Nowadays, many devices are used almost every day, such as turnstiles in the subway. industrial design; Have you ever heard that it belonged to John Vassos, a graduate of Robert College who passed through Istanbul for a while?

In addition to the turnstiles we encounter every day, industrial design like a record player Even though he is a name who wrote his name in history, the number of people who are aware of Vassos is very small. That’s why we want to introduce you to him.

John Vassos was born into a family of Greek descent.

On October 23, 1898 He was born in Constantinople, that is Istanbul, then the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Life in Istanbul with his family also corresponds to these periods.

His father was a director of a private school and editor of a local Greek newspaper. Vassos’ educational life first began at the Hatzichristou Gymnasium and then continued at the famous Robert College.

Robert College There’s no one we haven’t heard of. It is a prestigious school that has graduated many of our country’s brightest minds. In addition to the education he received at the time, his life in Istanbul; He also helped Vassos with his first steps in the art world.

Streets, historical texture and cultural diversity of Istanbul It seems to have profoundly influenced Vassos’ design aesthetic. We can say that this atmosphere formed the basis of the contemporary and unique accents that he added to the world of industrial design in the following years.

Drawing has always been a priority in his life and at the age of 12 he was supported by liberals.

At this age he drew political cartoons for a Greek newspaper for many years. At the age of 16, he won a prize for a cartoon mocking the Turkish Senate. However, to avoid arrest, he worked on ships going to East Asia to transport soldiers to Europe when World War I broke out in Europe. So it was kind of an escape method.

Although Vassos’ adventure in Istanbul represented an unforgettable episode in his life, leaving the city was also a step that opened his doors to art. He would later study with John Singer Sargent at the Fenway School of Art. That was his first step into the profession He worked as a stage design assistant.

In the 1920s he worked as a consultant for the Radio Corporation of America, a radio company.

Industrial design for RCA and other clients In addition to his work, he drew images for books and advertisements, painted murals, modernized interiors, developed promotional strategies, created training curricula for industrial designers and founded an organization for design professionals. So as you can see, he did a lot of things during this period of his life.

However Vassos’ extensive contributions in this field However, he was not taken into account in the art community. We may have heard of it by now. But he is an industrial designer who has worked with very successful names in his field.

Let’s take a look at the design that made its name famous: turnstiles!

One of his most enduring designs was the turnstile that we all know. Vassos covered the device’s propeller-like arms and bulky base with metal housings. A design that covers sharp edges made.

He later developed the Passimeter, an automatic turnstile; In this design he removed the propellers in favor of three forward-moving arms instead of a circular pattern It has endured as a marvel of design that has survived to this day.

He also participated in the promotion and sale of his products.

Iconic design by Vassos, who designed record players for RCA RCA Victor Special, Today it is in the collections of many museums of decorative arts. And when television was introduced to the American public in 1939, Vassos’ sleek TRK-12 receiver model was everywhere.

As you can see, he is the inventor of most industrial designs that we frequently encounter in everyday life. Even though we haven’t heard your name before When he saw that his path once invaded our country It’s actually a matter of pride.

II. The young designer started with the outbreak of the Second World War He was assigned to the intelligence service with the rank of captain. If you thought you were stopped in this process, you were wrong! He has undertaken several projects, mainly films and publications on camouflage.

Throughout his publishing career he produced works of the highest standard of his kind. His work was presented at a 1995 conference at the University of Toledo’s Ward M. Canaday Center. “The Ardent Image: Book Illustration for Adults in America, 1920 – 1942” was exhibited at the exhibition.

Istanbul, which was the turning point in his life in his early years, opened many doors in the field of education for Vassos. Maybe if he hadn’t boarded the ship and escaped, will never be able to force open the doors of the design world; He wouldn’t be able to fulfill his potential.

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