Modern Architecture

The term Modern architecture may be used to differentiate from Classical architecture following Vitruvian ideals, while

it is also applied to various contemporary architecture styles such as Postmodern, High-tech or even New Classical,
depending on the context.

Father of Modern Architecture

Louis Sullivan saw that the new vertical towers demanded wholly a new aesthetic. He was one of the earliest to use the
steel frame, and he insisted on the necessity to express and recognize the inner grid, made of steel, through the form of
exterior facade.

He influenced a generation of architects by designing the modern skyscraper as an organic whole. “Form follows
function” was his credo. He said: “Whatever is beautiful rests on the foundation of the necessary.” He delineated
three major visible sections in his works:

 A strong base with broad windows for shops,

 A middle section for offices with vertical elements to dramatize height, and
 A capping cornice housing mechanical equipment.
 The tripartite division corresponds to practical requirements.

Examples

The The Bailey House or Case Study Houses were experiments in American residential architecture sponsored by Arts &
Architecture magazine, which commissioned major architects of the day, including Richard Neutra, Raphael
Soriano, Craig Ellwood, Charles and Ray Eames, Pierre Koenig, Eero Saarinen, and Ralph Rapson to design and build
inexpensive and efficient model homes for the United States residential housing boom caused by the end of World War
II and the return of millions of soldiers.

Postmodern Architecture

Postmodern architecture evolved from the modernist movement, yet contradicts many of the modernist ideas.
Combining new ideas with traditional forms, postmodernist buildings may startle, surprise, and even amuse. Familiar
shapes and details are used in unexpected ways. Buildings may incorporate symbols to make a statement or simply to
delight the viewer.

It addresses the needs of the present generation. The idea of postmodernism first emerged in the early 1950′s.
Postmodern architecture is derived from a previous movement called Modern Functionalism, wherein the designs are
centered on the usability. However, emerging architects at that time viewed functionalism as “boring” and
unwelcoming. With the conceptualization of Postmodernism, architects merged Art and functionality in one broad
concept. Properties adapting postmodern architecture are popular in the real estate industry nowadays and could
have a greater value in the future. The prominent features of postmodern architecture are mainly adapting diverse
aesthetics which gives emphasis on unique forms. Postmodern features are the striking counterpoint of traditional
architecture and all its preceding movements.