Architecture Styles of the 1900s: Modernism, Arts and Crafts, Neo-Renaissance, Neo-Gothic, Neo-Romanesque, Art Deco, Prairie Style
Popular Styles of Architecture in the 1900s
After the war, housing demand fueled a building boom. The styles of the era were driven by new building materials and technologies.
New construction methods and the concentration of population in cities meant that buildings had to get taller to fit in. The availability of steel, solid rock foundations and inventions such as the elevator enabled this growth upwards.
Modernism
When confidence in the Renaissance’s forms began to wane, architects searched for new styles. Many adapted the pared-down approach of Louis Sullivan, who asserted that function should take precedence over ornamentation.
Building materials spawned by the Industrial Revolution, such as iron and glass, determined new construction techniques. The Crystal Palace designed by Joseph Paxton for the Great Exhibition of 1851 was an early example.
The International style, with its boxy appearance punctuated by bands of windows, reflected the philosophy of simplicity and rationality embodied in the Bauhaus and endorsed by Le Corbusier’s motto, “form follows function.” Stark, white homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright exemplified this modernism.
The Arts and Crafts Movement
The Arts and Crafts Movement sprung from the ideas of William Morris, Augustus Pugin, and John Ruskin. They challenged the mid-Victorian fashion for ornamentation and promoted manual labor over machine production. They also supported progressive new art schools and the revival of traditional craft techniques.
The movement’s adherents differed on their attitude towards mechanization, with British Arts & Crafts designers largely negative or ambivalent, while Gustav Stickley and the Greene brothers, the architects behind the Gamble House in California, were outspoken advocates of industrial capitalism. A quintessential example of their work is the American bungalow.
Neo-Renaissance
The Renaissance was a time of great change in Europe. It was a time of reform and rebirth in philosophy, science, art and architecture.
Renaissance buildings incorporated classical elements, such as pediments and column capitals. Renaissance buildings also incorporated the concept of rhythm. The repetition of simple patterns has been a timeless architectural design feature.
The rebirth of Renaissance architecture in the 19th century came in many forms. It was often referred to as Eclectic Historicism, a style that freely mixed details of a variety of past styles. It was a style that could be found wherever western culture had spread.
Neo-Gothic
The Neo-Gothic was an architectural style that became very popular in the 1900s. It was influenced by a combination of things including romanticism and nationalism. Romanticism was a cultural movement that emphasized emotion and individualism. It was a counter to the rationalism of the Enlightenment.
Augustus Welby Pugin was one of the leaders in promoting the Gothic revival movement. He designed the Palace of Westminster in this style. This was an important political building in England. It was also a symbol of Britain’s power and European dominance.
Charles Barry was another leader of the Gothic revival movement. He designed many important buildings in this style, including the Houses of Parliament and Highclere Castle.
Neo-Romanesque
In the US neo-Romanesque was a popular style in townhouses, suburban churches and even county courthouses. It was especially popular among protestant churches as it was more affordable than the more elaborate neo-Renaissance or neo-Gothic styles.
The Romanesque Revival style was a bit heavier than Gothic, with smaller windows and rounded arches. The Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto is a good example of this.
You can identify this style by its use of warm-feeling materials like etched brick and stone and recessed doors and windows. Look for patterns and subtle ornamental details worked into the masonry as well.
Art Deco
Art Deco was a style that flourished in architecture, art, and product design in the early 1900s through the 1930s. It was a celebration of modernity, utilizing geometric abstraction and reinterpreting classical ornamentation with new forms.
This style echoed the aerodynamic qualities of sleek trains, automobiles, and even zeppelins. It featured curved lines, round porthole-type windows, and other ship-like elements.
The painting Victoire by Tamara de Lempicka exemplifies this style. She portrayed a woman arching into the wind, much like the Greek figure of Winged Victory. This work embodies the optimism of the time as well as technological breakthroughs.
Prairie Style
In his work with the Prairie School of Architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright emphasized long horizontal lines and a connection to nature. He eschewed the Beaux Arts symmetry of other styles and created his own unique style.
The style can be easily recognized by grouped windows, low walls, and simple ornamentation. Massive square porch piers are common, and geometric patterns appear in the upper sashes of wood double-hung windows.
Wright described his houses as “married to the ground.” They celebrate the flat landscape with long roof lines, hipped or flat, and wide overhanging eaves.
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