Key Points: The Modern Movement

Question 1

Origins of the Modern Movement

Answer 1

Principles of architecture design with rapid technological advancements.

Form follows function (Louis Sullivan).

Elimination of ”unnecessary ornaments” (Sullivan, Jugend, Loos).

Visual expression of structure (concrete plus movements).

Truth to materials.

Use of industrially produced materials.

Question 2

Expressionism

Answer 2

1920.

Individualistic, adoption of new materials, unusual massing.
Sometimes inspired by natural forms, waves, caves a.s.o.

Sydney Opera House, Einstein Tower.

Bad economy during this time left many expressionism projects on the drawing table.

Question 3

Arbetsrat für Kunst

Answer 3

1918-1921.

A group of artists, arhitects, painters a.s.o that were dedicated to make the development of art and architecture reach out to a broader crowd. Worked closely together with Deutscher Werkbund.

Founders: Bruno Taut, Walter Gropius, César Klein, Adolf Behne.

Question 4

Italian Futurism

Answer 4

1920.

Emphasized speed, technology, youth, violence, cars, airplanes and industrial cities.

Cubism contributed to the formation of Italian futurism.

Cubism
An early 1900 avant-garde art movement, objects are analyzed, broken into parts and then reassembled again, in an abstract form. In architecture it took its expression in a dissolution (upplösning) and recreation of 3D forms. Elements could be extra large, made transparent or penetrate one another.

Question 5

De Stijl

Answer 5

1917-1931.

Reaction against expressionism, futurism and cubism. Typical for de stijl (and neoplasticism) was the importance of vertical and horisontal lines, geometrical forms and the colours of red, blue and yellow, that could only be combined with black, white and grey.

Question 6

Constructivism - Russian Avantgarde

Answer 6

1920-1930.

A form of modern architecture that flourished in Russia. It combined advanced technology and engineering