Despite the name, modernist architecture, as a branch of modernism, is no spring chicken. Its origins lie in the 19th century, with the Crystal Palace used to host the Great Exhibition of 1851. Steel and glass were becoming more commonly available and architects and engineers were starting to understand these new materials. This opened up new possibilities for the heights and shapes a building could take. Early modernism still had many of the trappings of older designs, from intricate facades and traditional shapes.
Post-World War Two, architects began to design buildings that resembled many of the ones in this list. Sometimes also called the international style, a wonderfully vague name. Granite and concrete-gray became more standard and buildings took on harsher, sharper edges. Soon enough, skyscrapers encased in glass were not oddities, but the norm. Modernism as a style in general outlived the 19th century by embracing change and seeing new materials as opportunities.
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Now, name aside, modernism is old enough that many of its constructions need preservation, which sounds distinctly unmodern. Some are even UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a designation that conjures up ideas of crumbling, ancient burial mounds. The World Monuments Fund even has a specific campaign aimed at preserving modern architecture called “Modernism at Risk,” which was launched in 2006. Which, I probably need not remind you was a whole seventeen years ago.
The ability of modernism to keep changing with the times has also been the focus of much criticism. Many of the shapes and designs seem alien at first glance, leading to the creation of a variety of buildings that many people might struggle to understand. Sure, they might understand that it’s a building, but the function of the construction, where it begins and ends might be less clear. Windows might be multiple stories tall, the structure can have strange, hollow spires and whatever else the architect felt like on a particular day.
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Tirol House in Dolomites, Italy
While it used to be a more defined philosophy, the general embracement of modern architecture by many areas has made it appear like the default, generally due to ease of construction and readily available materials. After all, concrete, glass, and steel are pretty common in this day and age. As a result, the style has become somewhat diluted of its philosophical edge. While previously it was a rejection of old forms and traditions, it now represents the status quo and can be found almost everywhere.
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Despite the blocky forms and harsh edges, not all modernist architects see the style as smooth-faced towering monoliths. Many of the examples here actually blend with nature, appearing more like elements of the landscape. This particular branch, pardon the pun, of modern architecture focuses on the organic harmony between human construction and the environment. Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright is likely the best example of this style, where a waterfall seems like it’s a natural extension of the building.
Other examples of the style include the Rådhuset metro station in Stockholm, Sweden, where the bedrock is left exposed to give the appearance and feeling of being in a cave system. This style has the added effect of being more sustainable, as there is less “construction” to maintain. Studies show that green and/or natural spaces in an urban area have positive health benefits for residents. Organic architecture can extend elements of nature to areas that would in most places be strictly functional.
