The Seven Crutches of MODERN ARCHITECTURE
1954 PHILIP JOHNSON
CONTEMPORARY DESIGN THEORIES TAN YI JYNN | 0353247 | 500 WORDS
Portrait of Philip posing with a model of his newly designed AT&T Building, May 1978.
TURNITIN
FINAL DRAFT
FINAL REPORT
Page|2
Introduction
Manifesto
Author’s Background/Mindframe 4 Locality, Time and Socio-Political Condition 4 Triggering Events/ Ideal Genesis 4
Core Ideology & spill over ideologies 5
Illustrations/diagrams to explain the ideals 7 Key Works & Adoption to society 7
Page|3
Philip Johnson’s Manifesto
01 CONTENT PAGE
03 04
Critical Commentary After effect of manifesto 8 Your thought/opinion on the ideals 8 Conclusion 8 References 9
02
INTRODUCTION
AUTHOR’S BACKGROUND
Johnson graduated from Harvard University in 1930 with a major in philosophy. He was appointed director of the architecture department at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1932.
LOCALITY, TIME AND SOCIO-POLITICAL CONDITION
According to Franz Schulze's biography of Johnson between 1932 and 1940, Johnson was an antisemite, fascist sympathizer, and active propagandist for the Nazi government.
TRIGGERING EVENTS
During the voyage to Europe, Johnson came into contact with Mies van der Rohe and Le Courbusier, two of his most important early influences. First, a journey across the Atlantic was made to see the magnificent examples of contemporary architecture. The changes in engineering materials at the time may have had an equal impact on Johnson's 1932 exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Page|4
Seagram Building in New York, collaborationwithMiesvanderRohe
Philip Johnson
MANIFESTO
You cannot learn architecture any more than you can learn a sense of music or of painting. You should not talk about art; you should do it.”
The Seven Crutches of Modern Architecture examines how architectural knowledge affects design. Philip Johnson claims that the following are "crutches" used by architects to avoid their true obligations:
Crutch of History Drawing
The Crutch of History is rejected by Johnson as being unnecessary. They can struggle to discover solutions since they are only able to rationalise aspects that have been around for a while.
Crutch of Pretty Drawing
”
whatdoyoumeanyou donotlikemytower?
Thereitisin Wren”.
“You can give yourself the illusion that you are creating architecture while you’re making pretty drawings.
Although there are many other things an architect can do, architecture is a good starting point for projects and it can be helpful to see the end outcome.
Page|5
Philip Johnson’ s sketches
Crutch of Utility
“They say a building is good architecture if it works. Of course, this is poppy-cock. All buildings work.”
The customer is constantly looking for things that will be useful for a long time and wants to spend as little money as possible.
“If the business of getting the house to run well takes precedence over your artistic invention the result won’t be architecture at all; merely an assemblage of useful parts.”
Crutch of Comfort
As an architect, you must create objects or spaces that suit the client.
“After all, what is architecture but for the comfortsofthepeoplethatlivethere?Butwhen thatismadeintoacrutchfordoingarchitecture, environmental control starts to replace architecture.”
Crutch of Cheapness
Crutch of Serving the Client
As architects, we must be able to see exactly what client desires, as well as think like architects, maximise available space, and present the finest solutions.
“You can escape all criticism if you can say, ‘Well, the client wanted it that way.’ … where do you draw the line? When do the client’s demandspermityoutoshoothim,andwhen do you give in gracefully?”
An architect will constantly strive to provide the greatest service for the lowest cost while maximising the building in accordance with the customer's budget.
"Anybody that can build a $25,000 house has indeed reason to be proud, but is he talking about architecture or his economicability?"
Page|6
Crutch of Structure
An architect shouldn't make a decision without considering the architectural context.
“Perhaps the most trouble of all.”
ILLUSTRATIONS/DIAGRAMS TO EXPLAIN THE IDEALS
Page|7
The Lipstick Building,1986.
KEY WORKS & ADOPTION TO SOCIETY
THE GLASS HOUSE is a building in New Canaan, Connecticut, that was constructed in 1949. Glass panels are utilised to generate the vibrant reflections of people, plants, and other objects.
In addition to his concrete and glass contributions to the American landscape, Johnson left behind a legacy as "both a maker of architecture and a maker of architects" in his roles as curator, client, and socialite.
The Glass House's plan view is near to the golden section proportion. Each outside wall has a door in the centre, symmetrically. There is a brick cylinder enclosing the bathroom and fireplace. The cylinder's diameter is 1/3 its depth and 1/5 its length in the rectangle with a golden portion.
Page|8
The Glass House, in New Canaan.
Philip Johnson’ s crutches used
Critical Commentary
After effect of manifesto
The concept that Johnson proposed is totally odds with the idea applied in that era which launched postmodernist architecture.
Your thought/opinion on the ideals
Seven crutches are not a recipe for good architecture; sometimes we have to play by the rules and accept limitations. Instead of fighting the crutches or surrendering completely, we could use them as tools and perhaps start listening to our creative selves. The significance of the impression is determined by our artistic decisions to create something as a direct experience.
Conclusion
Many of the characteristics of the crutches Johnson so harshly criticises are tenets of the architectural profession and crucial components of the licencing procedure.
Page|9
References
1. Charies Jencks, Karl Kropf. (1997). Theories and Manifestoes of Contemporary Architecture. (Academy Ed.). Great Britain: Academy Group Ltd.
2. Early life and career. (2022, August 13). Philip Johnson. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Johnson
3. The life and Architectural Career of Philip Johnson. (2022). archisoup. https://www.archisoup.com/philip-johnson-architectural-biography
4. Philip Johnson.(2022).Scribd. Retrived from https://www.slideshare.net/archistudentportal/philipjohnson-58673767
5. Philip Johnson. (2011, Feb.02). The Seven Crutches of Modern Architecture. The MIT Press. Perspecta, Vol. 3 (1955), pp. 40-45. Retrived with https://hts3.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/philip-johnson_theseven-crutches-of-modern-architecture.pdf
Page|10
