llo be asstmbltd (TIOIl

..,kkd) AI IIonot 8111 Tnll .... hose Gbs.spor Company ,,-tTII "UO busnx.s to mold

pIIII" booIl'l. £ompltlM 1m firs! 6betgbs car In 1951 Kn",,,",,:IS lhe Brooks 1IwtoT.

• ratmblt:<l .n \tG and was mOllrutd on a ,en-jn.-<>Id Ford ehassl'! TIlt 80"". ~ ""1: ..-vItWSWI )~ar .. ,lit \.(I5Angoin MOiorama along ",Ih thrtt OTher !IlIqIIt 6brrgtas e ..... tndoolngJ:><:k Wdls', Simrpoon, a bulbous. boxy mn~.nlbk

aT S~ fOf mourulngon a C~loycha<Sis. n.c JUSh "-,..on ,..tach smill <blp (bounguuhtd no 0"'" fantasy.,,"""lng shelt of poIy~ster and 6berttLu by en­

p"" IT ""h. unlq .... Sl:\Ilplu...J fonn Tilt Woodh,1I MOTorCompan)', an ofhhooT J.~r. soon offered.1It Wildfire m 1m form as. body. or fuUr asstmblcd and

..,.ty 10 roll Lo" and s/C¢k. II boasttd. smooTh hum "1YOOp and a Stnsuously "",1"g fendt. Imc R0\<1ng conlmUOTfSly from fronl to rear Otlltr rompclllOfS m­

<it;Kkd the \'~It Spons mockl, ""h a 10w.s1ung form dtfi""d by ".\ .. "01,.,)1'" fins /Ill th< rear I<nders,'" only {IfIt of m.;\ny fiberglas design ,nn", .. ,ions blet bo.,..",.",d

b!' D.noll Sly!"" for mas. produCliotl in shUT ...... 1·· Dotroil CApllU\attd to IItt fibrrglas fad in 19~J "'hm c;.".ral MOiors Introdue«l

tile 1"-0-5<01 Chevrol" CO,,~It., lt~ Ihan a year ,n It.. making from d"'gner's slctt,ha 10 hni!;!,.d prod tlc. (Figure 7_4). The company farmed OUI moldmg of the

•

o

, • , • Con..-llc's r"")-<lnt pl$I< body p.1ru 10 ROOcI'\ ~ Momson of tho MuIdtd f"r GI£ss Comport)' ~[ Ashubula. OhM), ,,-1\05( pUN .. -as «JU,pprd for m.o ""n. The Of,gmal Cor.'fllt ustmbly line ~l Flint , Mtdllgan. ..

Chass.>al a u""" and finlShrd IhOff C~rU "I)" After """'''''s prodlK1>on 1(' ~ ~ GM 1Illmdcd 10 bull" ,hm)' ... ~. dOY-IlmOS! r>OIh1l\g roDll"'rm ""Ih lilt ~ Stve" hundred Slttl.[ .. xlied , .. h,d., 111m rolhng from It>. romponys J>bmsl:IdI

day Toolmg for IIv Corvwe CO$I ooly S500,OOO in>ltad of 1M Si,' m'UIQQ .. volvtd In a sundar\! ,[.d 'Ulomob1lt, and ct>St .",,1>'$1< delmm""d tr...,. fib.:_ body r~mam.d ~onomlC~!ly ad\'ant~gcou! up to ,h. pomt where Innua! ~~

li<)ll uettd..d lift."" IhOU5and cars Pl>Slic" oS not likely to rtploet 51«1. ~PI"

Sf'<'IU ca .... po&al .... "", ampmg tr.I,lers. I"d othu speci<J\ty ,'.hid., wnh I.J.. ... dUCIioo. rum, All II .. UnI(, tile: (O"' .. U ...... ilh lis Ia,rm'm hWhgllls, I "nllllr seomks< .urUe.. and 'N: d,r«(1IUS of. long fl.:lU~ tububr body. ~ fit dl$un<U\., IItLIg of. pla!.loc = [rom CahfomLl to. nallo .... 1 oudltf'lOl: EIII1 __

pwplt nusstd 1M p,,"U Anyone "too counlW on /ibrrgl;os sporn an to .......

,h. ,<tUg< of plast .. mU51 ~ .. cn~ .... 1Im Fortu ... quoted a GM t •

$;I)'ng hor didn'l mmd lhor li~rgPs CoT\",Ut· JUS! 50 long as they donl tlJ w dD, ",th .ny d,;,unMd plastIC""

The r.~rgIas 'porn car t""bled mrn to dome$llCO~ ptastlC ,n a manner dlol.a [rom that 01 wotllCn who domtstlcattd 1\ by ins',,,ng lhat II Imll.t. or t.a ....... wnh trad",o",,1 mattnab Their husbands, at \(:1$1 Ih"", 01 the Poruiar M",,,­p<rsu.S;on, occtpted an an,f,d.l dtsjgn ,",stllet>t bUl sought to control ,t PCI'S<lnltllJ

wnnm. do_'t_yoUlvlflramework, Ge])(ral Motol"! had maden Uj,trto p<lSK!O.

unusu.l spon.> car, buIll>< Corw;Ut'5 1',1)' t~'stenc¢ ,lImulated II>< ",~kmd ~

byisf. d<So~ 1<) c~:nt a unoq"", IICrsomlly dOIgncd and crafted sporn car In I'" MoIor T m,J publt5l><d • -how.IO" Manual of 8<u/dlng I'L1>tI< GI" •• ~"'nty· ~I"''''' P"lICrback "'TIost coo,'tr tl~r:lled a mU5all;.r !cUow hdung a fuU.ltnjtlh c.:oro. IIoor pand ",th one upstmchcd hand Attard,"gto thor iru.idt cm .... ·' .... a~ car bod,rs of Telnlorud.gIass pb5I..,' ,."'~ "btlng made by n",,,,,, .. <IT d II

!}Iragr. throughout ,he """on- lO

"""hen tlu. guIde 10 1i~,gW ... nd by-up ~PIIC'rcd . M.lUT\Ct WnoIIS m.­

gr;tl'htd IKallS< on PoIyrsl(r aod F!bt~<H, wrilltr: "lor the hobbyi$l U<I .. lnanubcture,: was . In:ady in lI5 second ed,tion Affectmg a b«<zy ,nspI ........

style. Lonnon indlldtd a host of practical ttps such as an txnonal1on to !\'t REM

rubbe, glo"e>. nO! plaslic rubbl:r" (which would di>soI,,,, in ,"".lOne ",h't1u) tt tlICl1("\1lously <kscnbed Ih. cn:alion of his ol" n Custom aul<l body. design«! by I.­~n!it hnot)'1IC m .. dun~ from Nonn Hollr.>"OO(! who had "nc>",r .tt<ITlpttd. des'gn or m.o.kt a c:o.r bod)' bdon: " kcliuse ~"had a pictun: m 1m mind of ........

" .. rued, he st~"ed righ' ,n on .1>< mold" ,.,thoul looImg "uh skeu:l><s or : ,.'" thol <as)' An)'Ont could ... ,.., a "hghl--=ght. IonK bsung bnuulular b<dr [lhtirl ""." dCSlogn. """h many Um<:$ .. · ... t 11 oo:5I."-a bod)' ·stron~' lhan soed:

• , •

""'" 10 c.o~f"rn"'·.!<Oh 11'_ and t .... r)- "'po,rcd at homr ""h I hli of ~ ::':arw:I ' an of Kunk Ilcn: " .. a mllxk """"na1 ,f ... ",r [I><", ....-as Oot-fully

"'_~o:d bym AlIltn"".n oo,"-)VUrso:tfu",th a ~t for rugh·t«h baroque A "..,.. pro«S' baotd on a crudt Itthnologjl (""bled ... -nyman [0 txprHII. a 1"I5w.11y

,-""''"' pi"""' _;b-plasuc dcSIv> IorSIhtuc .. Tbal po",dru< also m, .. ktd fil><rgLu as a KO<><l malt,...! for lurnuu~.,r motltrn

dI5'P'. """' .. ,"" mucn OOlgno:l"! 'n'cllrouahud .bout new m,,,cna!5 .nd ""'$;II pro­.tuct""'. furnilure mak'"g rem>1no:d • crafl Even Ihe """,h.nlstiC tubt-stttl Bau"

~ .nif;o<:lS 01 the 19105 WClt It.lndm.do . Th'ny years bier fibtrgla5 ~m<ICted ..... It""rs who found ilS 'lualu.es leading to an anifici.l KSInwc of smooth 5Urf:l«S

,..:1110"',,& compound ("\1"'" At tM 5.otllC IlIn/: fiberglas rr'lulTed Iht It.lnds-on

""""..,ment of a craftsnun or sculptor TI", ambor of Mowr TO'""s "'ndbook spoko: ~ p<'InlS ",tItn ad\"lstng oo,n-youritlkl"!'o &nn prJlCt,cr wub ~lIer pro;ms

.... 1 ""hammock Stln e"'",- a s""COp,ng cuT\,hne:or one·poter rn..uo: Ioungt- ",·"h

.... Ibrulg mlO armrrsts and horadrf:S( cuT\,ngOOv.." 10 lorm a structul'ltl suppon

~ •• rc nol goong 10 ",n you how 1<) bu,ld [I><m: he expiamcd. 'for dtSlgn and

.rks In: 50 lIoubk wi,h Ihis rtWen..1 [hat they (;in be as ongutal as you "'ish­

~ Inlcuia.e abou, n, destgnc:[ and .",hitro &10 Saannen main[.'Md ,"'1 tht

-"""pOtlnd shell of pIast.c" "'as ,he mOst .ppropnatc [forml101 ["tnt""I\'nr:lury ItarruluO' "Deslgn was no longer a "cub ... ·' or "construcuvist" pWjtCl of assembling

~ pons. as in [he u dy rn<Jo&rl1 mo,'( ment PlastIC mad. il a -·"u IJMural" c"'l_

Irngt. Elul $.a.rin.n also bclitv(d plastic's unprrctdtnted f«<dom of f<l,m enta,led

1"""" ItSpon'ibihly for the deSIgner-an attitude of caution not found in MOIor T"""',"u)'goo.ng opum;$! ..

MIong lht pronunrnt des,gO<:l"! of ,he post"",r era. Saan""n and hIS coIkagut

(]oar\r:oI Eaoys corunbuted """"" t"'n .nyoot elst 10 a dOIgn vool>uial)' full>' ox-pla""e's m'''<ru.1 q .... hurs As ,he son of Fmlll,h atdluect Ehd s.u.nntn .

... came to Amero ,n 1923 and hnded Iht Cranbrook Ac:adtmy of An ne~r Ilrnlw. &ro t5C1pI'd I"" Iulllmp;ICI of "'110mb ... Bauhaus doon,," He OUiUml

IS I dt.JgTltr lit • nununnK on',rOOtllCTJl Iml promoted a .. rall$rruln·5 Im'nute

.... Iedge 01 "",t.,...I. and 11:Cogmud lht ,,,,hd,,y of :ln e><pres.'we mot"'" In Ih.lT

"""""g. Afte, stud)''''g sculpture \0 PJ.rls .nd tamIng. y~1t arch'tttlUK tkgr«. 5010 ...... " m1lTned to Cranb,ook in 193ti to pmr:tice ""h h", r.ther and teacn 35 a

I"~-u~ "''''ruclor He w35.1so omplO)'<d bntlly by indu>lrial d~slgner Geddes,

..-.kmg on til<- extTOl'agamly Slre.",l"'ed Ge",,,,1 Motol'S build,ng at Iho N.w York , u

01 ... , faIT-an expet\alcr; I"'t carried Sa.n""n ""'n fanhuf'<lm lhe dry punsm or thr lnttmatloml Styl< to"'",d ,h. t~pl'tSMon of a fluid ptastJ(l,y,"

Whm Eamu "'''''ed at Cntnbrook '" 1938,1>< at><! Saarinen qUICkly bmtme &.tndsmd OJIlaboralors \Vn,1e lb¢ 1;.11(1 ttndcd 1"" ... Td,~ dr.rtWlC, Eames pos­-.I an mgu><tnnK mtnul"y and SOUghl to attnd m,,,.ria!. 10 .h. logtClIl t~­"'-" 01 thar "NC!uTlI .. harJlCttnSlICS In 19-t1 'hty won Ii", pnu for "suiting o

•

, • • , in a competition on "Orgamc Design In tim"" FumisllLngs" 'P<'>I'ISo,~

Museum of Modem An Their wmn ing en!tieS, an arme'ha" :md a SIdt l. mlnalM wood. suggcs.\cd the ,hrewons lh~y each lalcr I

fi\><rgla> furnnure . Compr.ss<cd in c •• 1-Iron molds. ,he wooden

shells ~d" complex ( nilUre LOlI>Lruction . Only tapered ,',<>Oden legs prevemed tach one_piece sculptural whol •. Although. tlun layer offoam !\IbNr ""35

""",'s upholster),. I

, and the enUre: shell, inside and OUl, ""OS , , , ,

bmder of :;ynth~' ic ..... n ,..,.. le,d"'g e",hu",,,,, .. to pTOmo<e it •• ~

porn! giasldemforced pol}">I" hardl)' eXl5led; worl(]ng wnh

penen,' thal l. ler translated imo manipulation of lhe more .... "'tik matenal"

Of the two former collaJx"mors , '>a:Irinen first explored fiberglas as a malen.) for furniture . La'e in 19<18 Knoll &.social" began markooung

"womb chair : a deep filxtglasshell Wilh high baekcu",:,";":~,~:d::~;;n: "::~=~~~ armres.l. 11 !fOOled on a StlUClure of wire struts and < 1

casualll\'lng by Inviling 011<: to curl up In II. As ",m the plywood chairs,s..-. lmed It.. shell ",m foam rubber, ,,"'ered it wilh fabric. and .... n provtd.d ~

Tilt womb ehau b.,arne an icon ,llUStnlled by Norman Rockwdl on • s...tr E\'tninS Poil co,'.r as ,"" refuge of an unsha,'en ch:!in-,mokingsuburban d..d on ....

and slippers. reading the Sunday poper,"" wife and duidren paraded beh ind ..

ch urch . But Saann"," ch. ir went only halfway 10" .. rd realIZing pla,ue's desIp .. [ent .. "L While 11 dernonstTIlted the SlruclUroi lJ<j' of fiberglas to suppan "OXJIIIIIC h uman posture, II. uphablery pr.'-enled frank ""pression of plastic as p""uc.

nle 6bergla. "'.I I chair. like SO many OIhe' pi,,"c ~nifaclS. owed il' fuulr.. 10 • substi[Ulion of plastic for. dlfferem material by someo,,,, already m!llflltt producuon_in ,hi. cast Earn .. , who had COntillU"" 10 develop {<Chruq .....

shapmgplywood imoromplex cUlVlhnear forms. In 1941 Eame. had m.:medc.

brook ~udcm Ray Ka~r and mO"~d to lo5 Angeles to go imo pannerSlllPW>lb_

Dunng the war they manufactured form-fillmg plyv.ood splints and bners "'.

navy and graduated to plywood trainer aircraft and gliders. Af"r rmhtar)' ....

e>"po"'ted. the Earn""" returned to moldmg plywood cha,,~ and ,venn...,' cen .. d their manufacture to the H.nnan M]l1rr Furniture Company, w~ ... been promotmg modrm design ~]",e th~ 1930s. It was for Herman MiUe' m , ..

that Charles and Rdy Eames d,,'eloped ... ries of molded fiberg!.s Chall'S 1M .... ca me even greater 1C0rn than Saanncn's womb chair of design m plastiC and 01 .... war material cuhure

lIeSp] te thetr ply,,,ood fumllure 's commerctal suc,ess, the Ea="," w«< noe_ isfied lhey had found the best solUllon 10 the problem of the lightweight ~ ch. ir , The .nnouncement in 1948 of a competltlonon "low-Cost FumitUrt_

at the Museum of Modem An prompted Charies 10 c~p<:riment "~th oth<r ~

, • G •

'''''''''''''-0l'0I' [>,0-

OE~_' __ '" ,oy

0-..,,,,,, r.., ~_,

fruSl"'led by lhe hand labor in\'oh'w with plY"'ood , he proposed Slamp]ng lhe

\h<!l; for an armchair and a side chair ou' of she.t = 1.1 . nd COO lmg them wnh

l'III)i 01 neoprene. Along with lhese ~:lmp<d-melOl enmes. the Eameses also sub­

"""cd. d¢§.ign for. loun ge ch. it of "brge llo,,",ng forms: n, strength .nd hghtn.ss

~.d by m.arn of "stresso:d skm COTlSITU,non"-th.t IS. e:<!<nOf laj· ... of fiber­

p< pIa$Iie sandWlching ~ resilient cOre of Foam robbe, and Styrofo.m TI..j' f1ad

rteenlly U5td ",,,·surplus polyester . nd fiberglas!O make tran,l llc~nt mt~rior panels

Iot-d,.1J uprnmenwl Case Stud y House "8, 'ponsorw by Art< 6- Ardmmurr m.&"­

""'" \\ih]le thai proJC"t employed pl.st,e r.tlonally as an . ngmeenng malrri. L the

ft,e.Form lounge chOlr ",.bied them 1" aplo," ]IS surreal potential (F]gure 7- ~)

i:rm;n as "La Ch.i se" beo-au .. It could h",'~ accommodat.d "ne of Gaston Lachaise',

ppn\lL1n nude 5Culpture, CC>l11e to bf •. the I"unge chair's asymmetrical stylized

."....,. shtllllootoo on thm m.tal strulS above a wooden bast . In designing and

<11&",& La Ch.,,,, , th. Ea=ses re""altd an und",standing of plastic as a sub>tance

..-host malleab,lity hbe",~d th.m to flow ""~th '""gue cultural trend, . N they ad_

IIII!lrd to. ,tOlem. nt accompani~ng their entry. La ehai" did not "amicipa'~ 'he

T>r>rty of needs ]t " 10 fill" bee.us<: lhoS( needs rema'ned " ind~fini te" and th.n

IIlhnIOnS "intul!]\'e." The Eame..s hoped LII Chaise's 5Culptural form , .n ag.nt pro­

"l<:aleUr of the motui.1 world, would "suggest a ffeer adapta!ion of matenal !O neW

-'lid $tlrnu\ate tnqU1'y into who l these need, may be." Among other morn., prop""d

lor!h .. Ir<:<_[u, '" pl .... ic cha", Gondola and Duchesse evoked hlStoncal resonance

Kongof<Xl w"-' plai'Fully b]omorphic. And Psych. suggested the amb]gutty of their

~ .nd of deSIgn for plastIC in g.n.",I, They conftsS<d they did not know

"",I, wh.t they wer~ domg, Th. ''agueness of th.n language suggested the !ema_

7-6 F~"",........,.....

"'''''''''''''~''''''' ~' ~""" . .......... <CTCftO,' H<""""

",",I, No <OeM ' 0>0 ON"''''"'

, ,

m'~n<5' "f lh~lf allernpllo d.Slgn oomelhwg '" ",,,J' '''''"~''''·wd,"., ... lMum •. ""

WIlli. U ~ ",mamed. pralOlype, Ih. e • .., of workIng wilh reInforced PIIJiII tsterimpressed the Eamests Twoy •• ~ laler, m 19~, when 'he Museum ofM .... An a,,'arded their more constry,lw. form·filling .rmch. ir first prize in the-~

C05'" ronlpetillon, (he actual eha" shrll ""s not made or sheet ""'tal. as m'" origuul proposal, bUl of fi~rglas (Figure 7 ~6) Edgor Kaufmann, Jr ..• champlot

of "good design," pral5ed tht "~nning eh.,r for not disgulSing 'lS tn:>1.ri.] but u.­tXJl"'Si ng. dclic"l~ swirl of whue fibers embedded," a rn.m~ of col.,...,.1 """ .. IUIuf"",m" WU[(I>, i( w." " l lL< [II>! UlL<-I-'''X~ I'\<bli< dl« .. '" r<~,u'~ ,I", , .......

surface of Its malerial, ,,,ri_galed and "'liny."" Already berng m.rkeled hI' II ....

MIller, the eha" had a bucket .. at CUTVlIlg oUlward to form n.rrow .tttIS; It c...w be purcha$ed wnh a "ariely of oo",s: four "rooden or mrlallegs. s""e,,,1 ~)"5I.mllf wire SHU 'S. wooden rockers with wire suppons. and a swi"el de,ice On wooden. •• drnftmg· ,"bl~ helgl\!. The des.gners had turned .0 frbuglas for ,he cN" tal ,'omped metal. the ... ..;.lI~d malerial of nlaSS producuon, p,,)\'ed ironically ,00 l1li­

pensi," Th~ shells wCTe molded by ,Itt. illilh PIas{ics Company of (;arck,... CJI. fomla. which gO! lIS .. an m. kmg radomes In ,he war. The molders used . ......

prdorm of shon "rands of fiberglas and polyes,er rtsin furmed by suction _pi wire scr~en Usmg {he ma{ched-dle ""'thod. thO}' molded eoch preform for"

minUl.s a. a .. mperature of 13O"C and pressures ranglng from 100 {o I W p" Ed

shen had {o be tnmmed and buff~d by hand wnh power tools bdor~ belJ\g~ 10 ilS ba.., assembly (FIgure 7- 7)

A$ Modtm Pla"ics """',ved. {he resulung "polye .. er ChaIr" w;),S "hglll In ..... colorful. and long wcaring." Its "pleasmg ,urface groin and design" would ~

o

7·7 F"'''''''''''''''''""'''-'Nt;oo , __ "-'&fOo ............ ~f_'

~-"

'dup, pal. or f.de " Abo" •• 11 . as , h.pe afforded a ""maximum of body ~uppo" and rdu.olion" and IlS slIIhce was '.I""},, warm.o {he touch ."" As i{ lumed OU t. ,h.

~rgW;eNir "'"soften loowarm '0 lhe {ouch, leanng people {o .. "am In ' he" Own

~"poIallng humldt!r f or {ru., reason as much as any skeptidsm .bou, fune:·

oon.J modem"m. ,he p\"'uc dldic became ",-,,,,,,,,i,ned in l"'UI,k \ """ .. I. will. r:hools, ""IMg rooms. and other plac~, known for • c,,,ain n",,'ous fun k Herm.n

Mdit, prom",.d the armchair and its companion side ~hair fo. ki,chens and famIly

""""', bmth~\T sucre" was mostly Institutiollal. thaI aSSOC"'''''n "",,,,,kened 50"'"

<l.lbt old preJudlc~ about plastic as cheap or second· r;lte. h~n 50, ,h ~ mde .. ruc­

abobty of lhe E.""' .... · fiberglas ~h'irs guarallltw them "",,{im,ou, production for

Iony ;Tars_ Thm sucr~"_"nd high vt,ibili'y- inspu-"d oth~r 'tm omcal use, of

6bn-gLts and contnbuted 'Yell more ,han the pl.,llc automobile {o . n amficlal pla>tic· ... plaslic de,ign .. Slhe.ic

Ecm Saannen "-enlually earned W idea of a formal plastic aesthcne farther ,han !iii fflttlds Charles and Roty. Whik {hey mounted lhe" fibe'gla$ shell on • ba.sc of

"'""'" or m~l'l. Saanncn grouso.d ahom "modem etta"S with shell shapes and cages <I. tutle '>lICks below: the latter of len "a 50" of met.l plunlb,ng." '" I {e <lre"mod of a

itUlptu .. 1 ~h." combmmg ,hdl and tr"", In an integral whole. The =uhmg ptd­

....uchair "", lnlcoduced by Knoll AssocL"", in 1 "~7 and Wa$ known as 'he "tuhp dIosr" for It, blossomlike sea' ,ising from a narrow tapered .. om ,"sl1ng on • cu-~ular

,

,., Pt.:u.~ r.,....~ _ .. ~,..,.-­___ _ .. E» $.uo

-"""""""""", ", I:."",

"-"IX"''' INc <lOT

• • •

pad "" t~ ftCWJr (figur¢ 7-8) s.uri"""l~mptrtd 1M dutr's .1l -whJl~ punty'" ,i>< " ' goniC U""" of i1.> ["tin and ""h" ,h", bnglll <uoruon ir. ,he ""., Ii ......

",,(h Ih< projrct v .. aS "'0 doar up the ,111m of legs" of mo51 furnil"" .nd "nab: ir cn. ... \1 <mr lhmgagom." nUl he ",nr'$.Vd that his eh .. ", was octual1)· ·lulf·~

flalf.mtt.\" be""" .... thin Slrm of """forced p~51OC could t'IOI suPI"''' • sa..­"'e,ghl ~ bas.. was an .Iumlnum caSlin, dlSgUlSotd "~lh • piast:<.: roo.Wlg W!hilt

merged ... amkssl)· into 1M fibrrgi:l!l 5ht1l 01 In. seal AhhoYjf,h. Saannm W

IICruf\"td. formal mum ph. he "Iookl(dl iono.~rd 10 the chy .... htB ,lit pWtlC ......

try has ado.-anctd 10 In. polnl \Omrt the Chalf ",II be (In( m.lltt.al, as ~ ..

Tht ptdtstol ch:1I( .. "..,akd Saanll(1l :IS • dulgn<r .. tu>Sc: com .. ;Untlll 101 P­~Ilflic: OO(lWI thr m:n.",,\ astir HIS.,.,." archnrclur1ll ,,'O,k, esptcWl)' ,-.

.... moe §culplural "upon ,rrrmNIs ,,'h09: Myk dtlied the .",:, domlIWll M>.­

tauoruh,m, could <",tI)' h.,-. found (Xprns>on In ~ic h.>d syn,,,",oc II\IItIWJ bun Structurall)' appropn.llr tn rtA«ungon cho~. facrd byo:;nl(tnponof)'''

,.ct~, SaanMn ohen Wltd t .... W<lrd pl;\Sl!c, G\\',n h,~ experience "'1th fumltu~" ~'gn, 11 ... mS likely lit intended a du~l reft,cnc.-'o tlit ,radmon.1 plastic _II

sculpturr and to .Iit new synthe.ic mat .. ;,.ls whost e""mplt in5pt'ro him '0 It ....

rrtnlorttd eoncrrtc to its bmi. !n 19'7 .... observtd tha, '1echnolog)l 1\115'" ~IC lann "",Iy poM,bl. for us" Tho qUCSIion or ""'hen and ....... re.o """.­

structural plastIC wpG" Wctna'ed him Then: ~r' SO many poMibi~lJef .... them -'equally logteal" from a fUnclional peon! of Y>eW-"some ugly,,,,,,,, cd' ing. some e~nhbound, som< _nng--.hat .ho "cholttS rully becrnn< ,....!~ c~" Although Saannrn ""!'Oed .N, ..... " must bc><"re of IP"'& tOO /,,,_- It"

• • ...,d .nhllrcts ""ho m",.,.j 10 I~k ;>d,,,",,,'W' 01 pla9.JC ~ro hos ""10·

.. \I"hnhtr for mundane form-fi.nng bus .. ~and ",...paround bo",llngctmer

" or ror more \'l§oonar)- Sll'\IC1ure5, the.,. ... of mam" .. t.""g "I .. ,,,, m.

"std. ,.,..age. atTln'aganct 'IImibr .0 .h.u of Saann ... is au terrrunal;. Tha1 thos

;ItSIMUC ohen prodllctd ory.nlC or bioomorph.c forms rrwIt u aU the more

__.hit to a publIC t~. re"""",.d amb""l<:n •• bou. the unnatural. A dnIgn >" ~ II'IP"",. In 19~ .ppro\'lngly qllOlw Drr)fuss. pn:d'Citon that reinfon:c<l pb'lllC

.'QIIld brconw "an enormously impon.", bu'lding m.tenar bta!us< "Tl:llure lS/1't

r<CUngular .. Echoing .h. contemporary d.S(I.,n for an},hing "sqllllre,"the magazl .!. ~d "bticks, boords, and beams" as ' reclOngular subd'visions" of"rtttangular

.os 'By contrast. plOSlIC Ylddod '·soft.r form! mort in harmony ""lin I\;\IUr~

o-t",oo appeared to best ad, .. nt~~. it _ SUggtSltd. In the Monsonto H<lIISI: of Ibr Fu.u~. an "'pcn""'ntal proiOlypo: ronstructtd a, ~yland. appropriately 10-QOed ....a..0)' bn"""n Fantasyland and TomormwImd •• b\1l1dmg...-1to.. structure

"""" qUilt a bll .0 Inc 1",,'1y fiberglas eN" and "'I>os<o st)-Ic paralloled that 01 lis 1\\;0.. tnmmal '"

",,_DWAlE

IJit m.tny OI~r prople who!nad< """,ef'S of plastic dunn& t~ I9iOs and 19505, Albtn G H Dk'~ ""c'~!l1< invul,,,,d .lmOS! by lICCldcn. and then dlSCovered)t( wu it>dlllg'l",nd Allhough he mootS1ly (",diled o,iters with the deSign of the Mun.

_ 0 Hous< or I~ Future. it "'-;os Diell who orchtslraled the pro~t. gUldw 'IS

~nng, and .. rycd as a loeu, for .h05C cng;.g«l m err.ung.n arcllllec;,urc 01

p..mnforttd pol)"ster. Tr,"ned as a c;1lpen.tr by hIS father. Dietz "'''"ttl as an

MrliClOI' of structuralcnginttnnga. MIT .. h,1t complctmggrad ..... c \O\IOrk dunng

tbr t.e t9~ Alter rttciving a ",gubr f<ICUby "pp"'n'mrnl to locus "" houst COIl"

, ht btcamo lruc..,.ro in pIasllC by "0)' of S)nlheuc ..,...., U5<:d m pi)'"

....:1_ Dunng.be "'''' "" helped de<-.. Iop n)'lon body armor_ By Ihrn a rtUlJOr sJnft

_.tarttr ...... under "'"2Y.:and peact"1UTIC found tum attracungcorporate fundmg

"!.ItT to pufIDO S1ructut;tlm\'estlgot.1on 01 pIast.c. In tbe!ale 1<}Ws, Gour~ H

CorIt, a Fonlllc;1 CxtCll\;"C ",,",,ng as 51'1 p~t, sobcucd $:500,000 from ... Wet;tl

...... nlos lor Di.tz to run. PlastICS Rts.arch uboratory fot fi\'e )"ars as pan of

).lIT's Depanment of Building Engine.n", and ConS(ruction. The ,'emu", pro,'.(1

litlllttossful that funding continued la.cr. and Doe" joined the indus.tr)'". bureau"

tra:y in 19'\0 when 51'1 .sktd him 10 serve as .""If of lls Committ.,., on PlilStics

~1OIl As Clark """,ncd a. an SPI boo.rd mewng, o..u had pTOven 1ha. "MIT

-dtfinitel)' plastICS conscious, ""

Ibr HlIUSt of th. Future cwh"Cd from a rcso.arch pTOJ«! inm,,,ro by Mons.mo

.. toby 19H A1rradya corporate sponsot of Dtctz', Laboratory. tIw: Pbstocs Dinslon

fI 0 approached I'Jclro &llu5.:1I1, dean of tbe o..portn>ent of Arctuttcturc ,

--., p!"Opo6Jnon tlur MIT an:hltects doo", an ",,,,,,,,U\,, hous¢ usong Monsamo

-, • •

plil:SlICS:I$ pnnury malcn~l, Dietz ~f\d 1M Dtpanmtm of 8mldmg £081 ............ CoruiruCllOll b¢<::Imt IIIWI--ed Immedlaldy .• nd R1ch:"d \\ HaDllltoo, I ~

associate In archumurt. wasappolnwi hud ,,[,t.. pro}t<-1. ThO')' btgan wnh .~ ,cl1l>IIC $'lrW)- of <umn! appllc;>\lOf\$. pUbilShtdlll June I ~5~ as PIasur. '" H ........ a .wvcnl)-P"St bookie. whO$C 1IllrodUl.1.Inn Wo-eoltd thai from u.. Slan'-tlq .. ptanned"LO dtsIgn aoo bo.uld. hou~' to "dclI\OI"I§lra't,h. arduttttural ,.."". lltl of plasco: In la.:\, lhty Conf~S.HL ,.,hrtung .pptmoes "'~lh"Ul d &to,ls. "our 51.flI!'CUrr.nll)".n~gtd ,n lilt 001gt\ of weh. houst. ~

Al 1M pom. pw...1I. In comtruo.1lO1l"'-as hmnrd 10 .... ~rfi<:oaI tlc,mrn~ .....

al "' .... bUOfl and funur~.1\oor COHnngs. formica counte, lOps, Styrofoam -. \;Juon board, '''par bormrs of I"'lycd.)Ynt: film, acrylic 5kybghlS, and ,~ fibtrgLts w('\$ shci,cnngcarponS and paI,os.. M truly s{[\let"",l us.s~ .. Monsanto .~nttrs .... ~rt not .loM tn work,ng 10Y0 .. rd It.. dcodes-oId ~3SI> af. all-pl''ilK" houSt Wllh,n' lew ",o,uhs of Monsanto's m"tMlm: to MIT. od",, '"

pubhc.ztd OOlgns for ,"'" qU"t different plas!.ic hou~ Om: " ..... 1'lIlC ......

bc.;och houst w,,11 f~'(TlOr ,,~n panels of filxrgbs <k!;,gmd by a,dlllcc, Robrn ".. Smull .nd bu,lt ,n FIond:o b)' ,t.. Ru_1I ~,,,fo=d l'\a5I.icsCorpo"mOrl llIt odirr. lhough mort ,,,,,"''a'''·f. "as only. smail rnodtl Worl<mg for Gene",1 EIoo:uIt. indwlfial <k!;;gn .. Ehot Noycs h:!d tnl'iSIOned a fibrrgl.:i ... 1II or IImbrd!. "" .....

do"" at (our WffiCr1 10 enclose: • I",nlionlikt space "h"" four elonll'trd" .rches would bt [,\ltd wlIh "enic.1 ra"ds of plas,;c and glass (f igull: 7- 9)'

As the MIT I.,m cOl\5tdered d.~ig" ~,rat.g"' •. ,h.y reali .. d • Jiffi<u1, tm" " .. "

• •

~ .Jlhem. [\>tlZ and Ibm,h(>!l .mp/u>"'td IMy '·wcr. !kalrng wilh. mar.nal th<shlP'! orwh"h (ould Ix .nylh,ng fwm nat locompktelyamorphous Bc~St

!b<l'1,Io:td 'a I .. cdom Ih:" ""as aU ,oo,,,mpkl<. n madc ... ...., 10 rort>lIio:, It.. '''"0 Jlrtad) proposo:d WlIhoo.n !Umlnl! rt;ornes.,hty found both brlang ~.

.,..:ud n.1I ",lIlW'tb ltkc lho!e ,n Sm"h', bo: ... h hou ... for acrompllihing nothlng

.... could not be don. ,,"h wood sld,ng, The -aesthetlCS- of such. 5lruoun:, "",.

,0 ,he fiou.l n:por1, ..... ~rt ,.mlltiscenl of mort standard m:I'<:rWs": rn <>IheT . ted> ""pbI-t1O.~'n "~n:. 'SUbstuUlc' 'On lhe other lwtd. ~oytS'! 'CrII or urn­t«Ila ctfUrn1y looked Innc)\";u,,~. and 'Il CUrvaIUn: enabled. pbstlC" roof-shell 10

...... Jstructunl (unoton by suppontng ,!Stlf The des'gn satISfied ,hen ,r....c.""'" .... 11It "ulum.>I.lo,m - bot "pteuharto ,t.. pla»IC:< fobti":.,,on proctSli " The l"O"fei

,...,.1 comnbu,ed 10 I I\"""'ng <tnaonly that !hIS ul"nut. form ""uld bot found by pPIonng <otllpound cu,,"llun: md shtll structUIl:: by cb"1S\Jl1! "thon hul1·~kt

"""pJIX ....... ,,"h ~ "m,",mum .""",m of ma ..... 1." Bu, the MIT ~rct.. ... d._ <IOkd INI an umb",11;I or tent dt$lgn )"lClded an (nclosu", "'too I;Irgt" fo, J t)'plOll

IIatIly'J -~pIoCt budll"t Su.:h. h<>uso: w01l1d bot 100 ,xpoons" .. '0 lIt.t. too opoon '0 •• ltmetU5md 10burglar1 Shapood 5OII'It"hat lola: a s>il.,htshell mtghl ...... n blow " 'I)' E ... ntwlly DIet: and h.! ~aTes came up ""h • Ihml appro..ch. J houS<'. ~~'* '"l0l11 .... .los",,," wa~ dtfirw:d by ". c"",i"uOU$ surface' running from nOl'r 10 .. 311 to ,tiling '" ~n'ooth molded eu"'es As Ihey tnVlSJoncd n. ,he pl'lSlic shdl ~d btyond a,,,,,,,, = .. ring like:.n umb",lI. and breame a .df-<:ont. incd, .11-_J"SSlngstlUctu", ,.

[W" ,hI! Ih,rosoluUOll "'Os not a Mw concepl Late to 1931 .• ft .. r MIT's prchmi-0IrJ' phast "":1> " .. II und., way. atChltec.urc enloe \)(Juglas H.s.kell arTlcubt.d ,he

lIOI\ lxh,nd (hc,i5 work and ,hal "I ()It.., architects and engin",rs .round ,h.

....Ie! who Wf:re st.king pl;t;.t1c·~ umqu.n .... "" a SJructu",Itn:l,eti.1. Haskdl ti­omrd plastic bu,ld>ngs ""uld bt "an 'slnn '" Wilh ..... mlts.s m ... nal"" strong as .m . ont-stVtnlh the Wf:ighl. an:II"«1l rould design structures "as Ihm as cgg ~ II! nbbod "" lc~'tS. as cOJrull"ttd .. stl sheUs" Tho: sam. matena] "mold _ 1:WleOuoIy prtI'idt boIh stlllClUll: and SlIrfact. "'us elimonllonl! lhe ;os.wmbl)'

s onhe"'nt ,n l..wllton:.! (OnstruCllon systems, In "Tot%\Om)W"s plastIC ord.," 01

un:. du'sn.nd m:lnufxtull:of structures would bttornc "I;Irgdyalabo",­IIr)' job -II. predICted lhat ilCUlptu"" forms of archiltoS hla: Saarmrn and Pit,

. ~1'VI "no WOT~ rn n:rnlon::cd cone""e """ld soon bt t......Ja,ed into "'the

- pQs.1C mode" Although Ibskll hosed III! mlhugastlC conunt"" lit "",/tun:­... f'ontm on i rrad~loon, ,,'hlCh bncny prom,sed 10 ,rmsI"orm poI)'tlhylen. ,ntoa

1Ntt""" 1I1Il'""1. DItu .nd h~ coUu,gllC'S " .. n: aln:ady Cmtlrng such. structllll: .\0 ~1, ~~r. ,h." chostn rnatfnal of n:mforced poIyt$let IUpponcd \tt.,

IIIcoy thot UI InllO\'aU\~ (ngtnttnrlg and ~.agt 3ppooaranct depended on 1 '10 ..... p!'OC"SS 00 dt/fcrtnt In COrICepI from m:lklng pop",-nucht"

.. ~' d«o.dlng on m all-cncompo>:l,ng ",U-... pponing<tu:lI as It.. btst solution .

.. lt2m Ixgan lhe KIWll!ksogn proctSS, I;Irgtl)' ca,ried OUt by \I~,,'," Goody . ....... ant prof.UO!" of l"h"«"Iun:. and b)' • grad""" studenl named E,ntSl •

-• ,

K""'2n-tOOugh. itlm,llon ~malnro ", ... t;l\1 head 01 dIe pl'Ojt<'l and Dotu ued ,..uh ,h( tngintm"g lIlpul ,h.1 m.><k ,he pro)'c, powbk In ,he 61'SI ~

Coruciou. of makIng a prOlOl}'pt for mass p-OOU<1Ion, . n usumplion ~

prompttd ,htm '" ""0,",, many IradJllonalllS5OC'alloru of haul<' and home. -. focused 011 "n«ds of 'Mlam,ly or It-.. luw",-" B}' ,h;t., Lhry mun, tho 1'0>1 ..

nud.", family wi,h lIS gwgraphk mobi h,y. lis 1Il,te~d kisure time. Ito ""rUt ... dorrtCSl>< OIa,,,,,,,,, T,.,duoonally. t.ous.. Nd clung."d O\~r gt .... r:ations bya ~

01 ~."lullon Addllions and rn>O\'JII"'" tma,kd upt"m< and 'ncon'"m""lCr ... ,nll"""d .wlxle IImaallOn. on lhos< who I,,'.d wuh them d.Cldu I.le •. M»> _

duction of housing prOl",,,,,d lO chang< all, ... , b)' .11:"-'118 ,he hou5oI." hit 'P"fI .. ~>!.r ,lun thoU of ,he r~m,ll staU<)I\ w~gon ~11. 1M rd"I"~ I"' rrnaJlfl'll;t _ fi bergta., thl: pla" ic house envisIoned at MIT would rr5pond 10 changlng ~ ldc"ucal modular rooms rould be rearr:mgcd on ,Ur A famIly """W oodd 1lXInII. ntt<kd and .. m", ... ,Mm ...-hen chlldrtn left homt In IlSnrl~ . _ • .,ba _

nal ion. 0:1 ,he Mon~mo House of ,h. FUlUrt (FIgure 7- 10), plastIC .",hurn.t

,hus prom,s..<! fkxib,lu~ and unpermarotnce

fnw plans for the Monsanlo HOWl: SptC'1Vd ~ squa,e Ioun<buon oJ mnIotaIiI conere" ~' Xlttn rtt, on. "ck.tId .oour §IX Itt, off 'M ground TIll: Iou~

enclOON!. $toragt rOOm and mcchilniul equ'p""'''';''5 upper sutf:oc( b..amo:. floor of. kll~Mn md '"'' small bathrooms Ca""It,~~ from exh oJ ,"" ~ tor£''l- four "w,S---]Ulllng ullo 5jl<1Ce, In OIM' worm-was an Kkm ICll modI*r room, .lw six,...,n ftt, on • Side, d.finfd by • C..,h' ped suuery", 01 fibe: .... ",,"I~ poI)=er Tht ouler Slructuul surtace of .:och C-wptd modult __ Sl>oled 01 four l -shaptd fibtrgLos .. bmts, (ItCh flgh' Itt. ",.de T" " upper ..

platt<l ' i<'\( by ,ide. projected ou, ,Ix' .. n 1"' 10 lorm ,he roof or. modw. .nd ...

CUl'"ed dQo.\"I\ abou, foUl fttt.t 'M outer ".,,11 , "ftt", 'M)' """ '"'' co"""""""

7- 10 ~'O!-b.oI",

'''' ' '-''I.OI .~, ~

Q.-....-. ...... ""'-" ..... _ ...... -... ... ~.za-&.JIIE- LAMINATINO RESINS

, btTllS <u,,",ng upward. Where roof and floor L'. met at the hon;:omal cemer

::of lhe outer ",.,.11, they wcre Jomed se.rnles.sly wilh bolt. and epo"y <erneTIl

""aller fiberglas pallelS fonned lhe roof of Ih. uuluy core and ued the .,gh,

:;-btnlS lOgtlher above . The two nOll5lruclUral , ide. of each room or wmgcould

611t<! in wllh any combinanon of glass or SIding. The dtslgners intended Ihe

~ing-<>Ul of th.,., open sid .. as all anudOle to ,he boredom of identlc.1 mass­

produc<d ho",,"'· Pc""nal ,.,1«lIon of rnalfrlals ,vould e"press an o"",er's Ind",du­

,Il!y ,nd afford "the malc of 1M family· all oUllel for "do-iI -yourself cream,ly,""

T'"' fulun>lIC prototype dwon:teiy avoided «"lit nelly, how ... "r, wilh floor.lO_

,.,!ing glass .nd ..... hlle cunams. And whIle iu extenOr fiberglas surface ""lui ,cd no

pwl,(I1'" fimsh, joint hne. were smoolhed wilh polyester gunk .nd Ihe en"", sur·

~ spr>y.p,nnled. umform _WheU whlle to emphaslu the pn~{Jn( modemi!y of

pllc-al lhe ifl5l5lencr of Wah DISney'. "'.'naglneers."

(;cody, D,et;:. 3Ild Hamllton mtended IhlS baslc fiberglas house of 1,280 S<.juare

ff<l1'" mass producuon Allhough the prot OlIT"' c05l MonsanlO dose: 10 a millIon

<IoIlJrs, the company .sluruoled It could manufaclur. tho house m ,'Olume for abou'

SlO.OOO .pltte. The de"gnors hoped to dl minate the expense of on-site coll"'''on

lDCI.sscmbly of tradllIonal bUlldmg matmals by prollidmg a few major baoTy-bu!h

r!rn'tenlS r~ady for assembly wnh mmimal ,il~ prep. rouon ~ L·shaped lxnts of

Ih< MonsantO I louse nt51~d lor efliCl~nt shIpping .nd could be lifted !lito place: on

~\t by cr .... Mllla! assembly took only three .. vttks, nol bad for a mal run , but il

<h<! IlOI indud< shIpping Ume from Iht Wmn .. M3Ilufacturmg Company in Tren·

1m. New Jersey. And il had ,aken Ihree momhs to lablic.t~ the pan.. m Trenton

hoped Ihey could substantially reduce manulactunng tune . ller mOVlng

trlO mass-producllon mode. Bm 1M proctss supervised by \\'inn..r'. engmeer C. G

Cuticn waS lediOll5. The company had cofl5idtrabl~ expenence: moldmg polytster

JIld fiberglas, hamLg worked wllh Saarinen to manufacture "'Omb--cha,, she lls lor

Knoll Ass«i,lIe,. Even so, Ihe processes used to mold Ihe Monsanlo House dllfer~d

bultUctpt in sule from Ihose U5<d by 'he Eame;." in ,heir own studLo---orby.ny

Cahfomi. Spons car enthuslasl . Al limes i, seemed ... " ryone connected 10 Ihe proj ­

mlud succumbed to the myt h 01 an inJttlion moldi ng machlllt "luin in8 om a

Jimsl...d house: every fifteat sc:cond$,"

Tho first step in makmg.n L·shaped benl ,,-.s ta mold ilstxlcnorshell.A wooden

loom had 10 be corl5lructed ,,'th the txact shape the compleled .hell w:lS to take Thnl. mold was ere.ltd over the fonn by bmlding up layers of pol},tst~r resin and

fil>trglas, mnforced al the core "ith an mch-and -. -hall-Ih!ck honeycomb 01 krafl

popor LmpregnalCd wilh pMnohe resin. When remo,,,d from lhe form and m"ened,

"" 00TICa\ .. mold pro..,ded . surface for halld lay-up of lhe aclual,hell usmg pol}' ­

!:Ittt =n .nd Icn plies of "'O,,,n fiberglas ma" a process Ihal look thru ,,'Orkers abou, eigh t hours. In a vari. nl of 1M bag n .. ,hex:! of moidmg, Iht laId -up matenal of II,. shell was pulled by ,·.cuum agoinsl IN:: inside curve 01 Ihe mold and cured

for '00u1 two . nd • half hours "' • temperalure of flO to 9O"c. When lhe shell

•

, M ,

mold. u

/(),ln1 'P"'y"d on I 10 p<epa~ II lorbondmg "'111

11)- "'nd ~u and cu",d <II. room temptral",""

A full)' completed b.nl ooma,ned j'ct anOlher plosllC assembly

r«jl.",,,d an e,ghl·bj.··SlXt~n·rOOI floor p.1ocl, about roor and. "" '~1"~ CoJmposed 01 • l"}~r of phrnohc-lmprcgnalcd IW"")"COmb san""ic~ l~yers of fibergla5, Twa "milJr floor raMI, lined the 1 Each roolbent 111<.""" "'q"lr.d. etillng$tction aboullhr« inches lhKk,

• proc'" sunilar to thaI 01 In. Ultrl\l' .Mil. In oddaion 10 lbe hou'''s eXleno. ~lI.s. sbtlttn Innt. ""ins_:,~::.~;:;:~~~:~,~:,:::.;::~:~:~=! than [ony othrr m"".I~wus pando and plastIC lOr ..... Slruttural S)"oIem, lour ofthtm lot In. roof of I'" em,,,,] SoMlOn, G ....... tho ..... ~01 fiberg)as mold"", aU paru had 10 be Inmmtd "'11'0 .Iwtd-opt~ II-. saw Btca"", tilt sa"," ""ight mad. II hard 10 mamUun • Slt.liglll CUI .......

Sl!IIttn-IOOI Ltngth of a bern, ,hal (III ""U madt outsKk tht dts"cd bnr 1I1d ..

ground do ... n to u.. lint 11)' hand "'11'0 • due ~r All suJbccs to be '111* dunng final asscmblyhad 10 be roughmcd by lund "i,h a po", .. samkr. Sir" pan. of lh. houst rot\5tlm(d 1...-<:nll' thQusand pounds 01 pol)-;:st~r INn, I...,. /i,'( IhOUSdnd pounds of W(lVcn filxrgl;t5. and fOUf lhous.and ]lO\Inds of ~ than( foam, Glowing newsp;tlXr "",,unl.S made tl ",und as iflWU or Ih,... ~

lowtrtd s""ee" idenlicall·stuptd bfn15 InlO platt "'llh a cr.ne . bolt.d tfonll. grlh,r. and lha, was lhal. Tho: rt:~hty. II 5hould now be dear. w>s~. ~

calW .• nd ,itn( consuII"ng (ftgll1'¢ 1-11)

Non!: of ,hal .mrnguauscompluny "';1.5 appareru '0 ,'\sI.Of$ 'IOOpIng ltunuclltIII world~fi.,. aU·pbsuc houso: when II ope..ro.1 Otsroeyland inJune 1957"lIh~

'"8 lleau,)'"s castle rumg m lhe dl5lan« The wrroondml\S posed. dJlhc ..... ~

'·11 A:,w,a.'''''I-'''''''''""", -. T,. ~o ft:uoI .,

D~.'o"

, •

J~12 ~'E"'~""_'"

-...o"",..F...".. ..

Ie.- by ... ggnung th:aJ. 1M MClnS>.nto Howe of lilt FUIII'" """JUS! .000he. OIsn(')' ~." Indt]XJTdwL of ewryda~ ltfe as Mr Toad's \Vild Rtdc On lho: OIher 1EoIol. Di>n<J' Sttm<d 10 ha,,,, Ius Nnd on .he pulst of Ihe [uture HIS lelc,'Uion

.... m.dt Wernh« '-0" 1I",,,n a hOWl:hold pre~nc. rnd populmud ,he AL>cldl"'S

... "htomic energy. U;mcy'upproVllI ml&h' bt expecled 10 bnng IlL< Mon5:lnlO

proIOIj'J'C dose, to n:.l; l~ in ncw slIburl'ls sprtadmg over p.15Iu .. and pTlIlri<:. Afl.r ..I'(fIthc.ic materuls Nd COt''''' long w~y SIn« -The Plastics In,-.mor" s..lIfi~ed pis>< umfKanl.Sm.1 Don:ald Duckl.~pcnst 11>( paradox posoed by IlL< surround· .. '" ,'''' MunsanlO I!uu~ VlIniwd lIS '">51101'$ tn"red .0 explore the tmeoor

~ 7 _Il) •• n OCI",ly INI mighl bt ~nbed. as """"''''' onct 5;l1d of al101he, lOCh .......... 1}. ""P"nena:, '" "lookmg II Tomorrow rnd am\mg mU5Lly m lhe .... ofTOIby-...

s...e a5j!C<"1s of I'" lnlenor mar\W , ... MorosalUo llou><: as 1In"l"" The Llr ouler _JtII '" .. ch room run'al gauiy from lOp 10 botlom SnuU ponho~ 10. I'" atr

IaICboorung S)'Sl~m C ... I«I a keltng of .pace 1"""'1. Bu, nco. much dst dl>lm" ~ II from OI"'r ~ltilmplcs of IIltra-ront~mporary >I)'ling fam~ior from nuSI'" :III(> .f nco. from ""1,,,,1 mlddle-c11Sll 5IIburmn houses. AIm"" everythmg ",as pbst" 0' 00" .. «1 wilh pl.we. Synlhetic carlXling g.",. ""y to "ny1 noonng in

klcIw;n and balh,oom,. Colorful lamina" cov.red mmirnal kllchrn .... bmet! .nd

_m and wall.hung storage u1\lts In Ixd,uoms. Couc~ "-.re formed from -Pe!.labs of upholstered r""m on concealed f",mes. aM beds .... err mmim.l foam

.w. lighting cartlt from snull rectsKd CIrcular lil<l"'''' or from pule lamps "'Ih Iortd shode. of lrans1ucmt plastic. and In I'" Iu.chen lrom behmd lumm~5Ce", _pantl> Tilt famIly-room labit "'as fumtSh«l by Herman Mllkr-as ,,"~ tU

.-.... uphoWertd·tQ;lm upgrad., 01 Eames hberglas 'MIIs_ An bml'S fibergW; gtartd lhe ma!oLct Ixdroom. u did Gtor&" Mison', "coconUl clute a •

, M

triangular wedg<: of fiberglas, foam, and dotll upholslny ,.,{ing on ~ol " Saannen ptdesoa] "001 531 under a wall-mounted '.nily The MOll'l;lnlo H

feted an . x[tcme "~rsion of an interior Iand""a!", already famihar from dO<t~ Ins rooms and t>ew .uburban schools

Only in k.tchen and b31hr<Klms did the mtfrioT beromt \"isionarY_Lf .......

\zed VISions .,.n be sodefined . The kitchen booMed an ult rasonIc dlShw .......

oven TlSlnS from 3 cab",,! a, the pll5h of a bUlton, storage shelves and ~~

droppmg from cab""ts at .he push of a bunon, and a brigh tly coIortd i ......

~hftlc Evrn more .unusual. each bathroom w3S 3Ssembled from lwO ~ shdls, the lower of whIch oncluded an ,megr;lUy molded shown or tub. ~ tekphon .. , cI"""d...:ircuil ",deo monitoring. )nJ a push·bunon selrcuOil Gf .. fr.shenmgscems oompleted lhe ameM,es of fUtunSli' hfe. PlanTltd byim ..... 5lgnn Victor G Canzam. lhe nm.t.e. and furnishmgs of lhe Mons.anlO "'­nannomzrd Wltn It, radIcal ",mctu", bIll did not depend on it A pluucs ......

Ilk. Dltu mIght h",'~ V\~" ... d th. Intenor " 'n afterthought-,tr\king.even~

'we, but .1so arb,trary, for m.ny ,,';)10"', howe,·er. lhe intenor offered a c~

f"mlh.my that domesucated the unp",,,,,oknted exttrior form. The intrnor ....

' ted btt", .. n p"""'nt p"nem, of ,uburban hf~ and an uncompromi'ingly..,...

fmUle. Thi' ultra-eontemporary OOt.lso ",yle-dtpendem i nt~rior iromodly ~

the Monsanto Hou,," of the Futurt, In ton )'t .rs it was OUt of fashion, rtttUrus.:.4 " utoptan moment whost mood had btrom. a backdrop 01 mlddlt-elass hI<. DIIItr Imaginee", might have mtew.d the im~nor But the exterior. its <un'ing ~

shell, was alw OUt of cLu., ",mimscent of a popular pla""c-as-plasi!c "yk "" mid-fif" .. epllomtzed in the fibtrglas cham; of Eam<' and Saarintn,

Although Dietz ,nd HamIlton had planned a flexible modular 'y",em rt~

the impermanence of famil ..... Ih. Monsanto House in fact was ",ubbomly ~

nont. lis solid contours btlonged mort to the ronstn·ath·e thenn05ttldroiogy of* 1930s than 10 Ih. 'hiftlng thermoplaslic transformations of tht 1%0<. n.._ Icam had not intended il thaI .. "ay. The Monsanto Houst ""lIS ,uppostd 10 be. mountable." Goody had drawn a1ttrrulle floor plans , howing how its size c".. .. Incr~.sed by adding another fou tld.lion core . nd groupmg fi"" or SIx ...... • round the IWO of them. Tcchniq~ u",d to as.stmble the prototypt hooot_ forced the gool of impermanence . The btms were connccltd on 'lie with ",cd" >0 they could bt taken 'p"n and erected .I..,whe",. PopuI~T s.:;,,,u M""t/dy bnIIIlt noted 11 would be --easy to rtmo,"" a Wlng whm you no longer need it" and duIIfIt at a "..,condhand-"~ng lot" whost propri etor ",'Ould " Ialm it "'"lIS "Iontltlty_

by an dderly schooltracher wh o occupted II only on Sunday.:'" A. II mrnod_ on-site assembler!; had u",d ~poxy adhe.iv~. for improved Insulation. v.~tr rummm of the Monsanto hou,"" wor~ off '" 1968. de .... n ytar; and tw. nty"

,",itors lattr, it took the Wrtckers two w.eks to bnng it down . After wrccluP&~ blowtorche" chain saws. andpckhamtllfrs"1I fatted, the CrtW attached ~~

, , IIy "\ore the mod ule. InlO pl."". ,maU.nough so they could be carted .w,y." '"

iii"" OS' fiberglas-n:mforced pol,-""er faIled as. comtruclIon m.tena! because 11 ,., ,ns t"" pc:rlect It wa:; tOO t<>Llgh . nd re5151al\1 for an tnflatlona,)' c"'thot "aluw the

,fIIl'''''tt .. 1 Altb<><'gh thc Monsanto Hau", did not II'" up to expeC1atiol\5 01 "'>obllny. II

,red (>I.hers who hoped to u'" plastiC in archnecture and bmldmg Th. S<:met

':" .. WIth its intense interest In prd.bric,lIon, erectrd a plastic hou.., . t u:nm­, ' ,-I,' SIngle h.a,,!y ribbo:d modu lc of pol)~st .. "lid fibo:rglas about t",-enty feet ~ ..... ,m noor-to-eel~ng Wlndows On twO !ides. Perched ten fect .oove ground

"" • tiled concrete foundation , \l "'Olded the soft consumer_appliance curves of the !>IOI""l1l0 House .nd Instead look<d mdusni. l. h.rd..,dged, lik.. huge radIator or

P'" >tetion of ductwor k." El",where .round the world,. archnects, cngtnttrs. and

p.stic cllmpan.es constructrd dozens of Inn"",,""e dwellings from "-,,,forced poly­

<II" Tht self-supponingsheU pro, .. d most POPu!.'. but some dC5,gtlcrsd,,'doped

~ 01 the p"ndand umbrdla 'ystems "'Jected by Dietz at MIT. A surveydocu­

... rut<! S1Xty-",,'en rigtd plas"c bmldmg.5 completed bet"W\ 1956 and 1969. with

tilt annu.l number slowly acrel<rating, Most w .... upenmental prototypes but a

.,.. .• nlere<! itm'lCd production . The Futuro House, for example. was a fiberglas -tymg saucer' on metal strulS introduced 11\ Fmland in 1968 and lalcr Feat ured by

tilt Cllllrll.rcuitural W1t"k &"th Catalog as a hIgh-tech . ltornativ( to homemade

~domes. "

o.spn. fascination wllh the Monsamo Houst, the. plaSlI~ industry exper",,,,,,,d

t!1ff>a,lt)· brrakmg inlO construction. The 'problem of markct ing- w.~ "ex"':mcly

",,"pk>:,- as Cruse r.poned in 196+ at the first rn«tmg of a PlaSHes in Building

ConsIrn<:lIon Coun61. Unlike lhe automobile mdu"'ry. whe ... onl}' four Of r" .. com­

pmi<' had to bt >old on plastiC" \,lrtue" in construction thert we", "Int,..lly hun­drtd, of <ie<;ISIOn m.kers-_thc ~ngin .. rs, the de5tgnrrs and .rchaects , . the.

OlIllr>etorS. the sub-contratiors, the materi.l dIStributors. the home and building owners"_~ll of whom had to be ".ducatcd," Worst of all w .... local OOildmg~odes

_rolled by cons<rvati,·cs bent on prOtemng tradill0nal matertal, and the bui!dmg

lhdrslhat worked wah them tn 1955 SPI h.d "" up a Code AdV150ry Commllt ..

.-bost membtrs attended meetings of the nat ioll', thrt. major code-wnttng aMOCi-

1OOiU. For ye.rs they endu",d the hOStility 01 OPf"'llCnt' who thought nothmg of

"boIdhngl a small,H"N of plastIC , ", .. r a candle" to conyince code oflictals

10 ban .11 plostics From cOll5truction .ites, A. even D,etz admitted. Ihe COIt5l::r\"al"'",

had . point The .. w ... no indU5tf)'WId. standards lor plastic bu,lding compo""""

beau" none had <'Xi>"d long.nough to p"" .. th", durabllity-tliei'teSi>Iance 10 SUn ond weath"_O'I'er a bUIlding's typical hfe span,"

Gi..~t\. t~ problem •. mosl manuFacturrrs of plastIC buildmg compon ents tried

10 IInuggle them m. if nOl in outright imitation of other materi.l. th,n .s one-for­

«>0 'IIb:s!itute5. This Intention mOllvated a FormlCa World's Fo" House dted by

, , •

Cru~ as lh~ mo5I !If'l\,ficam tx>mpl. of pbS',c In archi'tcIurt al Ito. ~ ...

World. Fa" of 196-1 In Slyl~. ty!""'! ranch hou~. " fUlUrffi Fonnor. on .... every ,IUUH>f surfx •. aery!", ikyhgtlls, .Rdon 1m'131>0n .... ·"OO tXlCn...--'.., ~

.. produc~d one must lOl><:h II"" Sld\ng 10 bt con"nctd II I'l """~ plastk ' The lm.nOT _ ooo ... (td In • clo),ng modern nunner (usmg-~

111:" \IIlpt·dean mncrials1 WIth noIhml morr In!lO'o<lI1\" than a f\owuy knod..i of Sunl1l'ris ~<ll t~" The company iMJWkd ..,y mtnl>Ol'l of "the Fu,u",- ... cmphaso;:td rumm .... ,bb~"y of.1I produru FormlO coopena'td WIth IocoI "" II"W)" to .caller a hundrtd and. fil.y rtpllClO'l of tht World's fan!it:Ju:o;o: ac:n. .. CO\llUry. many ahibmngCape Cod Of \\,Uwnsburgextmor; 8y putung fatr.,. In lou<h .. 1Ih rtgiONl torurl>ClOl'S. ,he compan)" ",mfortnl "'" of plastIC by _ n.try coruractOI$ and ordInary doclllS In a dthbtr:ale slap at th. Mo~l<' I~

llten ~'tn)'t'l" <lId, FormICa pno'sW II.< lM",1l'I<l<k1 ~;as "ntlther atn1mt _ bour",' and bragg<d of I>iOOdmg "suri< l)\~rSlmphfitd modular fonns'"

E\'enl ..... Uy D\(tz r«ugnlz«l ,he 'ne'-ll.bIt. Wnung m Frog,,,,,,. Arcltunn..r.

1970. lh1n«,n )'tars .h, he and Goody oompltttd tilt MOnsaniO H~. '-It. tn<nlw ,Iu, plaJlk romposcd only 2 ptr""nl of d" 'Olall""'ndagt of malt""" ....

In bUIldmg WhIle"" """""'Sed uptrnt"n<s ,,"[[h rtinforttd plastIC, "" ad ....... lhal ~f\lClu",1 u~ would conlinut In dnnunale_p'pt. Inm. lMIliallon. _

""ft. IIghl lng. mniSlurt b:"n<rs, and «(),1.l ings" Such u..,,; enabled mdt~

comriIClOrJ lu n:1.in (ontrol ..,"or III/:" projects . l"h,y rtmamed frtt 10 pIdc ..

ch~ from ~mong many producls, 10 IICCCpl or "Jeo. And work.rs could ...... Or apply such produ<:IS wil houl ch.ns,ng ,heir habils_ The", frttdorns lk", III ... lOIee of Iht major 'rgum,nl fOf maM·produc.d housing. A< 0 British ob!;etvtt pull.

, hminaling sk,lled I.1OOr h.d provoked the dn:am "I . "bghlweighl. lnal"'~

frtt. highly 6nished anllxr" llul c"" ld ~ "moulded off-si ... s,,,I,ly l"~

rand) slOlleci dlonlasly InlO pIx,"ln h,s '~'I'" d"""ns of uperime",, "

gWs·rtmforced pol~SI", bfgtnnmg "ilh lhe Monsan'o House, Iud all iTOnlalr

fOlkd bttauSI: pronlOleTS could no! d,m'Nle ~lllcd Lobor in IhI: planl, at IhI: 1* of fabnonOlt Desplle • bead. <:If rhetonc aboul "q""luy«JIUroi ond _

produCllon,- the WOIkmg <:If 6bcrp rtrt1>Intd -.n im",,,,lycr;lI,.t-d indUIUJ" lit yond INI.lhe Monsanlo I l~ lalkd bccauSI: i<s pm:iSl: nt:IIChmc-rnadt ..

pn.rmo:.. Imphed g,u,er il'gomtmatlOlltNn Amtn<3lt It<mtco;n. .... rs could ...

It "";t$ no aecKknl INI 5o-.'\a 'ng>nttrs rushed 10 apenrnenl "'~Ih ... iIa thry W le.roW al ~-Iand In doing so. lhe)' abandoned lhe AmerICan'" of""" rooms oddtd or subtfOCled .l l~ ,,-h,m of an "",,,;,dw.i D ..... ItT;msu:ad titer " sogned a boo< the sou of. 50-.101:1 ap.1rtmtnl, lnun.ded for stockmg m """" 10 "

pil'lab ap.1nmml bIoelccs In faa lhe Ame"""n prot"n"" afforded p ...

room for 100"-.0;1,,,,1 CU~omlZlRg beyond liS SIde pa.ntls-mosdy. condrsctJOl!l

aftenhoughl hs ,"cry pcrmalltnct, II one I"'''' lhe §tnt q"" ""n of pLo.soc . ....

lhe promlSlt of malleable pl.l5lIClIy As all cngtnttr pUI il in 1966. ardul«U!tII·

, • pj' -Auid in !dea,"ID keo:p up wilh all "" .. r.changing W<.ldd __ PlaslIC enai>kd Ihom

to "1I!I'fl11lt IIttds of all exp;tns.ve fUlure" hen an nhlor al Modtnl PlaSlIG main.

.-ntd lilt md\l5lry ,lttded ~ "sphl pcrsonalll)" In "balance IhI: ''''rd-!1005ed 'talt,,,,, IPI""""b "I cocks, unions. and td"CllI""'- ,.."h. "frttwhf-thng. hlglt-H)1ng. ~I~ approach ~l unhkely combuu1>on '"would ctUl< an archiltttur;ll

~IIOP ~round ~1O"" r-or thr momtrn. h"""Cl .. r, ftw poopIr weTI' thinkIng

JpJA codes Instead lhey " ... n: drurrung of " ... , more UlSllbsuru .. 1 u .... of pbstoc

"" Irlfb"bk 'lny! domes. polyumhanc fOltt\ )'U!1S, dISposable fumllure, and ptr.

.,..,. d", ... lhng pods uglll ..... <gtu. compos«! of msubstanualf"""" rnd films, of

....... \lit)" and polyt1hyknt "[[""'1"'" ngKi poi)""tSl'" ,he ntW plastic-as·plastoc ~ al,he 1960s ond 19705 promISed dct-,I-yourse]/ enmonmtTIIS fully malleable

II thr Iwtd> <:If Ind,,·tduab_OO SO ephl:=r.ol .. 10 be dlSpOSObie

IOfTWARE

All oontnbulor 10 I IItw ''lSlOTl of plastIC. Bucknun«", Fuller was somethIng of an

e<anlOC Born Imo an old !'ole" England fam,ly m 1895 and Ul5p"cd by Int Ir;ln­

IIXnckm.1 OI",nlllm of h" greal-ounl Margan:1 Full,r. h< had tarntd " TcpUla"D" dunng the Ixpn:$\liorl as a ,echnologlCal pmph'l and ga"",d notOrlely "~In hi.

_h",d lhrtt-whttl.d O)'It\llJ<I"" car Ltke so m.nyOlherm"''''OtSand <k'ign.

m be becamt obstJstd af"r Ihco ""U ,wh faclory_bu ill housmg. By lh~ 19500 lit

"'''' locu!ing hIS drorts on Ihe geodesIC do",e, a self-,uPI"'"mg struelure whost lip. ""t.l slrul$ lorrmd lIianguLor Dr hrxagonal cells 1r;I",m& Ihe pa.nds of a lighl.

"0'1:1,111 JkI11 rhe slt\all domes of the 1950s--el<f"':"m",,, conducted wllh MIT 'ilu.

dmu or for I~ molllary-ltd 10 ...... r larger projeclS on I~ 1960s. AI 51 Lou" in

1961 fulkr • ....,Itd a pa."i~l do"", nrarl), ',,"0 hundred 1 .. 1 OCl"QS5 and ... " .. my I .. ,

Ittch 10 protect lhl: tropical planl, of lbe MlSSOUn Ilotalt\col Gltrd", H 15 gtod"" lrtUDlp/l caw In 1967, ,,·lte:n • lItarly lull ~phe.., lwo hundred ftel In d"''''''ler

mdo:s<-d the US p.1\11"'" al Monlrtal', hI'" 67 Shttts 01 "'f)'be pla'IIie $t1 in ""'fITeIIt plws lormed lhe Ir.lnSplrenl sktns of lbest lwo do","" Such sttuClUIt:S

_led an ImprtS'ilOll of airy Insub!.tanll>.hly By mmparison lite: Monsamo hou,""

.-I Plhtr buildIngs of fibtr&las-rtinlol'Ccd poI) ... ..., • ...,mcd hea\11y eanhbound

- though Ihe"sculptu",l curws ... 'tlkcd lhe ronttpc offiighl '"

\llult fuller "015 predlcung domes would ~ rnrlose ernl", COu .... OIher

<Ilptttrsand .n:hlltcts ...... re apenmmung ""h pbstlC films and 1",,1llS II> e...ate

t'InI lao subsl~nllal shelters. Tho" an",,, .. iiI ptrfn:tly ,,~th Fulk., proc:n"S of

rpht ...... hzaUDn_· of -dOIng '<lSII)' mort "~Ih '~Iy and in\15I.bly Io:s.\. W Although

IIr mnbuttd Ih15 shlf! II> ll'l " In\"l5lbk udJ.1 " ...... of lIomlCS. eleclronlc., and rom.

i"IlnwIlOn.- pla«lCSand a1loyos bert I"" " ... r hghln bul no ~ rt1>l~",,1 burdc:n of

[Uli"" fuller hlmStlf rt1>tnlalntd IN.I plastIC ....... ""ilhc:. -artlficl>.I" nOt

'~betic Ifl&tad II was "",heil'IlII)' ""I'"P/" bc<:a""" il was based on d""", .. ry <:If •

M , • , , "complex SHUCtU'3] ""h."o~ pennil1cd by N"lur~." rlast'e mdic.tro

p''''1:tncm <m n.ture hUl a morc efficient human ad.pt.non to ~'"".'. ,""'~ struClUnng "

Fuller's ide .. appealed to a ~r.non In.:.l was fearful of uncontrolled ~ 10gIC.1 expans'Qn rcndermg the .arth unfiL for human hab,t.tlon by con,urn,.

sour«s .nd pollunng the pbn~ ~ agmg UlOp,.n erisscross.d th¢ g1~ III" 1960s Sl"ng mamhon lectu,", to }'Qung fans who ldolLZed him .s "Bucky," As"­of en'1ronmemal COnsclOUSMSS surfaced before lhe firsl. Eanh Day of 1970, .....

""m'lst, oplX"'d (~hnology as a demonic force ",hertntly destruct"" 01 ....... Ot~rs. including St.",,,rt Brand of ,h. decentralist I-I'lwlt I'.ar1h GUalog,.~

Fuller', hlgh .. -tech ''lSl00 of epheme,ali""on. Now ,ruu NASA had rcvtalod illo

·wholt earth" ill poolOgraphic imagt< ,uU'<Iing Ihat "we 3rC ,11 on.: as. ~

phrase had ll. (he .pace program ,hared in Fullds m)'SlLque. Necessarily tilt ....

eph<merahud of technological field;, spaCt explor'lIi,m "liN on hlgh -P"rf"."..

'ynlheuc., on M)tl', Tenon, . nd nylon, on heat_resiS/mg compos"'" and ...

fimng foams. A, Modtm Pllllli<J put iI, success in the 'pace program oIftrtd .... beS/ te>"momal j'et devised" for eS/abl" htng phS/lc', reputal ion ,"

For some counte",ulturaliSlS of the 196O!., innoval i,'e uses of pi""" h«amr. soci.",d with Bucky Fuller atld geodesic domes, Wllh hohsuc thought rnd de-. lral,,1 hf""yles, wah ""w frontiers of outer space and psycheddic in"", ~ PIaslic's da ntp_doth domesticity yielded to a boldly artifid.l ·wel look" of ....

bngl"",,olon::d vinyl for boots, CoalS, skirtS, and "ests," Th" "go-go" style ~

pla"ic', pop..;ulture affinny ''''h the ".wless rene<twe surfacrs of NASA', ~ . uits and gear The pla"ic-~s-pb.stlc "my I look ".." more than mere lash;"". '­"'<:t. A whole new com plex of Im'g<:$sulToundmg plastiC , uggestroa r<:ru~

something like the old plastic utopianISm With high strenglh -Io-,,~ght r.lt ....

rclath'c cheapness, plaslIc fi lm5 and fOllm, promtsed to pro"de basIC sht l" . ...

an unprecedented degree of efficiency and control bUI without sacrificmg~

aht),. ll«;.use po:nnanenco: " .,,, no longer. gool. lhese new prulles Sttmed paid for endosmg the .\'er , h, ftmg artificial en'Ownmm", of Ihe habilat Fuller rdmII to as "Spaceship Earth - "

Despile th" new plast,c ulOp,am,rn, mor~ ephemeral than Ihirt)' )'Ull

. mb" .. le,,« rem.ined cemr.1 to the Am~ncan ~xperi~nce of pla>!1C

1960>. Ar Ihe beginning of tho d""d;';'";':':d;'";'~':J:M',:':G;',:":,;:.,:',:":.~,~=:: "~~~ D,~IZ's MIT I"oo"'to,>', criticized twO

and mi,leadmg. Either people (elebrated plasliC WI,h'

"to "soh-~ tilt hOUSing eri,i., the school cnSlS, the lransportalion <rim,

blighL" Or they rejec1ed plasliC goods because ~h'i:;::::~,;:; :',::::'::'::: f.lI apan oUldoors, 'heir colors are gansh, ami j'OU can'l tell on.

other_until iI's tOO late,"" ~ l cGarry o\'ern"t~d his cast wlIh such

tremes. PI.,,,c w;tS 100 much. part of . vor)'day Ii

o , • , , , -.['5 of Bucky fuller dream:ng of in lla,.b1e p1a>tiC yuns l.ughed like .n)'one

~lIen he.nng Du>!ln HofflTL1n being told lhat -Plaslics" offered the key to life

....... _ sam' person could respond 10 both The Grud"",( and T"-: lI'hoIe l'anh lbO' t,~ (8!oWt; ,ndicated pl"'''c w.s finally integraled imQ the cullural hndscape , Both re ­

!OfI.S Iaj' outs,de the >!ruClurt5 or words and Imoges used by Ihe pl"" ,c :ndustry

.... sont ttself to Consumers In =h C;lS( the response 10 plaslic function«J ""hm

"':;:rdd1." on the defininon of tho culture .nd 11$ dll"tttion or de"clopment At

:"" ~ um~, ho".-ever. plasnc was piaymg an independent role tn sh, plng that

",hurt_both directl)" as a malenal presence, and tndlreclly, a, a focus of other

~","'. The Mon>anlo House of th~ FUlure .... 'lIS the rul ITL1Jor promotlOn in

.-h>Ch dtfin,ngplastic remamed In the mdumy', hands Pub lici>!s soon lost contro l

alpUsI"'~ ,mage (0 emhu,iasts and Cnlles who look whal was offered but molded

.to whatt"cr lhe;' feared or d .. "ed. "",hmg made from po>twar p lo>uc. promised 50 much freedom and mobility, so

mudt oontrol ",-.r personal en\~ronmems, as infla1abl. dwellmgs .nd fumllur. that

"",Id bo: deflated, mO\'~d, and reinflated at a mmnen(, nottct. Such anifaCls,-,,­

tftlIPI'd "",,,Ines among tilt Ihings of th~ 1960< but connected wllh a cultural trend

that went bo:yond original intentions . Thoma. Herzog, aU1hor of a techltlcal tre.tise

"" ')l<YUtl'l3IJC st ruC1Ures," bnefl;' abandoned iti. ""Ulral prose to expbm lhat in­

b;abit, offered an opportunity to aba"don modern architecture', "hard, wId,

mkhme-pro<iuced surfac~.· l!, Iheir I' lac~ rose a "sen,uous pla"IC world" of -soft,

Iblbk, mO\'lIble , roundly spanned , 'organ,c' shapes . of g"3l sensuous beauly "

[NoM of photographs supp<>ned l !e'zog's claim ." By turns awc_inspinngor silly,

5"Orml y blOmorphic or cruddy anifidal , . ll thesoo pneurn.", "ruClureS shared IWO

P"'!'"rlIrS: Ihey rell«J on ait pressure 10 inflate the ir pl""iI: membr.lI1eS, and they

,.,.mbkd no other bUIldIngs known 10 IIu: human racc 1 ler.:og's images ,.,,'eakd

ITugc globes, groups "f mterconnecte,1 domes [figure 7_ 1 3) . multiplying colo­

nItS of spherOIds, arched structure, nbbed and corrugated like vasl air tl'l3 ltresscs,

..... "'1 blobs . nd mlestinal tubes, fields of m3ss<d brea>!s W1th IlIpples erecl

7-13 ~_ ,~

",,,,,,,,,,,,, G<""""""""'~T

LlM, G£lw,wv, ,on, eN: (;>...,

"" """"""'". ,"'--CUf, .... _no '" I"""" ~UOG

A M • , • • • ,

(f'gu~ 7-H), glam coodom'W~lhed !)NIH bunchW h~ asparagus. ~ j,U.ur.,d cocoons, ... gg .. lIons 01 ahen pods and poIl'PS from 5<:"'~ fi<:lIol] arxI ...

space capsules for ""dolll"ue "~LJ!)l!Its5oeS$ G""n ,htso: :associatIOnS. ~ .......

surprISIng that mlbuabln ""oW thon (XU«(ntt 10 ,he atrospacc mdusuy. Du~ .. bet I<HO. tht Offia of N:nlll RoStarch h;td sporuared dC><t\opmmt aim. \~ wnlh", balloons Mu of poIynh)iooe film and ,nfl:,llro "1l1l hehum to a hlll'l<boil. fOOl dLllMln. tMy COImtd mtasunng mSHU_IUS IweTI'y m,1es from thr. anI6 surf""" ,nlo 1M Slralosphe.." In 1951 a 'U'o')' spokesman ,ned 10 puncLIl~ an UIIpo Sp;l«-Ig<' myth by clamung poopillud mI5!~ktn sipumgs of Skyhook I»lloons ..

":K>-CO\n.d n}~ng sau"",,, ,."

M()51 •• rly "st, of lnnalabt~ plaStiC wCIT canhbound. Al ,'''' ""d of II>( ,,'at ..

... '0'" WUghl hghtwt'g,tn <itmounlabtc sh<hns ror radar lIlSlaUauons. Th.st .. domes had 10 cnclo.t L1rgt V<llumes in I r''''·!.I.nd,ng "'m ""h"", material wouII not UUtrfUt wlIh trmsm;"';orui They also h.d to .... thsuncl WInd and cold In _

g,td arctIc .",irolllmn15. had 10 bo Wl"'d to slim $IKIW and lcr. and Iwllllihidl

eqUIpment from Ul"lt<\ual hromng In bngh. ~un~gt" EngmNlS .~rd

o:\omt$ and rigid structU'<:$ of gbss_ .. tnforctd pol)T~u ..... all~. B"d 01 ComII l.in"~I'SIIy"' Atronaullcal Labo ... ory al 8ulWo Iud anotltt. Kka. In 1948, afte._ )UfS of ,,'Of'k. hr suo:essIully ,nfbled an upfruno:NaI pntu..wl<: """"-UI't ." 811ff~1o alrpon . ........ ",,-Crt ""nit. condnlons approxllnalni Iltt arctJ<. I.\d fA Itt.,")' n)-Ian ro.urd "'Ih S)"Ih¢1ic rubbe •. Burl's firs! dcmt was" .. ngk ....... SU'UClurt much hk( a dllld', b;t1\0011 Air blo"'o:1'S malnlaintd II .. dom." ~pr" c,ul ins.n ml~f]o, p.nsUI't gn'a l enaugh 10 su ppon lhe skm', w(lghl.nd to'" sunci wmd and snow. Doubl~ doo.s "ll.kcdlS an . irlock to preHnlloss of ptnlUft.

B)' the tafly 1950s hund.eds of p""u.rumc ... Iomu w~.e y;;a"o",d <Ie"'" lilt Iud

IS pan of Nonh Arnmca's urly warning dde~ S)'SIml In 19~ lIud I""IICW

BIrch" S!ru<lur~ to !.bOOle inlt".ble 5UUC1Uro lor nonrruluary CUSI."""' ''' .. YO:U5 bIer Ius company"' .... the iu<k. of an mdu~ry grtlC'flmng sales of len ~ doIbrs."

PntumallC "ructuro soon b«1mc IIWn' complex ,han Bord's firs! "'u. ... ~ In 19'\.8 a rompnlto. announctd I "mulupurp<lSC. pona"'" nj-\Qn ~

o • •

...,.r Ih,ol ..qm",,! ... nhe. auiock no. bIo\o.o:rs btt:allSlC " ...... · .. If-sul'PO'1,n,C

JlIlht" lban -.... -supponrd • thIS (;(000111( con5Ioud of ,ndc:pc:ndc:rul)" mfbled pan·

f!> or ctlls -",mod logaM. 10 fonn " ngtd shrhc. '" host doors and ",n<Jo.,.'scould II< optntd .. ,thou, £tar of 10smg.1t pr-cssUrt .. Od,,,. companltS .hmllUlrd alrlod'5

".t [ons by InlLn"'g" ... Ied s~ bel"'ttn lWO mcmbralt<:$ af a doublc.sl<lnned

. -all """;",, .... such 5},,,mlS nsk..:! milSlrophloC collapse on case: af pul1ClUn:: ",..,n_

,.,IN, ,n .. arch 01' tVt. hghlt' Ind even lTl\nsp.ar~nl mal~""'ls. 5Cme engu'otel'S Sp«I­

[ltd "nyl film, much Ihmntrlhan cl»led nylon a.nd sa we.k il had la be 5upponed

o<lI~ b)' niss<roSSlng cables or by on uncl>tmSlvt nylon mrsh

In 1931 01" of Blfd's 155O(I:I.t(5 p .. dic, .. d on "unlimned" mark .. llar lnAll3btt

~ for "circus ,,,nI5. [0" hmtdtngs. t~p06I1t"" h.IL!. ponabk hang;ol'S, !ann pre­

J,n lIafll&C ckpou. landl5porlS ".dOll"" "OI:h .. U<t5 mrludod lompo.aryshttleTS

[or~ruCli"" stltS in Wlnle' lnd 5U5Qf1a1 CO\"trs for ... ~mnung poob.nd ICnnlS

"",nl- A kw tmn::prcnc:urs COMWXmI the onfblabit domt I ",Iult"" la lilt (KOb­

.... rJ hou5mg an IncttaSlIlgly mobIk popubu,,". For aamplt. lhe I ... ,ng A"

Qow CooIpmy uh,burd. IWO-roont ..... House at lhe Inltm>.u<>nI1 Homt Expo­,...,., '" Nev.' York G I)' ,n June 1957. lhe sam( mornh ,Itt Monsanto H.,..... openrd .. Ot!nt)Und Imrndrd as. beach or '-.calion hel11(. lhe Air H""", coruiSlN ar

...... domes of Ylnj1-coolcd nyloo con~,td by. shen tunnt!. A ,,"u""gt .shaptd

",b< fillod ""th sand ,n" ho,..d tach dome a.ound 1M I"'rint<ter. The Ai. !1O\UC

~ ,bom 158~ "Iu.", fetl, .... ith the law' dome me",unng thin)· ... illlu r .. , .. ""'" and nmotten f .. tl high. Ihe smalle. twenly_roo, r .. , ac'(l5I; Il\d lwei"" f .... l

bt&tt A ,e,,,I\1ng door a"lock prevenled less ar lnltriOl pressure. Allhoogh lhe

o;Jm~ny boast .. d lhal F.ank Uo)'d Wright. llttn nil\tly )'tars old, h.d dtSlgned lhe

..." p4n '" ,he Ai. H""",. ilS Hct11\3n Mille. futnllurt and tubber pL.nl suggested

I dtnrm\ ....-allmg .oom. E,,,,n 50. malnstrtam culture " .. 1'1(>1 rud)' 101' ort)'1hlng

qIIllC sa msubsun, •• t .. A fcwlTars taro •. dUring the blc 1960s and early 19705. mfblabies 1001< thel'

pIIo< ... -nh gt<><ks1oC cicm<S as OOIInltrculluflli lOOnS One (\'Cfl poppc:d up II'! sub­

.... Maryland as a branch OImpu$ of Anuoch College knectmg the Ohia hbfral

MUmlltgr', •• ,hOlI miSSlOO. 1110!1 of ~ I"" do .... new branches ~ ... -rd mne,­

OIy ntlghborhocd< <lerosti lit" coumry. A Ihtff.qu."~.-..,re dant< milal..:! In 1913

• CoIumbiot. MaryLtnd. was an vu;cptiQn The ,""'" ""'., pla ..... d .. Idhle cam­

tltltnmy amOCllng mlddlt-daM pro((50iolUlls and governm,", butuu~rau n .. ,ng

WlOIIungtoo Ind &Il,ma'" As.1\ exemplar of America's mu.h.oom,ng 5ubU'Nn

npl-nsioo. Columbia was an appropN.!e si!e ra' an inHaled ,allege Mth nelthe.

lradtUO<t net d.fimte agenda. glvon ruch shapt.:os il Iud by iml"'rmanent plOl>lic:

ihn The Nt><' Yo .. TimtS .. ponrd .h::11 s uch domes "..,rc "sa,"ms 1X'P"\,>nI), a5 In

Iltlprns"..,. dohbfraldy impc:rmal\trll Ind hIghly neXlblc mam; 01 p.ondmg 5htl­

Ia lot ..:!llCIIlOrI,- 11'1 du'i case: 101' aboul SorW:nty-!i,.., "udon15 and IItt" ,nstructors

The OCCUran for In. TimtS anICk "''M a g:;uhenng cf 100. h\lndm! orchllttlS.

....... prtneurs. SludentS. and -,..If·Slj-lcd su ... " .. l spn: ... h.Sls· .1 lhe

M , Nauonal Conf.~ on Air Smlcturc, III Education hdd " ,.~ A<"'~h;" ... May 1973 The keynote 'puke, ""as Snmh architect Vdnc p~, who in opened an ... of "",mle>!", lor an

Pal"" •.• hrnulesslyextendable lrame""rk in whIch an endlessly I

expmencrd Invokmg tit< psychologically liberating potential of an

ronmem (SOIl. h<misphencal. visually unhmiling. opening outward fr<>m Price ,old m. shaggy, psycheddK.lIychargrd gathenngol IlM-plastic ' '','''_.

AnlLoch's bubble enabl.d f"'<lple "10 dist0l1 ttme ""d space for advanl." .. dome's architect, Antioch professor Rurik Eksuom, chose to '''Press ~ mar. r~d,cahsm. Inflo,able dom", offered .n antidote [0 the ",are 01 the lan~~ mcg.lumanLa(: arrhtteClswhose "bnck and mortar monuments" n..Uertd tht ....

corrupt corrol'3 [' . nd gO"~mmenl chenl'j . Implicitly auackmgsuburbanCol .......

M~'YLtnd. "sdf, Ehtrorn praIsed 'he impc,m.n£nce of lhl: pneumatic campoli," . hey deCIde a few )'cars La'er ,ha"his is a lousy pla~e : he d«l.red, ,hen .,hty_ pick ,he ' hlng up and go somewhere else . nd the sne ,,;11 \)I; a ~.dow ogalZl'.

?nee's Invoh-ernent a, An,ioch re"ealed 'ha' UlOpi. n cd ebration of p\a<i,., ...

abks had \)I;corne.n inlerna, ion.l phenomenon Independen, of ,he pb .. ,., .....

try's public rel .. ions efforts, Resp()ltdlnR on their own [(' new m ... rials, dt...-. .nd archi lectS . h.ped an aesthwc of artiflCiali,y inspired by ,ho: dawningS!*1t.

and ,he pursu" of pleasure among lhe rising mIddle chsses. A conjunction or .... innuene ... infonned ' he trendy scien« fiction film Ba.1/>lrella, KCUraldy~"

BTlt,.h deSIgn cmlC Reyn<T Banh.rn as. "tnumph of softw.re" Wl th "an"""",­

of cuTved, phable, continuous , brea, hlng, adaptable surfaces:'" The rnmit ",..

fOT lack of plot and ""tong by liS sets, a sene. of sensuously polymorphous ~

ments shaped from f""m., membranes, bubble., and c""nngsof polyvon;'1 ,h~

polYUr<lha~, polyethyl. n., polymethyl methacrylate , and synthetiC lur of pool,-. Ide (a kind of glo"fiedshagcarpeting)

Few of ,he undergraduate. attracted to mIdnight .hOWlngs by T\lmOl'$ ol_ Fonda's w."gh,less strip"""" during ,he o!",nong eredns re.liud

mg a plastICIZed parody of Botnedh's Birlh of Ven",. As the film opens,

Hoats In the I I

QUS medium. She IS whollyenc"""d lna black vinyl spactsUl1 resembling.

di,-er's outfit. Slowly, sun floaljng, B.trbart:1la I

black "nyl boots, and then

has JUS! slid down insIde 10 tV.'eol,he herome's head In ~n acrylic I,

hair posed like those of Bo1t1eelli's Venus Finally she noou nude,

mg up and back.s in the paiming, while. baroque ,rumpe' song whose ",ane Iyncs ",,,,force tne aSSOCl3t1on: "B.trbar~I-la,

a k",d-a cockleshell-. bout )"'u," There " ... some,h'ng pneumatiC abou1

a<; " .. 11, os!",c!ally when ""'''ng a ught-futlng we,-look co""le, wllh pl.stlc cup ~ndosmg a !",rfeclly stylized anificial breast Fonda, "," o;,ll '"~'

of !'.u,-optans, un""tlngiy offered herself in fulhllmen! of Fo,!unt's th,ny_

II ' : "Arn<rmm dream of Venus" in sum:alislic plastIC, an embodiment olth~ ... f>n!astlC tn.'er" then bemg cd ebra,ed on a populor record by ,he J<-ff~rson 1IaS"" &\rb<trella was relt ased m ,he Unittd Stales in 1968," about the same

~ JIlt Graduatt. Although u.. Europe.n film was not nearly ... popubr, it

::"ttd. sophisticated, acttSSlble ,oncrpuon of plasne as an an ilici. 1 subs .. nce

~vt to hum.n des"e a<; to mspire fet ishISm

., 81n1um recogntzed" he dtslgners of 8arhl.-.lla', en\1ronment5 had borrowed

,.. on l",tm.lIonal.rchneclUrt movement devoted to what he called "~gastruc­;oro . .., He defined. mcgastruclUrt a, a vas, p"'rna~nt framework mto which

::ukswuld b< slotted to meel dunging soclal.nd !ndh1dual need. The roncrpl

..... p""""".d by a group of Brllls!1 archilects in a sbm-bang scl -/i-comlC-book­

~ "",ga:me called Archig'am, which ,ook o"er from ?ncr the challenge of

dr«IaPmg an .¢sthetlC of leISure . MOst famous of ;i.rrhisram's colorful futuristic

~ 1\," Peter Cook's Plug_ln City of 1%4 (Figure 7_151, a set of mfinitely

..,r.ndablt mul,ile,..1 frames hung with transport . nd utility tube, and eqUlp!",d

.-tb ganllies and cranes lOT qUICk response 10 ch.ngmg needs. The mamc ow,­

,...-ntSS and brtght pfl mary colors of hIS dr-Jwm&S connected with. pop Camaby

....... otruibility, "' d.d collall."d Im.1l."5 Irom slick rna""",,,,, advertisemems por­tn},ng thI: ""nging hfe of Plug-tn City and orher A"hlgram projects_

A spm.oll' pumal ""lied Mrgascop! . ummarlzed ,he .lfect by ohscm"g how "the .....,ded rom<rs, ,he hip, gay, synthetic COIOUTS, pop-cultut"t- props.lI combine to

flaP' an .rchnect",e of plast.c, sted a~d alumi ~um , the juke box and 1he nton_

ItWttC" 51",1 . nd aluminum consti,uted ,he hardware or permanen, framework

d. ""'ga5lruclUr~, while plasnc formed the software, the mQ'-e.ble pods, modults_

Oamcs, and bubbles_ As other architects followed i\rdligram' ongin. 1 lead, 1heir

1-15 D" .. afUso Coo<',

""-<>fi On-. ''''"'. """ """"""­

""""''''''"', """", -"'" """

•

''t!'(ln tulmm.tingln the mtg;>5Il\IClUral Expo 67 at MOnlrt.!. ' ''­

Cook slHr,t<! tmp~ O";>} from hardwart. "the: S/""rul<' pan

10 p!;ul", sof'''·',. "'IIlI1~ 'pronH5t of ptT1ll' .... ' .. no:ss .. ' N;

'Ile)' dCSlrtd:ln ')U,ooornous II\'iog uml, 01 rrwnmum n.",wuy,

I»hl)' aod non-monumemah'y. ,,,:,, could eXlS! mdcpcndcruly,,'tIhou, from mrpmelu,,", Or lny OIhcr pcTTl'WlCm support -')'51<=.. ... Ite ~

gr<5Ied III 19(1) lhal such l lighl""'gl,, ,emporny <h,,,Umg ... wld -Sat"'r .... 'rends of Amenan domes".: an:hu«turc_an emphasIS an -cle:anhnts. lh.o-: ",.,ghl lIltll, ,he m«hanlUlll ""'TVICU, lhe ,nfornulny and 1Il<hllercnc. ro, ._ .. ;

,al archl1«:1uI'lI1 '"Jiu.es, ,he P'3"""" for lhe outdoors' He pl"tdtcttd. 0IIly ... lOnguc-tn<httk, ,hao ,he Il'J"C'Il ArncrlC2r1 bnul}' .. ""Id 5001\ br 1n1I1& III .....

equIpped .. "h o'u-ansp.>rtn' Mybr .. rdornc Thrtt >"lTS iau:t, at lhc Mdar. T-. .we. n "''as anodler EngitShnun, archl1«l p,..-,d Gift ..... who nhlbned. """""" lor a rllChcally md,"klll.1ltSl pita 01 so~",-ue TakIng lhe atui· ..... ga<llUCttIrt .... 10 an Ulrtme. Grttnc 01Jcn:d ,he Sunaloon (Figurt 7_161. a plasll< film ~ ... mn by an ind,,"ldual who could Inlb,. 11 to form a <nt.llil pcl"S<ln:ol ~ dome ..

l!anh.m """s 1\01 alon. In rtg;ordmg pias/I( dornc:s and ,nf!Olabk d"t:I~_ .. lidOlr5 to lhe " .. Ighl oI,radlll"" S,mllar Idcasappcared tn a "soft mam!.:su' .... by ""nlbtrsof a coun,.rcu l,u ral commun<: ,ailed ltbre to explain the,,~.

lI"e I\\m;",.1Iy;1\ a dome. rubli~d by an .rch".ctur. journal in 1971 . the ... {eSlO procbimcd lhal l.ibrfs ",.mbtrs weft ''trying 10 gel fItt of Our cg"''' 50_ bt:<:o"'. "Ira 10 dtllbct";llCly chO<>$( & bUIld our en'ironm.::nt & lifestyk.'" rbt_ mun. il:self ..... .IS ") growlng. llvjng Ihlng In j.JXIC<: & eonsclOusn.ss" whoK_ w;>S IlOl .... rp.d by conforming '0 ngid ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,1 build ings. TIIe)-- de..:nbod'"

fon1',fooc domr Iii -cS(leC",lIylil f(>rc""n~, btmgan .mplyunimposmgslwl. ...

over Ihra ) ... rs 111 lIuenor had ne"er "5tnlcd tn" Of bt:<:omc fixed_ Eac:h ...,.. chang<!S ap,n, 'Ihey boa.;.ied, arld il mlghl -.m",w" ,,,,",,,,,.~" ,~ ••

'-Ib 0. ... (;00 .. ,50.> . .,....-- ....... . -.

• • ~ art ~u",htd For """mbtrs of L>brr. a dome offend. n.utr~l i",cnor

~ 011 ""nl<-h 10 rnlJt<1 wh.;ol",'C.l(knllly seemed m{)mc"'~nl)' ,,",i •• blt.. For

:;~;:~0I~' ;~~~~::~~1~~::=~::~~;!1:~~~~: ...,..' ,rr~cd tn uhfom~ by a desIgn group called Chrys.>hs, nx .. t,,-cnI1--'~'''' 1t"".,nyI Pntudolm..-:IS a $Ingk."""mb~ SlTuctUft suppot1ed b)' an air blcm'C, _ ~cd b)- a perlin .... ' ".be 611ed ",,,h " .. ,n. Acoordtng to I-Ilgw. ,''' "soap )IIIIbk rJ 11tou~- could bt Infla,ed b)- '''"'0 prople III ks,. ,han an hour -on a hIlI, ." .... "'"", In • pmen, and lhen laken down and trlO'."Cd .... ,toou'!t.>\1ng a tract.'

eo<"!IIC'It tmpre61\'C "'as Proeudom~:S lIl'mor, -~ shlm ..... nng nug>cal m'"tron-

... Oonlt ct...~lkrs ,,'Cft""Spatt lib pc<>pIt. h'~ng "In ... -..k open <p>C<S ",,,n In

.. hW1 of bi& lIUCS" ~nd expc~oc,,,, ·'a hbtrallon 01 the hurtWI <plnl as ""lias tIor b;Jd)' As alwa)~. ",--m ,,-hen couchtd In counttn"Ultural rhaO<1C of 5t1f·

.. ,..b:aIion and SOCIal ltbtrallon, r1Ht1<: pmmo>td unp.-..:tdtnloo control ",'cr

_J wrTOund,ngs. m elk':l d"'OKmg pcopit from n~uft as It had ~l" .. ).,. b.cn

"'I"'~ 0"" tnthusIaY inmted In., '"StadIUms. shopping c.TIt(~,'en rmrs-tn.IIy be tnopsulllled ' Such I""i'llull!.es shocked ",hers who mIght n.''C

."'''''' had (My ",'trllcard a ""g;tll"c ftllClion to Houston', aif-condnKmtd. uI>­iooIIItrnl. Lucllt~ndostd AslrodQrnt ..... hi~h open~d m l'i6~ -Who's kidding

.-txom Thi s tSIlt baseball" TI~ ''Cry COtI«pI of '5p;1<~ lib people" suggested. fu. 1I!f id<'nl K'lll to flarbaftlla's ""mid"

Oddly enough, ant .... ay of coml'ens,mng rur 'he dl5(}ricntillg lranSl(tK"C of ;ntial_ & b:J.ktd back 10 Iht Slone ag<! for ,,< psychologIcal ,ffecl The polyUftlMnc _ dome. a kInd of pcmficd Inlb,abk (1'lgUft 7- 17J. in,,,.d comparisons 10

Jll<hostonc Clt'~ dw~llIngi 0 •• In • more timtly rtfcft nee. '0 the hobl", holes ofJ R R

7_1) [,.,-., .. ""' .... '_

""" >OAI .... "" ......... eou.

, M , , • •

TOlk>t::~:":;m~m~;":':"':~~~~"'~''''~h~}~.~~~d~:_~:'''':''':':'''~~~~~~::: .001. ~ wnng of \.hth~rtng .... ''"mll " ,"'lIh poI)'Urttlw1t £NJ1I as ~ SlNew",1 1TPl(~, bOIl 1M Kko did ""'­

aU(nllOn UIU,I "bow 1968" htn II "'iIS laken up """""'~I "", .. ;:;;;.;: A SW6 of ex~rimt1llal houso.s .oded "llh a sho"''Pt= compla'd IJI I Ill' I ,1.1., Alabama. sponsortd by , ... 1.~lM firm v..e9. ~:~::::::':'~I;~~:! """,.kan II"""" Th. basic ltchnique "''as sunplt ~anmg with. s",b Drury inflated 3 dome of nj'lon fabric. sprayed a four-mch lay" of pol~ foam on. 'I. Itt lhe loom hard.n ;mo a """11 comblnmg 51ruttural SU PJlOll~

insulation , and then den.ttd and rtnlo"td Ih. nylon form. Workt"""'1 hoI.a-. s/lcU for doors, acrylic skyhgtlls, and poly .... rbonat. wmdows. all onlod ....... prtlll' gaskm II co;ol of firt-m.nbru lum'rKOCtrn whilt pamt fnishtd lhr .......

... ·Iute btu hou .. p;tmt.w. .. kkd thot vett....,.. from dcsIruoi,~ ukl'2V>Oltl ........ TllII' firushtd """'" had lour lumpy ",hUt domes conntttcd bJ rounded ~

... "h a smgk ,,'OOdm ...... n runmng down lilt mlddlt of each d""", 10 carry ..... and .,.,.nl tM quasy by offenng a 'Tnio;al surf ..... as a bm,l .. rrontrDI to~

",oils. SlIDI1.or do~OC<'aSKlfIOlly popped up dunnglhe 19705.0fu:n =~ ... eanhy reddISh -brown 01 unpamled poI)'IIrtlllO"" f""m and pRl'fOklOgd""lIIIII

dellgl" among I,""," suburban rIt,gh'oon'· UOIng t..ngua~ from fi lly y''''r'!: belo .... A ..... neQ" II""", ",fnnd 10 I"'I~

foam as "an almosl miracu lous substance." Unhlce Bakdneearlirr. OOwt_ .....

m,lIerlal tha, oouruerculmral do-ll-yourwlfen could """" rortrol of ood ..... u"ly >pra~d on. n har<kntd 10 bfcome"os hghl ""l menngIX." sturdy .,­cKle. as sculpruraUy fr« as tM homeowner.nd 1M Irchll.." d..., to bo, II'" ,.11.0 and Plug_In Oty had a masi-CUhure parallel In tht JeI5OnS,!ben !hi: Ioom_ suggtstW rht Flmtslones-a rd.rence 001. for from comcwusnt§S "'llm U""", dc:scnhtd Drury·, Crt.uon as an -ilChTruure of ca\T Jr.1J.g. 70'.

u~ .... nong ,be iru.lior of • loam dome "'<.5 001.

in/bnlble Both d,ffered -

eruhus",st pD' n. "A lif.u .... ·s uperttn« 01 5qlLO",d rooms for thr cxhILtr,"ng spa<:t.·' To stlre .t tM corwergence 01 C\l1''tC ",-..n and "'-"S "hk. " ,ewing I nllur:al horizon.' In addnion 10 Ii

polyurethane foom hbr .. ,.d deslgnen to creal.

Ilcgmmnglo meol domcs.ll.rdoing ten in thftey •• "" Drury roam bocau", Il was .bleto "do things no OIlY, m.te".1 can do_

.1I0wed Irchll..,ts "to fJUly work ""uh cu",«\ SlIrfac ... • Drury

ch.ng<cs" undn way "In man~ u'" .nd "'''''' of n .... and scow and polyuftlhane an arch"..,t could pamdpale in th" transform.otoo , could 1llCnl ,,;,h mndUlons "'h"'h mlghl ~ thtse changes' ___ , _ _

relall'T durabdny mmpam:lto ",n)'1 or poI)'t1hylene, Drury n:ptatW I

pbsuc's ,m~l1tW\tnce ",,,h. rhe1or\cal qucsuon who!;" 1lJIS'II"" ~~. , .... eot-"Wh), ,,-orry ,,-hethtr or noI It's fore;.·trr"

• • • • fhr" ,,-;15 00 smglc: pI<lSlJC·as-pl~1c IItsd~IJC In _rcrultelUrt_ Inn01'11l1'T U56 of

tool< od,-antage 01 bgJuness. smnglh, and an ab\IIIy to _n,.". forms lha,

::'~::u~=~':Kl:~::~~:~..=,.~.=,I; ::: :!~~:~ ~olfabnCallon A o.rual obso"Tt would ""'T found slurp :lll:5l.Mt'" d,ffrr·

d.,ked 10 compllft a goss;I,.".r bolloonhke pnmm.uc 10 a rough.MI''Y tanh, ~~ ""'" domt 01' n~d hun or a fibtrgla$ $hc11 rtsrmbltng • consu""" appliance in us .,dll>lnally dtslgt",d perf~tlOl1 In each cas< malenals and lcchmquet d,,'ergtd

.-.dd)' lrom those of t",dulon>1 conSU\lCl1on Bm only the word pl.stic and an in· CfCIl'ng Impnm.ntnc. uOil ed IMm 111 their differences, Rathn than )'lelding _ IrUt

,""""lC Il5 m thr 19305. pUSlIC rosleled a succession of ephemera l Slltt"",nt', each

~$Upe,-srd.d and all ""t.nett 10 Ill( resp!)nslve, even dlSTUpU\T m:lllablhly of ,"""nal. U1 ,h. "'''''(c 01' an II1f1.oll0n:0ry culture Th" ",unhly appum:l

.... dtlrly In tht ,,-o,k of fumuulC dcSlgnelS and rnanufacturtlS. Aft.r all. no one ~ a dwr or cable to We as long OS I house DesIgner.; and rol1S11rnen of ..... "'" tI1JO)",d grwCt upe!1rnen~tion

loklng ..:I,'anlag<c 01 pl."sue's "[O!iI design frtedom: dtsIgnelS in d~ 1960s 01·

t.rod • ran&" of oprlo~lorrul ChallS 01 npd but ftSIhem 'njC<;llOI1·moldcd

,"""",,-Itnt or ASS, bconbogs 015011 urelhone f".,m covered WIth " .. I·look "n)-I. .,;w!uIIr t<l\>C .... of foam <ut-<lUts. and Inflal.ble ellallS and roud\e$ of tr:anSp.>rt111

'''yl '" Th< fibcr&l ... duO) ... of s...n".n and Ca~ fCffidl""d on II"" "",'~"" .'~II·

>bit from Knoll .nd Hennan MIIl.r. UUI lhe futme of rigId furniture "fthe "l,.,n~ly

pia.!"- , .. ,ltly Lty WIth ono-shO! InjK!lon.mold.d thermoplastiCS As c.rly as 1961

IJad<jLn NaSlics 01 u.hfomLt ,,-;15 molding poIypropyl.ne bodies for a SIde chait and

....... ha,T. S,miLtr ,n s1upe to tho. da~ Eo ..... chain. lbe ALtddll1 chaIrs flexed nil " ''''C'S .hLftmg ""'igbt Inn .. 1 prodUCtlOl1 runt hn ltn tbousotld 0 "'eek. an

::~:~ ....... labor-INc"""" f1borglas" Such Amtncan 'TmurCS rem/lint<! h""'T1-TT. brrutrd 10 tlv: mari<n for ine ... pensn" bul durable Intlllu-

lDIaI otalIlg The rIIO'iI. sptaacular uamplts of ..... ·shot pbst", fumllure (2,.".

~ Ilaly. ""ho.~ No"a's lJUIO\'alions In the cht-mlSlry of ngJd thtrm<>J>losticS hJ<.,

... "'",~".. made an unbeaable rombollallon .. ",h the ltolllO fullr for &sign

It¥alod 111 gleaming espl~ machules. Vespa tcOOltrs. sculplrd halr5l)·Id .• nd hbu's C'""maUc pacltogmg of "10 clolu .ilo"-al1 fa!Ctnalmg to rosmopoln.n

Alromnns during lhe Konnrdy ~~IS and after

It, l"'n heg<mony 111 hlgh-Slyl. plastiC deSIgn (as opJ'OS"d 10 Ihc ~OI'lomlcally llplfi",ru mld--cult styhng of American companies lille Formica) rested ""tn lhe

&.mmure-moldlng firm Kandl. It was org'lnll;ed .arly in the 1960s by Guilia Cas·

d, ... enS'""", ... ·h"'" father "<.5 ",""""ltd with Nan ... MOn\«<Iuni. In 196i .... U IfItroduccd the "mid's fiTSI com .... rclll.ll.pbstic cllOI[. a small ch,ld'. model

.". ..... l'IIy ~ high cruirdy in)«lloo·molded 01' b"""r pol)Tth)'ItTlC. uk.

,,"h hit pnIt.stal choll', deslgne'" ~brt:a ZanutO and lbcllOrd Sapl"'r "Tre -.bit 10 ha-.", tht ...... p;ecr. molding they ""lUrd, the dwr:' poI)Tlh)-Itne legs

~ IDoIdrd "'plltatdy. T111S pfOJCC\ marktd thoo begmmng of an ltal .. n pIasI", •

, M . , e . , <kslgt1 loIl'lt SO .ruflcl:ll,h.l1 the odo< "fl"" """,,"'''0'' <o""''"''''~, •• uctS &ldly ~olortd. lhe .. haL< ~"'Qk.d ""lus.tnal a...:h"~<lu", "ilh its far ~nd a )\;IlItd back hkt lhe !oldc of a '00'01'& l"",~r_bu. aU 50

• pop . I

d,fficuh poHos 11)' bnllS<>. An .... CastdkJat Colombo. and OlMOS A5 lh. dre;>(\( ~. ~n.U and othtr lui"", m2mlbowm

solIe,. moon: lacuk fummm~ of poIyurtltwlt loom and "n)"l~

bmily maF"'" I.roII: c!lIIhuStd In 1968.' 'I.stir" b)' "Ire",n, pll.sllC as plas".:.' In 1hr ~IV rm a lWO-~ color sprad of pbslw: Manluuan skyl"" (I'lgIIl'( 7 _ 18) ... ,,11 • "'pilon aplauung forms lNlllow 1U1U .... U)·OUl of nuw:! pl,,~"c- em -httpm.UJban pursuu of md,,'\dual,,}, .. AI .bow the sa"'" "m(

"tw happt'nro "hrnan explodIng plosllC'llcchnology" "'" put"n h.I"," cksigMf'S· fl't p.tgo:5 of color phOIogr.ptu m'nk<! fumltu", WIth

less, .U-<lf-ll-p,Kt Upboi§lC...,'. ch.tl>S and ,abks ",,,hoU! Itgs. chunks 0/ fO<lrned m3,criJls" M3ny pi«u ,,~ .. lnlcndrd "\0 Slock, bunch,~, "'I!C lc<ommod31 •• nlOO,k I"'PUI:lI;OI\, they all "c"p"5SI.dllh •• ",,,.,,~

, La h_ ..... 1< ....

""'"" ............ ""111> ........ '

-".,',,......,. .. "",..." ltar, •• ,,~, ..

, o M e . ,

,0 0"""" .. ,,' ............. .....,.,. ..,.,f<N.n, """"".""""", ...... ,"""""'0«<> -''IIU<Imtni of loeby." It.han furniture Sl lmubl~d so many American knock-<lffs lh.l fOO/ ,ould Slate tn \97\, "Pla5lic furniture-no longer dlSgu~d as wood bUI bb· lIIII!ylnd un.oshamcdt;, plJ51ic·looking-is now.tww.ng up in hotms.ll <l'Ver Ih.

eu SGl les" SUjI#sung "something Sln1lglu out of 2001: It "flen also seemed "WICOmfon~bly like MOiel Modem By 1973 1M lo.".... lf eel' bmw')" 1-/011" lItau· .. _ compUlntn& _boo, "1015 01 poorly ma.dt lutl. Parsons lables. lam", .• nd

)IIIky Ih,ngs' Amtl;cans Iwl aa:cplro pta.l1C fumitul't. a, Ieos1 wl1m II couLd bt

IiId b IHs 1IlOO()' lhan u;ldlllonal wo"dm potctS.Ol

long. 'nlblabie furniture of lransparml '"inyl him had as5Um<d tht IOTlTl<. b",01 KilRcli's rig><! ,nJr<llOfI-moldtd pittc:s (Figure 7-19) I..:argr and bulky.

hke .Ir ITWI~ WIth muh,pk air pocb:lS Or cells. IIlllaublt ~'nyl fur.

f«mrd msubstlnltlll .• ghosIly parody ollradmonJJ m..,rstufftd furnlmre

.\II IIIfIIltd dun or couch could bt den.lcd, follkd up, mcr."td WI d,lIemu pbtt fumlcul't uplUlotd ~~ lmpcmuntna and hMonism oilho: pop """.".

ttkbr;ued by ArcJugl1l'" m l~ pods and -cushJCIt,,;- of ltS laler p/I;>s<' The", "' lOmtllung po:rfeclly -&" a\>oul an InfbllIble. 1'-' aura mingling ",congruous

0( snu.alllber:a11Ofl and unllberated Ie ... -dntss. P\1bbclly photographs of """" ..... p htmllu", often (eatu",d a nude ftm.ale m<><kJ ~ "" neulrallyaspos­... Her p~n~ suggtsled a muhuudo: 01 .hmgs. the ,..sua! nud"y or SImplicity .110: loom 1!Se1f, ,~ nur.anlm:lte rttl of firm pntUIJ\llUC '1nyl )',dd",& to PIfi'iU"' •

tit U\IIacabie as a sensuouuuppon ror kwtm.alung Viclor l'apan<k.an I.,,,rbiccrillc •

, . , •

of "'-;lSI' in tlNgn. a.kN hi'; rndt ... ID'=gUlt I~ d!Sttl2)'ofha\l n&5oaIt ne mterlude puncturW by a suddrn pIllow blOl".(IU1 For IIanhlOm, 01) ,L -:-~

hand, a huge inf1~l«i bollooo .ncol.ml.~d a1 a IIlglun"", art "happc:n'ng"

Angeles "'as • "bulgmg, ~Idmg, dem.ndmg plastic llul wouldn't go .... 'Y you pushed h; rather 11k. "3 plump. drunk . amiabl., uflSIabl. &"\11 • Ron""'" was aniculaung 1M r.tish;..,. 01 pn.eum:uk p lasuc- a fOSCl~1OII

b.......y.l rrtO\1tgous. \'i(w from btlow of Barbarell.o ~uhng factc-dowr, uansplreru slttpmg I11W1b....,." ",achrd .Iow.' POint "'111. lofc·~, dolls" ad,~nlSnl In "I1'I<n', m;II~. and ",boundtd

sptttacular ~ 01 '1nyl "",e. beds. As)U1'h« flItbt. than .blt suggoled. more Fund."",mal >ub5.tU\llion of lht aruocial fOf any pnor _ of p13S1ic. for ,he mQ5.t pan lOCh fanlllSltS 01

"'tm uost."d or rem3inrd in a tWIlight ~~ I' Ixlw •• n pornography and ....

fict ion. I A Nt ... Vorl< firm call«i MilSSAn Inc. prnen:d 1M most publiCltyamonB_

C2n romJWllQ producing mnalabk fumiture Founded in 1966 \0 ""II tlWllflllf op and pop an, ""hm a yur II "'"lIS con«mnoung on inflatable chalrs. ~ RWII'h§f'5. and JI'_lry of transpamu "n)'1 The 6rms prodocu IQchtd tht .. lu.t solons of Mlbn, .nd Us pannrrs ,,'lIullSinily dccLattd Ihtif lfIICnllOll of ~ • n "InflalWlc fl" ctu,," and • -d"posobl( hoInr- In 1966, willi MOM An', ~ maliC cll.irs in produclion for "'"e1" • yar. lht markwng d".ctof odmmwillty .... "in"es"d . 1()( of money on the assum puon lhal InO'lObl( fumilure WIll be .....

• long lime "Of COIl,.,.. it wasn'L II was d"posabk Thai "',..Ih" poiru"

Even MoJr .... f'laiblS, tht induSlry'soon5ol:"'l"'i~ ,...;.x. oeltb .... ed "'" ~ of oellulotd In 1966 ",til. proJ«l"'" 01 "pl>sIlCS in lhe: 19t1O!;· "m • posaboll1Y EncouDglng lhe: son of bIur-5ky d.um'ng ltul ~ damogtd ~ KpUI.I"'" ''''~fUy-6V1: ~.rsurbtr, "'" rnag;o:lnt soil<1.led pmii<;l.I011S from ..... m .. l tk5olgnt"rs A Melutun"" "nvisronrd. color ItlcVl5Kln IUix mad< -Irom'" ,bl. plasllC fi lm" llul would lold up 'om""h 11$ a plasllc "'lllUI<It doeSloday- OW drSlgners predicted -con ,"¢nience-{m.m.d- [u.mlu" di ..... rd«i ";Ih

Slyles, moduLar rooms chtmiC211y pros •• mmed~o~;.~':r<~,~.~ro:;,,:,~r':":':::i oul 00sp1l..J rooms for hygienIC ioclJll:ralion. and I

for making d'sposabk d1.Shcs No Iongr would tilt dtsht:s-"JUS! tal Ihrow;No")' and nuke !oOtt1¢ mort as ntt<IN. ' ..

DIsposables, ",1I.ubl~, thor ~",)·l ..... ,:t look: bnghl

btr-gLts SOU«T I>owts. foam domn. ASS .ppI~ncc housings, "ndiNI

m<nlS-t~ chings .nd more cam. '" ::::','::::~,,:;:::"~~:;' ;::',,;:'::'~~;::; thaI optntd Ltle in 1966 10. a t"''I>-lIlQt1l h run ~I New York's I porary Cral,s The showing of 181 anilacts .nd archll«:tu",1 ph"'ograPns

bilious for. wrntU mus.um. allract.d ",d. IlItmlon, and markrd

pL>sllc'S IhermoplasllC "lopW1 ~. Fundmg for lhe . xhib,"on caIN

Hooktr Chemlal Cotpornion. ,,""'" poliullOn 0( to.", Canal '

o , • , •

-P'" 10 bn""'" a symbol of alii"'" "'a> ",ong "1111 A ..... """·s ...... 10rltthno-~ """roI and 'r.~ndt""",. Onl)" in n:,rosp«t, ho" ....... does 'Pluto< as PI:<&-

_ IJkt on a <-.:nam Irony. Otherv.lSf ~ 'i i"~pt aiong by IhI: cnlhu_m of ... or s..ndra R Z"nmt.mm·, proSt .~ w ctl.b", led pia>t1C for Ih. us. ""II ::. wuld"1x . I,.",d chemically [0 Sh"e almost .ny prnpeny deslftd in on end ~ -- Mo" ,h.n r"e,bdo",_ "crtOlor COl.tld "vary hlS ma,.".IIO fit hilldtou

jill '" tfllbic "'n\;In 10 mttl hi~ en''''''''''''",ol nrt<U mort p~ly."" fa ~gn-PIasI" at PlastIC IhI: musc ... m h,ttd Douglas De«ls of los Angdo,

ok< ~ a , .. "'hke fl«-1Oon inl.no, of <pnr)'td poIyumhane foam rtahnd

... ~ lrom 'hI« ofOtury:' Ylle 5IUdent5 (Ftgurt 7-21. Thao. warmly ,""1·

~ ,...sunn&l)· rOllgh.nd 'mperkcl ","ron"",nt off.ttd. prrfrct ConlD5110 It.. ,,-Iy~h, precIs.. physlGllly rdined hlgh-Iech obj«ts of Ihe .><h,b" Bt)'Ond

"" pmhClabk domes. sh.lI., mflalables, lmd inJ«:llon-moltkd hahan furMme,

p«S<fU mO$ly only In photograph •. the mus.um g.J,he"d an «:1«:lk mi~ SUAA<SI' III pWtlC"J elIpaflSl' .... tnn.l1onary pn:Stncc In IIIe malrnal world of lhe Late Iw~n'

.. (rIlIUf) The Calegory of appa ... 1 enromp;us.-d acrylic nngs and b~ltlS,

... _""sungUssts of ttUu~ oatalt. gielY hdmrts of pnI)",th)'knt and 6_ iJoIIIaI.. g"uary mtdlClllI gIo\"'" of poll"'lhj"lenr, Ir.lnspa ... ru ,,,,)1 boou, and sornr. ...dr:tcnbrd as A "famastlC body "", .. nng- In "nyl. In add",on 10 mOn: dran"lic

IIOfd" S1ructuru, archil..,IUra! applications included fiberglas S"'tt, IighlS, plan .

Jm.Jnd busSiOp bench ... inflalable ceiling ]l<ln.ts. and I photograph of a boullque ~ designc:d In fiborgl.s by Hans Holle," The fumilu,-, seai"" cOllIOilled mul_

.. ewnpIcs of cur ... ", '"nds. while an «lecliC di'play of lIouSt"'-. res and ~ppli •

... tNbIod 'UIlOrs 10 rom]l<l" • m,n!mallS! Braun .lectric tOOlhbrush ",\h a tl.tm,llon &&eh tltctft<' kn'/e, and $t:",ng pte«Sby .... nell "'Ih. CUt.

.... th)' by Rubbtmwd. Tht sanu: >pInt p",med ,he sc:lrction of 10)'" rangtng

... Cmni", Pb}1l1mgs 10 F.,her·I't-i«:, lrom lhe 5Iyltud pl>stIC-:<&-plasllC forms

_tq:o 10 the Imllatin ttd·brick forms of Pbyskoors !'''O'H<>-bt.dlKOnlmued

"-ron Bods j'rrhal" IhI: wtdcst range: appt~ .... d in thl: exhibit', presenlatlon of

"'"">lied I..,hnologic.l apphcallons-mclud,ng O"'"ge: ,raffic con". ~hlng ma.

• agltolOrs, a 11<l1)"'lh)'1ene m",now bu(ket, poi)'Propyl.ne hmg ... sc:\, ... 1 '"lin­_ of ductwork, an In,fie .. ] hun ,,,I,,,, and lIOn •• and an aamplc of "cireUlli

-.J m poI)'OIrr film" F,nally, Zlm""' ....... n Iud also ",lected Ihln)· .. sc: ..... n In 'OOtb, _ oilhem sculptu~ or ronsUl.lctlOl"lS, many oithtm COS! Or bbnaled

....~nt 1CT)'lIc, the" '-err atStentt ,esnf)"ing to plasllC'S PC""",IVftlCSIS in CUllure

1'bsur .ll$ PbSIIC" allroct«i /a,'o",bl( n:" ...... Wnllng in IIIe Ncw y",~ r'ma

~ befo~ the opcning, Bar""ra Plumb prom~ed tile exh,blllOfl as "pIISlic's

.age ." Het ph~o >pn.:ad , "Genu",e J>lutic: 5<:1 oul 10 pr"'''' plaSik "-.os ..., kIow:. ~onymow M ,II cheap and IlCky" but h.d become. la\lCl,"e of -diS­

::-1111 COI'lStilllt:rs "ho tklight m 115 U'lUpamlC)", hghl -rdltcnng quahnes,

depttt .... pes. Provoked 1»' lhe ahlbOl. ~'''' offered ". ghmp5t of)'OUr

•

•

, , ,

pb>l~ hnulT" in a photo sprnd 01 :utllat'S. SOI'Il( rum I ....

demonS"'ling lhal "ria,,,, is ",.,nM,ful .~ lon~ as U 's brmg "<elf and

"n~lhing , hen m<.m: t~p:m51" •. limn Hom<'! olld I

"lUbkd ~ .. to .~ .... ~ nf>jra.> thaI could J1("U bt buih btlo .. - ,

"uniqU<'ly fil toch)'\ Vo"J.y of I,r.-,"""'''I''T. n.",bk. and mobtle onc, , Ilk sktpucal an Cfllle of tho NO' l'Orit rllnn. pTlIl5flI "P\ast.:: lIS I'Ia!u.. .... h. Iud \Iuk pos"'~ ("say .boulll~ form.>l.n ",00 He ,dened 10 P'Iooc.". answer to an an,st'. drum '_an "cnure (amIty .f rn.,. .... t. ,hal tan bt .... assunll: vmu.lly '''Y 51zt, shape, form, or color tnt mmd of man may t~ but II< bulttd the tXhlblt's onist5 ra' no! 5ClZln, lhl. "olmOS( FatI$l\all ~

TI\(y "' ... Ilpllglu. 100 concc ...... d ,,-nh form. 100 ~ ""nb .d( ... , .. Prxllcal dcsogntrs. by contr.lSl.1lad a1rndy ~ 111 "ddirung. _ .....

{echog "or Wh:1l • Germ.n crill<: has rd •• mllo:as tho plasolwpr,m,smUj 01 the 196Or. ....

iii lutk>! oxp ... """n allllt; MU5Cllm of Corn.rn':"'::":'i,:c:"~r:'i':'~;~:":":'~:;~i tl~nl ";as alrtady under "Oly. St,-mol momhs of aU agn .... eft buginng al Th< G..w".(IU'S ]IIIo!. nacting nervously 10

CpllOO for a malenal~1C culloft Doubts obo\Il plastIC "10ft surfaoltc SOUlUS Inmdly 10 lhe llldUSIry and uS malerW! for one dung. n IIIake Ihlllg5 om 01 pl:t5l1t. D«ds. dolgncr of ~i< ... PlastIC,"

$OOn be """"hle 10 "go IntO ~ 510ft a nd

a g1an« al the offermgs oflnj" d""" 5Iore rt'1:I\«\1

rn<:>kkd JUS! "OS cao;ulOUy For lood><, thing. n and IInpermanm<t 10 lhe poilll of d.,.,...,ma.,on Such Bad)ortlla. mlbW>l< domes, and dJspos;>bk prodl.lClS

INI '" seekmg lighlnc5S had ..... aU ;no.Oln:~ of 5<f\SoO of root.dne"10 the \);151, 10 nalure , to I

ousnus, of '''Olr~n.S$ of ma tter.; of welghl, of consequence NO!

In.. .. 'OO<k .. oIlht pm'\ous <kcade _ I I

too. "WIIIII wlou", .!'IUd fimsMs and 5Iru<lural crack<" 5<",nll·

tNt "p\..st1CS do TIOI gro'" old gra«fuUy' Ilcyond that , an IIt'fIU and insuWanu.lny dwl not squart ""h ·.ht pos;!bk world. In \970, !honly after Iht fi~ Eanh Day,

M~yen rompl'lfled .boUllm: ha,'oc wreaked an I flI(n\ahly. As he JaW iI, (COMm\(: success al l(rnnko.l

lug p~1C !umlllln: ,n ('\'er InctnSlflg nUnlbers- dtpeodtd 00

of the .... a of apc,..J.,\..k fum"ul'C· BU'~'~"~'~'"~"'~;_;~'~~'~.~~~~ hftsly\c ltd peoplt ,0 cry out fOf mort and mo~ of I~ I Ihing:> had bo:comr 'mole durable INn OlIrsdYfS,

tty" EcholflS Buckmin!oler FuU .. " Moyen 11 $ at"vities and prQ(\uclS." The InduSlry had 10 SlOp makins'

high poIluuon pot.n",).]" and In5ICad dt"tlop p\aSllG wuh'

pou:nual:"

, • ""h doUbts mul"pI-w. cxp~d TIOI '" nl\ll;h bj' III,i<lt" hoponll'O curb lhe

__ 1)'5 as by a UIs,de" who ftgardcd Ihe mdu .. ,y itself IU ~n exec,",

Wloul ...... pollu1t"8Ih~ eanh At Iht very marnen! rlamkopl,m'StIlul ,"""lied

- . h • ,app"""nlS ~'" ra'llng sue: ISSllC$ •• to>.ka~, Aamm.ob,hly, solid "'a5lt.

,- ......... puon of d .. ,ndhng f0$5,1 fuels 10 ft«llIW.Uabit 'dinrnu and moldmg

....f«O Other crI'lOI foruso:d on mort ""bok dl5OOllltnlS. P.>t lhem plastIC afJcrtd • of supcrfiC\llh'y Ind d,shonesty In conltmPO"ry1U~ •• nd I me_n: of .~ 10 ,,'hI.,h Itchn<>laglal "progr .... " d,,'Orctd inh.>bLUn!5 of-developed"

..... nrs [n>m simple hl!ma" pleasum;. Thlose ~i UCS r_ to popul3fcon!i(:ioU'jI\'ss

..,...tb< 1%0< and 1970s and rotXiSfc-d "'lh "",,(inumg e,kbralion of Synlhe!lC

and .rufinA t,,'-,ronmrnlS as signl of I 1}'P,cally .Arocnan PWli<I1)', an tr_ldtng of self and lOCicly_ Most oflhe5t conc.ms. pro and (on, "F"

,-td III dJ( .. '()rk of l handful of antsls pamcul:uly sefWtn1: to cultural ''''nds and 11>m .. p~nlaIlOnsof plasIic.nd p~lC"y alford a usefullmrodu<:!ton

.. !he <lebol'

".UCED IY ARTIFICIALITY

w.d l(I nomt Ihr anlSl m.:o>I a.ooc"",c-d ... "h P~I< m the 1960s. rmlny Amencans oM:I ~ twned Andy w .. hol_mort for a FIIt'",1 aura Ih>n for any USC of pbs--11:" his In. A bnef ilcllL III ,he N.w lor. nmt5 on ApMI ! l, 19116, "'paned th., a

-...om {or op""mg wi,houl I .. barel ltecn5t was l<r,'~d on Plastic l'l("ltable, I "P" .. tc-d on 51 Mark's I'bcc b)' Andy \\oa,hoI, pop an rnlrtprtncu,." IIIod .. ,.b pauumg and filmmalong, Warhol Iud tnWnI.d the mul1" ... d ....... ppc" _ .... mud hall cast of Grn:n ... ""h \'iIlagt The Explo<hngPlaslK' lnt\1tabJo ,,'as !Itt 2l'Vll-gml' C\'nU of the 5t.l'lOfl A5 SlroIx- bghls Ibshtd, lhe \'el>1:<

nd pb)-td f«dbalok_bdrn proto-punk, l"'lh<r-(:lad dana" Impmvistd ... ' iII\d an Improh.bly manic Warhol directtd $'nlUllOo<oo5 projtCllOl1 of 5tV_ ... of h .. fi lms ""to 5h,~'ng art .. of the auditorium, SOm<l'rnts with handheld

• _lOrnCIimcs d ... oned by gel on lIIe kn$, Sonlulta",ousJ)'. uplo".-" al lhe c..111 GaIleI'}' on Eas. nth Sorttl. propk rould ""P"rmtt a !nOR calmIng

"'nronmcru. an "ISlolbnon C21~ SiI, ... r Oo.wh In an ",hc"'1SoC tmply ... fOOm Oooltd an a,t'a) of pIllow_shaped balloons. each aoom 6,~ fUI long

ItIIofIIl from mrlall.Clud polytSlcr film and ,nH.ltd wIth hehum, Ihtse objrclS ~ Kfmly, r;ondoml)', reneeltng ".gu. pan.ms formed b),tach Oln..r lhe Hoor

tile hghung, and pa$<I'ng ",,101'5 In enher case propic could ";"kt of t"':

... wha!cvcr Iht)' "'"IfIlro by p...,..:tma lMIr """fI e ..... """ •• nd <I""' ...... .. r:o=,ronmcru, SO unlike one anot:hcr, rompnsed .11 ofw.rhol's txphc~ It. ""tput u.cpI for a set of one hundred uny polystj'rtIlCOOxeson .. hlCh IIIto.. ~ ponral1~ of len of Cas!clh' •• ruSlS. Ulcludm& hun'ltlf ,~. w.rhol',

.. :::' wlih pl.stoe dU"1:d from lhe ... 1)- Pop An lha l rr.adt h,m farnou$ BUI

..... .,/rhol. hunsrlf who ."oked a 'ltnst of p!aslic oTl,fieLlhly. "If you ..... m 10 aboul Andy Warhol. JUSI look .II the surf:act: n.. lold an mlt,,·1t"'1Or; •

•

, • • • , "thtte'S "",lung bdlmd 11 H,. I~"''' conunually shuung, "::::::.:S Imrie,,", Imh taCh lum. As I young!mn Warhol ah~mllus twn<: ~

I~U': surgtry on ru.1lOK w"h u.mt lit btg>n wr~nng""lr.I~ I'honr Of 51"'" WI&" ,hal aocmll.l;Il.d hIS unmuu .... 1 palloi' In 1M mld·l960. he Imposte, on tilt roUrS' lraute ClrtUI, About 6f, .. n )'tars bIt' lh", dEinuy .. 1ic",ll1y Tt:ochtd ~n extr,me IS lit col\;lool1ll«l wnh • (onn .. Di"Iq' ,~ suucung on 3udioommalTOnlC W.rholrotlol of plastic.nd alloys--""'ndrd.':;

Slar of "Andy Wathol". o...,,,,xj'l<>S(d A No-Man Show"'''' Aft., Warhol' . ...... 1987. acqualm."" .. recalled. p"!,,,vlIy lila'rru.b\,d him 10 adJu.t LI:.. t"--'­to I",,; surround,"gs. A bIOgraph .. dtSCrlbed hIm as". void 10000rd whICh .... gra\'1latro WIth th,;, .nxt<1lt5, ,twIT ambitions .• nd, occasionally. tlltlr uttfW_ H, had .. knack for ",mamlng '-<k,x!wl whIle lunng huns-if optn to on ~

duury ron&" of lnfil\<:nctS, subtle or del"3Sllung. 50plnsnCl.l.d Of COO"" ' ..

plNlC. aocordmg 10 8.o.nllts. "-as. formlHs nw,nal open 10 .... inlinn.e 1" ...... of .1Itcu. 00100 ... ;as \\'2<Il0l capable of .mbod)1ng hIS cullur~:'s.shUt1Jljj: 5hap..

By tit. I;u~ 19605. number of .nlSl5 "'~K USlu& pbsuc. mostly cas! '" ~

xl)'lic, Cnl'" Lucy uppam rntIed C3utiouSly to.n ""h,bnloOll of ~ kn

by mort than a do..,n anisuhdd at \lItjohn Dan~IsGalLc')' in 1965 c....;. 00 • r,dd thaI mcluded loCUlpture by Don:Ild Judd. D;rvid Wcmnb. aOO ... Smilhson. W con<!u(\(d .ha. "plaS!!C lends 10 I~kt off on i.s 0"'''' "I" four,.. to.u • major ""htb,UM Wllh works by SCm( fifty loCUlptors demommned r. ....... wi.h fIberglas. infialables. upandtd foom, ">Cuum forming. and obj«u ernbItMIII

in '''''''partnt cast reson, Organized by lhe Mllwauktt An Cenler. "A 1'Ia!I1C ....

el1<:." e:Il"" "'~Ih a "'"'" oll.logue ~y blulltl)' announcmg 1""1 INny plasIiQ ... "largtly in<kptmknl of sprohc now 11'\,1\ ..... 15' bK3us.. tlxy were rnIdc ~

from gasts as IICaSIiIbLc as lilt alf' CnllCS .. 'OKkd commcru on ,lIa but .... ally found .hal Ulrsts had not )'t'I mastered plastic Robrn I'II'ICUS-WUtal_

pb,nr;d. m Arifaru'" lhac lhey ,,~rt IIs'"g ploiOSllC 10 ... ,~Iop Kios already .....

0\1, fitsl in mort tradJlJonal m(lhods' H"""CI~r sptctacubr the n:sults, pIaMK_ ica<hnganis\s Into "Umlatl'" ... ,hoer lhan mn",'at"" mO<ks" Anod ... , mil< ....

lilt SOm( pouu m Am M'WW ..... nollng lhal C>"Cf\ WuisIc NC».I.otis SIIbtic .,.-

Ianguag< of compartm(nlahullon dtd "001 dung< in pa<S\ng from wood" 10,.. AniS!.! had nOlicamtd 10 u .. plasi.: IS plastic, lor lIS own sako. norhad lhry'-

10 grif!5 wnh Us cullu .. 1 me'''lngs, "" Bruce Beasl.y"'-as typical of those who rm5scd the point brcaus.. lit 11Ul!lld_

cre':lling monumcm.l loCUlpturt In Kr)-Ioe !lorn in 1939, he worktd In ~ making brgr ...... ptngsculpturtli In brollU Ind 31 ... mmum Woln", for I ..... lhac would "" .. alllx IrOOI1W lens>oll of .rresow confltel.1It dl5CO, .. rtd t.sI ... and btgan workmg ... ·"h " III anticl~lion of (ntenng I COIIlpCIlllon lor. ~ 10 be loollw beN...", I"'" S\:a1e govcmm(nt b.nldmgs II Sacramento, I\eJllll'lll'l 1!Hi7. Be~y "~nl through • SCntS of exptnl'llt/US rtallmg s.d<rbnd In ~ ptndcnc. on heal and pressure III In ,ulod~ 10 cure lJquld Cdtng:5 dwI'"

•

..rge<t IS "f,othy plastIC III<:S6CS." Aflc, Six nl{)nlhs Ind $4.000 m loans, hoe 00.

-.:I . small cry>ta1<icar loCUlp<urc llu\ nUKl( hIm. linaltst and brough, Slate

~ to "",Ire I foo)·-two-mch hundrN_pound ItIOI:IeI whoso< pro~d rtlllza" __ 1IS 10 ~",rnd lift"", Ittt In length ond "'~lgh thtncrn thousand pound§ In

br """ lhe romptnnon ... Iottht tnamlm( &a>icy ""25 stt.o...',ng _ of hIS more s~fuJ ~xpenments

......... S\nglcd OIlI an lIflll1lcd "''''SInK: f,",-iorm sculpture" as IIx mIlS! cffm,,~ _In an nh,blnon of -PlastICS WCSI Cc-M- al S;itn f"UK:\sco·. Hanstn Galle')' tote .1\167 H. Iiso rxh;b;.td at I show dtvoIw 10 ·Pbsucs and />;ew An" II Ih.

Y Df ~nnsylvani.:l urly in 1969.00 h:>d h .. g,,,,k SMmptt~ tJgItt~

flCl' ''' 7~20) mcludcd ," "A Plastic Pruence- It Mdwau ktt_ The latter plC(Ce.

~y·m"" rnches high . depIcted .wo crystall me columns ddormmg and joinIng on. ~u;d but dOlled \1ole"" •. before -"'p:tr:lling and contmumg upward_Ih.

<lect.1II~mg. simultaneously abstraclcd .nd .. nsuously phOloreallSl \1slon in dlm(nstons of ilQUld ch.omt ct\lSh<:d Illd ,,~lde<l in -'Ome unlln.lgitlable ...

_h $Iud..,; dId ""nl Qualuies of lighl lhal only transparmt CISt K')lic could

~ Bw ]fK:ms"'g lilt §IU 10' monum(nlll scale addtd bllie 10 Sl1<:h c><plor1-

-. StaltlpN' ~. Afler Beasley won the COIIlpC1JUOO md brgan .....,.k,ng .. the wi!I" sculp1.un" ru. emphasos Jhlf.td. from K\ulmg u... rrwenal's poIt'", ... 1 •

-• • ,

II.> ~kbr:lling lilt htl(li< lechl\(}logoal procrs.s II"'OI,".d m Us CROI_

d~O\·(rtd hI! S~.OOO a""",d would n<lI. ",'tTl pay for tlx I'tSIn ' ' '"",.:

<onsume. nor Iud hIS cxptn .... nl$ S"1Cn hIm 1M apen, ... to handlt casu", Taking h .. model 10 Wdml"S'OR. 8tasky conVllKni Du Pont . ponmtnt 10 p""ide CUI-rat. ,,"," and technical as.ISl.mcr From tho POint or \'ltW, 1111 prodUOIlWlll&,,' rce>l1w. lItasky'. plOJOCl ~."" ."":;:: t5I 1CT)'hc (:unTlg .''t. made. and protgbly It.. largrsl lnru.p;1mv.q.q .... Ofld • Th()' prolwtd I~l Apo/).".,.,. lIS il was calk<!. "not br: JUSC •

><ryhc. but. mom.nnml t 1 bUIlL lilt mold. boughlaserondhand IUloda-".;and

P'N".I process t~ ,ook four<b)'5 "I pounngmd ntarly' dltn Sptlll tight months san<iUl& and pollshmg II«: ma«I'''' un,,,,,ltd In ~l11mo:ntOm \brch 1970 I

)'tI. lumInous fonn or ApaI>""'" sprtad honronl111y

and • fI1OIUIrotIS bud In fuglll, or t .... hc.odsol

" monumcnlalscutplure ... h~ Vtry maten.l def'"<lthe ca.""" of ~ ,"I,,) A" A" Ne .... rtP""'U c~p<u .. d U' 4nornal"w ... 'us wlu:~ <kocnhu ••• ~d ","IIlU" "'no commelll.d ","o"dotingly to I frn:nd, "i! looks \Ik< ~

llusl.y" dn'"" toward 1'" monu,,,,,,,,"l 1M h,m to use plostic '" 1f IL " .. ~ •• llon. l i1CulpLural malenal

Other -.:ulpLors "''Orklng al Lhe same time did u .. pOtslic In .... "YS Lhal ~ conjuncLions of malerialand <uiLure. Among Lhem werr Owtne Il . n><>n andClJlr, Oldenburg. who tloth .ddm .. d Lhe complex of ".'5ue •• umunding ,mil. LIM," lauon, .rt'~Clalny. 8C)'ond thaL theyhad llule in common. Oldenburg was ..... 0I.t5 inlelltct..al ",110 m,wed In ",,,m _garde circles and ""Plottd . wttk .....

med\J.nd Lhemes. tl;nuon W2'l an outs""" .... 110 ptrf~ted a single ,~tndlll5 mquc ,."hout .. ally 1nlclle<:tuallztng il ". Alter years of ",,"'ing in oo..:u,..., ... son's b ... k come Ln 1966 ",th a s .... 1l t'ighlttn-inc:h fibtrglas figure of a _. dltd dunng In 11I<g;llabonlOfl_ I ptca: 1l>J, cau..d ... "ndal in Flood> '" "';l5lexh,ng He IoIIo-.-'ed ~N.L .... ,~h altfe-SJ.;:f: bu'''yllZed fibcrgbs ro<pst m.1III ,,'OOdm collin. ~·tljIl .. -2'9IP, .......... <TIllCIZ,ng bu ... ucrxy's unftthng' ; t hum.>rl nero Ju It.al pou1l Hanson odoplcd. ,~tmiq ... u."l lransformrd .... ,he wmg 01 'mp~ for molds from bodors of I,,"tng modcb radtn."

,~ ...... cLayongmals Exh ~'" pte« btcame """'" .... Iis;ic as lor ,1' ...J1y tt l" a """"r of socIII corrooxnu ,n fibtrglas-a murder "COIOt, I suOCKk. a rapo 'llllll ,~"cum. and ('\"Cntu.l1y ublc.oux of Amcncan ",,"dad. de .. 11Ct'i the ~Iftt, and nw:n In. raN not l'he5e piotces thmsl DC obsc" .. " ,nco tt.' d .. ,( P'"fCnu of an unxctpc.blyshocl<1ng~ft -,=· .... ny.·""""th,ng

,'tOUSly only through photographs After ~.bhsl\lng hun .. lf wnh ,ueh ,"orl«. Hanson ,h,fted hlS focus -..,~

19705 No Ion~r SIn"ng LI) rommumClte a socul ""'"""gt. ht concc"

• rn; figuft'S 11lI15lon'Sll<~lIy (Xrfw H( becam~ ad~pl at placing models in

;mI clnalural .. ~. took gr<colCr ",,1m ",th lhe rnnlds.Ia,.,.....d.,,~nll{)n<>n P""" 'rl$ cllllr Ilntshtd pif«S. ~honOOntd WIgs In !"'"Of of a tedious prt«du ..

III pt.o. ,~ ,nd"Id ..... J ~TlInds of hall. and eventually abandoned fiberglas 1m cas! ~. ",atuUlI ",Ih Lhe LTlIns/Uct1lCl' of human wn_ 1Re Slmulanon of hr~ ..... .., .,.-.rt llUll &JUn)' VI$lLI)I'5 ""uld ask Hamon', unIformed guard for dlfet110RS 1)1'

Wlolf~ of the ",OUL young "''OInlIn thq had Just .loo..."Cd. Ahhough H<>nson"s .; .. ~ _It h~ ""0'" lndlClt«l r",peeI for Ius mostly workIng-dass 6gu .... lor __ ~htm "Ith sam1C 'n1~m .... in the fl)l1""~ng a bhmphke .... nlwher

<RlI 01 htr brach drHll'. ",~h. Nml(lnOli fftqoil"~ and box of Cracker Jacks .... btl' pIasIK.", .. bbcd bta<h Ch.al~ mlddle ... go<d Loons[S (Flgu", 7-21) III gaudy ...-htd d .. d~. ht ",·,th H""'''llln shin and ameras. she In plastIC nH 'ICOn, .kOI' ptnk 5U~, carry"'g a "11)-1 bag 'mlUltlng ""tch,,"O'" bbnc; a bulgIng

shopper ",'uh curle .... on Karl. '~nyl 1"'''''. and ,upel"lIl.>rkct can filitd 'I) .. brun ,,"h j»Ckagtd fl'l<'Xb HIS plostlC pel)plc. remarkable for the,r mutalion of .. bit_ for Illrll Ilmulal"'" of .. alll~ ... m:d II) suggest a cuhu", «jually phony

~wml,bk '~nSlmiluU<k M1ggtSled tlul ... 1 Amclic:ans slu",d Ihtu '''''UQus

.." .. , ""IT po,hc.k ."<mpU.' oub,u'l« n..: ID01~ ,,,,I lid,,"'''' "....!< 'hem

","""", '.'"

•

• • . , • . , look 1Iu: mo.., .nsub<.taruw ~mtd ,he ruhl)' .0 ,",·hoch l~ """'~ &>1I«y of hIS pb>lL<: pwplt olTer«! a dl>(OI1(CMlng slwxk

CJ;,a Oldenburg. on .~ OIm' rttogrlluotl_ If Hanson 'CnOrnd .1It 'NIt",,' abur>o:l..>r1« or ,he I as an cmply affaor of <hopping. suptrnu,ka .abI01ds. p;ackaglllg, denburg gloried in .he ""parodl"g m;lltlial world

5<nl~Uons of tvtr)'day 00;"'15 "".,h. scnsu;llny ,1\;1. sam«!

hunun While Hanson f.brlc.,«1 in plaMic. Oldenburg sculpted

Wh, l. Hanson "mu1 .,ed pc:opl., thtn drtsstd and surround~d

things. Oldenburg euat.d an . hc""uc ~~:~:~r~~~::~:~;~~; th3.. world, hIS mo5I. pt",rpl,,-e cntlc, IbrOOm Roo<. has stalrd,

""rd. •. lump .... ""OOIlitr, bl~r. bright • •.• han any <ral objttlS."

paragrllph or i1 book about Oldenbuf5 PIIblisbcd III 1970.lhe cnllC nddl. of ",ItS "Wha, IS both lI:ml and ",fir slit askN.. "' ....... chanpa.

iiqudio:s. ~ " solod' \\'h:I, IS both Iormnl and. unronfomubld ~~~~ ioost! ~nl and potml .. lr sn. "'~ .hinklngof Oldmburg's ;lr1 .

miglu JU5I as "'Til h:nT brm plO$IC In III ilS mu]hpbClly of forms one. conksstd. -[ "'''' ... ductd by IMlIic .. h,y,"'"

Edu""'t~d as. p:"nt~., Oklrnburg lound h,m ... lf ,,",ught up .round 1960 ." h:ipp<ni ngs and enVl.om ... nt3 01 IJIICh New York ono.l. as R.d Grooms. Alba .... row, and Jim Dint. wno w .. e CK~' ing I .. mporary an of the momtnt 1_" debris of e"eryday life, O!d~n burg himself cK.ted IWO . ",i ronm.nts. TIlt 51 ... TIt. 510'-'. tM lall" filkd with lumpy. pudily palnttd repre",ntlt;on, d_ goods-clothts . shoe,. dtbrnlUSC" loods-madt from muslin and pWir .... ",,,,r chid .. :n 'VI"" , TIlt ntxt IlUJor d.,,,,lopm •• It In hIS lit. goaru soft sculpl_1f

bnglltly p:llrutd Slu&d ca'''"25. Slemlntd dlme,ly from hI< nttd '0 liD . .... w.. ... gallery space ,hal "' ..... Id Iu,,,, "'''''PO"''",rtd dw: small on,faro 01 T1tt_ Ex}ubltM m tllt faU of 1961 •• hnc !Ie\\' oo,ms-tncludmga gwu clolh ~

• pn' Itte.""m COnt. and 0gi1m pte«of cak-sbocb:dan an " m id to .b5t~ C>tp~oni5m and hdptd mo .... Pop Art OUt of the underground ....

• f ..... mon'hs Oldtnbu'g .... asupctimcnllng with FIaoblt: eolorW 'i")i~. • subsllWtc for can,'as in ,hi: 61'SI of his 5O<1Ikd "soft moeh;"",."

Ther. ",'Os something un,h K'lening. cw:n wa . m and in",ung. ooo..t !I ..... scu lptuln Old~nburg oKa,. d du,,"& tht mid.I960s, HIS soft machines t..:IIW

vl.l .uons on a Id~phont. a IYP""'ritcr, In d~lnc mix", a bal hlub, ' dl1linpiPfo8l old·fa>hiontd d~mc fan,. toaSter, Ind a 1934 Airflow Chry!;k. ",;,11. sonw~. partS--radiato •. engt ... , nru. Ind 50 on F.bn.::ated lrom shttl '"\IIyI "uh ..... VlSlbly ... wn 10~tM •. the 110ft mxhln~S\.",,,,, hugo:.oftcn .. ,,,,ral feci across a.­Industnal "'ith smooth, chemic<llly bnghl ""fl«t"", sutfaao:s, IM.of, til ptd aU the """'" a ),~ld.Jng of npl nuk I«hnologt<::s. Btg. rum plc<i, .. too sol, 10 suppon Iht!r ""TI Indll5t~1 functions, Oldenburg's '"\11)'1 KJlldC

ponended ~ world m which, accordIng to RoK,"'IM m:achint - no Jonat.--

7-22 C...,a-.. ... $01'

&<_ """to·"q

...,;, strange. bu, reaswnnglr lamillar_~ m= ~~ man. unique, ,lunge.

.... :and abO"l'~ all wlrw: •• ble .. ,,' The 110ft machiroe> "f,,,,, np< ""m body """gery, • In ,be long \1 t1)1 labial lolds 01 a Scfl & Ilt lub (Figure 7- 11) or in the collap"'d

11/1)'1 pluollic form of a Sol. Airflow dral"'d li mply""" a me,al Sland Oldenburg

"""'i...c such translormations by d~b!ing th., ".n).hlllg "'f', 01 cou~, Ixcomcs

lHIt·bkt."" c;:m., ,h,nk$ of llanlum ilourKkro"g agalll5l an infLu abl" or, moK p.1r. ao:uiarly,oI hIS do.llllC1'on betw .. n no.nonscnsc tnimologioal n.rd"",re and tht

polYID".pholl5 hUllUlllzlIIg iiOf''''Ol'' tn.1 "'as ... placlng iL Wi,h 11.1< ",It ~hlnes Oldmburg ctltbt1l,td a pcrct,,"ttl amnwion of tM uwumau: on ;I m.t~nal .n\1TOn.

- that Sftmcd locmtSangly resporuo'''' .0 nwupulouon, For Oldenburg. Il0l11.,,,& !lid gmur rulny than the an,fic!;ll, and pI.oSIlC bnI cxprcsstd the sttl.uctn", an>li . .-to ~dr •• he ",=I< of Duorw: fbnson Ind Clan Oldtnburg " to touch on coo .

I1Dnoty bu, ... latnl aspects of piMlIC5 ploc~ '" A",e"""n CUltUK during tM firul dulll 01,,,, "''ent~h ctlllury For !ltar!)'. hundKd years. SIne. cdlulold'$ C<lmmcr.

<Oibu.tion, plastic had im" .. td O1hcr materi. ls, 'rha! motiv~ r~ac"'d I1S fi n.1 disul.

lKJon in Hanson's fibo:rgl.s and vinyl figures One of his grotesquc~ broughl to hf.

IOIlld Iu."" pb}",d .he .01. of t'" graeeleu booster ",ho =o>lCd DuSiIn Hoffnur\

I'Iasut was tn. ma.eriil.mbod,men, of tw:'}.h"'K phon)' ,n Americ.n 11Ir. II! emo-­

Ik:onlI slums and 1n.1~,ft grauftc;mon" II< f.ISIr fron", and Tudor suburbs. liS

• l~ and pa'I1OIIC numme'}'. lIS ...,ihngness to "''''''present, to dWon, to lei aoIIt \":/JUI' dmnntn. lhe 'ru,h of things But. ",,,ft in locus by a !No drgr«s

- plrulychanged the p1C!.u"" To ml5""preSlrlll an unsausUctory pKSml no longe.

an OUtrageous h. bu, the SIgn oro d(St ... 10 r..ch fot tM futu"" The dr.",I. •

• , • , op"",n. of Amenc:m ru lIU" ",<ltJ on a fa"h m ,he u,,[oklo"& of I>Ottnlial , .... , succus corron [0 IhO!'t who .... lp .hemsel,'«, llu.,htl<kal con bt ~'" , .... t.;oS W,lb"mJ;a1TOO put ". 'T"U.l In" f;>C\ can http C ..... ,~ It-.. b.c, F"'.::; rony yt~~ SInce Ilokd".', C('m .... rc"'hLlllon. ,,"', pbSUCllyof IVW mate.,. ... m'Tl'OI'fd lilt plUUCllyoi It.. ~",world And ,[,he bnd il5<U was ~0Ul.

up. or filled in. lilto ntw malenaJ could extend liS p!aslidly and tnlnrta .... -:

Ill< abdny of Amcncms 10 "' ..... 1« Of rcsh;Ipc ,he" C"'lron"",ntS """''''~: m ... ~ 5('UJplUI'tS ,."h Ih ... 11'*'1"" combll'lalion of dl¢nucal *ruIicWn' '''1l .... ync.auc La,WntSS of 'P'nl5Ugg::sIM tht poIrnnal lruth of such an ""'m1llQ ,. $Oft ICUlplurr, - tit Orltt d.d ... mf. 'b a .. mold"", of I'" .. 'Orid. ; ..

Il!JI ,lui It"I'IO!IOUS (''o7011l<11;on 'g>o",d anothtr true .. ] dtmtnL oht ~ ... wh",h pbsI ... ,,~ mtlled. ddormtd. or lransfonnnl. the Ippartni 'mpo~ of IYWtnats w~ 1'11)'5101 UI>.lenct paradmoOlll)' outl .. Sled .... 'tn the pmpIr_ crt.Iltd and moldtd ,hem Oldenburg C2IIghI IllS soft madUI~ '" a slow ~ dissol\1l.g..n IllusIOn [OSIer«! as thc"CJtases and fold, ctu.ngtd ,.,1In. lit ...... ,"'-m In lit.., I'osilloru; Asldt froll ,he drpng and <"",lung of ' 'inyl surfao.s ...

age ... ",h 50ft nUlChm("'';1,5 frour mld ...... y In Ollllll.i1gmtd !r"J~ory frum .... g.dl1Y to Cl>l11pl<lt liquiduy Altho.gIl Ol<ltnbu'g <>net saId tilt", we", "two ...,. .. upe.i(n.cmg matiere th" 50lid Sla ... nd 1M dlSSOlVUlg Slat~," I\( fo,WIn tu._ wo.k 10 follow ,1><; logic of pb5l:c '0 ;" final end'" One of hM ( nmemflOl*

succeeded nil> .. lhan Oldenburg in e"preS~llg lilt impermaTlf1lCt of pIast", n. anlS1 "''lIS W L..vinc:,. " lnsh·C.",dlJ.n·Amuican of shilling ime",<;u Onct 10'" rnillJ.rly know" K! PI.S!IC M.,C 1001 U/, magazme ,d,mified him as "",;1> in 1-.

UVlM soon dlS5Oi"ed m1() .eb,;,,< obscurily as if he " .. '" a c",am", of lhe ephaI. cralny wh~ m05l un.,n m«h um "'';OS plastic_ ' "

IIorn m Dublin in 1936 .nd cd'.IC>I.d al tlte Cc:ll, ra1 School of Arts and~.

London, le\~M (m'gralw 10 c. ... dJ. In 19~ and o.ganized a",.,,, 01 ~

shows m T(H'OIIlo. ~n8lran 'PQ)' p",ntings of chairs 10 lhe "wraJlllllC"" wooden cNUB In "gil, ~bergbs skillS. He mounted Iti§ fiTS! one -man ohow "',. Yo.k in 1966.I .... O)UB.fltr .. loc.unglh.re Beyonda whue vinylletsuresuu _

as a looemalk. l.evtnt beoImc k"""'lllo. ,"'-0 rebled nmul"", --dtspOSObit an' "Cll\1ronmem<ll pIacn: ~h dCl"'nth nlt on plastic for .he" ",altzall(Jrl

nwtnals olm,clw h,m for I,,". cheapnes5. IJv:,. UbtqWly, <heir unpcrsonabcy.

hcca~ Ihm ~ b)'JI"56Cd lhot '!aft prort....,. of l!"Id""","l an .... 'hrn

p""'-ic, hot (QUid m"'~ froen COII«pt 10 rna.,; produrtlOO .... 11hoo' hz>-.ng 10

il by hand ltvlnt hoped 10 shon-<"olU .M prillIX}' of ,'''' unK!'-" lugh-art by subll.lluung for II .. nws-pt'rICucW "tI()tI.oo,..ct~ ,",'II11bl. 10 on)""" for . doIL1", -dlSpo$Ibic on ' fUl'lCtlonUlg as 'a ph)....,,] maru[~5ta1Jorl of a JI'l'W> ,n 'l5Clf IS tIQI complele' The odta seemtd '" Tn'OIulionaJy thaI a fomd/y

o:ft.o:d '0 11 ,,"h an unbm,l...- wrm as a nun,blation of "post ·Moo.rn"nt

AI1\OI1& le\1ne's fifSl dlSpo$Ib~ an "'2S a.o-colW ....... 11 scllipture" exM .... lhe 'Plo5llC as Plulic·· ~ at Iitt M....,um of Co'Utmporary Crafts 11Ds

•

of.o Jrr.n~mcnl of " ... 11 liles, .""It r.bncated from. Ihm 100I-"l ......

::.:~~!~~~:~:::::~~:;: ~:c;:'f~:::.::~:, =:~ ' .-pie ,..btl PJllcrn ' .. In 1968 Mok.doped lhot >de~ funhenwh Dlsposa/lk' W~II

• ~ y",h FISChbach Gallt.}' The " ... ll "'" compost<! of SI~kcd moduLlr cubts ~ nl po/)'5t)'l'f'lt. taCh ,,'i.h • k,nd of shadow box rnoIdcd mlo il5 inleno.

I.' ..,.,...<1 angle. thot .... hoIe eltStmblo: "",aung I ·Jmnmenng tff~ ,,' V"'tOf$ 10

__ f ltChI:»<h could P:'n:1wt sh«IS or cubes for '''''0 '" Ihree dollars apita. Iml<

... thin lhot p~ 0 a COmmon d,me""ort lIem ~1ne's ~pI of d1SpO:SOble

III ,..d1ed' hm" of JOru In 1969 "lIh In ut"all"llon callffi "'~ The antSl ordft'td (OIIIlTIItn:>;tl ruoufxlu", of ",,~rallhousond Kimt>eal d .. -cut 51","" of

.tml"t rmcall ... ·\Ud \I)'Llr poI~r. taCh "raptWld "bou\ mlltlttn mch""loog

the backutg from thmy ollho: m,rro~ suckers. he pIactd .hem "", .. ",.j a ","", If. lite SOll<ry-m floor ...... 11,. u,hng. OIhcrs """k up <>UISidc do:w .U.nllon

'" til< .xh,bu, • collectIOn of .... -.nd"" ... ,,'I,,~h see onlo 1M room ralhe. than QUI t/IIlU&h 11 For Lt""lr, sellmg ,nd,,·,dual "",kcrs was more ,mpon.nt lhan II\(

....lIluon -o.~ lhe pun:~r of ... in.i?w p.m 11 III lhe dtsittd P"J'lm",,: he """,!ltd, "II IS uSf'd up Ind, although" Cl>n be ",1llO\-.,d alld dis~d of. ,t call Of\"tl" b< ,..",.J Wuh.lIlhcdlSposab~ ",he IS-'!"" ""os not whal Ihe ..oj"''' looked

• . bul lli,lI [Ihey[ (o"ld to: th.own inlO lilt garbage af,er one gO! fed up ""h

tbtm . Lt>,1"IC hoped 10 encouralt' """.ive .. penence rad",r .han a con""m Wli lt

_ IShIP,"'" ~lncJ ",he •• ~,al t y. h'5 "tnviron 'llental plac~.," p.m-.,.d mOrt eph~me"' l ,han

!lor dllflO$lhles btca,,5t ~xperi."ce waS .11 one: co uld lake aw..y from lhem. His 'II0Sl

eb",ou! ~nv,ronmen'. Sll~(n('. WU m51.11cd al the An Gallery of Ont3no in 1966 al lhen lravtlcd 10 the Wo lker An Cc:mer m Mill"eapolis and lhot Arch,teclu!"Il

IDgue of Ntw York 5l'~CI'tr (f'gure 7_lJ) wa< • large .oom hned IhroughOUI

wh mll1'l:Htd Mylar film Two huge bl>dders of ",nt<:1"-,, pIast", 6Jrn rominuously

o

, " . c • • • . , mlbtcd and dtl\.11ro. changmJll , .... Sl"" of , .... ~ As. 'lSil(]($"""'ka1 ~ slide pro}tC'lors~ on ,,<lIIs and pWpk dlSlonw l~ ofthc room dun",': uh,bo .. "I,,,. 1"""""" lear . whIle n'I><:ropllooes I':<ktd up 'mbltl\\ smt"<l ... ... II back diS'IOr!.d t~l em.w.d for the ">laloguelxforc 1M en"mnmo:rus/i .. .... mg, levu,,, profeS5(d .10'" for -dran lhlngs"; he was "1"""'..3.'od by Prt<.:isoo.t' _

mcd James 1I0lld mer"; •• as an example. BUllhere ""35 mol\: to Silp<""" 1'-" htgh-I..::h d..my of ploSlIC Its org_m:CT hoped 10 1I'Id".,., a profound d~"" .. ;.

a 'iluod"y:. §ellS( of ptop\< --",.1t"'JIl ,n the room btcaUlit of what II btl ...... jKttd of 1M "",11,.- 01110 ,h." movtng bodor$ ,

In, ... 's 01"" rNJot m..,,-onmtru:ol woric suWSlrd p=->n ""' •• \han .... ,mallon but at... .,mcd., • rrdUCIion of dot an objm 10 rothingncso Krw:o.a. Sla> Mach,nr In liS bask: form. wh"'h "'ot$ ,,,,,.Iled O! 1"" FlSChbad. Galin)- '" _

it consisted of tWO large mmspattnl ao::r}'h<: p"ntls. uch aoou1 ""en 1«\ ........ len !.."fOOl(. roch II>lth a huge v,""uunl.formcd h.111 bubbk n.. lWl,! panda .. pbctd ",1\,,,,,11), paralkllo exh 0111 •• , bo'OO\Q; fa.:ing ou, ..... Id . .., that peopieOllll ""Ilk lh"",gIl.nd ""I"'rk"", lite ""rid from ,ns;dt a plw:e cocoon .......... pandtd vcrsion was ,nsta!1n! In ,he Kul)Jlu~ prd~n of th. M"",um of ~ .. ,n lhe ",,"ngof 1967. Funlkd by Amerk2l\CY"",mid. bbncatorohhe pIIndt._

G<onftft "45 ~de up of four groups of four ~nels ....,11.. Each gJOllp iormaI .. oulhl>!: of a rtetlnglt. bubbks focing oU!""rd ond cu"mg I""'on! thos. of tilt. group. 1t1<: "'hole envtronlMm(O'-cfC<l.i~<t." hu,.JI~d><tuH< f~~, ofd"' ....... garden's upper ((rra«, Peop le could " .. lit in, through. " tId a!:lund oil ~Xlttn ~

Refkclions of k,bu:ing ,'IsllOrs. I .. es. shrol.>s. loCulp<u", doud,. and sky IlII1ia(11111 m ~-cry dirutton A<;<:ordmg 10 le"11>!: lite lhlng u-5<:lf '''os of buJ. ,mpo<UlllClL" ""moo proplc 10 "SI!It5t.~ lhe,,~ you fttl cloth orony Irxlunol ~ .. rxpb..-,OO l~l he Inlmdcd Slar Garde>! "htcr.tlly as a pbct :0 be m. mhcr ._ objro. and obK,,'td t~1 "it packagu propIe m endless >p:>CI' and __ look mo.-e beauliful. shin)' ond. new" For :m ASISOC\;Iled Pr= .. ponu .. 00..., about "p!aSliC bubblo' was pic~d up by nt"-spapers;lS fa. ""'a)' ;lS Ardmort .• homa. levinc s;ud simply Ih:" "'I'S 5upposed to make people happy. tn.II II;

For all ,he lalk of msubStamiahly. 51ar Glmltn was 50 big and he-a,,:! it had .... slupped m """'lrIg ,,,ns 10 "' nexl ",,!lllalion allhc Walker An UIlIU .• _

Story .. hed for 115 humor on 1r.1TIr'~ "",fief about hov.' to SlOR' or soU"" ... ·hen be ran out of dlSpby vrnUCS. Such conttrru hardl}' aIIliued aoorMI ..... Proem <j E/tllllll<lll(Pll. ,,-hICh combtnOO 1r.~nc's ,,,,, major fcmtS. ~ ... the cnvil'Onmerua! pbcr TIt. "",It "iook pbcr: for ...... , of a btue. pttno..­'--.c;tn, lot ;lCrOS:l from W3ShmgtOllSqU'" Park II began OIIJanuary 22. I'M." lev,"" loC"ltertng thret hundred ·pIoSlIC d15po5i\ble CUf\·ts" "'~ tit< groun6-4 a lhm rig,d .shecI measurtng Ihiny by fon~'-cl gh llnch¢5 an:! cu",td to ~ and ",neel hght E,~ry morning at \0: 30 It< ~mo"ed ten '~'""tS from tilt .....

and 10SS1!d lhem ,mo a garbage can 11>c lhlrty d;o~-s of tkIT ",,,,,,,;\1 :-~ ..... prrc ... ly "~n txc;t\"tlOftS began f", a ~ bu,ldmg. lhlli reducing tIM'''

• •

\t1;s I~n :'1'0. As 1r.~fK mr.Um .... l~d Process of E1u"""'IIOII. " "",", '·1101 p;oIl."o>oo,nl bul aoom proc=" Thoe "wutit- OCI:urred "on a men,a! Ie--.:I' and ........ r<lof nuking people OWaR' of ,he (>1'01«;t by "mo\'lng an tde •• hf\)U&h lhe ..,-.d- of • <ommunll)'. If lhe thmlna"on l<IOk plac. ,,;thout being p/wIogr~phcd.

.-ntlrft obout, or '" hcfWlSC recordtd. 11 "<luld "dtsoppear back mlo tilt envlmn."en l ~ ct_ !O '~I5( .. lh. energy consumed tn Ihe prOCcs.5 was "sofl," Lt,int inSli!I«l.

.,...:k the SlIM as rad1(J Or ttl~1SIOtt and II\( tltttnct.y whtch flo",. thf(J\lgh

,, ~

f\IID' ~tlJl' (>\\11 pro«ss of e!tm,,,,,,on carm to an coo at Just "bou1 ~ht rltll<'1 (L\1nt' dropped tht IaSl ",""oc .httllfllo lhe garoag. c;tn He had alrrady

"""" txprnmtotlng ",m ,·,deo, a morr .phtmerll m«hum lhon pl»lw:: MQiI of .. substqucn. IHOJ.CIS f.1I und" lho htadmSS 01 CQtJCtptu.1 or infonnluon an By 1~16 II< ,,~ .. rcrring 10 htm,coIf as" "media SCul plOr: an a"15.I. 50 o~d wilh pbo<l<!lY that cHn pbstk "--'s 100 mtrICtab~ for hIS pufJ>0S"5. AlThough Levtne "",onutd to work and txhib". he .<I'pped from Ih. prorninena: of h15 role llS Plastic: \lIIt .. tht .... hile 'lnyl suit As a mmoranis! produc'ng no obJct;u 10 be possetiCd. It SUflrTtd from. metaphone 10M of CI15lence All tho Slmr, his In''*'-cmem ... ;th plalt>Cdunnglht 1960sembodoed cuJmr:a\ ~ .. n<bassu .. lyasdl(\ lhal mo .. f<I~

ctlcbnlY Andy Wa.hoI The Ia".r had one. dosmL'iScd lcvtnc'~ "".k as 'jUS1

..dong. Kl JUSI pbln ",""IC.""· Rul Lt.";OI: aceu,,",.ly R'glSttred COluracilC1101>S in ""''',.-. u>o of p",,",IC.., ,I\c ph)'3\caI medIum of . o Inn.."", .. , Y \. ul1ulC uf d"'P"S­

&okllungs ~nd cphem.",1 phtnomtna. Although ht did 001 Stop 10 "'orry ~bou l tbt final "~bmUlallon" of h15 "disposable" pla5lt< shttlS after ne had discard«lll em. '-dld M't rnotlltnlS of doubt For" ,how ,n 1968 .• t ,he height of hIS nOlOOC1y.

to: • nit. pnrucd on shiny. brtght yellav.-. "tnyt.li~ paper Prorntntntl)' ..,; on a tt",ml~ pack was ,he follO\\~ng ""lnung' "Caunon. Some PLulIcs

lilt Bt Hazardous To Your H.alth. - Whether ,nttndtd as a pitt. as a Slrllghcf""'llrd

-.:InI advisoly. or as " broad meuphonc 5(atttlltnl abou1 OtIllJ'lOU5 df«15 of plas­lit: m J'S)'Chologo<al, nmronmcntal, even eullUril wcl\.beutg. In., bnd label ... klcd an ongoing r~acttOn ag.inst pl;lSlic and aU that it had come 10 "",.n '"

o