Modernism

What is Modernism in Architecture?

"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."

Villa Savoy - Le Corbusier 

Marina City (left) and IBM Plaza (right) in Chicago

Modernist architecture can express a number of stylistic ideas, including:

• Structuralism 
• Formalism 
• Bauhaus 
• The International Style 
• Desert Modernism 
• Mid-Century, or Mid-Twentieth Century 
• Modernism 
• 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 and 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