Henry Dreyfuss
Henry Dreyfuss was born in Brooklyn, New york march 2nd 1904.
He is best known for his work as an industrial designer during the 1930's and 40's.
unlike other designers of the time that focused heavily on aesthetics, Dreyfuss used a scientific approach, making significant contributions to the underlying fields of ergonomics, anthropometrics, and human factors.
From 1921 Henry Dreyfuss served an apprenticeship in the practice of Norman Bel Geddes, At that time Henry Dreyfuss mainly designed costumes and stage sets for New York theatres.
In 1924 Norman Bel Geddes and Henry Dreyfuss collaborated on designing the stage sets for the successful Broadway show "The Miracle".
In 1929 Henry Dreyfuss opened a practice and worked as a design consultant for Macy's department store although he now focused more in industrial design, of which he was a pioneer in America.
Alongside Raymond Loewy, Norman Bel Geddes, and Walter Dorwin Teague, Henry Dreyfuss was a leading exponent of streamlined design in America.
From about 1920, streamlining was developed to enhance the hydrodynamic and aerodynamic properties of ship, plane, and car design. In the 1930s, however, streamlining was also applied to household appliance design to make enhance the aesthetic and provide an elegance.
The prestigious companies Henry Dreyfuss worked for include Bell Telephone, AT&T, American Airlines, Polaroid, and Hoover.
From 1937 Henry Dreyfuss designed tractors and agricultural machinery for John Deere.
For Bell Telephone, Henry Dreyfuss designed the "Bell 300", the telephone whose form remained stylish on into the 1980s.
For Lockheed Henry Dreyfuss worked on converting military aircraft to civilian use.
In 1951 Dreyfuss designed the interior of the Super Constellation, subdividing its elongated fuselage into small, inviting passenger spaces. Henry Dreyfuss also designed the interior of the Boeing 707.
Henry Dreyfuss was a founding member of the American Society of Industrial Design and In 1965 he was named president of the newly established Industrial Designers Society of America.
From 1921 Henry Dreyfuss served an apprenticeship in the practice of Norman Bel Geddes, At that time Henry Dreyfuss mainly designed costumes and stage sets for New York theatres.
In 1924 Norman Bel Geddes and Henry Dreyfuss collaborated on designing the stage sets for the successful Broadway show "The Miracle".
In 1929 Henry Dreyfuss opened a practice and worked as a design consultant for Macy's department store although he now focused more in industrial design, of which he was a pioneer in America.
Alongside Raymond Loewy, Norman Bel Geddes, and Walter Dorwin Teague, Henry Dreyfuss was a leading exponent of streamlined design in America.
From about 1920, streamlining was developed to enhance the hydrodynamic and aerodynamic properties of ship, plane, and car design. In the 1930s, however, streamlining was also applied to household appliance design to make enhance the aesthetic and provide an elegance.
The prestigious companies Henry Dreyfuss worked for include Bell Telephone, AT&T, American Airlines, Polaroid, and Hoover.
From 1937 Henry Dreyfuss designed tractors and agricultural machinery for John Deere.
For Bell Telephone, Henry Dreyfuss designed the "Bell 300", the telephone whose form remained stylish on into the 1980s.
For Lockheed Henry Dreyfuss worked on converting military aircraft to civilian use.
In 1951 Dreyfuss designed the interior of the Super Constellation, subdividing its elongated fuselage into small, inviting passenger spaces. Henry Dreyfuss also designed the interior of the Boeing 707.
Henry Dreyfuss was a founding member of the American Society of Industrial Design and In 1965 he was named president of the newly established Industrial Designers Society of America.
List of accomplishments
Original Designs
- the Hoover "Model 150" vacuum cleaner (1936)
- the "Western Elecrtic 302" tabletop telephone (1937-1950)
- the classic Westclox "Big Ben" alarm clock (1939)
- the New York Central Railroad's streamlined Mercury train (1936).
- the NYC Hudson locomotive (1938)
- Democracity model city at the 1939 New York World's Fair.
- the styled John Deere Model A and Model B tractors (1938)
- the Wahl-Eversharp Skyline fountain pen (1940)
- the Royal Typewriter Company's Quiet DeLuxe (late 1940's)
- the "500" desk telephone (1949)
- the Honeywell T87 circular wall thermostat (1953)
- the Model 82 Constellation vacuum cleaner for Hoover (1954)
- the "Princess" telephone (1959)
- the "Trimline" desk telephone (1965)
- the Polaroid SX-70 Land camera (1972)
Literary Career
Dreyfuss has written several books including such titles as "Designing
for People" "The Measure of Man" and "The Symbol Sourcebook".
Joe & Josephine
Joe & josephine are the names given to the figures in Dreyfuss's simplified anthropometric charts.
They could be called the Adam & Eve of ergonomics. Dreyfuss introduced Human Engineering in the form of Joe and Josephine, his common denominators for all dimensions.
His interest in anthropometry could be traced back to his admiration for Leonardo da Vinci and his Vitruvian man.
His interest in anthropometry could be traced back to his admiration for Leonardo da Vinci and his Vitruvian man.
Anthropometry
Anthropometry is a branch of anthropology dealing with measurement of the human body to determine differences in individuals, groups, etc.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, anthropometry was a pseudoscience used mainly to classify potential criminals by facial characteristics.
For example, Cesare Lombroso's Criminal Anthropology (1895) claimed that murderers have prominent jaws and pickpockets have long hands and scanty beards.
The work of Eugene Vidocq, which identifies criminals by facial characteristics, is still used nearly a century after its introduction in France.
For example, Cesare Lombroso's Criminal Anthropology (1895) claimed that murderers have prominent jaws and pickpockets have long hands and scanty beards.
The work of Eugene Vidocq, which identifies criminals by facial characteristics, is still used nearly a century after its introduction in France.
The most infamous use of anthropometry was by the Nazis, whose Bureau for Enlightenment on Population Policy and Racial Welfare recommended the classification of Aryans and non-Aryans on the basis of measurements of the skull and other physical features.
