According to Theodore M. Prudon in “Preservation of Modern Architecture,”
“At the start of the 1950s, the use of plastics remained largely limited to surface- or sheet-type applications or to such secondary uses as insulation, floor coverings, countertops, skylights, and shelters for patios and carports. However, the development of fiber-reinforced plastics in three-dimensional forms and shells permitted the creation of complete room units and allowed external cladding to take advantage of both the rigidity offered by the added fibers and the inherent plasticity of the material. The design and construction of shelters, exhibition pavilions, and model homes showcased the fiber-reinforced material and contributed further to its acceptance. Plastic products were used for exterior and interior surfacing as well as highly visible interior decorative elements in the expectation that these experiments would put an end to the ongoing housing debate regarding mass production, flexibility of space, temporality, and impermanence. The Russell Reinforced Plastic Corporation constructed a ranch-style beach house in Florida using exterior fiberglass wall panels, while General Electric devised a model of a pavilion-type living space created from a glass fiber-reinforced plastic tent or umbrella curving down at four corners, filling the arches on the sides with glass or plastic panels.”
Sources:
- Prudon,Theodore H. M., Preservation of Modern Architecture. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2008.
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