International Style

International Style

So basically international style is or was the new way of architecture that flourished in the 1920’s and 1930 in Europe and the United States of America. International style was first used for the first time in 1932 by architectural historian Henry-Russell Hitchcock and American architect Philip Johnson. The international used industrial structure techniques to create nice elegant simple forms, light plane surfaces  with free ornamentations using glass steel and concrete. Also some other main features that conclude the style of the movement is rectilinear forms ,open interior spaces and cantilever construction. After the World war two a  lot of cities started to grow and the international style was one of the optional styles that could be used to create new interesting constructions in urban projects .

What architect had in mind is to create something different from the dissatisfaction of the continued used elements of different styles  that where no relation to the buildings constructed. They wanted to create buildings with space and less design that served the industrial  society .The  new use different technologies of that time. and the use of steel and iron and reinforced concrete. These ideas is what made the international style different .The use of steel and reinforced concrete completed the recipe for the architecture of today The help of mass produced steel and iron in factories which was discovered in the 1890 was effective as it changed the way of building, As was used before.

The international style grew it roots from Germany and by the 1940 it was seen in different construction in many strong economical countries like France, South America, Britain Japan and the skyscrapers in America.

The actual style grew in popularity thanks to these brilliant architects who dedicate most of their lives to achieve a great impact in their field .

These important architects Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius which where form the united states of America and Germany, Le Corbusier in France which I’m going to talk in detail about his work and structures.

To understand the international style first you have to understand the buildings that came before the style was even named. In the early 20^th centaury in Germany there was a new concept that began to be developed and it happened basically with the help of the industrialization at that that time which helped the style develop. The idea started on factories to make large open spaces to produce products  with large windows and with the main structure in the inside .International style was related to Bauhaus. The school its self was another inspiration for architects as it was designed like a factory and every class could have been changed quickly to it requirements.

Le Corbusier was a Swiss architecture, which he is the main idol of this style

His ideas in architecture was to make use of the piloted or slabs on the base of the structure and make use of them to  support .He hand another idea that the building would be a machine and the man inside would be the organisms which lived inside and the machine took care of them.

His most famous building is called the Villa Savoye. The the building was isolated form the landscape set on white pillars. Cars where able to drive under the structure .Holes in the building where cut to allow light and ventilation .The interior of the space to my opinion looks very cold un ornamented everything clean and white. Most of the houses and flats of today are open plan and have some of the same concepts.

Reference:

International Style | architecture | Encyclopedia Britannica. 2015. International Style | architecture | Encyclopedia Britannica. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/291280/International-Style. [Accessed 29 January 2015].

Modern Movements. 2015. Modern Movements. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/modern_movements/2391/international_style/408691. [Accessed 29 January 2015].

International Style of Modern Architecture: Origins, Characteristics. 2015. International Style of Modern Architecture: Origins, Characteristics. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/architecture/international-style.htm. [Accessed 29 January 2015].

Architecture in the Early 20th Century, Modernism, Bauhaus, DeStijl and International Style - YouTube. 2015. Architecture in the Early 20th Century, Modernism, Bauhaus, DeStijl and International Style - YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUb1ficeiD8. [Accessed 29 January 2015].