Key Movements and Philosophies in Modern Architecture

Posted on Apr 7, 2026 in Architecture

Philosophies of Kenneth Frampton

  • Proposed Critical Regionalism
  • Combines modern architecture and local context
  • Focus on climate, materials, and topography
  • Opposes global uniform architecture
  • Emphasizes human scale and sensory experience

Art Nouveau

  • Period: 1890–1910
  • Inspired by nature (flowers, vines)
  • Features curved, flowing lines
  • Use of iron, glass, and decorative elements
  • Reaction against industrial mass production

Art Deco

  • Period: 1920s–1930s
  • Features geometric shapes and symmetry
  • Use of luxurious materials (chrome, marble)
  • Represents modernity and the machine age
  • Common in skyscrapers and public buildings

Chicago School

  • Developed after the Chicago Fire (1871)
  • Use of steel-frame construction
  • Large glass windows (Chicago window)
  • Minimal ornamentation
  • Concept: “Form follows function”

Five Points of Architecture

  • Pilotis (columns lifting the building)
  • Free plan
  • Free façade
  • Ribbon windows
  • Roof garden
  • Promotes light, flexibility, and openness

Modern Architecture and Materials

Features

  • Functionalism (form follows function)
  • Minimalism (no ornamentation)
  • Simple geometric forms
  • Open floor plans
  • Large glass openings
  • Emphasis on efficiency and clarity

Materials

  • Steel: Tall structures, skeleton frame
  • Glass: Transparency, curtain walls
  • Reinforced concrete: Strength, flexibility
  • Enabled lighter, taller, and faster construction

Industrial Revolution

Definition

  • Shift from hand production to machine production
  • Began in Britain (18th century)

Transformations

  • Cultural: Urbanization, worker class
  • Technical: Steam engine, machinery
  • Territorial: Railways, canals, industrial cities

Impact on Architecture

  • New materials: iron, glass
  • New building types: factories, stations
  • Start of modern construction methods

Beaux-Arts Architecture

  • Origin: France (École des Beaux-Arts)
  • Based on classical Greek and Roman styles
  • Features:
    • Symmetry and axial planning
    • Columns, arches, and domes
    • Rich ornamentation
    • Monumental scale
  • Used in public and institutional buildings

Frank Lloyd Wright

Philosophy

  • Organic architecture
  • Harmony between building and nature
  • Use of natural materials
  • Emphasis on open spaces

Prairie House

  • Strong horizontal lines
  • Low-pitched roofs
  • Open plans
  • Connected to the landscape

Usonian House

  • Affordable housing concept
  • Compact and simple
  • Minimal ornament
  • Efficient planning

Difference

  • Prairie: Large, expressive
  • Usonian: Small, economical

Cubism vs. Minimalism

Cubism

  • Use of geometric fragmentation
  • Abstract forms
  • Overlapping volumes
  • Dynamic composition

Minimalism

  • Extreme simplicity
  • Clean lines
  • No decoration
  • Focus on space, light, and material

Bauhaus Principles

  • Founded in 1919 (Germany)
  • Integration of art, craft, and technology
  • Functional design
  • No ornamentation
  • Use of simple forms (cube, flat roof)
  • Focus on mass production and social housing
  • Architect: Walter Gropius

Industrial Exhibitions

  • Showcased technological progress
  • Promoted iron and glass construction
  • Encouraged innovation in architecture
  • Example: Crystal Palace (1851)
    • Modular construction
    • Prefabrication
    • Large-span spaces

Modern Movement and Louis Sullivan

  • Emphasis on functionality
  • Rejection of historical styles
  • Sullivan’s principle: “Form follows function”
  • Early skyscraper development
  • Simple, expressive forms

Organic Architecture

  • Coined by Frank Lloyd Wright
  • Harmony with nature
  • Use of local materials
  • Integration of indoor and outdoor spaces
  • Example: Fallingwater

Modernity, Modernization, and Modernism

  • Modernity: Social condition of being modern
  • Modernization: Process of industrial/technological growth
  • Modernism: Architectural response (functional, simple design)

Development of Modern Architecture

  • Origin from the Industrial Revolution
  • Use of new materials (steel, glass, concrete)
  • Rejection of ornamentation
  • Rise of functionalism
  • Bauhaus played a key role

Iron, Steel, and Glass in Buildings

  • Enabled large spans and open interiors
  • Used in:
    • Railway stations
    • Libraries
  • Benefits:
    • Structural strength
    • Natural lighting
    • Transparency

Art Nouveau vs. Art Deco

  • Art Nouveau: Organic, flowing lines; nature-inspired
  • Art Deco: Geometric, symmetrical; machine-age aesthetic