100 Objects from Century of the Child

Ken Isaacs and Carole Isaacs. Josh Henry Living Structure. 1974 Ken Isaacs is an American designer who directed the design department at Cranbrook Academy of Art in the late 1950s and appeared on the cover of Life in September 1962 as a leader of the “Take-Over Generation.” Several examples of his and his wife Carole’s living structures — hybrids of furniture and architecture — were inspired by and intended for their son Joshua Henry, whose arrival both rocked and reinforced the couple’s simplified lifestyle. The Josh Henry Living Structure was a matrix made up of two thirty-six-inch cubes — one for activity, with a table and sliding bench, and the other for “relaxation and renewal,” with a sleeping surface that could be adjusted to six different heights, a chalkboard face, and a porthole hatch. The entire system could grow with Joshua, include a playmate or overnight guest, and even host his parents for dinner. Learn more at MoMA.org/centuryofthechild

Ken Isaacs and Carole Isaacs. Josh Henry Living Structure. 1974

Ken Isaacs is an American designer who directed the design department at Cranbrook Academy of Art in the late 1950s and appeared on the cover of Life in September 1962 as a leader of the “Take-Over Generation.” Several examples of his and his wife Carole’s living structures — hybrids of furniture and architecture — were inspired by and intended for their son Joshua Henry, whose arrival both rocked and reinforced the couple’s simplified lifestyle. The Josh Henry Living Structure was a matrix made up of two thirty-six-inch cubes — one for activity, with a table and sliding bench, and the other for “relaxation and renewal,” with a sleeping surface that could be adjusted to six different heights, a chalkboard face, and a porthole hatch. The entire system could grow with Joshua, include a playmate or overnight guest, and even host his parents for dinner.

Learn more at MoMA.org/centuryofthechild

08/2/12
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Century of the Child  art  child  cotc  design  kids  moma  play  furniture 

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Get your daily dose of design from the MoMA exhibition Century of the Child: Growing by Design, 1900–2000. During each of the 100 days of the exhibition we will showcase an object featured in the show.

To find out more about Century of the Child visit MoMA.org/centuryofthechild.

Purchase the exhibition catalogue on MoMAStore.org or get the digital edition for the iPad on iTunes.

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