Picture Dictionary of Modern Architecture

Modern Ideas in Building Design

From Jackie Craven, About.com

Modernism wasn't just another style. It presented a new way of thinking about architecture. These photos illustrate Modernist, Post-modernist, and other 20th century approaches to building design. As you view the images, you'll notice that 20th century architects often drew on several design philosophies to create buildings that are startling and unique. Click on the pictures below to begin your architectural journey. The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University is a Modernist building by I.M. Pei.

I.M. Pei, Architect - Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University Photo Jackie Craven

Modernist architecture emphasizes function. It attempts to provide for specific needs rather than imitate nature. The roots of Modernism may be found in the work of Berthold Luberkin (1901-1990), a Russian architect who settled in London and founded a group called Tecton. The Tecton architects

believed in applying scientific, analytical methods to design. Their stark buildings ran counter to expectations and often seemed to defy gravity. Modernist architecture can express a number of stylistic ideas, including:

Structuralism Formalism Bauhaus The International Style Brutalism Minimalism

Modernist architecture has these features:

Little or no ornamentation Factory-made parts Man-made materials such as metal and concrete Emphasis on function Rebellion against traditional styles

For examples of Modernism in architecture, see works by:

Rem Koolhaas I.M. Pei Le Corbusier Philip Johnson Mies van der Rohe

In the later decades of the twentieth century, designers rebelled against the rational Modernism and a variety of post modern styles evolved. Examples of post modern architecture include:

Postmodernism High Tech Organic Deconstructivism

Expressionism and Neo-expressionism

Expressionism evolved from the work of avant garde artists and designers in Germany and other European countries during the first decades of the twentieth century. Key features of Expressionism are:

distorted shapes fragmented lines organic or biomorphic forms massive sculpted shapes extensive use of concrete and brick lack of symmetry many fanciful works rendered on paper but never built

Neo-expressionism built upon expressionist ideas. Architects in the 1950s and 1960s designed buildings that expressed their feelings about the surrounding landscape. Sculptural forms suggested rocks and mountains. Organic and Brutalist architecture can often be described as Neo-expressionist. Built in 1920, the Einstein Tower (Einsteinturm) in Potsdam is an Expressionist work by architect Erich Mendelsohn.

The Einstein Tower (Einsteinturm) in Potsdam is an Expressionist work by architect Erich Mendelsohn, 1920 Photo: Creative Commons by Doris Antony

Expressionist and Neo-expressionist Architects

Gunther Domenig Hans Scharoun Rudolf Steiner Bruno Taut Erich Mendelsohn Walter Gropius (early works) Eero Saarinen

Functionalism
Architect Louis I. Kahn sought honest approaches to design when he designed the Functionalist Yale Center for British Art in in New Haven, Connecticut.

Yale Center for British Art, Louis Kahn, architect Photo Jackie Craven

When American architect Louis Sullivan coined the phrase "form follows function," he described what later became a dominant trend in Modernist architecture. Louis Sullivan and other architects were striving for "honest" approaches to building design that focused on functional efficiency. Functionalist architects believed that the ways buildings are used and the types of materials available should determine the design. Of course, Louis Sullivan lavished his buildings with ornamental details that did not serve any functional purpose. The philosophy of functionalism was followed more closely by Bauhaus and International Style architects. Toward the end of the 20th century, the term Functionalism was used to describe any practical structure that was quickly constructed for purely practical purposes without an eye for artistry. However, for Bauhaus and other early Fuctionalists, the concept was a liberating philosophy that freed architecture from frilly excesses of the past. Designed by Louis I. Kahn, the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven, Connecticut is an example of Functionalism in architecture.

Structuralism
The Berlin Holocaust Memorial is a controversial Structuralist work by architect Peter Eisenman.

Berlin Holocaust Memorial by Peter Eisenman Photo (cc) cactusbones/Flickr.com

Structuralism is based on the idea that all things are built from a system of signs and these signs are made up of opposites: male/female, hot/cold, old/young, etc. For Structuralists, design is a process of searching for the relationship between elements. Structuralists are also interested in the social structures and mental processes that contributed to the design. Structuralist architecture will have a great deal of complexity within a highly structured framework. For example, a Structuralist design may consist of cell-like honeycomb shapes, intersecting planes, cubed grids, or densely clustered spaces with connecting courtyards. Architect Peter Eisenman often brings a Structuralist approach to his works.

Formalism
Architect I.M. Pei has been praised for the "elegant formalism" of his Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong. As the name suggests, Formalism emphasizes form. The architect is interested in visual relationships between the building parts and the work as a whole. Shape, often on a monumental scale, is the focus of attention. Lines and rigid geometric shapes predominate in Formalist architecture. You will find Formalism in many Modernist buildings, especially in Bauhaus and International Style architecture. Architect I.M. Pei has often been praised for the "elegant formalism" of his works.

The Bank of China Tower, 1990, by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Ieoh Ming Pei Photo courtesy the Pritzker Prize Committee

High-tech
High-tech buildings are often called machine-like. Steel, aluminium, and glass combine with brightly colored braces, girders, and beams. Many of the building parts are prefabricated in a factory and assembled later. The support beams, duct work, and other functional elements are placed on the exterior of the building, where they become the focus of attention. The interior spaces are open and adaptable for many uses. The High-tech Centre Pompidou in Paris appears to be turned inside out, revealing its inner workings on the exterior facade.

High-tech Architects:
1) (Richard Rogers 2) Norman Foster

Centre Pompidou in France by by Richard Rogers, Renzo Piano, and Gianfranco Franchini. Photo by Katsuhisa Kida, Courtesy Richard Rogers Partnership

The Bauhaus Gropius House in Lincoln, Massachusetts Photo Jackie Craven

Bauhaus
Architect Walter Gropius used Bauhaus ideas when he built his monochrome home in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Bauhaus is a German expression meaning house for building. In 1919, the economy in Germany was collapsing after a crushing war. Architect Walter Gropius was appointed to head a new institution that would help rebuild the country and form a new social order. Called the Bauhaus, the Institution called for a new "rational" social housing for the workers. Bauhaus architects rejected "bourgeois" details such as cornices, eaves, and decorative details. They wanted to use principles of Classical architecture in their most pure form: without ornamentation of any kind. Bauhaus buildings have flat roofs, smooth facades, and cubic shapes. Colors are white, gray, beige, or black. Floor plans are open and furniture is functional. The Bauhaus school disbanded when the Nazis rose to power. Walter Gropius, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and other Bauhaus leaders migrated to the United States. The term International Style was applied to the American form of Bauhaus architecture.

See examples of Bauhaus and the International Style:

The Seagram Building The Gropius House The Farnsworth House Philip Johnson's Glass House The Transco Building by Philip Johnson United Nations Headquarters by Le Corbusier The Miller House by Richard Neutra The Lovell House by Richard Neutra The Bauhaus Building in Dessau, Germany Furniture by Bauhaus Architects

Bauhaus Architects

Walter Gropius Le Corbusier Richard Neutra Philip Johnson Mies van der Rohe

More Information:

The International Style The Art Moderne House Style Bauhaus Chronology

International Style
Le Corbusier's United Nations Secretariat building in New York is a famous example of the International Style.

Le Corbusier's United Nations Secretariat building over-looks the New York City skyline along the East River. Photo: ArtToday.com

International Style is a term often used to describe Bauhaus architecture in the United States. The name came from the book The International Style by historian and critic Henry-Russell Hitchcock and architect Philip Johnson. The book was published in 1932 in conjunction with an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The term is again used in a later book, International Architecture, by Walter Gropius. While German Bauhaus architecture had been concerned with the social aspects of design, America's International Style became a symbolism of Capitalism: The International Style is the favored architecture for office buildings, and is also found in upscale homes built for the rich. One of the most famous examples of the International Style is the United Nations Secretariat building, designed by the Bauhaus architect Le Corbusier. The smooth glass-sided slab dominates New York's skyline along the East River. The United Nations Secretariat building was completed in 1952.

Brutalism
Brutalism was a guiding principle for Paulo Mendes da Rocha, who designed stark, economical concrete buildings in Brazil. The term Brutalism was first used in the early 1950s to describe the simple concrete buildings designed by Le Corbusier. Stark and angular, Brutalism grew out of the International Style, but the designs may strike you as less refined. Brutalist buildings can be constructed quickly and economically. Brutalist architecture has these features:

Precast concrete slabs Rough, unfinished surfaces Exposed steel beams Massive, sculptural shapes

The Prizker Prize-winning architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha is often called a "Brazilian Brutalist" because his buildings are constructed of prefabricated and mass-produced concrete components. Shown here is his home in So Paulo, Brazil.

The Paulo Mendes da Rocha Residence in So Paulo, Brazil by Paulo Mendes da Rocha, 2006 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate Photo Annette Spiro

Minimalism
The Minimalist home of Mexican architect Luis Barragn is reduced to dramatically lit lines and planes.

The Minimalist Luis Barragan House, or Casa de Luis Barragn, was the home and studio of Mexican architect Luis Barragn. This building is a classic example of the Pritzker Prize Laureate's use of texture, bright colors, and diffused light. Photo by Salas Portugal, courtesy of the Pritzker Prize Committee

One important trend in Modernist architecture is the movement toward minimalist or reductivist design. Hallmarks of Minimalism include:

Buildings are stripped of all but the most essential elements Emphasis is placed on the outline, or frame, of the struture Interior walls are eliminated Floor plans are open Lighting is used to dramatize lines and planes The negative spaces around the structure are part of the overall design

Modernist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe paved the way for Minimalism when he said, "Less is more." Minimalist architects drew much of their inspiration from the elegant simplicity of traditional Japanese architecture. Minimalists were also inspired by a movement of early twentieth century Dutch artists known as De Stijl. Valuing simplicity and abstraction, De Stijl artists used only straight lines and rectangular shapes. The Mexico City home of the Pritzker Prize-winning architect Luis Barragn is Minimalist in its emphasis on lines, planes, and open spaces. Architects known for Minimalist designs include:

Tadao Ando Luis Barragan Yoshio Taniguchi Richard Gluckman

Deconstructivism

The new main central branch of the Seattle Public Library was designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and opened in 2004. Photo 2005 Niko Vujevic / iStockphoto

Deconstructivism, or Deconstruction, is an approach to building design that attempts to view architecture in bits and pieces. The basic elements of architecture are dismantled. Deconstructivist buildings may seem to have no visual logic. They may appear to be made up of unrelated, disharmonious abstract forms. Deconstructive ideas are borrowed from the French philosopher Jacques Derrida. For examples of Deconstructivism in architecture, look at works by:

Peter Eisenman Frank Gehry Richard Meier Rem Koolhaas

Organic Architecture
Designed by Jorn Utzon, the Sydney Opera House in Australia is an example of Organic architecture.

The Sydney Opera House, designed by Jrn Utzon, winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2003 Photo by David Messent, courtesy of Jrn Utzon/Utzon Architects and the Pritzker Prize Committee

Frank Lloyd Wright said that all architecture is organic, and the Art Nouveau architects of the early twentieth century incorporated curving, plant-like shapes into their designs. But in the later half of the twentieth century, Modernist architects took the concept of organic architecture to new heights. By using new forms of concrete and cantilever trusses, architects could create swooping arches without visible beams or pillars. Organic buildings are never linear or rigidly geometric. Instead, wavy lines and curved shapes suggest natural forms.

Examples of Organic Modernism:

Frank Lloyd Wright used shell-like spiral forms when he designed the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City Artist and architectural designer used ocean motifs when he designed Sea Ranch Chapel in Gualala, California Architect Eero Saarinen is known for designing grand bird-like buildings such as the TWA terminal at New York's Kennedy Airport and Dulles Airport near Washington D.C. Architect Jorn Utzon borrowed shell-like forms for the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

Postmodernism

Philip Johnson's At&T Headquarters (now the SONY Building) is often cited as an example of postmodernism. Photo by Dan McKay, Flickr Creative Commons

Postmodern architecture evolved from the modernist movement, yet contradicts many of the modernist ideas. Combining new ideas with traditional forms, postmodernist buildings may startle, surprise, and even amuse. Familiar shapes and details are used in unexpected ways. Buildings may incorporate symbols to make a statement or simply to delight the viewer.

Philip Johnson's At&T Headquarters is often cited as an example of postmodernism. Like many buildings in the International Style, the skyscraper has a sleek, classical facade. At the top, however, is an oversized "Chippendale" pediment. The key ideas of Postmodernism are set forth in two important books by Robert Venturi: Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture and Learning from Las Vegas.

Postmodern Architects:

Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown Michael Graves Philip Johnson

Further Reading:
Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture In this groundbreaking book, published in 1966, Robert Venturi challenged modernism and celebrated the mix of historic styles in great cities such as Rome. Learning from Las Vegas Subtitled "The Forgotten Symbolism of Architectural Form," this postmodernist classic called the "vulgar billboards" of the Vegas Strip emblems for a new architecture. Published in 1972, the book was written by Robert Venturi, Steven Izenour, and Denise Scott Brown.