Emergence of Modernism

Art Nouveau, the Prairie Style and other styles seen during the 19th century all led up to the modern movement. At the beginning of the 20th century, Germany and France were the homes of Walter Gropius, Mies van der Rohe, and Le Corbusier, all who contributed greatly to the start of modernism. As with other previous design movements, the term "modernism" can be used to describe many other art forms - not just design. 

Walter Gropius 

Gropius contributed greatly to the start of modernism through his office furniture designs. The materials he used, the methods of fabrication, design, and function were all different than anything that had been seen before. He used very honest materials - such as metal tubing and plywood - and applied very rectilinear designs to his creations. To the left is a view of a staircase in the Bauhaus where you can see these ideals being utilized in the space. It is simple, but powerful at the same time. Gropius formed the Bauhaus and created a new educational program that merged many fine and applied arts together. 

Mies van der Rohe

Like Gropius, van der Rohe also appreciated simplicity in design. The commission of the Barcelona Pavilion, part of which can be seen on the left, put van der Rohe on the map very quickly. Unlike other designers of this time period, he enjoyed using luxurious materials in his his designs. The Barcelone Pavilion used a lot of expensive wood and marble. Van der Rohe is also widely known for the Barcelona Chair.

Le Corbusier

Le Corbusier is an icon of modernism, his name is known by many for his unique ideas and designs. On the left is an image of the Ronchamp, a Catholic chapel and one of the most important buildings of the 20th century. Le Corbusier is also known for urban design. He desired to improve the cities in which he lived. He made use of modern materials and used mass production as a method of construction. 

Current Applications

 

Above are two residential designs that are inspired by Le Corbusier. 

Super Great Videos that You Should Watch

Le Corbusier | https://youtu.be/4A07NnUu6x0
Van der Rohe | https://youtu.be/Z8VdhVJQm9U

Peer Reviews

Lisa | I really enjoyed that Lisa focused solely on Bauhaus for her blog. It was really interesting to be able to learn more about the design and why it is so important to this period. 
Kiera | Kiera did a really good job of overviewing this design period. It was helpful to be able to read her blog in order to tie all of the information that we have learned so far together.