The Seven Crutch of Modern Architecture (CDT)

CONTEMPORARY DESIGN THEORIES

The Seven Crutches of Modern Architecture

by Philip Johnson

Jessie Chen VernErn 0339153

- 491 Words

ONTENTS

01 02 03 04

Introductioni) Author’s Background/Mindframe ii) Locality, Time and Socio-Political Condition iii) Triggering Events/ Ideal Genesis Manifestoi) Core Ideology & spill over ideologies ii) Illustrations/diagrams to explain the ideals iii) Key Works & Adaption to society Critical Commentaryi) After effect of manifesto ii) Thought/opinion on the ideals iii) Conclusion References

INTRODUCTION

PAGE 3

PHILIP JOHNSON'S BACKGROUND

NAME: PHILIP CORTELYOU JOHNSON D.O.B: JULY 08, 1906 - JANUARY 25, 2005 OCCUPATION: ARCHITECT NATIONALITY: AMERICAN STYLE: MODERN, POSTMODERN ARCHITECTURE SIGNATURE:

Johnson worked at the department of architecture as a director at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MOMA) after graduation.

His mentor, Henry-Russell gave him the opportunity to visit Europe and organized an exhibition ,"Modern Architecture: International Exhibition". Johnson was also a political activist and an arts supporter.

INTRODUCTION

PAGE 4

LOCALITY TIME SOCIOPOLITICAL CONDITION

Johnson began his career as a curator at MOMA on the International Style show. He is

credited

with

"International

coining

Style,"

the

giving

phrase him

a

prominent position in the Modernism movement.

Along

recognised

for

with his

Mies,

modernist

he

is

and

postmodernist architectural masterpieces.

He studied philosophy and history at Harvard then he came across Corbusier's and

Gropius'

modernist

which affect him.

masterpieces,

INTRODUCTION

PAGE 5

Created The Glass House (Modernist period begins)

IDEA GENESIS

Orgainised

"Social Justice"

Mies

van

Rohe's exhibition

der

1939

Art

Became a correspondent for

1941

left the Museum of Modern

1935

For journalism and politics, he

1947

1949

1934

TRIGGERING EVENTS Wrote

articles

favourable

to

that

were

the

Nazi

regime

Enrolled to School of Design at Harvard

In 1954, Johnson delivered a lecture, "The Seven Crutches of Modern Architecture" at Harvard University. He warned that architecture is unteachable and shouldn't be discussed but should be produced.

Johnson’s message considered as his discussions within a pedagogy framework. He praises architects that are "strong enough to ignore the crutches" in making the artistic decisions and conclusion.

Injecting the idea into his works, Johnson portrait of an architect who is regarded as a master artist due to his sensibility and methodology.

PAGE 3

All architecture is shelter, all great architecture is the design of space that contains, cuddles, exalts, or stimulates the persons in that space.

-PHILIP JOHNSON

IDEOLOGY

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PHILIP JOHNSON'S

MANIFESTO

“A manifesto is a published declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer”

CRUTCH OF

HISTORY

CRUTCH OF

STRUCTURE

CRUTCH OF PRETTY DRAWINGS

THE 7 CRUTCHES

CRUTCH OF

CRUTCH OF

UTILITY

CRUTCH OF

SERVING THE CLIENT

COMFORT CRUTCH OF

CHEAPNESS

Johnson used the term crutches as a pejorative phrase. His usage of the word reveals architecture's out-ofdate ethics.

CORE IDEOLOGY

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Crutch of of History History Crutch "This most important crutch is not valid now. " Johnson address that we should justify our ideas with history .

Crutch Crutch of of Pretty Pretty Drawings Drawings " Architecture is something we put together and build, and people walk in and like it." But that is too hard, pretty drawings are easier."

Johnson portrayed that drawing pretty illustrations make us feel like we are producing architecture . He encouraged us to use our imagination skills instead.

Crutch of Utility " They say a building is good architecture if it works. Of course, this is poppy-cock. All buildings work."

He expressed that we shouldn't just prioritize artistic and creativity as it is not architecture.

Crutch Crutch of of Comfort Comfort "After all, what is architecture but for the comforts of the people that live there?"

Johnson mentioned that comfort is important when designing for someone, but if it isn´t exactly as what was stated, admiring it will make them turn into comfort.

550 Madison Avenue (1978–1984)

(former AT&T Building)

CORE IDEOLOGY

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Crutch of of Crutch Cheapness Cheapness “Anybody that can build a $25,000 house has indeed reason to be proud, but is he talking about architecture or his economic ability?"

This crutch warned that it isn't easy for an architect to work within a budget, but that doesn't make it an excuse for bad architecture.

Crutch Crutch of of Serving Serving the the Client Client "When do the client’s demands permit you to shoot him, and when do you give in gracefully?"

Johnson stated "You have to understand that serving the consumer is one thing, and the art of architecture is another,"

Crutch Crutch of of Structure Structure “Structure is a very dangerous thing to cling to.

You can be led to believe that clear structure clearly expressed will end up being architecture by itself.”

Johnson claimed that this crutch is “The most trouble of all.” He confessed he uses this crutch frequently. He criticize Buckminster Fuller for making structure and not architecture.

The Lipstick Building (1986)

KEY WORKS

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Modernist Era ( 1949-1979) The Glass House, New

Sculpture garden of the Museum

Seagram Building,

Canaan, Connecticut (1949)

of Modern Art, New York (1953)

Manhattan,

New

York City (1956)

IDS

Center

in

Monastery Anselm's

Minneapolis (1973)

building

at

Abbey

St. in

Washington DC (1960)

KEY WORKS The

Johnson

Boston

Building

Public

at

Library,

Boston, Massachusetts (1972)

The

Kunsthalle

museum

in

Bielefeld

Bielefeld,

art

Germany

(1968)

Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute

in

Utica,

New

Arts York

(1960)

This was his most renowned structures. He contributed to society and developed numerous forms of contemporary architecture throughout the modernist period.

KEYWORKS & ADAPTION

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THE GLASS HOUSE 56 by 32-foot glass rectangle Symmetrical design Dark colors of the steel Inspired by the Farnsworth House by Mies

FLOOR PLAN

SECTION

He started building a glass house for himself with the inspiration from Mies. Then, ventured into building skyscrapers/buildings for cities to keep up with the modernist period.

THE SEAGRAM BUILDING Bronze and glass tower Symmetrical design Dark colors of the steel Both Johnson's and Mies' modernist concepts and philosophies are combined in this work.

FLOOR PLAN

SECTION

CRITICAL COMMENTARY

After Effect of Manifesto...

He impacted the built environment styles over the years, and experimented it. From 'pure' modernist aesthetics and aspirations to

neoclassicism

and

postmodernism

philosophy. Johnson was a real proponent of capitalist architecture.

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CRITICAL COMMENTARY

PAGE 15

My thoughts & opinion on this manifesto, This 7 crutches gave me a list of things to consider in my future projects as it taught me that architecture isn't just about the final outcome but the process. Every aspects needed to be considered when planning a project.

To Conclude...

Every architect should apply these crutches as a guideline when creating an architecture. Every crutch mentioned is a process every architect go through and we shouldn't just focus merely on an aspect, but every element must be thought thoroughly.

Architecture is art, nothing else.

-

PHILIP

JOHNSON

THE END

REFERENCES Source 1) Schumann, K. (2018). Crutches No More: Reframing Philip Johnson’s Seven Crutches as Pedagogic Tools.

2) Johnson, P. (1955). The Seven Crutches of Modern Architecture. Perspecta ,3, 40-45. doi:10.2307/1566834 3) Schulze, F. (1996). Philip Johnson: life and work. University of Chicago Press.

4) Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopedia (2021, July 4). Philip Johnson. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Philip-Johnson 5) Nast, E. (2016). Get to Know Philip Johnson’s Iconic Architecture. Retrieved 25 August 2021, from https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/philip-johnson-architecture-buildings 6) Krishna, U. (2020). Understanding the philosophy of Philip Johnson - RTF | Rethinking The Future.

Retrieved 1 September 2021, from https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/rtf-fresh-perspectives/a2042understanding-the-philosophy-of-philip-johnson/ 7) Nast, C. (2021). Philip Johnson, the Man Who Made Architecture Amoral. Retrieved 1 September 2021, from https://www.newyorker.com/culture/dept-of-design/philip-johnson-the-man-who-made-architectureamoral