how to read modern buildings: a crash course in architecture of the modern era

by Travis Jacobs 5 min read

What are 3 characteristics of modern architecture?

The basic principles of modern architecture include form following function, clean lines, and a lack of ornamentation.

What is the modern style of architecture called?

Modernist architectureModernist architecture, or modernism, is a style that emerged in the early-20th century in response to large-scale changes in both technology and society.

What is the architecture of the modern period?

Modern architecture, or modernist architecture, was an architectural movement or architectural style based upon new and innovative technologies of construction, particularly the use of glass, steel, and reinforced concrete; the idea that form should follow function (functionalism); an embrace of minimalism; and a ...

What are the elements of modern architecture?

Here are some key characteristics to keep in mind when identifying modern architecture:Rectangular forms.Lack of adornment.Low, horizontal composition.Elements of asymmetry.Open floor plans.Large glass windows.Whitewashed exteriors.Natural materials like wood.More items...•

What is modern architecture examples?

The most renowned examples include buildings like Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater and Philip Johnson's Glass House, and though these sites have become meccas for modern aesthetes, they aren't without their faults.

Which modern material is used in modern architecture?

1. Concrete In Modern Architecture. The material that's the backbone of modern architecture, concrete is composed of cement, fine and coarse aggregates bonded together in a fixed ratio.

What are some new types of structures seen during the modern period?

Answer. Answer: The new types of structures seen during modern periods are Skyscrapers, dams, and laser light shows.

Why modern building is important?

Modern architecture makes use of environment friendly building materials that facilitate – minimizing carbon footprint; conserving money on bills; and reduced energy consumption.

What is modern architecture anyway?

The term “Modern architecture” describes architecture designed and built within the social, artistic, and cultural attitude known as Modernism. It put an emphasis on experimentation, the rejection of predetermined “rules,” and freedom of expression in art, literature, architecture, and music.

What is unique about modern architecture?

Because modern architecture adopted modern industry, new materials and technology resulted in characteristics such as simplicity of forms; functional, flexible, and flowing spaces; exposed structure; visual weightlessness; and lack of ornamentation.

What are main features of a modern house?

Modern home design emphasizes clean lines and geometric shapes. No more are features such as arches, ornate columns, window shutters, or any outlandish ornamentation. In place of these features that at one point spoke of luxury and wealth are simple shapes and intentional asymmetry. The opulence of the past is no more.

Why is modern architecture so boring?

It's simply that it's quite simple to make a mistake and end up with a dull design. With the restricted palette that modern architecture employs, it is difficult to strike a balance between elegance and sterility, and there is an overabundance of structures in which little attention was paid to detail.

Author Will Jones

Small enough to fit in a pocket yet serious enough to provide real answers, this is the ultimate field guide to understanding modern architecture. This eighth entry in Rizzoli’s popular How to Read … series is a one-stop guide to understanding the world’s iconic modern buildings: an indispensable pocket-sized guide to the architecture of the modern era. This volume takes the reader on a tour of modern architecture through its most iconic and significant buildings, showing how to read the hallmarks of each architectural style and how to recognize them in the buildings.

About The Author

Will Jones is a journalist and writer specializing in architecture and design. His articles have appeared in RIBA Journal, the Financial Times, Blueprint, and Dwell. His previous books include How to Read Houses and How to Read New York.

A crash course in the architecture of the modern era

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Description

How to Read Modern Buildings is an indispensable pocket-sized guide to understanding the architecture of the modern era. It takes the reader on a guided tour of modern architecture through its most iconic and significant buildings, showing how to read the hallmarks of each architectural style and how to recognise them in the buildings all around. From Art Deco and Arts and Crafts, through the International Style and Modernism to today's environmental architecture and the rise and fall of the icon, all the major architectural movements from the 1900s to the present day are traced through their classic buildings.

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