International Style

Chicago, IL

The 1920’s and 30’s were a time of change in the world of architecture, times which truly formed contemporary architecture as we know it. It was the time of the birth of a style called the international style. The style was mostly about the basics of architectural design such as the form and aesthetics rather than Europe’s emphasis on the social aspects affecting the modern movement at the time. 1932 marked the year of an exhibition produced by Hitchcock and Johnson called ‘’Modern Architecture - International Exhibition’’, it was said all early 20th century architecture was to be labelled as International Style and that how the term was born and began to be used.

Buildings from the international style are usually consist of a very distinct set of characteristics, some of which are; light plain surfaces which have no extra ornamentation or decorative elements, open plan spaces with a lack of interior wall or sections, linear forms, large seemingly free standing areas usually supported by cantilever building, glass and steel usually reinforced with concrete.

After world war two many cities suffered an influx of habitants mostly during the first art of the twentieth century, The International Style was an idea answer for this problem and provided adequate house to build a city within a city. the styles characteristics would allow for the vast build and maximise limited space to its highest potential.

Villa Savoye -  Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret

Villa Savoye is an iconic representation of the International Style. It is a Villa situated in the Poissy, France. The Villa was designed by Le Corbusier and his cousin Pierre Jeanneret. It was constructed between 1928 and 1931 out of reinforced concrete. This building is one of the most easily recognisable exampled of international style and was built around Le Corbusier’s 5 rules of architecture which featured in his manifesto.

References:

International | Architecture, Landscape, and Urban Design. 2015. International | Architecture, Landscape, and Urban Design. [ONLINE] Available at: http://architecturestyles.org/international/. [Accessed 29 January 2015].

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].