Useless Machines by Bruno Munari

Bruno Munari's "useless machines" show off one facet of the designers many talents in design, but they are unique his and are one thing he is remembered for. 

Bruno Munari, Useless Machine (Arrhythmic Carousel), 1953,
Iron structure, gramophone mechanism and aluminium sheets, 113 x 60 x 30 cm.

Freeing geometric shapes from their static role in pictures or on canvas, Munari cut them out, painted them and displayed them using basic materials such as wood and string. Similar to childrens mobiles, and often used as such by his friends, these designs were a celebration of design being a part of life, something active, in motion, and the way Munari designed them makes this clear. Everything was balanced according to geometric rules so that the slightest touch of air would send the objects spinning and create delightful shapes and shadows, that varied with the lighting used as well.

Bruno Munari, Useless Machine , 1947

Whether the machines could be truly called useless is debatable, though Munari admits that the word useless was chosen because the machines didn't produce any goods, eliminate labour or increase capital (Munari, B, 2009).

 On the other hand though, the reactions they produce, while not physically tangible is one of pleasure and enjoyment simply in the ever changing art that they produce out of interaction with their environment.

Reference

Munari, B. (2009) Design as Art, London: Penguin Group UK.

Munari, B. (1947) Useless Machine, Private Collection

Munari, B. (1953) Arrhythmic carousel, Private Collection