i wish my name was raymond loewy

15/04/2020

It would’ve been nice to design the PRR S1 (Pennsylvania Railroad Class S1) if I’m putting my deepest desires out on the web. That is the point of a blog after all. The streamline design of this locomotive is something I’ve always sought after in my own work. Something mildly minimalist but also efficient, something never before seen maybe. The 30s were a time of experimentation and Raymond Loewy was one of the pioneers in such acts. He did so much more than design trains of course; automobiles, aeroplanes, furniture, logos, electronics… You get the point, the man dabbled in everything and anything he saw fit to redesign. But of course streamlining was his main selling point (bit of minimalism too if you include the logos and furniture). When it comes to PRR S1 there’s no doubting it was a beautiful creation with the focal point leading to that great headlight on the front point and its sleek body being extruded from it. It was almost as if the air that was to be hitting this locomotive at high speed shaped its exterior. But maybe it’s the whole streamline design that has me so intrigued more so than the train itself. Kazuyo Sejima a world renowned architect created a train of her own, the Seibu 001 Series. These could easily be characterised as an ode to Loewy’s work but absolutely a true testament to Sejima’s mastering of incredible minimalist modern design that works!! Just look at those windows!! You may as well not be in the train and out for a hike through the 12 Bens in the heart of Connemara. The use of streamlining and cleanliness (if it functions well) can be so satisfying and it is something I wished to have dabbled in at its peak but who knows maybe there’ll be another peak in the next 30s that I’ll feel to have the responsibility to toss my thoughts into and impress others in the same way Loewy and Sejima did me.

Speaking of responsibility I’m sure you’d be expecting a rant on sustainability and the likes. Go Green!! Don’t get me wrong I’m all for the improvement of our lifestyles for the better of the planet and the beauty that resides in it. Animal centred design > human centred design. For me design aesthetics has always been of major importance personally because beauty evokes positive emotions. Take the satisfaction of seeing a Ferrari driving through Limerick City for example, a rarity but quite a sight. But is it quite the sight because of its rarity or because of beautiful design? I’d argue the latter. Ferrari is luxury where every little detail no matter how minute is fussed over. That’s what I want to do, fuss over a product. A water vessel, a lamp, maybe even a house (if I do ever get to make my own place that is). Good aesthetic design should be striking and a joy to have in one’s home but the thing MUST WORK!! While aesthetic is the skin, the muscle, the nerves etc, function must ALWAYS be the foundation. Because at the end of the day a designer’s goal is to make something great, something that tells a story and something that functions as it should. NOT something pretty.