Opening borders. Spanish design in MD Moebel Interior Design (1961–1970)

Abstract

In the late 1930s, Spain suffered a civil war that led to the establishment of a dictatorship until 1975. In 1959, after the first stage of isolation from other Western powers, the country began the second period of openness to the outside world. Development plans promoted by the government during this period had an impact not only on economic and social standards but also on creative disciplines such as design. It is worth noting, however, that this outward-looking approach had begun earlier, in the mid-1950s, through the aesthetic modernization promoted by official bodies, which sometimes had architects amongst their members. In this context, Spain began to participate in several international exhibitions, such as the Milan Triennial (1951, 1954, and 1957) and the Brussels Exhibition of 1958, where it garnered several successes. At the same time, in the 1950s, great personalities such as Alberto Sartoris, Bruno Zevi, Nikolaus Pevsner, Alfred Roth, and Gio Ponti visited the country, providing Spanish architects of the time with a breath of fresh air.