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ARCHITECTURE OF THE 20TH CENTURY From the Functionalists to the International Style
The early years, evolution and transformation Walter Gropius Mies Van der Rohe
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An architect, HERMANN MUTHESIUS Published Das Englische Haus Organized DeutscherWerkbund in 1907 Werkbund is an organization for industrialists that brings together designers, architects, craftsman Manifesto – ‘machine aesthetic’
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Peter Behren as the first director. Others are,
Walter Gropius
Le Corbusier
Mies van der Rohe
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The main design characters of the Functionalists,
Clean Functional Machine made
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AEG Turbine Factory, Berlin, 1909, Peter Behren
…modern look, yet influenced by the neo-classical…
Imposing façade, clean line, absence of decoration, in time with spirit of the time
THE ERA OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE HAS OFFICIALLY BEGAN….
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Summary Understanding that societies can be reformed through new form of architecture The influence of the theory of Darwin “Architects would engineer the society of the future”-Werkbund
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The Deuscher Werkbund The Bauhaus The Weissenhof Estate (International Exhibition) CIAM (Congres Internationaux d’Architecture Moderne)
The emergence of the ‘International Style’
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International Style (1932)  First introduced by Henry-Russel Hitchcock and Philip Johnson in the International Style Exhibition at Museum of Modern Arts, New York as a symbol of celebration of the new style.
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The characters of International Style Simple cuboids – idea from machine aesthetic Asymmetrical plan Lack of ornamentations Reinforced concrete as an important elements The use of glass The flat roof
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Switzerland 1928 Sigfried Gideon Gropius Mies Alvar Aalto Le Corb Congres Internationaux d’ Architecture Moderne (CIAM)
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CIAM Internationalism of architecture Bringing architecture beyond the political boundaries Architecture as means of improving and upgrading social aspects, particularly through planning, in order to upgrade living conditions.
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The role of International Exhibition, ď Ż
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Werkbund Exhibition 1914, Stuttgart Weissenhof Siedlung Exhibition 1927, Stockholm Exhibition 1930 and Paris Exhibition 1937 The new buildings in the new style (modern) often built on the exhibition site as a showcase
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Gropius & Meyer, Werkbund Pavilion,Werkbund Exhibition, 1914
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The Weissenhof Estate
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House by Peter Behren, before & after renovation
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House 14 & 15 by Le Corbusier
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“Buildings were designed to fulfill a functional need, and beauty was inherent in successful functional design. A building that worked well was beautiful, one that did not was ugly. Repetition was encouraged, as means of expressing identical needs – a far cry from the individualism of Expressionism” Bruno Taut on Modern Architecture
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Walter Gropius
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Bauhaus-House of Building, Dessau, Germany
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Bauhaus (House of Building) – Phase I
1919 – emerged from Weimar School of Art & Craft Major influenced by Morris & Expressionism Curriculum based on industrial art – de Stijl idea Cooperation of artists and architects for building future buildings Introduced Industrial Design Program influence by De-stijl in 1924.
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BAUHAUS – PHASE II
1925-26 - The New building at Dessau was designed by Gropius using the elements of International Style. Mies was the last director before forced to shut down by Nazi.
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BAUHAUS
formation of 3-L shape tracts that interlocked with each other – windmill irregular layout(assymmetrical) as against the conventional symmetrical layout during that time – the influence of Classicism. main intention – as a laboratory, where arts, crafts and industrial design to be unified.
(based on the medieval stone mason’s lodge – architecture as mother of the arts) the incarnation of functionalism and the white aesthetic of the modern movement the international style.
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Other characteristics
fully glazed four storey workshop wing – facing east
unseen/hidden load bearing wall and column
glazed curtain wall construction which enclosed the building on three sides
BAUHAUS
internal reinforce concrete skeleton frame structure
related to Gropius Bauhaus manifesto(1919),
‘ let us create together the new building of the future that will represent everything in a single form: architecture, sculpture, and painting; that created by hands of millions of craftmen, will one day rise up to heaven as a crystalline symbol of a newly dawning belief’ – provocative statement.
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International Styles design principles 1924 - published memorandum “Art and Technology a new unity”
Against Neo-Gothic and Neo-Classical Against old way of constructions For iron, glass and reinforced concrete For mass housing, standardization and mass production Social projects to be done in groups
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Those principles are mainly because of their stands that were against the ruling German Nationalist Consequently, they were forced to close down and evicted from Weimar
BAUHAUS – PHASE III
1932 – attempt to re-open Bauhaus in Berlin. Lasted only 9 months. Big names of Bauhaus moved overseas, thus spreading the idea of International Style.
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1907-10 , Gropius worked for Peter Behren who became his mentor. According to Behren, architects should : 1. Produce good building designs 2. Produce good things for daily use
Walter Gropius 1883-1969
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Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright when 2 articles on Wright were published in 1910-11
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1883 1903 1907-10 1910-14 1911-13 1914-18 1919-28 1932 1937 Walter Gropius 1883-1969
1946 1969
– born on may 18, berlin – studies architecture in munich, germany – assistant in the office of peter behrens – own architectural practice – fagus factory – military service WW1 – Director of the State Bauhaus – Dissolution of Bauhaus by the Nazis – emigrates to the U.S. Prof Of Architecture at Harvard, Cambridge, MIT – found joint practice – The Architects Collaborative – dies in July 15, Boston, Massachusetts.
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AEG Turbine Factory, Peter Behren
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ideas and characters
transforming the unspectacular assembly hall of an electrical company – GE into a temple of labour and a
Cathedral of lights.
AEG Turbine Factory, By Peter Behren
the building flooded with sunlight by day, the hall shines at night. the finest work of modern industrial architecture
‘advertising concept and corporate identity’.
‘technical innovation as an artistic challenge’
the structure of the building remained the means to an end and had no influence on the outer form the steel skeleton frame penetrates the glass skin, articulating and enclosing the building like a building corset.
the impressive skeleton frame becomes the tectonic expressiveness and three dimensional force –‘collonnaded architecture’
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Fagus Shoe-last Factory, Alfred-an-der-leine, 1911, Gropius
The concept of Machine Aesthetic Glass angle – curtain wall Simple cuboids and flat roof Symmetrical Reflection of neo-classical
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Prefabricated steel, glass and brick
This building projected Gropius to be recognized as among the earliest architects to pioneer the new style. ‘THE INTERNATIONAL STYLE’
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1934 – Gropius moved to London to collaborate with Maxwell Fry.
1937-8 – moved to the US. Taught Bauhaus ideas at Harvard. Formed TAC (The Architects’ Collaborative)
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Harvard Graduate Center, Massachusettes,1949, Gropius
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Gropius House, Lincoln, Massachusettes,1938
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Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe was born in 1886 at Aachen, Germany. From a craftsman family background. Worked for Bruno Paul and then for Peter Behrens.
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1886
– born on march 27, aachen, germany
1899
– draftsman for stucco and ornamental work in aachen
1905-07 – apprentices with furniture designer Bruno Paul, studies at the school of arts and crafts in munich, germany biography of ludwig mies van der rohe
1908-11 – assistant in Peter Behrens office in Berlin
1911
– own architectural practice
1927
– Director of the Werkbund exhibition(Weissenhorf
Estate,Germany) 1930-33 – Last Director of the Bauhaus
1938
– Emigrates to Chicago
1938-58 – Director of the architectural faculty of the Illinois Institute of
Technology 1948-58 – Highrise Apartments, Buildings – (Lakeshore, Seagram Bldg)
1969
– dies on august 17in Chicago
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Mies is one of the leading neo-classicists He was inspired by Karl Friedrich Schinkel His works have the fine sense of proportion, clear forms & close relationship with the surrounding They were the translation of classicist trends into contemporary architectural language ‘LESS IS MORE’ The use of precious materials
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Altes Museum, Karl Frederich Schinkel, 1823 – Classical Revival
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Although, Mies was deeply influenced by the Werkbund ideas, the style did not surface in his early years. By 1920’s, he was increasingly dissatisfied with the style in German which was still based on traditional neo-classical approach. Mies tried to change this through the new approach: by introducing ideas to construct tall building
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IDEAL DEMOCRACY, NEW NATION US Supreme Court, Washington DC, Cass Gilbert, 1928 – Neo-Classical
Monticello, Virginia (US), Thomas Jefferson, 1769 – Neo-Classical
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Crystal like image. Glass curtail wall wrapping the inner skeleton frame. Un-built.
‘Glass Skyscraper’, 1919, Mies Van der Rohe, The expressionism years
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Monument to Karl Liebknecht & Rosa Luxemburg, Berlin,1926 by Mies ….hovering, purist shapes with tacked-on conventional emblem carrying out the dual aesthetic of the Constructivists
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Weissenhof-siedlung, 1927 The International Style years
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Although at this stage Werkbund and Bauhaus were at their peak, Mies was still not as famous as Gropius until 1929 when he designed the Barcelona Pavilion at The Barcelona World’s Fair.
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Barcelona Pavilion, Barcelona, 1929, Mies ‌combination of modern materials with classical reflection. Minimalist temporary structure, influenced by De-Stijl. The most outstanding example of the International Style. Demolished in 1930, rebuilt to original state 1959
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Barcelona Pavilion: Details
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Barcelona Pavilion - Ideas and Characteristics o
main regular eight column grid (classical grid)
o liberal use of traditional materials o creating playful spatial and material form o chromium vertical glazing bars holding glass
o planes of polished green Tinian bars o long travetine wall that flanked the main terrace with its reflecting pool
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Tugendhat House, Brunn, Czechoslovakia,1930, Mies
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Tugendhat house - Ideas and Characteristics o It was build from steel structure frame skeleton that permitted the free layout of the non load bearing walls. o Situated on a sloping site which the house was oriented toward the garden not the street against the normal orientation of a house. o street face – modest in features garden face – continuous glass front as impression of spacious and privilege lifestyle (dualism) o upper floor – public area lower floor – intimate, functional realms(music, library, dining & salon)
o In 1938, the owner was forced to emigrate. Now, after underwent an extensive restoration, this building has became a venue for formal occasions and provide accomodation for guest of the mayor.
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Tugendhat House
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In 1932, Mies became the Director of Bauhaus. It was at the time when political instability swooping throughout the Germany.
Mies was influencing the students with communist ideology.
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Mies – THE AMERICAN YEARS
Mies moved to America when the Bauhaus was forced to close by the Nazi.
1939 – becoming the Director of Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). He was given the responsibility to design the new campus with the total of 21 large buildings overall. He had only 17 buildings completed prior to this!
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The layout was based on the 24 x 24 x 24 feet modular system along the strong central axis. Heavily depended on the prefabricated steel. The element of skeleton structure and detailing were given the utmost attention.
Illinois Institute of Technology Campus,Chicago
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Crown Hall, IIT, 1949-56, Mies
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Design characters, Crown Hall, IIT School of Architecture and Design. The whole structure is supported by 4 prefabricated 18 m long girder plate Universal space Materials honesty – steel, glass and brick ‘LESS IS MORE’ ‘MIESIAN AESTHETIC’
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‘Rectilinear purity of the International Style’
Campus Chapel, IIT, 1950-52, Mies
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No signage at all, it did not resemble a true chapel. Did Mies purposely do that?
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Farnsworth House, Plano, Illinois, 1945-50, Mies
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Farnsworth House, Plano, Illinois, 1945-50, Mies
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Farnsworth house - Ideas and Characteristics It is a single volume house, sandwiched between floor and roof slabs o Raised 1.5 m from the ground on exterior columns (6.7 m/22 ft) apart o Looks like a box enclosed by a plate-glass skin ‘almost nothing’ – beinahe nichts o The podium, terrace and floor are face in travertine o Sprayed white steel columns and natural-white ocurtained windows o
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Glass House, New Canaan, CT 1949, Philip Johnson (a Mies Disciple)
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Mies works after World War 2
860-880 Lake Shore Drive Apartments, Chicago, 1948-51, Mies
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Seagram HQ, New York,1958, by Mies & Philip Johnson
Became prototype to the office tower worldwide known as ‘MIESIAN AESTHETIC’
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Although he was criticized heavily toward the end of his career, Mies continuously built his buildings based on his idea of ‘Miesian Aesthetic’.
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Neue Nationalgalerie,Berlin Kulturforum,1965-68, Mies
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Neue Nationalgalerie,Berlin Kulturforum,1965-68, Mies
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International Style in Britain
Lubetkin, The Finsbury Health Center,London,1938-39
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Mendelsohn & Chermayeff,The De la War Pavilion,Sussex,1935
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Holland
Johannes Brinkmann & Leendert Vlugt + Mart Stam,Van Nelle Designfactory, Rotterdam,1927-30
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Scandinavia
Alvar Aalto,Library at Viipury, Finland,1927-35
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Alvar Aalto was born in Kuortane, Finland in 1898, the son of a surveyor. He graduated with honors from Helsinki Polytechnic in 1921 He held the position of Professor of Architecture at MIT 1946 to 1948, and was President of the Academy of Finland 1963-68.
His early work borrowed from the neoclassic movement, he eventually adapted the symbolism and functionalism of the Modern Movement to generate his plans and forms.
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Aalto's mature work embodies a unique functionalist/expressionist and humane style, successfully applied to libraries, civic centers, churches, housing, etc. A synthesis of rational with intuitive design principles allowed Aalto to create a long series of functional yet non-reductionist buildings. Alvar Aalto generated a style of functionalism which avoided romantic excess and neoclassical monotony.
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Although Aalto borrowed from the International Style, he utilized texture, color, and structure in creative new ways - new Finnish architecture. Aalto's designs were particularly significant because of their response to site, material and form.
Aalto was a master of form and planning, as well as of details that relate a building successfully to its users. His buildings have provided renewed inspiration in the face of widespread disillusionment with high modernism on one hand, and postmodernism on the other.
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Baker Dormitory Alvar Aalto, at Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1947 to 1948.
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Aalto,Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Paimo,1933
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The United States
Richard Josef Neutra, Lovell Health House,LA 1929
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Neutra, Own House, Silverlake LA, 1933
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Discussions - Failures of International Style Modern Movement (Int. Style) have contributed significant new architectural ideas and visions as its response to the technological advancement. However, it has several key failures.
Technical Climate Cultural Social
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Technical 
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Speed construction but of low standard New techniques and materials were not tested adequately and hazardous to health
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Climate
Cheap means of heating and ventilation causing ‘greenhouse effects’ Ignore micro climate created by lower traditional buildings such as, shade, protection, warmth High modern buildings created wind turbulence at ground
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Cultural
Too obsessed with ‘machine aesthetic’ and ‘form follows function’ Ignorant on the values of tradition Eradicate old ideas with ‘new’ for control purposes
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Social
Egalitarian (Utopian ideas) are not achieved Still serves the elites and power Ordinary people have no choice, say and power
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Summary - Failures of International Style During the 1960s, the modernist vision was put into practice, and it failed. Modernist housing projects became vertical slums that were even worse than the old slums they replaced. ď ą
During the 1970s, modernism became the status quo, and it was oppressive. The glass and steel high rises towering over the old downtowns of our cities and the high-rise housing projects towering over old neighborhoods looked cold and impersonal – like the impersonal technological economy that produced them. ď ą
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Summary - Failures of International Style Social critics said that we lived in a technological society where ordinary people are powerless. Environmentalists created a political movement dedicated to controlling destructive technologies.
Modernism changed from a radical movement to the status quo because our society changed. The modernists criticized the traditional society of the early twentieth century in the name of progress. But they have no critical insight into the new problems of today’ s technological society.
By the 1970s, modernism was exhausted. Because the modernists’ glass and steel boxes were no longer new and exciting, architects began to search for fresh novelties that could still shock and surprise people – leading to today’ s avant-gardist architecture, which will do anything to be new and different.
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the end…..