L.J.

POLYTECHNIC
Architectural Assistantship

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE 2 (025080304)

UNIT-1
Formative Years of Modern Architecture

• Stuti Parikh
Idea of Modern Architecture in 19th Century & its Importance
 Modern architecture is a term applied to modernist
movements at the turn of 20th Century.

 It started with the efforts to reconcile the principles

underlying architectural design with rapid
technological advancement & the modernization of
society.

 Major architects who contributed to modernist

movement are- Ludwig, Mies van der Rohe, Le
Corbusier, Walter Gropius, Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis
Sullivan, Bruno Taut, Alvar Aalto, etc.

History of Architecture 2
Idea of Modern Architecture in 19th Century & its Importance
 There are multiple lenses through which the evolution
of modern architecture may be viewed.

 Some historians see it as a social matter. In their

opinion, modern architecture developed as a result of
social and political revolutions.

 Others see modern architecture as primary driven by

technological & engineering developments.

 With the industrial revolution, the availability of

newly available building materials such as iron, steel,
etc. drove the invention of new building techniques.

 Defined by clean lines & minimalist interiors that

allow the structure to speak for itself.

History of Architecture 2
Idea of Modern Architecture in 19th Century & its Importance
 Based on the rational use of modern materials, the
principles of functionalist planning and the rejection
of historical precedent and ornament.

 The fundamentals of modern architecture are clean

and simple. Its philosophy is that form follows
function.

 Modern architects express themselves through

simplicity, clear views of structural elements by
eschewing unnecessary design details.

 It boasts actual structure & materials used in the

building instead of covering them up with ornate
designs.

History of Architecture 2
 Characters of Modern Architecture
1. Inspired by function:
 Projects inspired by layout, location and function.
 Designs dictate more of design ideas.

2. Simplicity in form & design:

 Modern architecture is typically free of unnecessary
elements.
 Only the features that are required are included in the
design.
 Focus will be on the space itself, rather than on any
décor or details not relevant to the design.

History of Architecture 2
 Characters of Modern Architecture
3. Nothing to hide:
 Rather than concealing the nature of the home,
modern style wants the viewer to see the inner
workings & the true nature of the project.
 Materials are shown in the natural form & are
showcased. Nothing is hidden or altered to look like
something else.
 Structural elements are revealed to show the structure.
4. Love of all things linear:
 Strong linear elements & bold horizontal & vertical
features are seen.
 Beams, posts, cutouts, windows, staircases, fireplaces,
roof lines and other structural elements, assist the
architect in creating a linear inspired space.
 Lines of modern architecture tend to be straight &
angled rather than curved.

History of Architecture 2
 Characters of Modern Architecture
5. Bold roof lines:
 Instead of opting for the traditional style of roof lines,
modern architecture dares to push the envelope on
roof design.
 Buildings might have multiple roof lines at different
levels, showing off the complexity of the overall design
& the uncommon silhouette of structure.

6. Windows as design:
 Many mid-century homes use windows extensively to
bring in light.
 These homes often feature floor-to-ceiling windows &
lots of sliding doors.
 Clerestory windows are set high in the walls of a home
to let in light while preserving privacy.

History of Architecture 2
 Characters of Modern Architecture
7. Creative open floor plans:
 Most include an open living/dining/kitchen area, often
accented with a fireplace as a kind of gathering point.
 Mid century homes played with their use of space, with
floors divided on split levels or through sunken spaces
designed for conversation or lounging.
 Includes open interior floor plans with fewer walls.

8. Post & beam architecture:

 Instead of interior walls functioning as support walls,
they serve more as room dividers or for appearance.
 In many homes, ‘pony walls’ extend from the floor to
just below the ceiling, separating rooms while allowing
them to share light.

History of Architecture 2
 Characters of Modern Architecture
9. Revamped outdoor space:
 Multiple rooms open onto a large atrium, designed for
blur distinctions between the indoors & outdoors.

10. Focus on materials:

 Many mid century modern homes blended materials
such as wood & brick.
 They also incorporated new technologies.

History of Architecture 2
 Engineering Traditions and Materials
 The wonderful modern architecture considerably
improved & superseded all the old styles in variety &
design with the invention of new materials and
techniques.

 Steel found to be the most suitable structural

material for framing of huge cellular buildings. It also
helped to produce greater uninterrupted spans.

 Steel members rolled in variety of shapes such as

plates, angles, I-beams, etc. are joined, riveted and
even welded.

 This resulted into rigid continuous structures.

History of Architecture 2
 Engineering Traditions and Materials
 The use of reinforced cement concrete has produced
new breed of buildings such as skyscrapers.

 Massive stone walls are now replaced by thin RCC

walls, thus producing large interior spaces.

 Glass transparent to ultraviolet rays but opaque to

infrared rays (heat) are extensively used instead of
shades, curtains, etc.

 Sheets of one way glass are largely employed in

windows.

 Lamination consisting of glued layers of wood, has

helped to form beams and arches to cover a large
span than the natural wood.

History of Architecture 2
 Engineering Traditions and Materials
 Plywood and other thin boards enable us to cover
large surfaces without extensive framework.

 Chromium and stainless steel which successfully resist

the atmospheric influences are largely used.

 The plastics are available in wide range of beautiful

colors. They are almost all proof and available in the
form of sheets, rods, rolls and pipes.

 Iron, steel and glass enabled architects and engineers

to enclose the vast interior spaces.

History of Architecture 2
 Design Philosophies & Works of Louis Sullivan
 American architect

 Born in Boston

 First to articulate the theory of functionalism.

 Recognized as ‘Father of Skyscrapers’ and also

‘Father of Modernism’.

 Mentor of Frank Lloyd Wright.

 Gave the law of ‘Form Follows Function’.

 Considered as the ‘ Dean of American Architects’.

History of Architecture 2
 Design Philosophies & Works of Louis Sullivan
 Some of his famous works are:
 Auditorium Building, Chicago
 Babson House, Illinois
 National Farmers’ Bank, Owatonna
 Pilgrim Baptist Church, Chicago
 Wainwright Building, Missouri

 Sullivan’s designs generally involved a simple

geometric form decorated with some ornamentation.

 One of Sullivan’s most notable contributions was the

creation of a form appropriate to the tall commercial
office building, rather than stressing the horizontal
layers of each story, he emphasized the vertical rise of
these buildings.

History of Architecture 2
 Design Philosophies & Works of Louis Sullivan
 Verticality was made possible by steel frame
construction and the use of light materials such as
terra cotta, which had a malleability appropriate for
carrying out his ornament.

 Signature element of Sullivan’s work is massive, semi-

circular arch, which he used in shaping entrances,
framing windows or as interior design.

History of Architecture 2
 Wainwright Building
 Also known as Wainwright State Office Building.

 Location: St. Louis, Missouri, USA

 10 storey red brick office building.

 Among the first skyscrapers in the world.

 Designed by Danmark Adler & Louis Sullivan

 Building listed as a landmark both locally and

nationally.

 Named after building contractor & financier Ellis

Wainwright.

History of Architecture 2
 Wainwright Building
 Currently owned by State of Missouri & houses state
offices.

 This building is credited for being the first successful

utilization of steel frame construction.

 The first 2 floors are faced in brown sandstone.

 Next 7 storeys rise in continuous brick piers.

 Base contained retail stores that required wide

glazed openings.

 The building’s windows were inset slightly behind

columns, as part of aesthetics.

History of Architecture 2
 Wainwright Building
 Height: 44.81 m

 Top storey is decorated with round windows &

terracotta leaf scroll ornaments inspired by the Notre
Dame in France.

 Top floor was for water tanks and other services.

 He designed this building, as a composition of three

parts namely base-shaft-attic, based on the structure
of classical column.

 The lower 2 floors form the base. The above floors as

shaft and the frieze & cornice as the capital/attic. All
of this is tied together with ornamentation.

History of Architecture 2
 Wainwright Building
 Sullivan unified the facades of the building by
treating them as grids of vertical & horizontal
members.

 Its aesthetic influence can be seen not only in the

buildings that immediately followed it, but also in
sleek, soaring modernist skyscrapers that came
decades later.

History of Architecture 2
 National Farmers’ Bank
 Location: Owatonna, Minnesota, USA

 Architect: Louis Sullivan

 Ornamentation: George Grant Elmslie

 Construction started in April 1907 and was completed

in July 1908.

 Total construction cost was $125000.

 Construction materials used were red bricks, green

terra cotta, stained glass.

 Design is simple in its basic form but uncommonly rich

in its detailing.

History of Architecture 2
 National Farmers’ Bank
 The bank is a cube, 21m square and 15m high.

 The exterior wall is made up of a 3m tall sandstone

base with 2 large semicircular stained glass windows
facing south & west.

 Windows are set into a textured brick wall.

 The walls also contain terra-cotta ornament and glass

mosaics.

 The interior of the bank has a large lobby with offices,

tellers’ cages, vaults & various meeting rooms around
it.

History of Architecture 2
 National Farmers’ Bank
 The interior is also decorated with plaster work, terra
cotta & cast iron & has extremely complex color
scheme.

 Lighting is provided by the 2 big arched windows, a

stained glass skylight, and four gigantic light fixtures.

 The building was originally designed for 12 employees

& that number grew to 51 in 1997. thus, to
compensate this change, the building was renovated
in 1998.

 This building is famous for its proportions, forms &

materials.

History of Architecture 2
 National Farmers’ Bank
 Sullivan designed the bank to resemble a jeweled
strongbox, giving depositors, a sense of security.

 Green and brown terra cotta panels & blue and gold
glass mosaic bands contrast with the reddish brick
walls of the bank.

 Elegantly arched stained glass windows are mirrored

on the interior by murals of dairy & harvest scenes
painted.

 Interior walls were also covered with beautiful

colorful paintings.

 The first remodeling was done in 1940, when the

interiors were changed.

History of Architecture 2
 Design Philosophies & Works of Frank Lloyd Wright
 American architect

 Born on 8th June, 1867 in Wisconsin, USA.

 Worked under Louis Sullivan.

 Created philosophy of Organic Architecture, which

maintains that the building must develop out of its
surroundings.

 Organic architecture strives to integrate space into a

unified whole.

 FLW was not concerned with architectural style,

because he believed that every building should grow
naturally from its environment.

History of Architecture 2
 Design Philosophies & Works of Frank Lloyd Wright
 FLW first became known for his Prairie style of
architecture which incorporated low pitched roofs,
overhanging eaves, a central chimney and open
plans.

 Wright is best known for Organic Architecture which

drew from natural resources combined with Japanese
architecture.

 He believed that there should be as many styles of

houses as there are kinds of people and as many
differentiations as there are different individuals.

 He also believed that the good building is not one

that hurts the landscape, but one which makes the
landscape more beautiful.

History of Architecture 2
 Design Philosophies & Works of Frank Lloyd Wright
 Wright stood for clean lines and simplicity.

 His buildings generally had low proportions (not very

high), which was related to the ground.

 Planning was done according to the function of the

space.

 FLW introduced the word ‘organic’ into his philosophy

of architecture in the early 1908.

 It was an extension to the teachings of his mentor

Louis Sullivan whose slogan ‘form follows function’
became the mantra of modern architecture.

History of Architecture 2
 Design Philosophies & Works of Frank Lloyd Wright
 Following are the main characteristics seen in his
works:
 Use of natural materials like bricks, stone and wood.
 Use of textured concrete.
 Designs that blend well in its environment.
 Focused more on residential designs.

History of Architecture 2
 Falling Water House
 Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright

 Location: Pennsylvania, USA

 Now a museum

 Client: Mr. & Mrs. Edgar Kaufmann

 The house was built as a weekend house for the

owner.

 The waterfall had been the family’s retreat for 15

years and when they commissioned Wright to design
the house, they envisioned one across from the
waterfall, so that they could have it in their view.

History of Architecture 2
 Falling Water House
 Wright integrated the design of the house with the
waterfall itself, placing it right on top of it to make it
part of the house.

 Wright’s admiration for Japanese architecture was

important in his inspiration for this house, along with
most of his work.

 Just like in Japanese architecture, Wright wanted to

create harmony between man and nature.

 The power of the falls is always felt, not visually but

through sound.

 Wright revolved the design around a fireplace, which

he considered to be the gathering place for family.

History of Architecture 2
 Falling Water House
 He also brings notice to this concept by dramatically
extending the chimney upwards to make it the
highest point on the exterior of the house.

 Falling Water House consists of two parts: the main

house of the clients which was built between 1936-
1938 & the guest room which was completed in 1939.

 The house contains simple rooms furnished by Wright

himself.

 It has an open living room and compact kitchen on

first floor and 3 small bedrooms located on the second
floor.

History of Architecture 2
 Falling Water House
 The third floor has the location of study and bedroom
of Kaufmann’s son.

 The rooms all relate towards the house’s natural

surroundings, & the living room even has steps that
lead directly into the water below.

 The circulation through the house consists of dark,

narrow passageways intended this way so that
people experience a feeling of compression when
compared to that of expansion, the closer they get to
the outdoors.

 The ceilings of the rooms are low reaching only up to

2.6m in some places, in order to direct the eye
horizontally to look outside.

History of Architecture 2
 Falling Water House
 The beauty of these spaces is found in their extensions
towards, nature, done with long cantilevered
terraces.

 From the cantilevered living room, a stairway leads

directly down to the stream below & in a connecting
space which connects the main house with the guest
and servant level, a natural spring drips water inside,
which is then channeled back out.

 The design incorporates broad expanses of windows &

balconies which reach out into their surroundings.

 On the hillside above the main house stands a four

bay carport, servants’ quarters & a guest house.

History of Architecture 2
 Falling Water House
 The guest quarters feature a spring-fed swimming
pool, which overflows & drains to the river below.

 Wright used only 4 materials to build Falling Water

House- sandstone, reinforced concrete, steel and glass.

History of Architecture 2
 Johnson Wax Building
 Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright

 Type: Corporate offices & research laboratory

 Location: Racine, USA

 Construction: 1936-1939

 This building is named after the client named Hib

Johnson who wanted to create a small urban to put
offices in a green area more distant from the city.

 The neighborhood in which this building is placed is in

the outskirts of Racine in an industrial zone.

History of Architecture 2
 Johnson Wax Building
 As a result of the environment, this building closes
itself as a fortress & is isolated from its environment
that allowed Wright to create his own idea of
architecture inside the walls.

 Its most identifiable elements are the dendriform

(tree like) columns.

 Wright’s ability to effortlessly incorporate the organic

metaphor into his architecture is revealed in the
building via a tall slender mushroom column that
tapers to a base of 0.2m in diameter.

 They rise 10m and terminate at the roof level as

broad circular lily pads of concrete 6m wide.

History of Architecture 2
 Johnson Wax Building
 The circular lily pads of concrete are woven together
by a membrane of Pyrex glass tubing, that illuminate
spaces with natural light.

 The use of Pyrex glass tubing, allowed for a lot of

diffused light to enter the interior of the Johnson Wax
Building.

 The large workspace is well lit with indirect light &

very little glare, resulting in a work environment
conductive for creativity.

 The exterior walls were constructed using red bricks.

 Other major materials used in the construction are

red sandstone and reinforced concrete.

History of Architecture 2
 Johnson Wax Building
 The mushroom columns & glass tubing ceiling formed
a large workspace, nearly one half acre in size.

 The main room, which was also called ‘The Great

Room’ has two circular elevators and a mezzanine.

 The building has no windows, only long blind facades

and impressive red brick walls.

 Wright designed a horizontal amount, contrary to tall

buildings that were so fashionable at the time.

 Campus has a vertical tower, but this does not belong

to the original design and was constructed 10 years
later.

History of Architecture 2
 Johnson Wax Building
 10 years later, the company was forced to expand
their offices due to the operation of business, Wright
designed a tower adjacent to this building.

 The tower is of simple shapes. A square extruded with

round corners.

 The main hall of the Johnson Wax building, is about

45mX65m, which is able to accommodate about 200
employees under one roof without any partitioning.

 Management areas are located on the second floor

along a walkway around the main room.

 The 3rd floor, that is restricted access, houses a

meeting room and private office of Hib Johnson.

History of Architecture 2
 Johnson Wax Building
 When one enters the gate, the ground floor is open
and often used as parking spaces.

 In the main building, around 60 columns are

constructed.

 The columns are, in addition to the characteristic

element of the project, a key to the design of the
building, which not only give a spatial order, but are
responsible for maintaining all facilities, throughout
the building.

 The columns are in fact hollow and inside the facilities

of moving light, telephone and storm water devices
are induced.

History of Architecture 2
 Guggenheim Museum
 Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright

 Location: New York, USA

 Type: Art Museum

 Construction: 1956-1959

 The exterior of the museum is a stacked white

cylinder of reinforced concrete swirling towards the
sky.

 Walking inside, a visitor’s first intake is a huge atrium

rising 30.6m in height to an expansive glass dome.

 Reinforced concrete was used throughout.

History of Architecture 2
 Guggenheim Museum
 Along the sides of the atrium is a continuous ramp
uncoiling upwards six storeys for more than one-
quarter of a mile, allowing for one floor to flow into
another.

 The ramp also creates a procession in which a visitor

experiences the art displayed along the walls as they
climb upwards towards the sky.

 This concept also has its drawbacks- there are almost

no horizontal floors where social gathering could be
done. The other drawback was that the walls were
curved and not straight. So, difficulty was
experienced in hanging and showcasing the paintings.

History of Architecture 2
 Guggenheim Museum
 In 1992, an 8 storey rectangular tower was added just
behind the main building, provided a series of more
traditional flat floor exhibition rooms that eventually
allowed large paintings and sculptures to be
exhibited more practically.

 Natural lighting was a key point in Wright’s design: a

large domed skylight provides a diffuse background
illumination to the internal space while a continuous
band of ribbon windows supplies a specific natural
illumination for the artworks located along the
exhibition ramp.

 The basic idea behind this architecture is the sense of

freedom in interior space.

History of Architecture 2
 Guggenheim Museum
 The inside edge of the spiral ramp, which carries a 1m
high plaster parapet, turns on a smaller and smaller
radius as it rises-upwards.

 The main ramp cantilevers 4.4m to the inner court

from a 30cm thick beam.

 The overall width of the ramp increases as it spirals

upward.

 From the street, the building looks like a white ribbon

rolled into a cylindrical shape, slightly wider at the
top than at the bottom.

 Design was inspired by ‘ziggurat’, inverted

Babylonian temple pyramid.

History of Architecture 2
 Guggenheim Museum
 Because of its spiral shape, marked by the merging of
triangles, oval, arcs, circles and squares, which
corresponds to the concept of organic architecture
used by FLW in his designs.

 This building has a spiral structure featuring a large

exhibition hall lit by a skylight.

 The materials used in its construction were basically

precast concrete blocks.

 The white paint was used in the walls.

 The skylight is supported by steel joints.

History of Architecture 2
 Design Philosophies & Works of Walter Gropius
 One of the most highly regarded architects of the 20th
century.

 One of the founding fathers of modernism, and the

founder of the Bauhaus, the German "School of
Building" that embraced elements of art,
architecture, graphic design, interior design, industrial
design, and typography in its design, development
and production.

 Remembered for championing architectural mass

production techniques and as a key figure in
introducing modernist architecture to the United
States.

History of Architecture 2
 Design Philosophies & Works of Walter Gropius
 Among his most important ideas was his belief that
all design—whether of a chair, a building, or a city,
should be approached in essentially the same way:
through a systematic study of the particular needs
and problems involved, taking into account modern
construction materials and techniques, without
reference to previous forms or styles.

 His architecture does not have

the aesthetic fascination of Wright’s or Le
Corbusier’s but reflects a sober and programmatic
concern that marked his whole life.

 Not only was Walter Gropius one of the pioneers of

modern architecture, he was the founder of
the Bauhaus, a revolutionary art school in Germany.

History of Architecture 2
 Design Philosophies & Works of Walter Gropius
 Gropius's buildings were in stark contrast to previous
architectural styles and were characterized by their
cubic design, flat roofs and expanses of glass that
allowed for a merging of interior and exterior spaces.

 Gropius's most lasting achievements were as an

educator.

 Gropius is credited with the introduction of modernist

architecture to the United States through his design of
the Gropius House and his teaching at Harvard
University.

History of Architecture 2
 Design Philosophies & Works of Walter Gropius
 Following are the main characteristics seen in his
works:
 Simple geometry, often rectangular
 Use of modern materials like steel and glass
 Smooth surfaces
 Primary colors
 Linear and horizontal elements

 Some of his famous works are:

 Fagus Factory, Germany
 Bauhaus School, Germany
 Gropius House, USA
 University of Baghdad, Iraq
 Harvard Graduate Center, USA

History of Architecture 2
 Bauhaus Building
 Designed by the founder of the Bauhaus, Walter
Gropius.

 Bauhaus is school of design, architecture, and applied

arts that existed in Germany from 1919 to 1933.

 Means ‘House of Construction’.

 Use of new materials and technologies was promoted.

 The façades testify that the Bauhaus is very much a

typical building of modernity.

 If you search, you will never find the main façade.

History of Architecture 2
 Bauhaus Building
 All were made with an ‘affection’ for the details, all
with the intention that the function be easily
recognized from the outside.

 Each façade corresponds to the requirements of the

activity which takes place inside: the façade of the
block of classrooms is formed of horizontal windows,
whose function is to ensure adequate light; while the
apartment building, on the contrary, has small
individual apertures designed to increase privacy.

 The workshops display an imposing glass frontage,

which permits the maximum illumination and view of
the interior from outside.

History of Architecture 2
 Bauhaus Building
 The main entrance of the Bauhaus is divided by three
doors, separated by red columns, which provide
access to the entrance vestibule and stairs.

 The building is distributed over three main wings,

interconnected by a bridge element, whose X-shaped
form breaks with the concept of symmetry and gives
its functional efficacy precedent over its aesthetic
coherence.

 The main elements of the complex are the glass-

fronted, three-storey workshop wing, the likewise
three-storey building for the vocational school and
the five-storey studio building.

History of Architecture 2
 Bauhaus Building
 The campus features an asymmetric pinwheel plan,
with dedicated areas for teaching, an auditorium
and offices, and housing for students and faculty
distributed throughout three wings connected by
bridges.

 Among the innovative methods used in its

construction were a framework made from reinforced
concrete and brick, large expanses of glazing, and flat
roofs covered with asphalt tiles that could be walked
on.

History of Architecture 2
Thank you…

History of Architecture 2