Post Modernism

Following Modernism as the name suggests comes Post Modernism. This new style and era comes with new ideas and new faces. Some of these important figures of the times included the New York five, which were 5 post modernistic/ contemporary architects from New York City. The New York Five are as follows.

Peter Eisenman born in 1932 and still alive and well, studied at the University of Cambridge. He was heavily involved in deconstructionism. Eisenman had a different mindset then most, being uninterested with green design and believing that “Architecture does not solve human problems". One would think that that being his profession he would have confidence in it but I see where he comes from when he expresses the idea that sometimes what you do in school is not what you do in the real world.

Michael Graves, born in 1934 and his recent passing in 2015, studied at Harvard University for Architecture. He embraced decorative detail as well as strong color, forms and had eccentric tastes. Ornamentation was a big thing for him believing it gave meaning to a space, which I also feel is a true statement.

Charles Gwathmey born 1938 and passed in 2009, studied at Yale University for Architecture. The important factors for Charles were geometrical complexity as well as realistic materials and mixing art with his architecture. I once again feel I can relate with that mindset and idea because I really feel art should be portrayed in the architecture and design of buildings and spaces.

John Hejduk born in 1929 and making it to the new century in 2000, studied at Harvard Graduate School of Design. Important parts of his style were the geometric and cubist syle as well as using grids and thinking about the psychological elements of design, which I think is one of the most important aspects of design. When you think about it everyone in a space will be effected by it in some way or another and the designer holds the power.

Richard Meier born in 1932 and still with us today, studied at Cornell University, nicely spreading the education of the five out. Meier found his inspiration through Le Corbusier and Mies Vander Rohe and focused on the site as well as meshing the interior and exterior of spaces. Another important and different factor for him was his use of white and his quote of "Whiteness allows the architectural ideas to be understood most clearly—the difference between opacity and transparency, solid and void, structure and surface," he explains. "They have a greater clarity.”



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Extra Credit Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU8B8E2r-sM

Responses:
Courtney: I enjoy Courtney's focus on one designer and the amount of images used.
Kate: I really like the buildings that Kate chose to put images of.

Mid Century Modernism

Hopping into the times of 1945-1970 introduced are alot of different features in the architecture of the time. Some of these include: flat roofs, angular detail and asymmetrical profiles, large glass walls, open floor plans, bi-level structures and clean lines. These features were widely popular along the West Coast. Below is an example of the flat roof. With the different features there was also a specific color scheme that really put mid-century modernism on the map. The color schemes ranger from warm earthy tones such as olive green, burnt umber pumpkin and mustard yellow to the trendy colors like pink, gray, turquoise, black and yellow. Keeping the wide color schemes really helps make the design style pop.

When it comes to the rest of the design style one cannot forget the furnishings and the designers that were a big part of making it what it is. For furnishings the style used alot of plastics, resin, metal composites, laminates and fiberglass, an example of which is below. Some of the designers responsible for this design period are as follows: Jospeh Eichler, Eero Saarinen, Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson, and Isamu Noguchi. These designers worked with the manufacturers Knoll and Herman Miller, which are still big game players today!

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Extra Credit Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP201HQtFE0

Responses:

Modernism in America (Part 1)

Modernism has stayed around for a while because it is well, modern. There were many big players in America spreading and keeping modernism alive as well as so many important houses built by these game players.
One of the most important was someone who is not new to us, Frank Lloyd Wright. Looks like he needed to spread his modernism everywhere, even coming back home to America. He introduced the Hollyhock house in Los Angeles California. This house was built in 1921 for Aline Barnsdall. The house included elaborate terraces and garden along with structure poured from concrete and cast with geometric ornamentation. Having been done during something know as Frank Lloyd Wright's "Japanese years" which had heavy influence on this house in particular. It was a house unlike most of his others.

(Hollyhock House pictured above)
Another house we worked on was The Millard House in Pasadena California. This was one of his most successful houses during the period. it included features such as concrete block that were cast with patterns, similar to the Hollyhock house. This was called a textile block which gives the wall surfaces repeated pattern that resemble fabrics.

(Millard House pictured above)
The most important house that Frank Lloyd Wright created was Falling Water. This home was built for Edgar Kauffman in Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh. One of the most interesting features of this home is that it was built on a waterfall and the different method that were used to make that be possible. Wright loved to use his natural resources and this building gave him exactly that.
 
(Falling Water pictured above)

Current applications on American Modernism





Extra Credit Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVLrE37amj8

Responses:
Kate I: I think it is quite beneficial to talk about a specific designer along with bolding his name and showing images of his work.
Alexandra: I enjoy that Alexandra included floor plans as well as images and videos to all support her information.

Rise of the Decorator

Although now people see the term of 'decorator' as almost an insult, back in the 1900s it was just what they were called. They were people that 'decorated' the interiors of buildings, so naturally that is what they referred to themselves as. There were a few heavily influential ones in this time period. Dorothy Draper was one of them, and she was also one of the most influential women in the interior design field. She was all about bending the rules and throwing out controversial things. I think this is very important in the growth of the women in this field. Her confidence was shown in her style and made her design vibrant. (Examples below)

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Extra Credit Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjlEHsDPi1w

Responses: 

Alex:  I really liked the video that Alex chose! I actually almost used it for my blog, but I think it really helps go more in depth about Dorothy.

Alexandra: I liked the way she described her photos it helped understand what each were.

Art Deco

Art Deco began in the 1920s and ran into 1939 with its torturous battle between functionalists and decorators. Art Deco followed Modernism, and that is mostlikely the reason it was as extravagant as it was. Modernism was pretty bare minimum, trying to completely do away with the heavy ornamentation of the Victorian era that was their predecessor. Now that things are once again changing and things got a little boring people are getting inspired again. That is where art deco comes along and spices everything up. The Art Deco Era uses heavy focus on: Chevron, zig-zags, african tribal art, large mirrors, and prominent lighting fixtures. Instead of the nature vibes given with modernism they use rich materials such as: ebony, zebrawood with inlays of ivory, tortoise-shell, leather, polished metals, mirrors and glass. I feel that every different era we see coming through is in direct contrast with the era it follows which I feel is a very human rebellion way of life.

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Extra Credit Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wwiR3K3bXA

Responses:
Haley: I like how Haley went into depth about the skyscrapers and added pictures to relate to her writing.
Becca: I really enjoyed Becca's video on the difference between Art Noeveau and Art Deco, thought it was a valid point and something to take into mind.

Modernism/International

Modernism was somewhat of a breakthrough, bringing some very strong game players into the world. Some of these big players include: Frank Lloyd Wright, Walter Gropious, Marcel Breuer, Wasilly Kandinsky. and Miles van der Rohe.

Frank Lloyd Wright was considered the father of Modernism, so he must have played a large part in the creation of this new style. Even with his colorful home life he still manages to rule the architectural times and create tons of pieces, along with starting his own practice. Some of the Residential buildings that he designed include: The Winslow House, Hickox House, and the Robie house(below image 1). All of which were built in our very own Illinois, which is where Frank Lloyd Wright was from. He also had his hand in plenty of commercial projects including: The Unity Temple, The Rookerie, The Johnson Wax Building, and the Larkin Building. Having both residential and commercial experience definitely earned him respect and plenty of work.

Walter Gropious, though a step down in fame, was a big part of the International Style. Although he recieved no formal degree Gropious still fought his way up to create his own practice as well as became the director at Weimar. When he put the fine arts and applied arts together it became known as Bauhaus (Image 2 below). This school opened up so much for students including: fine arts, architecture and design, town planning, advertising, stage design, and film. The want to create a relationship between was these and modernism really helped create the new program.

Marcel Breuer was someone greatly effected by the Bauhaus, having studied there and later to teach at it as well. He was mentored by Walter Gropious who had a great influence in him as well as the handles on a bike.





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Extra Credit Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0Btn1RUd40



Responses:

Becca: I think Becca's blogs are phenomenal, there is so much knowledge and I like the way it is set up for an easy way to understand.

Haley: I like that Haley tells us how many buildings Frank Lloyd Wright created.