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Illinois Institute of Technology. Institute of Design

 Organization

Biography

The Institute of Design was established in 1939 by László Moholy-Nagy as the School of Design in Chicago. Moholy-Nagy was one of the early masters of the Bauhaus in Weimar and Dessau, Germany. In 1937, a group of Chicago business people representing the Association of Arts and Industries enticed Moholy to come to Chicago from London with their offer to establish a school to carry on the work of the original Bauhaus. The New Bauhaus: American School of Design opened its doors in October 1937, in the remodeled former Marshall Field mansion at 1905 South Prairie Avenue. From the venue of the New Bauhaus in Chicago, Moholy-Nagy championed Bauhaus methods even as he adapted them in his creative output of paintings, photographs, sculptures, photograms, and films as well as in professional design assignments undertaken for private industry and government, and in developing course curricula for the school's classes. The school closed a year later due to a lack of funding, but in February, 1939, László Moholy-Nagy opened his own school, the School of Design in Chicago. Its first campus was at 247 East Ontario Street. In 1944 the school was reorganized as the Institute of Design in Chicago (ID).

In November, 1946, Moholy-Nagy died of leukemia, and was succeeded as director by the architect, Serge Chermayeff. Vision in Motion, the definitive statement of Moholy's educational philosophy, was published posthumously in 1947. In 1949, the Institute of Design merged with Illinois Institute of Technology and the school initially remained at its downtown location. In 1955, it moved into S. R. Crown Hall, the building Mies van der Rohe had designed for IIT's architecture program, which he headed. Today, the Institute of Design is an integral part of IIT, offering a graduate level program and functioning as a college of the university.

Found in 50 Collections and/or Records:

Color studies photographic slides, 1970-1979

 Collection
Identifier: 008.01.07
Description of the Collection Hand-made 35 mm slides, presumably used as a teaching aid by Institute of Design in connection color studies. The slides consist of pieces of chromatic cellophane sometimes combined with bits of paper, plant materials, splashes of ink, etc., or manipulated in some way (wrinkled, melted, etc.). The slides were found in two carousels marked "Left 17" and "Right 5." Carousel boxes also read "Unknown presentation. Modern art slides ?," but this appears to be a later addition. Slides were removed...
Dates: 1970s

Dan Kuruna collection, 1960-2010

 Collection
Identifier: 008.05.08
Description of the Collection

Collection consists of three series: 1) Historic Institute of Design poster images digitized by Dan Kuruna for preservation purposes; 2) Material related to an ID class taught by Dan Kuruna in 1997; 3) Digital recordings made by Dan Kuruna of interviews conducted in connection with the 2009-2010 "Living Modern" exhibit at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (co-sponsored by Illinois Institute of Technology).

Dates: 1960-2010; Majority of material found within 1960-1969

Fundraising literature collection, 1993-2003

 Collection
Identifier: 008.05.02
Description of the Collection

Materials related to fundraising efforts by the Institute of Design, including a 1993 sweepstakes brochure, Institute of Design Moholy-Nagy Benefit Auction catalog, n.d., and various 2003 fundraising mailings.

Dates: 1993-2003

Historical items, documents and communications, 1952-1994, bulk: 1970-1994

 Series
Identifier: 2
Description of the Collection From the Collection:

Materials concerning the Institute of Design collected by James S. Montague during his tenure as a faculty member and director of the school. The collection includes special publications, historical items, documents and communications, and mainly printed ephemera and publications by the Institute of Design.

Dates: Other: 1952-1994; Majority of material found within 1970-1994

House of the Future collection, 1983

 Collection
Identifier: 008.01.13
Description of the Collection

Set of six posters (white printed in black; 33¼ x 23½") detailing the House of the Future design submitted by Institute of Design students to the Japan Design Foundation's First International Design Competition in 1983. The ID team design won the Grand Prize. Project was supervised by ID faculty member Charles L. Owen.

Dates: 1983

Institute of Design class projects, 1954-1959

 Collection
Identifier: 008.01.10
Description of the Collection

Twelve books, each being a hand-made volume by an Institute of Design student. Books were made as class projects for Visual Design classes, probably in connection with either typography or book design assignments. All titles include original artwork; some also include original text. Books were apparently done in short runs of 200 or less.

Dates: 1954-1959

Institute of Design events collection, 2005-2011

 Collection
Identifier: 008.03.01
Description of the Collection

1. Strategy Conference, 2005 2. Spring 2011 directory 3. Photos from 5/11/2011 ID Awards Dinner 4. Academic Unit Ceremony program, 5/14/2011

Dates: Majority of material found within 2005-2011; 2005

Institute of Design graduate register, 1950-1986

 Collection
Identifier: 008.08.02
Description of the Collection

Register of Institute of Design (Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago) graduates, 1950-1986, created by Institute of Design professor John Grimes. The item includes one page per graduation date per degree. The school awarded both Bachelor and Master degrees in various programs. Graduations were normally held in either December or January and May or June. Names are entered alphabetically on each page.

Dates: 1950-1986

Institute of Design library pamphlets, 1930-1960

 Collection
Identifier: 008.09.02
Description of the Collection The materials in this collection are pamphlet files from the Institute of Design library, being primarily printed matter in brochure or booklet format. Some tear sheets and single-page items are included. The materials are in folders by topic (e.g., typography, posters, photographers, etc.) and show former catalog numbers in some cases. The collection appears to be materials assembled by ID as examples and for research of the topics as identified by the folder titles, probably intended for...
Dates: 1930-1960

Institute of Design Photography Oral History Project, 2011

 Collection
Identifier: 008.05.01
Description of the Collection

Twenty-three video interviews with Institute of Design alumni regarding their experiences in the photography program. The interviewees discuss fellow students and instructors such as Arthur Siegel, Aaron Siskind, Garry Winogrand, Harry Callahan, Nathan Lerner, Frederick Sommer, and others. The interviews were recorded on Sunday, May 1, 2011 at the Stephen Daiter Gallery, Chicago, IL. The collection includes 23 interviews, 3 essays, 3 photographs and a guestbook.

Dates: 2011

Additional filters:

Record Type
Collection 45
Archival Component 5
 
Subject
Design 5
Photography 5
Modernism (Art) 4
College buildings -- Illinois -- Chicago 3
Institute of Design -- Curricula 3
∨ more
Product design 3
Universities and colleges--Graduate work 3
Art--Study and teaching 2
Bauhaus 2
Commencement ceremonies 2
Education--Curricula 2
Illinois Institute of Technology. Institute of Design -- Faculty 2
Illinois Institute of Technology. Institute of Design -- Students 2
Industrial design 2
Photography, Artistic 2
Student publications 2
Universities and colleges--Faculty 2
Abstract impressionism 1
Anniversaries 1
Architecture students 1
Architecture, Domestic 1
Art portfolios 1
Art, Abstract 1
Art--Exhibitions 1
Book design 1
Branding (Marketing) 1
Brochures 1
Campus planning 1
Chicago (Ill.) -- Buildings, structures, etc 1
Class reunions 1
College buildings 1
College campuses -- Illinois -- Chicago 1
College students 1
College students--Recruiting 1
Competitions 1
Dadaist poetry 1
Dedication services 1
Design and construction 1
Directories 1
Exhibitions 1
Fund raising 1
Global warming 1
Graphic design (Typography) 1
Historic sites 1
Historic sites -- Illinois -- Chicago 1
Illinois Institute of Technology -- Administration 1
Illinois Institute of Technology -- Alumni and alumnae 1
Illinois Institute of Technology -- Faculty 1
Illinois Institute of Technology -- Students 1
Los Angeles (Calif.) 1
Methodology 1
Motion pictures 1
Museum exhibits -- Illinois -- Chicago 1
Oral histories 1
Photographs 1
Poetry 1
Project PHOENIX 1
Records (Documents) 1
Serial publications 1
Street life -- Illinois -- Chicago 1
Structural design 1
Students--Social life and customs 1
System design 1
Technological innovations 1
Universities and colleges--Alumni and alumnae 1
Universities and colleges--Mergers 1
Urban transportation -- Illinois -- Chicago 1
World War, 1939-1945 1
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Paul V. Galvin Library

35 West 33rd Street | Chicago, IL | 60616
312.567.6847 library@iit.edu