50 Years Of Design For Lightness

(From exhibition "A French Vision for Design: From 1920s to Today", La Roche Bobois, Shanghai, 2021)

THE LIGHTNESS CONCEPT (Text extracted from poster)

“l consider Lightness as the key of the Third Millenium, as a transforming force of 21st Century's industrial society. The concept of Lightness is not limited to the search of Weightlessness, it can be expressed in terms of: Liberty, Mobility, Modernity, Ecology, Economy, Technology.

Miniaturization, if not Dematerialization, are currently two spectacular aspects of an evolution towards Lightness.

The notion of Conservation - of Means, of Materials and of Energy- is also a strong part of the Lightness concept. It takes a new look at alternative energy, from a bionic perspective, in association with new Technologies, the development of composite materials and of new processes, the generation of recyclable plastics, etc.; this opens up new Lightness channels and enables conservation of our natural materials insofar as they no longer harm our ecosystems.

Lightness - managing the ecology of artificial products, (il became sustainable development). Lightness means taking the essential direction. It also means a quest for efficiency while keeping obsolescence at bay.”

Marc Berthier, icsid, Aspen Colorado 1975