Making Design | Exhibitions | Collection of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

This exhibition was on display from December 12, 2014 to September 01, 2016.

This exhibition has been divided in to the following sections:

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Malleable globular form with short base, the whole composed of milky-toned silicone string-like trailings; mounted on internal red plastic base housing light bulb and cord.

Moss Lamp, 1999
silicone, plastic, metal.
Gift of Marlene Meyerson.
2010-11-1

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 4 images of this object.

Undulating, contoured ribbon-like chair composed of 294 resin pieces in shades of white, gray and black, each shaped to fit into its precise location within the form.

Makerchair Chair (Prototype), 2014
assembled and adhered cnc-milled resin.
Museum purchase from the General Acquisitions Fund through gift of Lisa....
2014-43-1

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 14 images of this object.

Data visualization of air traffic paths over North America during a 24-hour period.

Data Visualization, Flight Patterns, 2005–08
video made with processing, adobe after effects, maya.
Gift of Aaron Koblin.
2014-41-1

This object is part of the Digital collection.
There are 3 images and 1 video of this object.

Sketch of the initial topography around the site of the Aqua tower

Drawing, Aqua Tower, Chicago, Illinois, USA: Sketch of Topography on Tower...
graphite on white graph paper.
Gift of Studio Gang Architects.
2014-4-1

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Drawing, Aqua Tower, Chicago, Illinois, USA: Study Exploring Chromatic Strata, ca. 2005

Drawing, Aqua Tower, Chicago, Illinois, USA: Study Exploring Chromatic...
graphite, color pencil on white paper.
Gift of Studio Gang Architects.
2014-4-4

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Digital print of early 3D model of Aqua Tower showing the different layers of the building, three holes along left edge of paper.

Drawing, Aqua Tower, Chicago, Illinois, USA: Digitization of Layers, Early 3D...
digital print on white paper.
Gift of Studio Gang Architects.
2014-4-5

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Sketch of a portion of the exterior of Aqua Tower where slabs are flush with the glass, called "pools"

Drawing, Aqua Tower, Chicago, Illinois, USA: Sketch Working out Pools Where...
pen and black ink, blue color pencil on white paper.
Gift of Studio Gang Architects.
2014-4-9

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Sketch for an early concept of mobile privacy screens located on the terraces of Aqua Tower

Drawing, Aqua Tower, Chicago, Illinois, USA: Early Concept for Mobile Privacy...
pen and black ink, graphite, color pencil over photocopy, two joined sheets....
Gift of Studio Gang Architects.
2014-4-11

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Design with Vivo in Typo in six iterations, including a small design in a rectangle (lower left) and block letters "V" and "I" drawn in overlapping lines (upper right). Oriented vertically.

Drawing (France), 2008
pen and black ink on white paper.
Gift of Philippe Apeloig.
2014-34-3

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Vivo in Typo written in four rectangles of varying size, oriented vertically. The phrase also appears twice without a rectangular framework. Elsewhere on the page, series of dots and dashes are drawn, as if in code.

Drawing (France), 2008
pen and black ink on white paper.
Gift of Philippe Apeloig.
2014-34-5

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Vivo in Typowritten in four rectangles, arranged in a symmetrical grid. In each iteration, dark foreground letters cast a light shadow. Lower left rectangle has a shaded background. Oriented vertically.

Drawing (France), 2008
pen and black ink, graphite on white paper.
Gift of Philippe Apeloig.
2014-34-7

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Vivo in Typo in a single iteration, oriented vertically. The words are staggered, and each word is outlined in a horizontal rectangle. Each letter is drawn twice, in overlapping block text.

Drawing (France), 2008
pen and black ink on white paper.
Gift of Philippe Apeloig.
2014-34-9

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

A series of dots and dashes fill the entire page. The sequence is as follows: --I-:--I-: --I-:

Print (France), 2008
digital print on paper.
Gift of Philippe Apeloig.
2014-34-10

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Two letter "T"s oriented horizontally, printed in black (left) and red (right) on white ground. Overprinted color fades from left to right with ombre effect. Letters comprised of same series of dots and dashes, but italicized.

Print (France), 2008
digital print on paper.
Gift of Philippe Apeloig.
2014-34-17

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Tub-type armchair formed from single upright curved sheet of thick transparent plate glass with D-shaped seat cushion upholstered in woven fabric with orange and yellow grid pattern (not original); seat supported by three metal fittings inserted through glass on left and right sides, and back.

Chair (USA), ca. 1948
slumped plate glass, metal, textile.
Museum purchase through gift of George R. Kravis II and from General....
2013-1-1

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 4 images of this object.

The background is a black-and-white photograph of a multi-story apartment complex, taken from below. The name JEAN PROUVE runs along one of the vertical supports on the left and remaining text is placed in the two lowest trapezoidal-shaped areas.

Poster, Jean Prouvé: Architekt und Konstrukteur, 1978
offset lithograph on wove paper.
Gift of Sara and Marc Benda.
2010-21-44

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Poster for The Chap-Book, August 1894. A woman dressed in blue at the center of the image stands in a wood, holding a pair of skates. The words The Chap / Book, printed in red cover the lower left portion of the poster.

Poster, The Chap-Book (Blue Lady), August 1894
color zincograph on thin cream wove paper.
Museum purchase through gift of Mrs. Gilbert W. Chapman and Ely Jacques Kahn.
2003-6-1

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Plate design with biomorphic abstract patterns in black, blue, and metallic blue.

Drawing, Design for a Plate, 20th century
brush and gouache on cream paper.
Gift of Simon Lissim.
1974-82-26

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.

On framing plaques, two nudes, personifications of Night, toss showers of stars into sky. In central portion, nine large blue sapphires amid diamond stars and constellations recreate the Milky Way.

Drawing, Design for a Corsage Ornament: Night, ca. 1900
brush and watercolor, graphite, brush and gouache on brownish, translucent....
Museum purchase from Drawings and Prints Council Fund through gift of The....
1998-50-1

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

Vertical rectangular form of blue aluminum with large rectangular screen above circular white click wheel with control symbols.

iPod Nano Digital Media Player, 2009
polished anodized aluminum, arsenic-free glass, molded polycarbonate resin.
Gift of Apple.
2010-34-2

This object was made by Apple Inc..
This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 4 images of this object.

Woman's lined silk kimono with an overall abstract design of sweeping arcs of color with an uneven, hand-drawn feel. In black, green, red-orange, pink and white.

Kimono (Japan), Taisho period, 1926–45
silk, lined in cotton and rayon.
Museum purchase from Friends of Textiles and General Acquisitions Endowment....
2013-15-1

This object is part of the Textiles collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

Poster, American Airlines to New York, 1948
offset lithograph on white wove paper.
Gift of Mrs. E. McKnight Kauffer.
1963-39-139

This object is part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Thin, cobalt blue, blown glass fruit bowl with knob on stem and four tooled handles each with three finger holes.

Object ID #18732087
mold and mouth-blown blue-green "sapphire" glass.
Museum purchase through gift of Dale and Doug Anderson, Anonymous Donor,....
2009-18-122

This object was made by J. & L. Lobmeyr GmbH.
This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Dark blue glass vessel with long flaring neck and stout globular body; one handle of applied glass and long upturned spout.

Ewer (Iran), 17th–18th century
blown glass, applied blown glass decoration.
Gift of Rodman Wanamaker.
1919-24-86

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Object ID #18504657

Object ID #18504657
glazed, molded earthenware with sgraffito design.
1980-21-7

This object was made by Cowan Pottery Studio.
This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 8 images and 1 video of this object.

Eight-sided bulbous body on tall flaring base, tapering neck with bulbous knop and flared mouth; painted in underglaze blue on white, on the base with lambrequin border, on body with peacock, rocks, flowers, insects, lambrequin border, on neck and mouth with leaf borders and floral scrolls.

Vase (Netherlands), ca. 1700
tin-glazed earthenware.
Bequest of Walter Phelps Warren.
1986-61-34

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

Kingfisher plaque of conventional fruit or leaf design in openwork. Silk covered wire on back for attachment to Manchu head-dress.

Hair Ornament (China), ca. 1900
kingfisher feathers on lacquer backing with silk-covered wire.
Gift of William Dangaix Allen.
1939-73-11

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

Lotus-shaped Cup (Egypt)

Lotus-shaped Cup (Egypt)
colored faience (ceramic frit).
1960-29-1

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Electra Blue Teaspoon, 1986

Electra Blue Teaspoon, 1986
anodized aluminum.
Gift of Sasaki.
1988-48-6

This object was made by Sasaki.
This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

Electra Blue Dinner Fork, 1986

Electra Blue Dinner Fork, 1986
anodized aluminum.
Gift of Sasaki.
1988-48-8

This object was made by Sasaki.
This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

A blue porcelain vase with gold details. Vase is decorated with a pattern of large leaves in the form of stars. The stacked foot and beaded lip are both finished in gold.

Chinois Ly Vase, 1868
enameled porcelain with ormolu mounts.
Museum purchase from Decorative Arts Association Acquisition Fund.
1988-83-1

This object was made by Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory.
This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Blue-purple toned long cylindrical shaft, with knurled grip section, topped by narrow tulip-shaped head with clear lens. Removeable circular cap at end unscrews to reveal battery housing; spare bulb stored in cap.

Mini-Maglite Flashlight, 1984
machined anodized aluminum alloy, krypton lightbulb.
Gift of Max and Barbara Pine.
1994-59-14

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 2 images of this object.

Diamond shaped white-coated metal wire mesh seat unit with blue woven upholstery; black-coated wire stand.

Small Diamond Chair, ca. 1957
bent plastic-coated metal wire, woven cotton upholstery, foam rubber.
Gift of the Bard Graduate Center: Decorative Arts, Design History, Material....
2011-22-1

This object was made by Knoll Textiles.
This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

the shield-shaped silver pendant with three cut-out openings at top above a guilloché blue enamel oval with punched circles below, a baroque pearl drop suspended at the bottom

Pendant (England), 1909
cut, cast and hammered silver with guilloché enamel, set with....
Gift of Judy Francis Zankel.
2013-55-7

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 3 images of this object.

Silver Streak Iron, ca. 1946
molded and emulsion-painted pyrex glass, cast and nickel-plated steel, molded....
Gift of George R. Kravis II.
2015-5-12

This object is part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts collection.
There are 3 images of this object.