Architecture

The Crystal Palace (1851, London)

1,850 long, 110 tall
Iron and glass building constructed for the
Great Exhibition of 1851

First in a series of Worlds Fair

exhibitions

Celebration of modern technology and

design

Designed by Joseph Paxton

Gardener who had experimented with
glass and iron greenhouses

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Contained multiple gardens and fountains,
main fountains 250 high

After the Exhibition, Palace was relocated

to another location in London

Functioned as a tourist attraction,

destroyed by fire in 1936

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The Eiffel Tower (1887-89, Paris)
1,063 high (81 floors)
Designed by Gustave Eiffel, designed
bridges

Iron tower constructed as entrance for

Paris Worlds Fair

300 workers, one death during construction

Tower was criticized as an eyesore
Shape of the tower designed to withstand
the force of wind

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The Wainwright Building (1890-91, St. Louis)
One of the first skyscrapers (11 floors)
Red brick with steel frame- steel allowed
taller buildings

Designed by Louis Sullivan

Rejected traditional architecture- new
materials require new designs

Form follows function- The design of a

building should reflect its purpose

Vertical lines emphasizes the height of the

building, plant designs symbolize growth

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The Chrysler Building (1928-30, New York)
1,047, 77 floors
Originally built for the Chrysler Corporation
Tallest building in the world until Empire
State Building was finished

New York builders involved in competition

to build tallest building

Spire was secretly constructed inside

building and then placed on top

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Decorated in Art Deco style- geometric shapes
Top of building- sunburst design in stainless
steel

Decorated with Chrylser automobile features

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The Empire State Building (1929-31, New
York)

1,472, 102 floors

Name derived from New Yorks nickname
Art Deco style
Worlds tallest building until 1972
Financed by General Motors
Opening coincided with the Depression,

resulted in lots of vacant office space- The

Empty State Building

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Building design involves a series of setbacks
Spire designed to be mooring mast for
blimps, proved to be impractical

B-25 bomber collided with building in 1945

Colored floodlights coincide with seasons
and events

Multiple T.V. and radio stations broadcast

from building

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Fallingwater (1934-37, Pennsylvania)
Vacation home
Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
Philosophy of integrating the building with its
environment

Built over a waterfall- can be heard

throughout house

Uses local materials

Constructed around boulders and trees
Horizontal terraces resemble rock
formations

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Broad expanses of windows and multiple
balconies

Extensive structural repairs in 2002

Humidity causes mold problems- Rising
Mildew

Has been a public museum since 1964

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The Guggenheim Museum (1957-59, New
York)

Art museum focused on Modern (20th

century) art

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (last work)

Organic design (lots of curves), different
from surrounding buildings

Initially criticized by architects and artists

Design of building overshadows artwork
Hard to display artwork- spiral walkway

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Controversial addition- rectangular tower,
1992

Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation- nonprofit corporation that funds art museums

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The Bauhaus Shop Block (1925-26, Dessau,
Germany)

Walter Gropius
Art school-architecture, crafts, fine art
Unify art, craft and technology
Closed by Nazis in 1933- un-German

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International Style- 1920s, 30s
Foundation of modern architecture
Radical simplification of forms
Rejection of ornamentation
Adoption of modern materials (glass, steel,
concrete)

Transparency of buildings
Window- change from hole IN the wall to
THE wall

Style was independent of location- buildings

look similar all over the world

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Villa Savoye (1929-30, near Paris)
International Style
Vacation home
Designed by Le Corbusier (pseudonym)
Helped create International Style
Dedicated to better living conditions in
crowded cities

Urban planner (designed cities)

Designed concrete buildings

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The Five Points- philosophy of designing
buildings

Supporting columns to raise building from

the ground

Flat roof with a terrace

Free floor plan- no load bearing walls
Horizontal windows
Exterior- thin walls and windows- no load
bearing walls

Villa Savoye- windows integrate

interior/exterior

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Unite dHabitation (1947-52, Marseille, France)
Apartment complex
337 apartments, 12 floors
Designed by Le Corbusier
Building includes shops, sports, medical, and
educational facilities, and a hotel

Made of concrete, inspired the Brutalism style

Brutalism- Geometric forms, roughly textured
cement

Similar complexes built in other cities

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Notre Dame du Haut (1950-54, Ronchamp,
France)

Catholic pilgrimage chapel

Designed by Le Corbusier
Does not follow The Five Points, form

inspired by hilltop location, organic forms

Made of textured concrete

Thick walls (7 in places) with colored glass
set deeply into them

Interior and exterior pulpits

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The Seagram Building (1954-58, New York)
Skyscraper, 38 floors
Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and
Philip Johnson

International Style
External bronze I-beams reflect internal
steel structure

Worlds most expensive skyscraper

Window blinds designed to be regular- had
three positions

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Large plaza in front of building- became
popular gathering place

New York building code added incentives for

developers to include open spaces