Modernism in America: Part 1

Modernism in America: Part 1

8 April 2023


Background:

The Design style of modernism became well-known around the time of the early to mid 1900s after World War II. The countries with major ties to this style were mainly European countries such as France and Germany, these countries were also greatly effected by the World Wars which caused them to undergo major changes. After World War II Modernism became popular and the design style spread through books and journals which help get the style over to America. Another way modernism found its way to America was through the many designers that moved to the States after the war because of the new opportunities America had that Europe did not provide them due to the devastation left there after the war. 


There were two ways modernism was approached, one way was before the war which was more idealistic and theoretical and post war modernism was more practical and applied. 


The image pictured above is one of the works of who is known to be one of the fathers of Modernism, Frank Lloyd Wright. The elements shown in this piece of architecture called "Falling Water" is the use of layering and sunlight to achieve a practical design that gave the house light yet also stuck to the style of not only modernism but also Wrights's famous style of layering ledges and use of vertical and horizontal lines throughout his projects.   



The interior space shown above is another piece of work done by Frank Lloyd Wright. This building is named La Minatura and some of the key modernism elements seen here is the way the brick are repeated with the same design and same stacking process. The patterned brick give the walls a design and texture and mirror the exterior of this house as well. 



The image above is an interior space in S.C. Johnson Company Office Building that Frank Lloyd Wright was commissioned to work on. The elements of repetition throughout the mushroom-shaped structures placed throughout the ceiling are a characteristic of Modernism used by Wright. 


Modernism is still an extremely popular design style, however, the style is approached in many different ways now. 


Modernism architecture still keeps the same characteristics such as the practicality of the design and repetition shown throughout the structure, however, the materials we use today in Modernism architecture can look different. different styles of design are also incorporated into many Modernism buildings today. 

 

The image above was an Elementary school built in 2014 that showcases many elements of modernism. The mass and voids are used throughout the exterior to create repetition. The building is also shown to be very practical because of the way the exterior helps organize the interior due to the different sections of the exterior.


The image pictured above is another example of modernism today. This building showcased repetition and the use of mass and void, however, it looks different than most modernist pieces of architecture we usually see and this is because this building is modernism in its rawest form, just exploring the practical and applied ways a building can be oriented. 

One Step Further: Eero Saarinen (1910-1961)

Eero Saarinen was a Finnish Architect and Industrial Designer who was a well-known name in the modernist style. Saarinen had a profound education studying at Yales School of Architecture. Saarinen is known for creating many well-known pieces of furniture that are modernist staples such as the Tulip Chair, Womb Chair, and many more. 









Eero Saarinen Furniture:

Womb Chair
Tulip Chair
 


Extra Videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbrqkNHLqoE 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sQb0FDcw7o
https://study.com/academy/lesson/modernism-in-architecture-definition-history.html








































Comments

  1. Izabella CleavelandApril 7, 2023 at 8:03 PM

    Eva,
    Your history and background on this time period allowed for a better understanding of what is occurring and why the choices were made that were made. I liked your images and descriptions on Frank Lloyds Wright. Your modern day application relate to this modernism and international style by the having the same design features and materials such as concert and glass.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kahlan DyonApril 8, 2023 at 6:34 AM

    Eva,
    Understanding where American modernism came from and diving deeper into where it came from is very important. Which you hit some key factors that are very important that you hit on your post. I think what was really important is the two different styles of American modernism and understanding those overall. I also talked about Eero and his designer skills. I really liked the chairs and the same aesthetic but have different purposes.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Professor VanderNoordaaApril 22, 2023 at 10:36 AM

    Eva,
    Excellent Blog post! I really enjoyed how you summarized what historical events led up to Modernism. I thought you gave excellent examples of FLW and his contributions to the Modernism movement. Thank you for sharing some modern applications of Modernrism such as the grade school and office building.
    Lastly, you chose to dig deeper into the works of Eero Saarinen.
    Total Points: 50/50

    ReplyDelete

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