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Reexamining

 Chicago's

Midcentury Industrial Design

Paul Specht drawing red tractor trimmed.

Explore products created by Chicago designers and manufacturers.

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Read about Chicago designers who influenced the mid century design era. 

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Tour the fascinating development of Chicago's industry from

1930 -1970.

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Explore artifacts from Chicago designers and their clients.

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Meet the Team

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Photo courtesy of Sue McCormack Photography

Vicki Matranga

Writer, Independent Scholar, & Industrial Design Historian

Chicago native Victoria (Vicki) Matranga has a BA in the history of architecture and art (University of Illinois/Chicago) and a master's in marketing (Northwestern University). An independent scholar, she is a nationally known author, lecturer, exhibition curator, and museum consultant who specializes in Chicago’s industrial design history. 

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Jennifer Yankopolus

Editor

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Jennifer Yankopolus is an architectural historian and developmental editor, helping authors translate scholarly material for a broad audience. She is the former editor of the Almanac of Architecture & Design.    

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Peter Wachter

Photographer

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Industrial designer Peter Wachter graduated from the Institute of Design. He has designed sign systems for global hotels and resorts, numerous patented commercial and residential lighting products, and is a skilled photographer.

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Dyamond Joy

Web Designer

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Dyamond Joy is a designer who specializes in research-based UI/UX design solutions that drive success. Her diverse background in web multimedia design, industrial design, and brand marketing makes her a valuable asset to any design team.

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Victoria Pawlyk

Graphic Designer

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Victoria Pawlyk is a dual-major student at the University of Illinois at Chicago studying graphic design and industrial design. In both disciplines, Victoria’s design process is informed by inherent material properties, contextual understanding of a problem, and unexpected insightful discoveries. 

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Jake Behling

Videographer

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Jacob Behling is an Art Director/Designer living in Chicago, saving the day one brand at a time. He currently works at Leo Burnett in Chicago, and enjoys spending his free time jamming on his guitar or hugging his cat.

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Harley Friedman

Photographer

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Harley is an interdisciplinary photographer & designer based in Chicago, IL. Their work explores how we perceive and experience the world through experimental processes utilizing various mediums. 

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