When Space Age Designers Went Balls Crazy

A model of the artificial satellite Sputnik 1, 1957; image courtesy of the National Air and Space Museum, Washington DC

When Space Age Designers Went Balls Crazy
Fifteen iconic globe and ball designs from the 1960s and 1970s

The period between the early 1960s and early 1970s was marked by an optimistic view of the future as a time when technology would take us, quoting Star Trek, “where no man has gone before”. .
Such a hopeful attitude has been fueled by an impressive streak of scientific achievement – ​​in space exploration, engineering, materials science, physics and medicine. All in all, these achievements completely changed people’s habits and daily lives in just a few years and made the potential of the human race seem limitless.
The designers have reflected this confidence in the future in objects characterized by iconic shapes, a preference for synthetic materials and a futuristic look; in a word, all the particularities of what is today called “Space Age Design”.

Perhaps inspired by the shape of Sputnik I or the popular depiction of planets and subatomic particles as smooth, shiny balls, designers at the time clearly had a strong preference, a real passion one might say, for globular shapes, spheres and bubbles. Indeed, ball-shaped furniture, lamps, toys and appliances were ubiquitous in the 1960s and, although the phenomenon lasted only a few years, they left an indelible mark on the distinctive style of this period.

The “Moon” suspension designed by Verner Panton (Denmark) for Louis Poulsen in 1960; lacquered metal; image 1stdibs.com

Vener Panton with the Moon lamp, image Verner Panton Design AG, Basel.

Gino Sarfatti (Italy), “568” table lamp, Arteluce, 1962; polished aluminum; image Cambi auction house.

The “Jucker” table lamp designed by Tobia Scarpa (Italy) for Flos in 1963; lacquered metal; Palainco picture.

Eero Arnio (Finland) Ball Chair, 1963; fiberglass and aluminum; image courtesy of aarnoriginals.com

Eero Arnio, Ball Chair, Cross Section; image courtesy of Design Museum Helsinki.

A still from the 1967 movie “Billion Dollar Brain” directed by Ken Russell.

Eero Aarnio, Bubble Chairs, Adelta, 1968; acrylic glass and steel.

Vico Magistretti (Italy), Eclisse table lamp, Artemide, 1965; lacquered metal.

Giovanni Luigi Gorgoni (Italy), Buonanotte table lamp, Stilnovo, 1965; lacquered metal.

A 1960s globe-shaped pendant lamp made by the Italian company Stilnovo; image 1stdibs.com.

The “Space Hopper” (as it is known in the UK, “Hoppity Hop” in the US and “Pon-pon” in Italy) was a popular bouncing ball toy invented by the Italian company Ledrogomma in 1968.

Two boys playing with their Space Hoppers in Glasgow, 1970s; image source Brainpickings.com.

The Panapet 70, also known as the R-70S model, was a ball-shaped AM radio created in 1970 by Japanese manufacturer Panasonic to celebrate the Osaka World’s Fair; Image courtesy of Deutsches Kunstoff Museum.

Also known as the Model 3240, the Videosphere was a helmet-shaped CRT television – made of plastic, glass and metal – manufactured from 1970 to the early 1980s by the Japanese company JVC; image courtesy of RISD Museum.

A vintage JVC Videosphere advertisement.

Nicknamed “Spaceball”, the Weltron 2001 was a portable stereo manufactured by the American company Welton and released in 1970; image VNTG.com

British company BSR (Birmingham Sound Reproducers) Electrohome Apollo 860 turntable stereo receiver with globe-shaped speakers, 1970; image lofty.com.

A Rosita Vision 2000 (1971) HIFI system designed by German designer Thilo Oerke with two Grundig Audiorama 7000 (1970) HIFI speakers; image stdibs.com.

The Grundig Audiorama 7000 HIFI can either be mounted on a pedestal or as hanging speakers using a chain.