Iconic Works of Design

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Iconic works of design are all around us, from Massimo Vignelli's New York City Subway Map (1972) to Jonathan Ive and Apple's iPhone (2007). These groundbreaking designs often incorporate new shapes, materials, and technologies, or epitomize the style of an historic art or design movement—such as Marcel Breuer's Wassily Chair, developed at the Bauhaus. Highlights in furniture design, graphic design, and product design include Charles and Ray Eames's "Lounge Chair and Ottoman" (1956), Milton Glaser's "I Love New York" logo (1977), and Michael Graves's Alessi Tea Kettle (1984). As touchstones in design history courses, these items are prime examples of the marriage of form and function and the timeless nature of good design.