The role of the ‘Vision’ course in the creation of the Design programmes in Argentina

The role of the ‘Vision’ course in the creation of the Design programmes in Argentina

Devalle, Verónica

Article:

In 1951 a series of events linked to the future of design were underway in Argentina. Concrete art was slowly becoming a broader project related to the synthesis of the arts. The encounter between Tomás Maldonado and Max Bill (García, 2011) and the bond between local Concretism and so-called ‘Billism’ marked the beginning of a tradition in which ideas of synthesis, simplicity, beauty and truth appeared together. This story, fundamental discourse in the construction of design as a discipline in Argentina, found a cornerstone in the magazine nueva visión. Published between 1951 and 1957, nueva visión provided a platform for the debates on modern architecture and modern art as well as for the local development of the theory of Good Form (Crispiani, 2004, 2011; Devalle, 2009). The crucial role of this magazine has overshadowed the role that university courses such as ‘Vision’ had in the construction of an early discourse about design in Argentina – a discourse that articulated the language of modern architecture and modern art. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the main features of this university course created in 1956, whose mission was to update the architectural education in Argentina under the model of Bauhaus.

In 1951 a series of events linked to the future of design were underway in Argentina. Concrete art was slowly becoming a broader project related to the synthesis of the arts. The encounter between Tomás Maldonado and Max Bill (García, 2011) and the bond between local Concretism and so-called ‘Billism’ marked the beginning of a tradition in which ideas of synthesis, simplicity, beauty and truth appeared together. This story, fundamental discourse in the construction of design as a discipline in Argentina, found a cornerstone in the magazine nueva visión. Published between 1951 and 1957, nueva visión provided a platform for the debates on modern architecture and modern art as well as for the local development of the theory of Good Form (Crispiani, 2004, 2011; Devalle, 2009). The crucial role of this magazine has overshadowed the role that university courses such as ‘Vision’ had in the construction of an early discourse about design in Argentina – a discourse that articulated the language of modern architecture and modern art. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the main features of this university course created in 1956, whose mission was to update the architectural education in Argentina under the model of Bauhaus.

Palavras-chave:

DOI: 10.5151/despro-icdhs2014-0008

Referências bibliográficas

• [1] Carvajal, G. (2005) Diseño como poética. El pensamiento de César Jannello. Buenos Aires: Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes.
• [2] Cirvini, S. A. (2004) Nosotros los arquitectos. Campo disciplinar y profesión en la Argentina moderna. Mendoza: Zeta Editores.
• [3] Devalle, V. (2009) La travesía de la forma. Emergencia y consolidación del Diseño Gráfico (1948-1984). Buenos Aires: Paidós.
• [4] Doberti, R. (2008) Espacialidades. Buenos Aires: Ediciones Infinito.
• [5] García, M. A. (2011) El arte abstracto. Intercambios culturales entre Argentina y Brasil. Buenos Aires: Siglo XXI.

Como citar:

Devalle, Verónica; "The role of the ‘Vision’ course in the creation of the Design programmes in Argentina", p-109-114. In: Tradition, Transition, Tragectories: major or minor influences? [=ICDHS 2014 - 9th Conference of the International Committee for Design History and Design Studies]. São Paulo: Blucher, 2014.
ISSN 23186968, DOI 10.5151/despro-icdhs2014-0008