Week 12: Modernism in America

 Modernism in America

As we move through history the spread of culture quickened due to the advances of technology. These modern advances helped spread modernism over the globe and introduced the new style at a faster pace than previous design strategies. Another factor that played into the spread of modernism to America was World War II which was taking place in Europe at the time. May European people fled to America to escape the war and with them, they brought their culture and ways of living. Although modernism was already introduced at this time, it shifted from theoretical and idealistic to practical and applied.

A designer who embodies modernism, and one we have talked about in previous lectures, is Frank Lloyd Wright. In post-war his work was minimal but shifted to fit the new definition of modernism. In his later work, his style is still evident and lacks the minimalistic modernism that we see from Mies Van Der Rohe or Le Corbusier. Here he still incorporates some detail and warm-toned colors that are shown through wood. One design he created in his later years that is world-renowned and portrays the modern style is Falling Water which is in Bear Run Pennsylvania. The use of large cantilever terraces and simple geometric forms creates and rectilinear home that follows the modern outline. Large glass facades cover the façade which is accompanied by Lloyd's signature stone style.

Rudolph Schindler was another designer who was prevalent in post-war modernism. During his time, he practiced in California and focused on residential beachfront homes. His designs were nicknamed “space architecture” meaning they provided structure, space, and design for interiors. Through his designs and the modernist style he heavily used concrete, wood, glass, plaster, and stucco as building materials. When studying his work, he used a modular grid in his facades and plans. 90-degree angles are decorated all over his designs and separate spaces and structures from one another. Interiors are minimal and lack decoration to highlight the building materials and form of a space. Each home is low in profile and emphasizes horizontal movement much like Frank Lloyd Wright did in his work to represent the midwestern rolling landscapes.

When reading through the content of this week’s lecture Philip Johnson stood out to me as a designer. His work looks like a product of Mies Van Der Rohe and Rudolph Schindler’s designs. After further investigation, it was stated that his Glass House was inspired by Mies’s Farnsworth House. In the Glass House he uses an all-glass façade with a brick enclosed space for the private bathroom, which is exactly was Mies designed in the Farnsworth house, the only difference being Mies design is elevated off the ground. Phillip contrasts Mies's light bright design of the Farnsworth house with the use of dark steel and dark brick flooring. Much of the furniture and decorations look as though they can be interchanged between the two houses. This is a great example of how designers can take inspiration from famous work to create just as amazing pieces that can continue to inspire many throughout time.

One step further: Lever House

Lever House was one of the first office buildings with a glass façade in the United States. The building has two main parts: the base, and the tall office tower, both of which consist of all glass. In the building are office spaces, and a penthouse that is located on the twenty-first floor that was once used by the owner of the soap company that originally inhabited the building. During this time sustainability wasn’t a big topic like it is today, so the building's curtain wall of blue-green heat-resistant glass was ahead of its time. This glass not only helped with environmental causes but also helped with the cleanliness of the soap products being produced in it. The glass allowed for easy cleanup of any office space and the curtain wall structure allowed for a full seal from outside to in to prevent dirt particles from entering the building and contaminating the products. Throughout the years the building has won multiple awards and continues to be a landmark of New York City.

Sources:

AD Classics: AD Classics: Lever House / SOM | ArchDaily

Additional Information:

A Look At Fallingwater (youtube.com)

Philip Johnson's Glass House: Architectural Genius Amidst Personal Controversy (youtube.com)