Trylon and Perisphere
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| - | '''Henry Dreyfuss''' (March 2, 1904 – October 5, 1972) was an American [[industrial design]]er. | ||
| - | ==Career== | + | The '''Trylon''' and '''Perisphere''' were two modernistic structures, together known as the "Theme Center," at the center of the [[1939 New York World's Fair|New York World's Fair of 1939-1940]]. Connected to the {{convert|700|ft|m|adj=on}} spire-shaped Trylon by what was at the time the world's longest escalator, the Perisphere was a tremendous sphere, 180 feet in diameter. The sphere housed a [[diorama]] called "Democracity" which, in keeping with the fair's theme "The World of Tomorrow", depicted a utopian city-of-the-future. Democracity was viewed from above on a moving sidewalk, while a multi-image slide presentation was projected on the interior surface of the sphere. After exiting the Perisphere, visitors descended to ground level on the third element of the Theme Center, the Helicline, a {{convert|950|ft|m|adj=mid|-long}} spiral ramp that partially encircled the Perisphere. |
| - | Dreyfuss was a native of [[Brooklyn]], [[New York]]. As one of the celebrity industrial designers of the 1930s and 1940s, Dreyfuss dramatically improved the look, feel, and usability of dozens of consumer products. As opposed to [[Raymond Loewy]] and other contemporaries, Dreyfuss was not a stylist: he applied common sense and a scientific approach to design problems. His work both popularized the field for public consumption, and made significant contributions to the underlying fields of [[ergonomics]], [[anthropometrics]], and [[human factors]]. Until 1920 Dreyfuss studied as an apprentice to theatrical designer [[Norman Bel Geddes]], his later competitor, and opened his own office in 1929 for theatrical and industrial design activities. It was an immediate and long-lasting commercial success. As of 2005 his firm continues to operate as Henry Dreyfuss Associates with major corporate clients. | + | |
| - | ===Designs=== | + | The Trylon and Perisphere became the central symbol of the 1939 World's Fair, its image reproduced by the million on a wide range of promotional materials and serving as the fairground's focal point. The United States issued a postage stamp in 1939 depicting the Trylon and Perisphere (pictured). Neither structure survives; however, the [[Unisphere]] is now located where the Perisphere once stood. |
| - | Significant original Dreyfuss designs include: | + | |
| - | * the "[[Model 302 telephone|Western Electric 302]]" tabletop telephone for [[Bell Laboratories]] (1930, produced 1937-1950) | + | The Theme Center was designed by architects [[Wallace Harrison]] and [[J. Andre Fouilhoux]], with the interior exhibit by [[Henry Dreyfuss]]. The structures were built in [[Flushing Meadows Park]] in [[Queens, New York]] and were intended as temporary with steel framing and plaster board facades. Both buildings were subsequently razed and scrapped after the closing of the fair, their materials to be used in [[World War II]] armaments. |
| - | * the [[The Hoover Company|Hoover]] "Model 150" vacuum cleaner (1936) | + | [[File:Kensico Grave Marker.JPG|thumb|upright|left|Grave marker based on the Trylon and Perisphere]] |
| - | * the classic [[Westclox]] "Big Ben" alarm clock (1939)[http://clockhistory.com/westclox/company/ads/benseries.html] | + | [[Image:US 853.jpg|thumb|upright|Trylon and Perisphere on US stamp from 1939.]] |
| - | * the [[New York Central Railroad]]'s streamlined ''[[Mercury (NYC)|Mercury]]'' train, both [[locomotive]] and passenger cars (1936). | + | |
| - | * the [[NYC Hudson]] locomotive for the "[[Twentieth Century Limited]]" (1938) | + | |
| - | * the popular "[[Democracity]]" model city of the future at the [[1939 New York World's Fair]] at the [[Trylon and Perisphere]] | + | |
| - | * the styled [[John Deere]] Model A and Model B tractors (1938) | + | |
| - | * the Wahl-Eversharp Skyline fountain pen (1940). | + | |
| - | * the "[[Model 500 telephone|500]]" desk telephone (1949), a [[Bell System]] standard for years | + | |
| - | * the [[Honeywell]] [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Honeywell_round_thermostat.jpg T87] circular wall thermostat (1953). | + | |
| - | * the spherical "Model 82 Constellation" vacuum cleaner for Hoover (1954) which floated on an air cushion of its own exhaust. | + | |
| - | * the "[[Princess telephone|Princess]]" telephone (1959) | + | |
| - | * the "[[Trimline telephone|Trimline]]" desk telephone (1965). | + | |
| - | ==Later life== | + | The word Perisphere was coined using the Greek prefix peri-, meaning all around, about, or enclosing, surrounding. The word Trylon was coined from the phrase "triangular pylon". |
| - | In 1955 Dreyfuss wrote ''Designing for People'', an [[autobiography]] which features his "Joe" and "Josephine" simplified anthropometric charts. In 1960 he published ''The Measure of Man'', an ergonomic reference. | + | |
| - | Dreyfuss was the first President of the Industrial Design Society of America (IDSA). | + | ==In popular culture== |
| + | Composer (and ''Rhapsody in Blue'' orchestrator) [[Ferde Grofe]] was commissioned by the World's Fair to compose a piece of symphonic music dedicated to the sculptured edifices. | ||
| - | ==Death== | + | The Trylon is mentioned in the 1939 [[Yip Harburg]] song "[[Lydia the Tattooed Lady]]", made famous by [[Groucho Marx]]. |
| - | On October 5, 1972, at their home in [[South Pasadena, California]], Dreyfuss and his wife, Doris Marks, who was [[terminal illness|terminally ill]], committed [[suicide]]. They were found in a car, killed by self-inflicted [[carbon monoxide]] poisoning. Earlier that year, Marks had been diagnosed with [[Hepatocellular carcinoma|liver cancer]]. The design company, Henry Dreyfuss Associates, remains after his death. | + | |
| - | ==References and Further Reading== | + | In the 1942 [[Warner Bros.|WB]] cartoon "[[Crazy Cruise]]", the Trylon and Perisphere are jokingly presented as being part of the pyramids of Egypt. |
| - | Dreyfuss, Henry. ''Symbol Sourcebook: An Authoritative Guide to International Graphic Symbols''. New York: John Wiley & Sons. 1984. ISBN 0471288721 | + | An episode of ''[[The Twilight Zone]]'' featured a view of these structures from the air. |
| - | Dreyfuss, Henry. ''Designing for People''. Allworth Press; illustrated edition edition, 2003. ISBN 1581153120 | + | Trylon and perisphere are mentioned as generic concepts by the main character as he is introduced in the beginning of [[Robert Silverberg]]'s 1972 novel ''[[Dying Inside]]''. |
| + | |||
| + | In the [[DC Comics]] [[comic book]] series ''[[All-Star Squadron]]'' (debuting in 1981), the Squadron used the Perisphere as their headquarters. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Howard Waldrop]]'s 1985 short story "Heirs of the Perisphere" describes the excavation of the [[Westinghouse Time Capsules|time capsule]] which was buried at the 1939 World's Fair. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In [[Robert Stone (novelist)|Robert Stone]]'s novel ''[[Outerbridge Reach]]'' (copyright 1992), the deconstruction of the Trylon and Perisphere are seen as an allegory for America's sacrifice in World War II. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Singer/songwriter [[Aimee Mann]] created a song called "Fifty Years After the Fair" for her 1993 album ''[[Whatever (Aimee Mann album)|Whatever]]'', the subject of which is the 1939 World's Fair. The song references the Trylon and Perisphere while suggesting how little of the Fair's bright vision of the future had actually been realized in the "decades ahead" now passed. | ||
| + | |||
| + | A photo of visitors on the walkway between the two structures is used as the cover art of the 2000 album ''[[Deltron 3030 (album)|Deltron 3030]]''. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In the 2004 movie ''[[Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow]]'', the two structures are briefly seen in an arctic region. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | ==Further reading== | ||
| + | * Cohen, Barbara. ''Trylon and Perisphere''. Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Publishers, New York, 1989. | ||
| + | * Gelernter, David. ''1939: The Lost World of the Fair''. The Free Press, New York, 1995. | ||
| + | * Newhouse, Victoria. ''Wallace K. Harrision, Architect''. Rezzoli International Publications Inc. New York, 1989. | ||
| + | * "New York World's Fair, 1939." ''Architectural Forum'', June 1939. vol. 70, pp. 393-462. | ||
| + | * "The World's Fair will put on a 6-minute show inside its perisphere." ''Life'', Aug. 1938. pp. 55-58. | ||
| + | * "Aerodynamics of the Perisphere and Trylon at World's Fair." ''American Society of Civil Engineers'', Vol. 65 Issue 5, 1938. pp.887-906. | ||
| - | Flinchum, Russell. ''Henry Dreyfuss, Industrial Designer: The Man in the Brown Suit''. Rizzoli, 1997. ISBN 0-8478-2010-6 | ||
| - | Innes, Christopher. ''Designing Modern America: Broadway to Main Street''. Yale University Press, 2005. ISBN 0300108044 | ||
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Revision as of 21:54, 19 June 2011
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The Trylon and Perisphere were two modernistic structures, together known as the "Theme Center," at the center of the New York World's Fair of 1939-1940. Connected to the Template:Convert spire-shaped Trylon by what was at the time the world's longest escalator, the Perisphere was a tremendous sphere, 180 feet in diameter. The sphere housed a diorama called "Democracity" which, in keeping with the fair's theme "The World of Tomorrow", depicted a utopian city-of-the-future. Democracity was viewed from above on a moving sidewalk, while a multi-image slide presentation was projected on the interior surface of the sphere. After exiting the Perisphere, visitors descended to ground level on the third element of the Theme Center, the Helicline, a Template:Convert spiral ramp that partially encircled the Perisphere.
The Trylon and Perisphere became the central symbol of the 1939 World's Fair, its image reproduced by the million on a wide range of promotional materials and serving as the fairground's focal point. The United States issued a postage stamp in 1939 depicting the Trylon and Perisphere (pictured). Neither structure survives; however, the Unisphere is now located where the Perisphere once stood.
The Theme Center was designed by architects Wallace Harrison and J. Andre Fouilhoux, with the interior exhibit by Henry Dreyfuss. The structures were built in Flushing Meadows Park in Queens, New York and were intended as temporary with steel framing and plaster board facades. Both buildings were subsequently razed and scrapped after the closing of the fair, their materials to be used in World War II armaments. thumb|upright|left|Grave marker based on the Trylon and Perisphere
The word Perisphere was coined using the Greek prefix peri-, meaning all around, about, or enclosing, surrounding. The word Trylon was coined from the phrase "triangular pylon".
In popular culture
Composer (and Rhapsody in Blue orchestrator) Ferde Grofe was commissioned by the World's Fair to compose a piece of symphonic music dedicated to the sculptured edifices.
The Trylon is mentioned in the 1939 Yip Harburg song "Lydia the Tattooed Lady", made famous by Groucho Marx.
In the 1942 WB cartoon "Crazy Cruise", the Trylon and Perisphere are jokingly presented as being part of the pyramids of Egypt.
An episode of The Twilight Zone featured a view of these structures from the air.
Trylon and perisphere are mentioned as generic concepts by the main character as he is introduced in the beginning of Robert Silverberg's 1972 novel Dying Inside.
In the DC Comics comic book series All-Star Squadron (debuting in 1981), the Squadron used the Perisphere as their headquarters.
Howard Waldrop's 1985 short story "Heirs of the Perisphere" describes the excavation of the time capsule which was buried at the 1939 World's Fair.
In Robert Stone's novel Outerbridge Reach (copyright 1992), the deconstruction of the Trylon and Perisphere are seen as an allegory for America's sacrifice in World War II.
Singer/songwriter Aimee Mann created a song called "Fifty Years After the Fair" for her 1993 album Whatever, the subject of which is the 1939 World's Fair. The song references the Trylon and Perisphere while suggesting how little of the Fair's bright vision of the future had actually been realized in the "decades ahead" now passed.
A photo of visitors on the walkway between the two structures is used as the cover art of the 2000 album Deltron 3030.
In the 2004 movie Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, the two structures are briefly seen in an arctic region.
Further reading
- Cohen, Barbara. Trylon and Perisphere. Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Publishers, New York, 1989.
- Gelernter, David. 1939: The Lost World of the Fair. The Free Press, New York, 1995.
- Newhouse, Victoria. Wallace K. Harrision, Architect. Rezzoli International Publications Inc. New York, 1989.
- "New York World's Fair, 1939." Architectural Forum, June 1939. vol. 70, pp. 393-462.
- "The World's Fair will put on a 6-minute show inside its perisphere." Life, Aug. 1938. pp. 55-58.
- "Aerodynamics of the Perisphere and Trylon at World's Fair." American Society of Civil Engineers, Vol. 65 Issue 5, 1938. pp.887-906.
