Sixties glamour has come to the GSA
in the form of a special exhibition marking 50 years since the luxury liner,
the QE2, left the cradle in John Brown’s shipyard in Glasgow.
in the form of a special exhibition marking 50 years since the luxury liner,
the QE2, left the cradle in John Brown’s shipyard in Glasgow.
The exhibition, which brings
together original photographs, menus, brochures, models, crockery, silverware
and more, has been curated by Professor of Design History at The Glasgow School of Art Bruce
Peter, an acknowledged expert on ocean liners.
together original photographs, menus, brochures, models, crockery, silverware
and more, has been curated by Professor of Design History at The Glasgow School of Art Bruce
Peter, an acknowledged expert on ocean liners.
“The QE2
was intended as a showpiece for British engineering, design and shipbuilding
craftsmanship,” says Professor Peter. “Built with the aid of a government loan, the Council of Industrial
Design had a significant influence over its appearance. Indeed, the QE2
represented the work of a stellar array of British-based architects, industrial
designers and interior designers. “
was intended as a showpiece for British engineering, design and shipbuilding
craftsmanship,” says Professor Peter. “Built with the aid of a government loan, the Council of Industrial
Design had a significant influence over its appearance. Indeed, the QE2
represented the work of a stellar array of British-based architects, industrial
designers and interior designers. “
The exterior of the QE2 was styled
by James Gardiner, who was best known for having designed the Festival of
Britain Pleasure Gardens at Battersea and for designing airliner cabins for
BOAC. With assistance from the National Physical Laboratory, Gardiner produced
a strikingly futuristic silhouette with sculptural forms and a distinctive
funnel and mast, suggestive of the space age. Thus, the QE2 resembled no
passenger ship yet seen.
by James Gardiner, who was best known for having designed the Festival of
Britain Pleasure Gardens at Battersea and for designing airliner cabins for
BOAC. With assistance from the National Physical Laboratory, Gardiner produced
a strikingly futuristic silhouette with sculptural forms and a distinctive
funnel and mast, suggestive of the space age. Thus, the QE2 resembled no
passenger ship yet seen.
For the interiors, a very broad
range of facilities was provided, enabling QE2 to serve also as a cruise ship.
The co-ordinating architect was Dennis Lennon and other contributors were the
Hungarian émigré architect Stefan Buzas and his son-in-law Alan Irvine; the
Australian interior designer Jon Bannenberg (who later became internationally
famous for designing super-yachts); the society interior designers Michael
Inchbald and David Hicks; the industrial designers Misha Black and Gaby
Schreiber; the architect and graphic designer Theo Crosby and two Royal College
of Art students, Tony Heaton and Elizabeth Beloe, who designed rooms for
infants and teenagers. The QE2 interiors used many up-to-date materials – such
as moulded fibreglass, sheets of Formica and ribbed aluminium. No item was too
small to escape the designers’ attention; the furniture was by Robert Heritage,
William Plunkett, Michael Inchbald and Dennis Lennon; tableware was by Lord Queensbury
(David Douglas) and his RCA student Julia Chandley and cutlery was by David
Mellor. Altogether, the QE2 was a floating masterpiece of British modernist
design.
range of facilities was provided, enabling QE2 to serve also as a cruise ship.
The co-ordinating architect was Dennis Lennon and other contributors were the
Hungarian émigré architect Stefan Buzas and his son-in-law Alan Irvine; the
Australian interior designer Jon Bannenberg (who later became internationally
famous for designing super-yachts); the society interior designers Michael
Inchbald and David Hicks; the industrial designers Misha Black and Gaby
Schreiber; the architect and graphic designer Theo Crosby and two Royal College
of Art students, Tony Heaton and Elizabeth Beloe, who designed rooms for
infants and teenagers. The QE2 interiors used many up-to-date materials – such
as moulded fibreglass, sheets of Formica and ribbed aluminium. No item was too
small to escape the designers’ attention; the furniture was by Robert Heritage,
William Plunkett, Michael Inchbald and Dennis Lennon; tableware was by Lord Queensbury
(David Douglas) and his RCA student Julia Chandley and cutlery was by David
Mellor. Altogether, the QE2 was a floating masterpiece of British modernist
design.
The black and white images featured
in the exhibition are mainly publicity photographs taken when the QE2 entered
service and have been collected from a variety of sources.
in the exhibition are mainly publicity photographs taken when the QE2 entered
service and have been collected from a variety of sources.
A majority of the colour images of
the interiors were taken in New York by a tugboat master from Moran Towing, who
visited the liner during the night on the occasion of its maiden arrival there.
Using a tripod, he carefully photographed the public rooms, taking 36 unique
images showing how QE2 appeared when new and pristine. Forty-five years later,
these images were sold on eBay, from which Bruce bought them for his collection.
the interiors were taken in New York by a tugboat master from Moran Towing, who
visited the liner during the night on the occasion of its maiden arrival there.
Using a tripod, he carefully photographed the public rooms, taking 36 unique
images showing how QE2 appeared when new and pristine. Forty-five years later,
these images were sold on eBay, from which Bruce bought them for his collection.
In the display cases, there is a
selection of brochures showing how the QE2 was promoted in the late-1960s and
during its subsequent career. Over time, the ship’s interiors and Cunard’s
publicity material were altered to reflect conservative taste and the fashion
for revived Art Deco. Indeed, by the end of the QE2’s career, only small
fragments of the original designs remained intact.
selection of brochures showing how the QE2 was promoted in the late-1960s and
during its subsequent career. Over time, the ship’s interiors and Cunard’s
publicity material were altered to reflect conservative taste and the fashion
for revived Art Deco. Indeed, by the end of the QE2’s career, only small
fragments of the original designs remained intact.
QE2 50 YEARS LATER runs in Reid
Building from 10 February – 8 March 2018. Open daily 10am – 4.30pm. Entry free.
Building from 10 February – 8 March 2018. Open daily 10am – 4.30pm. Entry free.
Ends
For further information, images and interviews contact:
Lesley Booth
07799414474
press@gsa.ac.uk
Note for Editors
Bruce
Peter
Peter
While an undergraduate student at the GSA in
the 1990s, Bruce Peter researched
and wrote his first book – about Glasgow’s historic cinema buildings and
cinema-going culture. Following his PhD, he has combined his interests in
leisure design with ships to write a number of books about cruise ship design.
the 1990s, Bruce Peter researched
and wrote his first book – about Glasgow’s historic cinema buildings and
cinema-going culture. Following his PhD, he has combined his interests in
leisure design with ships to write a number of books about cruise ship design.
Professor Bruce Peter’s research relates mainly to architecture and
design for transport and leisure and entertainment. His PhD investigated
relationships between architecture of pleasure and the modern movement in the
inter-war era. Subsequent research has examined the design and material culture
of cruise ships, ro-ro ferries and container shipping and logistics.
design for transport and leisure and entertainment. His PhD investigated
relationships between architecture of pleasure and the modern movement in the
inter-war era. Subsequent research has examined the design and material culture
of cruise ships, ro-ro ferries and container shipping and logistics.
Professor Peter has recently published ‘The Modern Hotel in
Britain’, a comprehensive history of British hotel architecture, interior
design and material culture, spanning from the 1920s until the 1970s. He has
also assisted the Victoria & Albert Museum with the curation of a major
international touring exhibition on the design of ocean liners and has
contributed two chapters to the accompanying catalogue.
Britain’, a comprehensive history of British hotel architecture, interior
design and material culture, spanning from the 1920s until the 1970s. He has
also assisted the Victoria & Albert Museum with the curation of a major
international touring exhibition on the design of ocean liners and has
contributed two chapters to the accompanying catalogue.