Project ID: 945
| Description | Architecture, art, social history, science and technology, but where does modern design fit? Three years ago a few members grouped together to look at a range of ideas beginning with the Festival of Britain 1951. Clearly the Festival did not spring into life from nowhere; it was post war and a younger generation (our generation) was looking for fresh ideas. In our initial discussions it soon became clear that the Festival was only a feature of changes already tried in the earlier part of the century. We looked at the Bauhaus and the strange influence of the Larssons in Sweden and realised that design goes back, at least, to the 1890s and is an inter-related subject with other disciplines. As the group enlarged we redefined our aims to include changing fashions, urban design in the modern city, industrial design and packaging, communications technology and modern art. This enabled each member to find a place of special interest and it placed an emphasis on their contribution to the programme rather than relying on guest speakers. |
| Topics | Social history Arts Technology |
| Type | U3A-led research (not an SLP) |
| U3A | Sheffield U3A |
| Organization/partner | Sheffield Hallam University |
| Year started | 2000 |
| Source of reference | Sources No.10 November 2000 |
| Notes | Fortunately we have a close link with Sheffield Hallam University whose design tutors offer advice and allow us to visit their degree courses. In turn we help third year students with designs for an older population and are now part of U3A's Design Age network |