History of Modern Architecture

AB Mukadam - S18129816

ARC4010

history of modern architecture

con tents what is modernism?

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the bauhaus

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le corbusier

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avant-garde

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regional modernsim

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birmingham central library

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frank lloyd wright

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italianism

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references

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what is modernism?

Modernism is a global art movement which developed significantly from the early 20th century onwards which was influenced by the changes within the society; The Industrial Movement, The Great Exhibition, The Word Wars and the development of technology and materials.

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walter gropius Walter Gropius [1883-1969] was a German architect who later became a director and a teacher at the arts school of Bauhaus. Gropius studied at technical universities in both Berlin and Munich then later joined the office of a well known architect of the time Peter Behrens in Berlin. Gropius’ first widely recognised piece of work came in 1911 where he worked alongside another architect, Adolf Meyer. The Fagus-Werk factory in Germany was different to any buildings of its time therefore it was regarded as the earliest ‘modern’ building because of its simplicity, use of materials (steel and glass), lack of/no decoration and large windows to maximise the entry of light into the interior.

the bauhaus Bauhaus was founded in 1919 by Walter Gropius as a means of combining all forms of art from fine art to design & crafts then later architecture. The schools primary aim was to change the orthodox teacherpupil relationship by introducing the idea of working together with community artists to increase the daily exposure of art with everyday life.

Bauhaus architectures main principles were to design buildings to fulfil a purpose rather than in a decorative style – ‘form follows function’, the concept of ‘less is more’, use of modern materials such as cement, steel and glass and to merge the different arts.

barcelona chair Barcelona Chair Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1929) The Barcelona chair was designed for the Spanish Royal Family in 1929. The design of the chair resembles some of the key aspects of Bauhaus movement through its use of material (stainless steel for the frame), simplistic clean design which can be mass produced (40 individual panels).

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the zig zag chair The Zig Zag chair is a remarkable piece of furniture design of the Bauhaus era. The chair defined the key aspect of Bauhaus through ‘form follows function’. The chair is unusual in the way it looks as it does not have the common ‘legs’ or arm rests like those of typical everyday chairs. Gerrit Rietveld designed this chair after being asked by a Dutch company Metz & Co to create something revolutionary and unusual which can be mass produced (another Bauhaus principle). The chair is made from 4 pieces of elm held together by dovetail joints and metal screws.

I like the simplicity and the abstract nature of the design as it makes it unique. The 4 pieces thoughtfully place in such a way that it allows the chair to be comforting and firm at the same time. The shape of the chair also gives a sleek aesthetic making it unusually attractive to look at.

joost schmidt, 1923 Schmidt designed this poster for the Bauhaus exhibition in 1923 by using geometric shapes to create and identify space for the placement of type (curved & aligned). Circles and rectangles (straight lines) play a dominant role within the design. The systematic layout could also represent the machines or mass production. Typography was a fundamental aspect of design within Bauhaus. In many poster designs, including this one by Schmidt, we can see that type was wrapped around shapes and was systematic, following function. In many designs, the text was also typeset horizontally, or vertically or even diagonally – something that was not a norm back then. This gave the designs a new look and made use of the geometric shapes within the artwork.

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le corbusier Le Corbusier, born as Charles Edouard Jeanneret was a Swiss born architect, city planner and a painter who is known as one of the pioneers of modern architecture.

After designing his first house at a very early age, Le Corbusier travelled around Europe gaining architectural experience, undertaking apprenticeships and working with some great architects of the time such as Peter Behrens (Walter Gropius also worked at the office in Berlin) and Auguste Perret who was known for his use of reinforced concrete. This had a clear influence of his work as the focus point to Le Corbusier’s work were clear forms and concrete structures along with geometric forms (which are evident is his paintings).

Le Corcusier’s use of reinforced concrete bought about the emergence of Brutalist architecture which initially went under a lot of criticism until it was slowly accepted after the second world war as the need for cheaper housing became a priority for the government. This lead to the construction of the Unite d’habitation in Marseille.

five points of architecture During his career, Le Corbusier developed ‘Five Points of Architecture’ which can be found in many of his designs and buildings. He put emphasis on raising the buildings on ‘pilotis’. Free plan, horizontal ribbon windows which subsequently lead to a free façade and a flat roof to accommodate a rooftop garden. These principles can be seen quite strongly in the Villa Savoye (1931) which is raised from the ground on pilotis and contains horizontal ribbon windows to allow light up rooms evenly thus creates a free façade accompanied by an open free internal plan. Another great example is the unite d’habitation which was constructed after the second world war.

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unite d’habitation The building was constructed after the second world war as a mean to house all the families that were displaced due to the bombings and destroyed homes. The aim was to create apartments for individual living as well as for families. To achieve this, Le Corbusier designed 23 different types of apartments to suit different family sizes and type of people – creating a total of 337 apartments for up to 1600 residents.

The 40 meter long building with a height of 56 meters was constructed using beton brut concrete as well as wooden planks for the smooth texture. The use of concrete paved the way for the emergence of Brutalist architecture – concrete block like buildings which weren’t necessarily aesthetically best looking.

The Unite d’habitation was therefore built vertically rather than horizontally like most homes. This meant that the height of the building would offer a better view of the landscape and beyond to the mountains in the distance and also save many of the trees in the near surrounding around the building.

Le Corbusier sought this opportunity to create a building which offered more than just a place to stay, rather he designed it in such a way that the building became a mini society. This was achieved through the internal streets which connected the different aspects/areas of the building on each floor thus creating a unified society. The street simulated the functions of ordinary streets in the means of connecting and containing shops, restaurants, function rooms and laundry rooms. All these different aspects gave the residents a public social space as well their own private comfort.

Unite d’habitation also incorporated the 5 principles of architecture; The building was raised from the ground by 32 pilotis which created an open space for the residents to walk around and enjoy recreational activities and also park their vehicles. The interior embodied the principle of a free plan with the double height living room, open streets and corridors. The exterior contained rows of windows to light up the interior. The roof included a social area including a swimming pool, fitness & leisure space as well as an open area.

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avant garde Avant Garde said to be to have started in the 1850’s inspired by Gustave Courbet who was under the influence of socialism. The entire movement itself coincides with modernism with work that is experimental or unorthodox (radical), creating design work which questions the norms and the political state within the society.

With many recent news headlines surrounding the middle east and the devastating crimes being committed, it seemed right to focus on the middle east as my topic of discussion for this manifesto. With the brutal slaughter of Jamal Khashoggi [a Saudi dissident and an author for the Washington Post] in Turkey by the Saudi hitmen, the conflict within the GCC countries over power and Israel-Palestine conflict, there are many people who are suffering due to the reckless actions of those in power. All of these uprising issues have bought about a sense of fear as there are grave consequences towards those who speak out.

I decided to create my poster by using a photograph [own photo] of an orphaned girl from Jerusalem, whose parents were killed during one of the many bombings in Gaza and West Bank. The photo is significant as it symbolises the desperation for some sort of peace not only in one country but in the middle east at large which of is easier said than done. Some sort of effort would however go a long way.

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regional modernism Regional Modernism is a style of architecture that is based on and is created as per the local need, tradition, climate and availability of materials thus making it indigenous to a time or region. This meant that the local designer and builders carried out the tasks at the beginning however as the style gained popularity, many professional architects have shown their interests in specific regions.

Critical Regionalism on the other is an ‘approach to architecture that strives to counter the placelessness and lack of identity of the international style’. It is similar to regional modernism in some ways however it seeks to harmonise global and local forms of architecture – it combines the climate, the tradition with some key aspects of modernism.

A great example of critical regionalism would be the Kandalama hotel in Dambulla, Sri Lanka which was designed by a local architect Geoffrey Bawa. The hotel is situated in a tropical part of Sri Lanka with natural springs, forests and greenery around it. The structure was designed and constructed around the environment and the contours of the hills rather than creating a flat surface to create a foundation. The building also embodies some of the features of modernism such as large window, use of glass and rectangular shapes.

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Charles Correa designed the Kanchanjunga Apartments which are situated in a upper class region of Mumbai. The apartments are a straight response to the climate conditions of the region along with the rising urbanisation.

In order to catch the prevailing sea breezes but at the same time avoiding the hot sun and the horrendous monsoon rains, Correa took precedent from Le Corbusier’s Unite d’’habitation which included various apartment typologies varying from 3 to 6 bedrooms each and created fairly deep, suspended garden verandas.

The Unite d’habitation was created to house the population that were displaced due to the bombings whereas the Kanchanjunga apartments were created as luxury living for the upper class in a upper class area.

The apartments embody similar principles of modernism with the use of material – reinforced concrete steel, large windows.

kanchanjunga apartments unite d’habitation

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birmingham central library The Birmingham Central Library which was once an iconic piece of Brutalist architecture not only in Birmingham but in the country. The library was designed

by John Madin - completed in December of 1973 and soon opened the month after in Jan 1974.

John Madin designed the structure in the style of brutalist architecture with the heavy use of concrete and a raw, blocky look to the exterior. The Library itself was eight-storey high with an open atrium which could be accessed from all four sides of the building.

Over the years, the building started to become ‘outdated’ and people were no longer interested in its brutalist modernism architecture. Due to the spending cuts the city council made plans to see the land for the redevelopment of the Paradise Circus [the site was sold to Argent Group in 1998] which meant the library had to be closed down. The library was also poorly maintained. Its white claddings were stained and never cleaned since its opening and in 1999, a piece of concrete from the cladding fell off, almost injuring a member of the public passing by. This caused concern and bought about questions regarding the condition of the building.

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After the land had been sold to the Argent Group, English Heritage put in an application in 2002 and once again in 2007 to get the building listed which were both rejected as the minister of culture said ‘the building did not have sufficient historical or architectural importance to merit listing.’

Even after its demolition, the building is considered a great piece of Brutalist architecture and it was also one of the very few that were still around.

In conclusion, I believe that the council should’ve made more of an effort to get the building listed or maybe preserve certain aspects of it as it was a great piece of brutalist architecture and it held a great deal of significance to Birmingham regardless of what the minister of culture said. However on the other hand, the condition of the structure and cladding were in doubt and could’ve caused harm to the general public and their safety.

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frank lloyd wright Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect who designed more than 1000 structures of which 532 were completed. Wright created his designs with taking into consideration a philosophy which he called ‘organic architecture’ – designs which were in harmony with humanity and the environment. Wright was also a prominent member of the Prairie style which is evident through his use of horizontal lines (brick layering), a connection with the landscape, flat roofs, solid construction and craftsmanship which can be found in the Arthur Heurtley House, B. Harley Bradley House as well as many of the constructions between the early 1900’s.

Wright left university without a degree however soon after found himself working as an apprentice at the firm of Adler & Sullivan – completing drawings for the interior of the Auditorium Building. Even while Wright was working for Sullivan and was taking loans from Sullivan, he was always short on funds due to his expensive taste in furniture, cars and other luxuries of life. Along with work from Sullivan, Wright was also designing and creating independent commissions for houses. Once Sullivan discovered Wright’s independent work, he was soon made to leave the firm as his contract forbade any outside work.

Throughout his career, Wright took influences from various different sources including Adler and the Transcendentalism movement which had a spiritual connection to God, nature and man. This played a role in Wright’s connection with landscape and the inclusion of following natural shapes.

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italian modernism giorgio de chirico Gare Montparnasse (The Melancholy of Departure) by de Chirico is an oil on canvas painting from 1914 in which shadow – light and dark plays a prominent role like in many of his paintings. The painting shows two figures walking towards a steam train by the Gare Montparnasse train station in Paris. The figures are in bright sun light (deep colors of early evening) inspired by the Mediterranean cities, which is signified through the bright yellow and dark shadows. The steam train on the horizon which appears many times in de Chirico’s work could represent the departure of de Chirico from Paris and also signifies his many travels in his early years throughout Europe, specifically Germany where he read the works and writings of various different philosophers – soon after was the start of his ‘Metaphysical art’ era.

The Italian Square, Piazza d’Italia is featured in de Chiricos work multiple times throughout his career. The Piazza d’Italia from 1913 also shows the horizon lit by the bright colors.

In this particular variation of the painting, de Chirico painted a tall structure by the horizon along with the recurring steam train.

In the foreground of the painting, there are two men shaking hands next to the Statue of Ariadne. The inclusion of the statue could represent aspects of de Chiricos Greek childhood.

Along with the statue, water fountains, steam trains, empty streets and brightly colored horizons are some of the common themes within de Chiricos paintings. All of these subjects represent different stages of his early life – from his birth to Italian parents in Greece to the demise of his father, his travels to Germany and France and them his return to Italy. Multiple vanishing points and perspectives, imaginative spaces (later became a prominent theme of surrealism) and geometric forms created a sense unease enigma in majority of the paintings.

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references modernism Waters, S. (2017) - Modernism: an architectural style guide https://www.architecture.com/knowledge-and-resources/knowledge-landing-page/modernism [accessed: 3 Nov 18]

bauhaus Przybylek, S. - Walter Gropius: Biography, Buildings & Works | Study.com https://study.com/academy/lesson/walter-gropius-biography-buildings-works. html [accessed: 3 Nov 18] Astbury, J. (2018) - Walter Gropius: the ideas man who founded the Bauhaus school https://www.dezeen.com/2018/11/02/walter-gropius-bauhaus-100-founder-director-architecture-design/ [accessed: 3 Jan 19] Hopkins, O. (2018) - Dezeen’s guide to Bauhaus architecture and design https://www.dezeen.com/2018/11/01/bauhaus-100-guide-architecture-design/ [accessed: 17 Nov 2018] https://www.knoll.com/product/barcelona-chair [accessed: 4 Jan 2019] Martin, H. (2018) - The Story Behind The Iconic Zig-Zag Chair | Architectural Digest https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/the-story-behind-the-iconic-zig-zagchair [accessed: 4 Jan 2019]

le corbusier Stott, R. (2018) - Spotlight: Le Corbusier | ArchDaily

https://www.archdaily.com/434972/happy-birthday-le-corbusier-2 [accessed: 27 Oct 2018] Fondation Le Corbusier - - Unité d’habitation

http://www.fondationlecorbusier.fr/corbuweb/morpheus.aspx?sysId=13&IrisObjectId=5234&sysLanguage=en-en&itemPos=58&itemCount=78&sysParentName=&sysParentId= [accessed: 27 Oct 2018] italian modernism Mystery and Melancholy of a Street by Giorgio de Chirico

http://www.galleryintell.com/artex/mystery-melancholy-street-giorgio-de-chirico/ [accessed: 3 Jan 2019] Gare Montparnasse, (The Melancholy of Departure) by Giorgio de Chirico

https://mydailyartdisplay.wordpress.com/2013/01/28/gare-montparnasse-the-melancholy-of-departure-by-giorgio-de-chirico/ [accessed: 3 Jan 2019]

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avant garde During a Jamal Khashoggi Event, Participants Were Asked to Steer Clear of Saudi Arabia. One Didn’t

http://time.com/5501140/jamal-khashoggi-memorial-saudi-arabia/ [accessed: 13 Jan 2019] ISRAELI–PALESTINIAN CONFLICT NEWS

https://www.aljazeera.com/topics/subjects/israelipalestinian-conflict.html [accessed: 14 Jan 2019] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-46855079

[accessed: 14 Jan 2019]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avant-garde#/media/File:Marcel_ Duchamp,_1917,_Fountain,_photograph_by_Alfred_Stieglitz.jpg

[accessed: 2 Jan 2019]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avant-garde#/media/File:The_Love_of_Zero,_35mm_film_Robert_Florey1928.jpg

[accessed: 2 Jan 2019] regional modernsism

Pagnotta, B. (2011) - AD Classics: Kanchanjunga Apartments / Charles Correa

https://www.archdaily.com/151844/ad-classics-kanchanjunga-apartments-charles-correa [accessed: 27 Dec 2018] Robson, D. (2013) - Remembering Bawa

https://www.archdaily.com/460721/remembering-bawa [accessed: 27 Dec 2018] birmingham central library (2015) Birmingham Central Library timeline

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-23081886 [accessed: 3 Jan 2019] Birmingham Central Library - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham_Central_Library [accessed: 3 Jan 2019] frank lloyd wright Arthur Heurtley House

https://franklloydwright.org/site/arthur-heurtley-house/ [accessed: 3 Jan 2019] Desch, T. (2018)

https://franklloydwright.org/making-an-american-home-frank-lloydwrights-b-harley-bradley-house/ [accessed: 3 Jan 2019]

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